Two bright yellow, 'Puffin awareness buoys' have been re-deployed near Herm Island to try and increase the protection of our breeding population of puffins which return to the cliffs of Herm each year to raise their offspring.
The buoys are located to the south-east of Herm, near Puffin Bay and Saddle Rock, where Puffins can be seen rafting (resting on the waves) and this is the fifth year they have been placed in situ for the duration of the breeding season.
Male and female puffins mate for life and return to the same nest every year to lay one single egg. Both the male and female take turns to incubate the egg, and once the egg has hatched the parents leave the puffling chick in the burrow whilst they go out to search for sand eels to eat. The parents return to their burrows at night.
In 2014 the winter mortality incident resulting from increased storm conditions which became known as the 'seabird wreck' saw Atlantic Puffins being the worst affected species locally. Survey data collected voluntarily by the local Seabird Monitoring Team showed an unsurprising decline in puffin numbers in 2015.
Boat users and jet ski riders are reminded not to exceed the six knot speed limit when in the area to reduce the disturbance to our local seabird populations. Watching seabirds and marine mammals can be a wonderful experience; please make sure that you adhere to the Wildlife Code of Conduct to prevent unnecessary stress and disturbance from being caused.
Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services wish to thank boat and jet ski users for their co-operation.
