05/06/2026
Here a photo I took last week during a trip to the Saltee Islands
Taken with Canon R6 mkiii & RF 200-800mm
Some interesting facts about puffins.
1. They can "fly" underwater - Puffins are surprisingly agile swimmers. They use their wings as flippers to "fly" through the water and use their webbed feet as rudders to steer. This allows them to dive up to 60 meters deep in search of small fish.
2. They have specialized mouths for fishing , a puffin's unique beak joints allow them to hold multiple fish at a time without dropping the first one. They use specialized, serrated bills and rough tongues to secure their catch. One record-holding puffin was spotted with 83 small fish in its bill at once!
3. Their colorful beaks are seasonal, A puffin's beak changes color throughout the year. In the winter, their beaks are a dull grey. In the spring, these "clowns of the sea" bloom with a bright, outrageous orange. This helps them attract mates.