Why puffins return to British cliffs in spring

Atlantic puffins spend most of the year out on the open sea. As daylight lengthens in late March and April, they gather around traditional cliff colonies to breed. They need dry, soil-covered slopes where they can dig burrows, or rocky crevices and old rabbit holes they can borrow. They favour grassy clifftop banks over sheer rock.

Timing varies around the UK. In the south-west, birds may be ashore by late March. In northern Scotland and Shetland, the season runs later, with numbers building through April and peaking in May and June. Strong onshore winds and rough seas can delay landings for days, so a calm, settled spell is your best bet. By early August, most puffins have left the cliffs and returned to the sea.

Where to see puffins on British cliffs

These are some of the most reliable colonies, with practical notes for each.

• Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire: Chalk cliffs with thousands of seabirds. Puffins nest on grassy edges and are best seen from clifftop paths between April and July. Early morning is quietest.
• Farne Islands, Northumberland: Boat trips run from nearby harbours, and in season some islands allow landing. Puffins can be very close, often within a few metres of the path.
• Isle of May, Fife: A Firth of Forth island reached by boat from the East Neuk. Puffins nest among old stone walls and grassy banks.
• Skomer, Pembrokeshire: A short boat crossing gets you to clifftop burrows. Evening rafts of puffins offshore are a highlight.
• Lundy, Devon: A smaller colony, but the birds can be confiding. Boats leave from north Devon.
• Shetland, including Hermaness and Sumburgh Head: Huge seabird cities. Puffins gather on grassy slopes in their thousands. The season is later here, so late May to July is best.

Remote colonies such as St Kilda and Rathlin Island also hold puffins, but access is more involved. Always check boat schedules, landing restrictions and tide times before setting out.

Reading the cliff for puffins

Puffins are small, neat auks with a colourful bill, grey face and bright orange feet. In flight they look slightly absurd, with fast, whirring wings and a dumpy body. On land they stand upright outside their burrows, often with a beak full of sand eels. Before landing, they gather in rafts on the sea, bobbing together as they preen and wait for the right moment to come ashore.

Look for them on grassy slopes, earth banks and areas with rabbit burrows. They rarely nest on bare, vertical rock. A clifftop path that looks down onto a sheltered slope is ideal, as is a boat trip below the cliffs. Early morning and late afternoon are usually best, when birds return from feeding.

Timing your visit

The core puffin season runs from April to July, with May and June the sweet spot. Arrive early, before the day-trippers, or go late in the afternoon. Check the tide and weather forecast: a light onshore breeze can push feeding rafts closer to the cliffs, while strong winds keep birds at sea. Weekdays are quieter than weekends, and quiet observation is not just polite — it is essential.

If you visit in March, you may see the first arrivals, but numbers are low. In July, adults are busy feeding chicks, and by late July the first pufflings are fledging. August is usually too late for a reliable sighting. Have a back-up plan if the weather turns.

Watching puffins without disturbing them

Puffins are tolerant up to a point, but they are vulnerable. A disturbed bird may abandon its burrow, leaving a chick to starve. Follow these simple rules.

• Stay on marked paths and well back from the cliff edge. Burrows are fragile and often invisible under grass.
• Use binoculars or a telescope rather than moving closer. A good view is one where the bird is unaware of you.
• Keep quiet and still. Sudden movement or loud voices cause panic in a colony.
• Leave dogs at home if you can. If you must bring one, keep it on a short lead and away from nesting areas.
• Do not fly drones near cliffs or colonies. They cause serious disturbance and may be illegal in protected areas.
• Do not play recordings of puffin calls to attract birds. It stresses them and pulls them away from feeding chicks.

If a puffin looks alarmed, stops feeding or starts to move away, you are too close. Back off slowly and give it space. The best sightings are the ones where the birds carry on as if you are not there.

What else to look for on a puffin cliff

A puffin cliff is rarely just about puffins. You will often see guillemots and razorbills packed onto ledges, kittiwakes calling their name, fulmars gliding past on stiff wings, and shags drying their feathers. Gannets may pass offshore, and peregrines or ravens can patrol the clifftop. In spring and early summer, the cliff slopes are bright with thrift, sea campion and spring squill.

Back home, you can carry that coastal wonder into your garden. A small pond, a patch of native wildflowers and a few log piles will not attract puffins, but they will help the wider web of British wildlife. For the puffins themselves, though, there is no substitute for a quiet clifftop, a calm sea and a pair of binoculars.