A PUFFIN'S PARADISE

Once a thriving mascot of UK waters, the doughty seabirds are now under threat. MIEKA SMILES travels to the Farne Islands off the coast of Northumberland where the National Trust is spearheading efforts to protect their survival

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LET ME start by telling you three fascinating facts about puffins. First, they live for around 20 years and the oldest recorded puffin made it to an astonishing 36 years old. Second, despite their dumpy, cartoonish charm, they’re actually feisty little speed demons of the sky, reaching 55mph as they soar, duck and dive for food in icy seas.

And third — my absolute favourite — they mate for life. Amazingly, no one knows quite how they find each other again after a harsh winter alone at sea in a flock of thousands. But they do: returning to the same partner to tap beaks together in a gentle, kissing ritual that reaffirms their bond.

How can anyone not fall in love with a bird like that? The National Trust certainly has — hook, line and sinker. But there are storms on the horizon for the puffin, which, like many seabirds, is classed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning they face a high risk of extinction in the wild. Their numbers are declining globally, with some populations facing significant pressures.

Over on the Farne Islands, a group of 28 islets just off the coast of Northumberland, the conservation charity is a fierce defender of the thousands of adorable puffins and their other seabirds and wildlife. The Trust took over from the Farne Islands Association on August 10, 1925, to become the islands’ protector — making this year its centenary of careful stewardship.

My journey to find out more about their work begins, like all stories worth telling at the pub, on a boat. My fellow budding seafarers — reporters, photographers and film crews — meet in the beautiful fishing village of Seahouses before being packed on to a little vessel and taken to Inner Farne in thick-as-soup fog.