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Mingarry Lodges

time for nature in the heart of The West Highlands

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A trip to see the puffins

Earlier this month we headed off on a boat trip to see the puffins on The Treshnish Isles.  This is a wonderful day trip from Mingarry Lodges and one we have done before, and no doubt will do again and again, such is the alure of the puffins and the other amazing wildlife on Lunga.

Waiting for the boat at Kilchoan Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Staffa

The boat for the Treshnish Isles leaves Kilchoan (a 45 minute drive away from Mingarry Lodges) at 10:30, so no need to set the alarm for this amazing day trip.  The modern and comfortable boat makes good time up along the coast of Ardnamurchan and Mull and there are plenty of opportunities to look out for wildlife enroute.  Bottle nose dolphins are commonly seen though, unfortunately, not on the day we went (that's a good excuse to go again).  We were, however, treated to a flyby from a pair of white-tailed eagles.

Puffin Island A short rocky walk Walking to see the puffins

The boat reaches the Island of Staffa after around an hour where we had around 45 minutes ashore to explore the famous Fingals Cave and rock pools.  We spotted black guillemot on the basalt columns by the cave;  so well camouflaged, but given away by their bright red feet.  Lots of shag, skua, oyster catchers and herring gulls to be seen too.  Back on the boat for the 15 minute trip over to Lunga, the home to a large breeding colony of puffins as well as guillemot, shag, kittiwake, fulmar and razorbill.

Packing them in... Some go big... Nose to nose

The boat moors in a rocky bay and there is short walk over the rocks before reaching a path to the top of the island.  The rocks can be slippery and a little awkward to walk over, though shouldn't be a problem for the majority of our guests at Mingarry Lodges.  There is a also a short and quite steep climb to the top of the cliffs and that can be a little slippery if it has been raining.  Saying that, it's always best to try and pick a nice sunny day for the trip and you do not usually need to book more than a few days in advance.

everywhere you look... Shag and chick Shag

The puffins nest in burrows at the top of the cliffs and you can really get quite close to them, almost within touching distance.  In early July the puffins were busy feeding their chicks and were returning to the island with beaks full of sand eels.  It's quite remarkable just how many sand eels they can fit into their beaks.  A real photographers' dream day.   The puffins seem relaxed in the company of humans and it is often suggested that the human presence guards against raids be nest predators.

Razorbill Fulmar Kittiwake and chicks

Lunga is also home to a large breeding colony of guillemots on Harp Rock which is just a short walk away from the main puffin colony.  Their raucous cries fill the air reaching a crescendo when nest predators such as black-backed gulls fly over the rock.  Kittiwakes nest on the ledges in the cliffs below the guillemots and had young chicks on the nest when we visited.  Fulmars and razorbills also breed on the island, though not in the same numbers as puffins and guillemots.  Lunga is also an important breeding site for shag.  The path to Harp Rock passes several shag nesting sites and allows for some amazing encounters with these splendid green eyed birds.

Guillemots on Harp Rock Coming into land Puffins

The 2000 plus pairs of breeding puffins arrive on Lunga in Mid April and remain on the Island until early August.  A great day trip from Mingarry Lodges.

  • View the full imagePuffin with sand eels

    Puffin with sand eels

    Puffin with sand eels

  • View the full imageWaiting for the boat at Kilchoan

    Waiting for the boat at Kilchoan

    Waiting for the boat at Kilchoan

  • View the full imageArdnamurchan Lighthouse

    Ardnamurchan Lighthouse

    Ardnamurchan Lighthouse

  • View the full imageStaffa

    Staffa

    Staffa

  • View the full imageBlack guillemot

    Black guillemot

    Black guillemot

  • View the full imageHerring gull

    Herring gull

    Herring gull

  • View the full imagePuffin Island

    Puffin Island

    Puffin Island

  • View the full imageA short rocky walk

    A short rocky walk

    A short rocky walk

  • View the full imageWalking to see the puffins

    Walking to see the puffins

    Walking to see the puffins

  • View the full imageA circus of puffins

    A circus of puffins

    A circus of puffins

  • View the full imageWatching the puffins

    Watching the puffins

    Watching the puffins

  • View the full imagePacking them in...

    Packing them in...

    Packing them in...

  • View the full imageSome go big...

    Some go big...

    Some go big...

  • View the full imageNose to nose

    Nose to nose

    Nose to nose

  • View the full imageeverywhere you look...

    everywhere you look...

    everywhere you look...

  • View the full imageIn the burrow

    In the burrow

    In the burrow

  • View the full imageShag and chick

    Shag and chick

    Shag and chick

  • View the full imageShag

    Shag

    Shag

  • View the full imageRazorbill

    Razorbill

    Razorbill

  • View the full imageFulmar

    Fulmar

    Fulmar

  • View the full imageKittiwake and chicks

    Kittiwake and chicks

    Kittiwake and chicks

  • View the full imageGuillemots on Harp Rock

    Guillemots on Harp Rock

    Guillemots on Harp Rock

  • View the full imageComing into land

    Coming into land

    Coming into land

  • View the full imagePuffins

    Puffins

    Puffins

  • Puffin with sand eels
  • Waiting for the boat at Kilchoan
  • Ardnamurchan Lighthouse
  • Staffa
  • Black guillemot
  • Herring gull
  • Puffin Island
  • A short rocky walk
  • Walking to see the puffins
  • A circus of puffins
  • Watching the puffins
  • Packing them in...
  • Some go big...
  • Nose to nose
  • everywhere you look...
  • In the burrow
  • Shag and chick
  • Shag
  • Razorbill
  • Fulmar
  • Kittiwake and chicks
  • Guillemots on Harp Rock
  • Coming into land
  • Puffins
Sat, 25/07/2015 - 16:25

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