First puffins of the year spotted in Firth of Forth close to Craigleith Island

The first puffins of the year have been spotted in the Firth of Forth after spending the winter out in open seas.

The colourful seabirds were seen on the water close to Craigleith Island, on the Scottish Seabird Centre’s interactive live cameras.

The Forth is home to the largest colony of breeding puffins on the east coast of Scotland, the Isle of May, as well as the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets on the Bass Rock.

The puffins departed in July last year to spend the winter out in open seas, but this early first sighting is an exciting reminder that the seabird breeding season is about to begin.

Atlantic Puffin Scottish Seabird Centre/© Nicol Nicolson

Craigleith has seen a recent boost in breeding pairs thanks to the work of the charity’s award-winning project SOS Puffin, which has been taking volunteer work parties onto the islands of Craigleith, the Lamb and Fidra in the Firth of Forth for the past 18 years.

The work parties remove invasive tree mallow, which can prevent puffins from reaching their nesting burrows.

Puffin numbers are now up to around 5,000 breeding pairs on Craigleith Island alone.

The Scottish Seabird Centre’s senior conservation officer, Emily Burton, said of the sighting: “I’m delighted that the first puffins of the year have now been spotted nearby Craigleith.

“These birds are joyful to see, and we are very lucky that so many call the Firth of Forth ‘home’ during the summer months.

“The race is now on for our conservation team and brilliant volunteers to make sure that the islands are in good shape for returning seabirds, removing litter and invasive plants before the busy breeding season begins.”