Conservationists claim that the breeding of rainbow-hued bee-eaters along the Norfolk coast this summer and the rare sighting of three black-winged stilt fledglings in Yorkshire are “unmissable signs” that the environment and climate emergency has reached Britain. Following the discovery of seven European bee-eaters near Cromer by a local birder, birdwatchers are swarming to north-east […]
Tag: puffins
Rare UK seabirds put at risk by ‘alarming loophole’, say campaigners
The government has given itself an “alarming loophole” to avoid protecting seabirds including puffins and gannets, a leaked document shows. Campaigners have accused ministers of “giving up” on the UK’s seabirds as they plan to apply for an exemption to a legal duty to protect the rare species. Each year the government sets itself targets […]
Scientists Just Discovered a Seabird Hotspot. It’s Already at Climate Risk.
As winter approaches, many seabirds that nest along Atlantic coastlines in summer head out to sea to live and hunt in cold, northern waters. Dovekies, one of the most numerous North Atlantic seabirds, dive deep below the waves to feed on tiny crustaceans. Atlantic Puffins forage for fish and mollusks. Black-legged Kittiwakes eat just about […]
The huge threat of climate change: Iceland’s puffins and MANY other species pay high price
Flying in on whirring wings from a fishing trip or resting beside their nesting burrows near the southern tip of Iceland, these beautiful puffins look to be at one with the environment. At Dyrholaey in southern Iceland, we watched them skilfully dodge attacks by the pirates of the sea, Arctic and great skuas as they […]
Seabirds nest in new spots on Farne Islands as Covid keeps people away
It is not just humans who have changed their habits as a result of the pandemic. On the Farne Islands in north-east England, seabirds have used Covid as an opportunity to try out new nesting spots while rangers and tourists stayed away. While the absence of people has been a boon for some species, it […]
Puffins under threat as European boats overfish in UK waters post Brexit, RSPB warns
Overfishing by Scandinavian boats in UK waters is threatening the puffin bird, according to wildlife conservation groups. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has renewed calls for “urgent action” to curb the fishing practices of boats from countries such as Denmark and Norway. Under EU quota arrangements that have continued through Brexit, […]
Key species at risk if planet heats up by more than 1.5C, report finds
Corals will bleach, penguins will lose their Antarctic ice floes, puffins around the UK coast will be unable to feed their young, and the black-headed squirrel monkey of the Amazon could be wiped out if the world fails to limit global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Beyond a 1.5C rise, many species will face […]
Petition: Stop Organized Puffin Hunting in Iceland
Puffins are beautiful seabirds with bright, gorgeous colors. They’re lovingly called ‘clowns of the sea’ or ‘sea parrots’ because of their colors. Anyone would want to see a puffin given the chance, and some people do. Norway, the Faroe Islands, the US, and Canada offer puffin viewing tours for people to have the chance to […]