Sweet puffin looks at me with his wise grey eye. Another hour on the island and the boat will come to pick us up. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay there, on the edge of the cliff, and see what he sees.
The aquamarine blue water turns a shade darker.
There is a dark cloud coming from the East, and it means rain.
Before long it was raining lazily, and the raindrops sat on the puffin’s back and head, like diamond beads.
I have had a fabulous time and took many photographs. I photographed birds perched on the cliffs, and in flight, from the front and from behind, …
… single and in groups.
We even saw a family of partridges and a rabbit.
It is time to leave.
Enjoy this short video from Saltee Islands website .
We take the stairs down to the rocky shore, and walk along the water edge taking photographs of everything that lies around.
Huge thanks to the Neale family who have turned the islands into the bird sanctuary, and set up a shelter for those who might get stuck on the island overnight.
Our boat arrived with more photographers on board. This group will stay until the dark to take pictures of the sunset. The rubber dinghy is speeding towards the shore. It is also named after a bird. Guess which? A Puffin! 🙂
This is Declan Bates, the captain of An Crosan, The Razorbill. Last August Captain Bates spotted an overturned boat that capsized near Great Saltee Island. Ten people had been in water for five hours. They were rescued and taken by An Crosan to Kilmore Quay. Nine of them survived.
Thank you for the safe trip, captain!
I do hope you enjoyed this trip, extended over so many blog posts 🙂
Don’t lose connection with the beautiful things of the world. Everything else won’t last long.
Have a wonderful weekend!
I’d never seen a puffin with dandruff before, but then I read the post and discovered it was just rain. :
Haha, Bun, have you seen a puffin without dandruff? 😉
To be absolutely honest, I’m not close enough friends with any puffins to ever have noticed their personal hygiene issues one way or the other. 🙂
🙂
Beautiful post Inese 🙂
Some places in the world these puffins are seen as food, did you know that?
I guess so… I know that gannet chicks are food in some places, so why not puffins… People eat everything… What place is that?
I know, they are eaten in Iceland and perhaps also in the Farrier Islands.
Well, in Iceland it might be a traditional food source, but Farrier Island? May be it is Faroe? I hope that hunting for puffins is only related to the population control. As to me, I wouldn’t eat a puffin ever.
You are right, it is Faroe Islands, I didn’t remember the name in English.
It is cold there and they eat, what is possible.
Yes, I imagine. In such places, people live in harmony with the nature, they never waste and never abuse their resources. Still, if I visited, I wouldn’t eat puffins 🙂 I would bring my own sandwich with me 😉
Fantastic Puffin pics!
Thank you! 🙂
Very nice images!
Thank you! 🙂
Such fabulous photos, Inese!
Thank you so much, Cynthia! I am away from home, sorry for not visiting lately. Overwhelmed…
Lovely ❤
Thank you so much! Glad you love my puffins 🙂
To mark the beautiful finish to your Saltee Island posts, I have a surprise for you at my blog 🙂 You’ve saved the best for the last as these are some of your finest Puffin photos! ❤
Ah, my soaring heart will lay earthbound now that you’ve taken us to the last stint of your amazing adventure with the Puffins. I see how one eyes you with admiration, and I have grown to find out why. Thank you for a heartwarming journey, Lady Inese and for such a fine compliment about my soul at Rose’s blog. I must say that my soul is but half the beauty of yours. Thanks so much and have a lovely week, dear. -PR
Thank you so much for your sweet comment, Dead D! It was wonderful to have you as my travel companion 🙂 Have a happy week you too!
The raindrops on that puffin…wow. Just…just wow, my friend. 🙂 xxxx
Thank you so much for loving the little fellow. 🙂 xxxx
Wonderful photos…especially the puffins 🙂
Thank you so much for loving the puffins! 🙂
Beautiful, beautiful photos, Inese, I felt as if I was by your side. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Jean! Hope you will make it there next year. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for a wonderful series of posts Inese, which lovely pics… what a special place to have close to you. Long may it remain,
best wishes
Julian
Thank you so much for joining me! 🙂 Some places are gems.
Have a wonderful week!
Inese, I like when Juli Andrews as Maria Vin Trapped sings of her favorite things (so instead of “raindrops on roses”) I love raindrop beads on backs of puffins. Maybe we can change the next verse to be “blueberry muffins!?”
Your tribute to the boat pilot was marvelous and his service of saving 9 of 10 people was an incredible act of heroism. Hugs, Robin xo
Thank you so much, Robin! Your version of the song is brilliant and I absolutely love it! 🙂 Hugs! xx
I cannot get over the sweet Puffin – adorable photos! 🙂
Thank you so much, Christy! 🙂 xx
That Puffin looks like he could be tame. What a beautiful bird! That looks like it was a lot of fun taking pix.
This puffin is one of two couples I see every year nesting in the same burrows. He lets me come up quite close. I keep talking to him – may be that helps too 🙂
I love the puffin photos. They have such colourful beaks!
That piece of purple seaweed looks very interesting too, it almost looks like a cardiovascular system 🙂
Thank you so much! Yes, that piece of seaweed really looks like something different than it is 🙂 I too thought about a branch of blood vessels 🙂
How wonderful….your photographs actually made me cry. 🙂 The puffin was so clear that I felt as if I could reach out and touch him. What a wonderful experience for you. (And for all of us who read your post.) Lisa
Than you so much, Lisa! Glad the puffins touched your heart!
Wonderful pictures! You seem to have become the Puffin Whisperer!
Thank you! 🙂 They seem to be very intelligent, and sure they can read my intentions and feel my adoration.
Love, love, love this, Inese! What a beautiful place! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! It is my favorite place 🙂
Beautiful post, Inese!!! Awww – those puffins… no words needed in fact, your shots say it all 🙂 Love the raindrops – they really look like tiny diamonds adorning its feathers 😉 Glad your trip was safe and that everybody got home safely! Have a beautiful and inspiring weekend! xxxxxx ❤
Thank you so much, Sarah! I loved those raindrops and glad I could come close enough to have them on the picture. Have a lovely weekend! xx