Puffins?

[SimplyMarvie]

When cruising to Iceland, how likely are you to come across a puffin either watching from your balcony or while touring on an excursion that is not focused on going out to specifically see a puffin? 

 

(One member of our party - aka ME -- really wants to see a puffin. The rest of the family is more indifferent to the idea so selling them on a puffin-visiting tour is not working out real well. We're trying to decide whether to split the party or not.)

[MAVIP]

23 hours ago, SimplyMarvie said:

When cruising to Iceland, how likely are you to come across a puffin either watching from your balcony or while touring on an excursion that is not focused on going out to specifically see a puffin? 

 

(One member of our party - aka ME -- really wants to see a puffin. The rest of the family is more indifferent to the idea so selling them on a puffin-visiting tour is not working out real well. We're trying to decide whether to split the party or not.)

You do not mention the period in which you are travelling. We f.e. visit end of August - September and as I understand, all puffins are gone by then.  If I am wrong, let anyone please correct me.

[hallasm]

You do not write which ports you visit and when.
Puffins are not likely to be seen from your balcony.  The best place is the breeding grounds in the evening - @MAVIPis right - when the breeding season is over in late August, the puffins seek out the sea.

Edited July 3, 2022 by hallasm

[SimplyMarvie]

We'll be in Iceland in a few weeks, so the timing is OK for Puffins. We're currently doing some shore hikes and tours but nothing Puffin-specific. If they only tend to be in their colonies, it sounds like maybe we wouldn't see one while we're out and about and would need to make a special trip.

[Hezu]

Found an article describing the best places to see puffins in Iceland and I think that Akurey in front of Reykjavík might be the only spot that might be near any cruise ship route, although still at least few hundred meters away.

[drowelf]

If you friend really wants to see the puffins, then I would make an effort to find something that is puffin oriented. We did an around Iceland tour in 2018 and one of the stops was the Heimaey Islands, where we took a tour labeled as Puffins and Volcanos. And we saw a lot of puffins, as they took us out to an overlook that had a puffin viewing cabin over the cliffs that they used for nesting. We also went to the puffin museum on the island and got to meet up close one of the puffins that was undergoing some rehabilitation. On our other tours we never specifically saw any puffins, although when near the coast we would occasionally see some flying, but they were far away and not picture worthy. 

[PhillyTravelBug]

I'm so glad I read this. Almost forgot about my desire to see puffins when we visit next year.  We may just catch the tail end of is arriving August 15 and stopping in Reykjavik, Isafjoror, and Akureyri.

[Nitemare]

There are restaurants in Reykjavik that . . . maybe not

[Scottishclover]

On 7/4/2022 at 6:16 AM, SimplyMarvie said:

We'll be in Iceland in a few weeks, so the timing is OK for Puffins. We're currently doing some shore hikes and tours but nothing Puffin-specific. If they only tend to be in their colonies, it sounds like maybe we wouldn't see one while we're out and about and would need to make a special trip.

We did a land trip 2 years ago to Iceland at the end of July and managed to see puffins. If you are doing a shore excursion along the south coast there are some cliffs next to the famous black sand beach at Vik. We saw puffins there, it must be a popular spot as birdwatchers were there with seats and binoculars but we just really stumbled across them while we were out for a short hike. It was cool to see the puffins but unless you are a keen birdwatcher, I’d say there’s lots of other amazing natural sights to see in Iceland instead.

[SbbquilterUT]

My understand is that they are pretty well gone by mid-August.

[hallasm]

On 7/6/2022 at 1:13 PM, Nitemare said:

There are restaurants in Reykjavik that . . . maybe not

You can get smoked or grilled puffins at most restaurants in Reykjavik

[SimplyMarvie]

I'm just going to quietly forget that you said that... and maybe hide every menu in Reykjavik from my kids before they freak out. *sigh*

[FreestyleNovice]

On 7/3/2022 at 11:23 PM, hallasm said:

You do not write which ports you visit and when.
 

..

 

 

OP never responded. We did a Ring Road trip last month and got to see puffins at Borgarfjarðarhöfn (east coast) and also during a whale watching boat excursion from Husavik.
If OP answers we might be able to really answer their question, if it's a smaller expedition cruise for instance the chances are higher with the ship hugging the coast or at anchor at some of the smaller ports.

 

 

[Nitemare]

On 7/8/2022 at 12:27 PM, SimplyMarvie said:

I'm just going to quietly forget that you said that... and maybe hide every menu in Reykjavik from my kids before they freak out. *sigh*

We won't mention the horses

[Ofmyheart]

We saw puffins in Newfoundland in August of 2019.

[tring]

On 7/11/2022 at 9:09 PM, Ofmyheart said:

We saw puffins in Newfoundland in August of 2019.

 

Yes, can see the colourful Atlantic Puffins there.  Can also can be seen in some parts of the UK.  We did a boat trip from one of them, (Seahorses, in Northumberland), a couple of months ago which allowed us to land on Inner Farne Island, where they breed.  From memory I think Wales and the SW also have options to view them (but I am not sure exactly where.  Far cheaper than Iceland trips and as we are National Trust members we did not need to pay to go ashore on Inner Farne either.  

 

I have heard landings in Inner Farne have since been stopped due to bird flu since we went though.  Not sure if that is an issue regards any Iceland puffin trips this year, though the season is nearly over for this year as others have said.

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by tring

[ColdCruise]

On 7/3/2022 at 4:23 PM, MAVIP said:

You do not mention the period in which you are travelling. We f.e. visit end of August - September and as I understand, all puffins are gone by then.  If I am wrong, let anyone please correct me.

I was told during my first trip to Iceland several years ago, which started on Aug 24th if I recall,  that ALL the puffins went to sea on the 20th. Evidently there’s a Puffin Union  that declares they must all stop entertaining tourists on the same day and go out to sea (or be eaten? ) I was majorly disappointed.

 

BTW, I just learned Svalbard Puffins are bigger than other Atlantic puffins, so easier to spot (iPhone 12 photo on a moving zodiac)

[Nitemare]

As temperatures warm, the dates puffins leave Iceland has been getting later each year.  It's about a week later now than it was a decade ago.  It also is adversely affecting their feeding which does not bode well for the future of the breed