The two-hour bus ride was well worth the trip to the Cliffs of Moher. Salt in the air, wind in our face, and jaws on the floor we were greeted by the breathtaking cliffs, ocean, and planes of County Clare. The one disappointment I had was that I didn’t get a close encounter with the adorable puffins. They might look fake but they are very real and very cute. Nesting on the cliffs ledge they can sometimes be seen taking flight and diving into the water.
Puffins at the Cliffs of Moher are the Atlantic Puffin the smallest of three species of alcids in the genus Fratercula. The Atlantic puffin has a black crown and back, pale grey cheek patches and white belly. In the breeding season the Puffins have parrot like multi-colored bills which are shed while at sea as part of its molting. Puffins are usually quiet but when ready to breed they make a call that sounds like they are gargling. Their diet is made up of mainly fish and some crustaceans, shrimp, and mollusks.
The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. Over 60,000 seabirds can be found there during the nesting season from April to July and it is possible to view over 20 species of birds. The area was designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds in 1986 Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, and of course Puffin. Amber-listed due to its localised breeding population. The Atlantic Puffin population has been evaluated as depleted. However, Puffin populations at the Cliffs of Moher are increasing with over 7,000 recorded in 2011. Living at sea during the winter and only returning to shore for the nesting season they are most often seen from late May to mid July.
Puffins at the Cliffs of Moher are the Atlantic Puffin the smallest of three species of alcids in the genus Fratercula. The Atlantic puffin has a black crown and back, pale grey cheek patches and white belly. In the breeding season the Puffins have parrot like multi-colored bills which are shed while at sea as part of its molting. Puffins are usually quiet but when ready to breed they make a call that sounds like they are gargling. Their diet is made up of mainly fish and some crustaceans, shrimp, and mollusks.
The Cliffs of Moher are home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland. Over 60,000 seabirds can be found there during the nesting season from April to July and it is possible to view over 20 species of birds. The area was designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds in 1986 Guillemot, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, and of course Puffin. Amber-listed due to its localised breeding population. The Atlantic Puffin population has been evaluated as depleted. However, Puffin populations at the Cliffs of Moher are increasing with over 7,000 recorded in 2011. Living at sea during the winter and only returning to shore for the nesting season they are most often seen from late May to mid July.