Puffins are back in Scotland for the summer

The cutest birds in Scotland are now back – and people have the chance to see them up close.

Puffin season has begun at the Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick.

Visitors to the 5-star Discovery Centre have the opportunity to control the interactive island cameras to zoom in on the live puffin action. It’s also possible to see these amazing endangered birds with a range of Seabird Centre boat trips that take in the local islands.

The Isle of May is the largest puffin colony on the east coast of Britain, home to over 90,000 puffins from April to early August.

The islands of Craigleith and Fidra feature as part of the Seabird Centre’s SOS Puffin Project, which has been running for 11 years and has seen over 1100 volunteers getting involved to help puffins gain access to their burrows by cutting down an invasive alien plant called tree mallow.

Puffin numbers had crashed significantly, but thanks to all the hard work of the centre volunteers, the local population is recovering.

Puffins are now on the Red List of Threatened Species. Like many seabirds they are at significant risk from a wide range of threats including climate change, lack of food, pollution and marine litter.

Alex Turnbull, Discovery Centre manager, said: ‘With the Firth of Forth being home to tens of thousands of puffins between April and early August and with the Isle of May being the largest puffin colony on the east coast of Britain, North Berwick is the ideal location for puffin spotting and to appreciate and learn about these wonderful birds.

‘Visitors of all ages love zooming in on the puffins as they control our interactive live cameras. And to see them when out on our Seabird Catamaran Cruise, Three Islands Seabird Seafari or Isle of May Landing is really quite special.’

Admission to the Discovery Centre is £8.95 per adult, £4.95 per child, £25 per family. Open every day, except Christmas Day. Double boat trip and Discovery Centre tickets are also available.