Join us and help save the puffins! A renowned photographer needs your assistance to protect endangered species. Don’t wait—take action now and join us on this mission! With every Puffin Photography Tour, we will donate a proportion of the profits to organizations that preserve the puffins’ population.
Join us as we embark on a journey to save the puffins. Pamela Goodyer ventured to the breathtaking landscapes of Iceland with a mission to capture its raw beauty. As her journey unfolded, something remarkable happened – her newfound love for the majestic puffins. She was so mesmerized by them she coined the phrase “puffinitis”. Pam has since been inflicted with an incurable case of “puffinitis” and vows to help her friends as their numbers are declining quickly.
With every Puffin Photography Tour, we will be donating a portion of the profits to organizations that work on preserving the puffins’ population.
Puffins are at stake. Habitat loss, overfishing, and algae blooms hurt the puffins’ breeding habitats. An estimated 30% of North Atlantic breeding puffins are likely already lost, with a further 10-30% expected over the next 20-50 years.
We are looking to partner with a nonprofit organizations in Iceland and the USA that work to save these magnificent birds.
If you are interested in partnering with Extra Eyes Photo Tours and Pamela Goodyer to help conserve the puffins, please fill out our contact form with your phone number and interest.
Puffins are typically only visible during a specific time of the year; they inhabit the ocean’s surface and only come on land to breed, lay eggs, nurture them until they hatch, and raise their chicks. These activities occur throughout summertime in Iceland, with the puffin-spotting season beginning in June and ending in August to September.
When they are nesting, puffins are often very easy to see and approach; despite being hunted and having their eggs raided in Iceland for a millennium, they have very little fear of people, and it is possible to get within a meter of them in some places. This is an incredible opportunity to connect with nature and capture some of the most remarkable photos of these birds in their natural habitats.
Foreigners may be appalled, as we were, by the idea of consuming this beloved—and sometimes anthropomorphized—bird with its beautiful beak. Yet, it is a treasured custom for the 332,000 citizens of Iceland. It horrified us to think that puffins were being consumed in domestic meals or even at social gatherings so that we won’t discuss it on our journey. Instead, we will honor these delightful creatures as part of the diverse and wondrous wildlife provided by Mother Nature.
Puffins are a species of seabird that can be found near coastal areas around the world, but they are especially abundant in Iceland. With its cool climate and rocky terrain, the island nation is perfect for them to nest and breed.
The decline of the puffin population has become a global issue, and international collaborations between scientists and conservationists have been formed to explore potential solutions. Working together, researchers are looking into ways to reduce the effects of the naturally occurring weather cycles on the ocean’s water temperature. The fish that the puffins find to feed their young are now too big for the baby puffins to eat, drastically reducing the puffin population.
Innovative strategies are being developed for various approaches to saving the puffin population. For example, one team of scientists is studying the effect of ocean currents on the distribution of puffins’ food sources, while another is researching methods for restoring and protecting their habitats.
These researchers have identified several key areas that must be addressed to protect puffin populations. The first is to understand the impact of ocean currents on the distribution of puffin food sources. By studying water flow in different areas, these researchers can identify regions that provide optimal conditions for puffin feeding. They can then recommend how to best protect these areas and ensure they remain food sources for puffins.
The second key area that needs to be addressed is the conservation of puffin habitats. Scientists can ensure their populations remain healthy and stable by creating a safe environment where these birds can thrive. This includes ensuring the protection of nesting sites and providing sufficient food.
Erpur Snær Hansen, a biologist, discussed the latest data on RÚV and revealed that the puffin population has dropped by an alarming 70% since 1995, much greater than the 40% decrease that was previously thought to be the case.
Request Iceland’s President Jóhannesson to preserve their puffins. Since 1995, the country’s puffin population has decreased by an unprecedented 70%, and one way to prevent further decline is to outlaw hunting. Numerous regions of Iceland rely on puffins for tourism, and hunting only profits a few individuals.
President of Iceland:
Address: Sóleyjargata 1, 101 Reykjavík (Iceland).
Telephone: +354 540 4400. Email: forseti@forseti.is
The puffins of Dyrholaey arrive around May and stay until August of every year. They come in from the sea to lay eggs and raise their young, who hatch in late June or early July. Puffins are small seabirds with a distinctive appearance. They have black and white feathers on their back, and with their oversized beaks, these adorable birds can be seen shuffling around on the cliffsides and diving into the water to catch fish for their young. Their distinctive black and white feathers and bright orange feet make for a striking sight against the backdrop of the rugged Icelandic coastline.
Photographing puffins is a glorious event that any bird enthusiast and photographer should experience at least once. Standing on the cliffs of Dyrholaey, We watched as hundreds of puffins flew above me, their wings flapping furiously as they searched for a place to land. Finally, they found their spot and gracefully touched down on the rocky and grassy cliffs.
THOUSANDS OF PUFFINS TO PHOTOGRAPH AT LATRABJARG CLIFFS
The Látrabjarg cliffs, located in the Westfjords of Iceland, are the westernmost point on the European continent. Here, millions of birds find refuge amidst its towering walls. It has been estimated that over five million puffins reside here during the summer months.
The windy cliffs of Látrabjarg in the western region of Iceland act as a sanctuary for millions of sea birds. Most notably, puffins take residence here for the short Icelandic spring and summer seasons. From a photographer’s perspective, this is the ideal spot to observe these colorful beaked creatures.
The three types of puffins—Atlantic, horned, and tufted—are all similar in size and shape, with stout builds, short necks, and large triangular bills. However, there are slight distinctions between them. For instance, Atlantic puffins have a blue-grey triangle at the base of their beak, while horned puffins display dark ‘horns’ above their eyes. Tufted puffins are the largest and most distinct of the three varieties, with golden plumes on their heads and necks.
When breeding, horned puffins appear black with a white face and chest. Their feet are orange, and their yellow bill has a red-orange tip. Adult birds possess sooty gray faces and smaller grayish bills during the non-breeding season. Juveniles have smaller all-gray bills that swell as they grow older.
Atlantic Puffins are black on top and white underneath in the breeding season. They then have black, orange, and yellow bill features plus a grayish-white face; when not mating, they switch to a darker gray face with no visible highlights on the bill. Younger Atlantic Puffins have entirely dark bills.
Tufted puffins are the most unique-looking type of these seabirds, with black coloration everywhere except for a white visage and brilliant golden head plumes extending over their neckline. In contrast, adults feature dark gray faces without plumes or bill plates during the non-breeding months.
I saw several puffins on the edge of the cliff. The air seemed to vibrate with a divine energy, and I knew I was experiencing nature in its purest form. As if on cue, more birds descended around me until they surrounded me. I felt my soul soar as I connected with these creatures of flight in a way that defied description. I traveled from a faraway land like a higher power had brought us together.
My mind filled with awe as vibrant puffins emerged from the clouds, swooping gracefully over the rocky shoreline. A surge of electrifying dopamine rushed through my veins as more and more puffins flocked near me, unafraid of my presence. I noticed a spiritual connection awakened deep within me, connecting me to all these beautiful birds. Every breath seemed to sharpen and heighten my senses beyond belief. My photographer’s glory intensified until I could barely contain it.
I instantly declared I had a massive case of puffinitis. – The absolute extreme love of puffins. I coined another phrase in an intense moment of photography grandeur. I was utterly captivated by moments of a spiritual connection to the puffins during that time. I could sense a power emanating from the puffins, an aura of awe and wonderment—the sun’s descent on the horizon. The Universe was painting a masterpiece, the colors intertwining with each other in perfect harmony. By adjusting my settings, I ensured that no beauty emanating from the power and aura of awe and wonderment would be lost in the shadows. This was a defiant act against darkness. I wanted to share this exquisite miracle with the world, so I took hundreds of photos. I craved to stay in this exact moment for eternity, entranced by this spiritual perception and determined to photograph until I could adjust no longer to fight the darkness.
Although the sun did not fully set in Iceland, it was about midnight, and the light was shallow, so I had to end my photography. I added special photography moments to my list of lifetime memories, such as the hundreds of eagles soaring above Conowingo Dam, being alone at Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon, watching the sunrise and feeling surrounded by a herd of elk outside Mount Rainier National Park.
