Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica, Sumburgh Head, Shetland
Most of this film illustrates the behaviour of an Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica at Sumburgh Head, Shetland, trying to locate its solitary chick after returning from fishing for sandeels out at sea. The youngster couldn't be found, so the likelihood is that it was probably predated during its parents' absence. The most likely culprit would have been a Great Black Backed Gull Larus marinus. Every nook and cranny was searched, and at no point did the adult attempt to eat the catch. Puffins are long-lived birds - sometimes they can survive for over 20 years, and they will mate for life. The sad reality is that their reproductive strategy is designed to cope with high mortality, as only two of a pair's offspring will need to survive for long enough to breed themselves in order to maintain a stable population. Unfortunately, the species has needed to be red-listed as the population has been dropping, mainly due to pressures from humanity. Inadequate food-supplies (for example, population-crashes affecting cold water sandeels as sea temperatures rise), oil-spills, and bird 'flu' probably pose the most significant threat to Puffin colonies.
