Puffins are back on the Calf, well decoy ones at least. On the 13th April the Trust, with support from Manx National Heritage Technicians and volunteers, planted 100 decoy puffins as part of their project to encourage puffins to nest on the Calf again. Global puffin numbers have been declining dramatically in recent years and are listed on the Amber list of birds of Conservation Concerns in the UK and Ireland and more recently they have been added to the Red List for endangered species.

Puffins were once numerous around the Calf of Man, with historic reports identifying over 800 individuals seen in coastal waters in 1996, an exceptional year. However, numbers have declined in recent years, with recent records of fewer than 10 birds observed each year. In 2014, only two individuals were seen. Furthermore, 1985 is likely to be the last time we can say with confidence that puffins actually bred on the Calf.

Decoy puffins were recently placed at two locations on the Calf, where historically puffins have nested. The most suitable locations were chosen for the decoys with some individuals precariously perched on cliff edges to ensure their visibility from the sea. A sound system, which plays puffin calls, has also been installed at one of the sites ready for the nesting season to attract prospecting juveniles. In conjunction with the continued rat eradication programme as part of the Manx Shearwater Project it is hoped that puffins will be returning to the Calf in the next few years.

For more information see the Manx National Heritage's website www.manxwt.org.uk and Facebook page.