Puffin spotted earlier than usual in Westman Islands ahead of National Celebration

The first puffin of the year has been spotted in the Westman Islands, arriving earlier than usual. Visitors attending the National Celebration this weekend are urged to keep an eye out for puffins in Herjólfsdal.

Brothers Sigurður Bogi and Magnús Úlfur were the ones to discover the puffin near Eiði at Heimaklett earlier this week. After finding the bird, the family took it to the Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary, which serves as a shelter for puffins in the Westman Islands. The puffin weighed in at 262 grams.

It was determined that the puffin was still too light and fluffy to be released back into the wild. Consequently, it needed to stay in care for a few days, receiving plenty of food and attention from the family that found it. As of yesterday, the puffin has been placed in isolation at the sanctuary, where it will remain until it is ready for release. According to the sanctuary’s operations manager, Þóra Gísladóttir, the puffin needs to rest, and measures are being taken to reduce stress, including minimizing noise and interaction.

Puffins typically arrive around mid to late August, making this early sighting notable. Þóra anticipates that more puffins may be found during the National Celebration festivities and encourages the public to not leave any puffins they encounter behind, but rather to bring them to the sanctuary. The early arrival of the first puffin is always a cause for joy, as it brings a comforting sense that everything is as it should be.