Life on the water

Puffins

Puffins on Rathlin Island, photographed on our puffin tours from Ballycastle between April and mid August: on the water, in flight and at the burrows.

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A big thank you to James Allen (our crew member and guide during the 2026 season) for providing us with most of these beautiful moments and pictures. Please feel free to check him out on Instagram: @orange_in_the_blue

A puffin lifting off, wings raised high and feet trailing through spray.
Two puffins on the water, the nearer one's bill catching the light.
Two puffins on the water together.
A puffin coming in to land on the water.
A puffin in flight, caught mid wingbeat.
A puffin taking off, wings raised high and feet trailing above the water.
A puffin flying low over choppy water, wings held level.
A puffin low over the water, seen from a distance.
A puffin on the water, side-on.
Three puffins, one heading off in a splash and two watching.
A few puffins scattering off the water in a splash.
A puffin flapping its wings on the water.
A puffin lifting off the water, one orange foot trailing through the splash.
A puffin coming in to land.
A puffin splashing through the water.
A puffin flying against blue sky, wings raised.
A puffin in flight with a beak full of fish.
Two puffins standing together on the clifftop.
A puffin taking off from the water among the others.
A mixed raft of puffins and razorbills scattered across the water.
A puffin swimming on dark water.
A puffin low over the water, orange bill catching the light.
Three puffins floating together on the water.
A puffin taking off, wings raised and feet lifting clear of the splash.
Two puffins flying low over the water.
Two puffins flying low over the sea.
A puffin on the water, ruffling its wings.
Two puffins on the water.
Two puffins swimming, a razorbill nearby on the water.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill clear.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill on full display.
A puffin flying overhead, wings spread against the sky.
A puffin flying low over choppy water, wings raised high.
A puffin flying past the cliffs, pale streaks on the rock behind it.
A puffin flying low over the water, a second bird alongside.
A little raft of auks, puffins and darker birds together.
An auk standing on the grassy ledge.
Two puffins swimming together.
A puffin flying low over choppy water.
A puffin swimming close by, its colourful bill on show.
A puffin floating alone on calm water.
Two puffins out on the water.
A puffin swimming on the water.
Two puffins swimming side by side.
A puffin floating on open sea.
Two puffins out on the water together.
A puffin swimming close by, orange bill sharp and clear.
A puffin skimming low through the rain.

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