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 flying low, its reflection on the water below.
A puffin taking off, trailing spray behind it.
A puffin landing on the water in a splash.
A puffin flying low over the water, orange bill and feet bright against dark wings.
A puffin flying low, wings raised, orange bill and feet on show.
A puffin flying low over the sea, its orange bill sharp and clear.
Two puffins taking off side by side, trailing spray.
A puffin skimming the water, splashing a wake behind it.
A puffin coming in to land, wings spread against the evening light.
A puffin swimming among guillemots.
A puffin taking off, feet trailing over the water.
A puffin floating alone, bill clearly visible.
A small group of puffins floating together.
A puffin out on the water.
A puffin floating on calm water, its bill clear in profile.
A puffin flying low over choppy water, feet trailing behind.
A puffin floating calmly on the water.
A puffin floating on the water, clear and close.
A puffin flying low over the sea, orange bill on show.
A puffin flying low, others swimming nearby.
A puffin in flight low over the water, orange bill and feet visible.
A puffin in flight against the cliff.
A raft of puffins bobbing on the water.
A puffin taking off, running across the water.
A puffin swimming, its orange bill on show.
A puffin standing on a flower-covered cliff ledge.
A puffin flying low over the water, small in the distance.
A puffin flying past the cliffs, wings beating hard.
A puffin floating on the water.
A puffin flying low over green water, feet trailing spray.
A puffin standing among pink sea thrift on a clifftop.
A puffin carrying nesting material in its bill.
Two puffins swimming on dappled green water, bills bright.
Two puffins on a burrow slope among pink thrift flowers.
A puffin resting on green water with light spray around it.
A puffin portrait against a soft blurred green background.
Two puffins swimming together on golden, rippled evening water.
A puffin in flight with fish held in its beak.
Two puffins swimming close together, beak to beak on rippled water.
A raft of puffins on open water, with two darker seabirds mixed in.
A puffin splashing on blue water.
Two puffins flying low over the water together.
Two puffins swimming apart on blue water.
A lone puffin paddling on green water.
Two puffins and a guillemot on choppy golden water.
Two puffins swimming close together on pastel evening water.
A puffin taking off in a splash beside another swimming.
A puffin in flight against a clear blue sky.

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