Puffins Return to Grímsey: A Sign of Spring in Iceland
Winter is loosening its grip, and right on cue, the first Atlantic puffins of the season have shown up on Grímsey, Iceland’s northernmost island. For anyone living there — or paying attention — it’s one of the clearest signs that spring has actually arrived.
Last week, puffins were spotted on the cliffs near Grímsey’s iconic lighthouse. The Municipality of Akureyri confirmed the sightings after local residents reported seeing the birds back on familiar ground.
The recent spell of warmer weather has cleared much of the snow, opening up the nesting burrows the puffins depend on. The timing lines up well with their migration cycle, getting them settled in ahead of the breeding season.
Sisters Unnur and Halla Ingólfsdóttir were among those who reported seeing the puffins gathering on the island’s southern cliffs. They weren’t alone in the skies — golden plovers, Arctic terns, and snipes have also been returning, filling out what is already a remarkably busy stretch of coastline for birdlife.
Puffins are about as synonymous with an Icelandic summer as anything gets. They nest in burrows cut into coastal cliffs, and once the breeding season kicks off, Grímsey becomes a genuinely lively place to be — at least if you’re a seabird.
For those interested in the natural wonders of Iceland, check out the latest updates in Iceland Review’s nature and travel sections.
This post about Grímsey’s first puffins of the season originally appeared in Iceland Review.
