Farne Islands
According to the National Trust, Puffin numbers on the Farne islands increased five per cent last year and increased five percent this year.
This follows a precipitous decline in 2008 when the number of breeding pairs dropped from 55,000 to 36,500.
That crash in numbers was attributed to a decline in the sand eels upon which puffins feed.
The decline in sand eels was blamed on the changing climate because sand eels have a narrow range of sea temperatures within which they can thrive.
The Farne Islands are off the Northumberland coast of England and the largest concentration of puffins in England breed there.
So why the increase in population?
Isle Of May
The large concentration of puffins in the United Kingdom is in Scotland on the Isle of May. The number of puffins there dropped from 70,000 to 40,000 in 2008. I am waiting for a reply to an enquiry I have sent off to find out the latest information on puffin numbers on the Isle of May and I will add it here when I find out.