PYSJU-TIMABIL

Words by Joshua J Sneade

As well as being the windiest place in Europe, The Westman Islands – a volcanic archipelago off Iceland’s southern shore – are home to the world’s largest colony of puffins. One fifth of the world’s puffins live in and around the cliffs of Heimaey, the sole inhabited island, where an estimated four million puffins outnumber the human inhabitants a thousand to one.

Pysju Tímabil, or Puffling Season, occurs on the island at the end of every summer. This roughly two-week period sees thousands of baby puffins leaving their nests each night to take their first flight. Unfortunately, a small proportion of the pufflings mistake the bright lights of Vestmannaeyjabær, the island’s only town, for the guiding light of the moon and instead of being led out to sea find themselves stranded in the town.

In response to this phenomenon, the islanders gather each and every night during the season to assemble what is colloquially known as the Puffling Patrol. For hours, and often until the early morning, the patrol sweeps the town for any sight of lost pufflings. Once rescued, they are placed inside cardboard boxes and kept overnight so that they can recover their strength.

The following morning, the pufflings are tagged and recorded by a team of volunteers and then taken to the west side of the island, where they are tossed from the cliffs to take flight and rejoin their colony. The practise of throwing the pufflings is mostly done by the children of the island, who arrive at the cliffs brimming with pride at the multiple pufflings they have caught the previous night.

In the past thirty years puffin numbers have declined significantly, with the species officially being declared in danger of extinction in 2018. However, due to conservation efforts and in no small part due to the actions of the local people of Heimaey, Pysju Tímabil 2024 has seen the largest number of pufflings since records began – strongly suggesting a halt to this downward trend.