Bountiful Catch « Ian James Photography

Bountiful Catch

This Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) was flying back to its burrow on the Farne Islands, where there are thousands upon thousands of seabirds breeding and nesting. Zooming past at an unexpected high speed, the puffins have to land and dive underground as quickly as possible, since their catch could be stolen by the larger gulls circling overhead.

This Puffin is returning back to the burrow with a good catch of fish in its beak. A puffin uses its tongue to hold the fish against its serrated upper beak, allowing it to open its beak whilst catching more fish - a very successful tactic.