Alderney puffin watching: when, where, and how to see them
When and where to see Alderney puffins?
Alderney's puffins nest on Burhou Island, a small uninhabited island northwest of the main island and one of the most important puffin colonies in the Channel Islands. The season runs from approximately late April to late July, with peak numbers in May and June. Burhou is a protected RAMSAR site and cannot be landed on without a permit. Boat tours from Alderney approach the island from the water and offer excellent views of nesting birds.
Puffins and the British Channel Islands
Alderney is part of the British Channel Islands — a Crown Dependency archipelago in the English Channel, not to be confused with the Channel Islands National Park in California. It is the most northerly of the five British Channel Islands and sits at the southern end of the puffin’s breeding range in Europe.
Puffins (Fratercula arctica) are alcid seabirds that nest in burrows on cliff-top grassland and turf slopes above the sea. They spend most of their lives offshore and come ashore only during the breeding season, from approximately late April to early August. They are unmistakeable in breeding plumage: black back, white belly, and the famous multicoloured bill — red, yellow, and blue — that makes them the most recognisable seabird in the British Isles.
The British Channel Islands hold several important puffin colonies, of which the most significant is on Burhou Island, northwest of Alderney. Alderney is therefore the primary destination in the Channel Islands for puffin watching, and the Alderney Wildlife Trust is the leading conservation authority for this population in the region.
Burhou Island: the colony
Burhou is a small, low-lying island approximately 2 km northwest of Alderney’s northwest coast. It is uninhabited, rocky, and covered in the rough tussock grassland and thrift that puffins require for burrowing. The island holds an estimated 150 or more breeding pairs of puffins in good seasons, making it one of the most significant puffin colonies in the Channel Islands.
The island is also an important breeding site for storm petrels — a much harder species to observe, as they come ashore only at night — and holds several other seabird species including Manx shearwater, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, and oystercatcher.
RAMSAR and protected status
Burhou and the surrounding waters are designated as a RAMSAR site — an international wetland designation covering the island’s value as a seabird habitat. The waters around Burhou are also within the Alderney Marine Protected Area.
The RAMSAR designation means that landing on Burhou without a specific permit is not permitted. This is an important conservation boundary: puffins nesting in burrows are particularly vulnerable to human disturbance, and the presence of people on the island can cause nesting failures. The Alderney Wildlife Trust manages access, and landing permits are issued only for authorised research and monitoring purposes.
For visitors, this means that puffin watching on Burhou is done from the water — which, as described below, is entirely satisfactory for observation and photography.
The season: when to visit
Puffins arrive at Burhou from late April onward, with numbers building through May. The peak of the breeding season — and the best time to see puffins — is May and June. By mid-July, fledging begins, and numbers decline rapidly. By late July or early August, the colony largely disperses back to sea.
Month-by-month guide
April: Early arrivals. Numbers still building. Puffins visible offshore and on the island but at lower density than peak season. Good for visitors who want to avoid peak season crowds on Alderney itself.
May: Peak puffin season. Pairs are in full breeding plumage with the distinctive coloured bill at its most vivid. Courtship behaviour and burrow activity are at their most intense. This is the best month for photography.
June: High season. Numbers remain strong, chicks are hatching, and adults are making constant fishing trips. The spectacle of puffins returning to the island with beakfuls of sand eels is one of the signature images of British seabird watching.
July (early to mid): Numbers beginning to decline as fledging progresses. Still excellent viewing, particularly in the first two weeks of July.
July (late) to August: Rapid decline. Most puffins have departed to sea by late July. Not a reliable puffin-watching period.
September to March: No puffins on Burhou. The birds are at sea, dispersed across the North Atlantic.
The Alderney Bird Festival (held each October — see our Alderney Bird Festival guide) takes place after the puffin season. Festival visitors interested in puffins should note this timing mismatch.
Boat tours from Alderney
Since landing on Burhou is not permitted, all puffin watching is done from boats. Several operators run wildlife boat tours from Braye Harbour in season, specifically targeting the Burhou puffin colony. These tours typically also cover the Les Etacs gannet colony and the grey seal haul-out sites around the island’s coast.
What to expect on a boat tour
A standard Burhou boat tour from Alderney lasts approximately 1.5-2.5 hours. Routes vary but typically include:
- Departure from Braye Harbour: a short trip along the north coast
- Burhou approach: the boat slows near the island, allowing passengers to observe puffins from the water. Puffins are visible on the surface of the sea around the island, perched on rocks and cliff edges, and in flight
- Les Etacs gannet colony (see below): the boat passes or circles this stack, where the gannet colony is visible
- Possible grey seal sites: additional coastal stops where seals haul out on rocks
Binoculars are essential, though the boats typically approach close enough for unaided observation. Long lenses (400mm+ equivalent) are best for photography. Bring a windproof layer even in summer — the boat trips operate in the Alderney Race area, which is consistently exposed.
Booking: Boat tours sell out in the peak May-June season. Book well in advance through the Alderney Wildlife Trust or directly with boat tour operators. The Alderney Wildlife Trust website is the best starting point for current operator listings and availability.
Les Etacs: the gannet colony
While at Burhou for puffins, most boat tours also pass Les Etacs — a dramatic rocky stack off Alderney’s southwest coast and one of the most accessible large gannet colonies in northern Europe. The colony holds between 6,000 and 9,000 breeding pairs of northern gannets in peak season, and from close by the spectacle is extraordinary.
Gannets are large seabirds (2-metre wingspan, stark white with black wingtips and a yellow-ochre head). Their plunge-diving feeding technique — dropping from height into the sea at speed — is one of the most dramatic hunting behaviours in British wildlife. At Les Etacs, hundreds of pairs nest on almost every available ledge and surface of the stack, and the noise, smell, and visual density of the colony is genuinely impressive even for visitors with no particular interest in wildlife.
The gannet season overlaps with the puffin season (April to August) and Les Etacs is visible from the land — specifically from the coastal path on Alderney’s southwest coast, near Fort Clonque. However, a boat approach gives a substantially better view.
Watching puffins from land
While a boat tour is the best way to observe Burhou’s puffins, Alderney’s own coast offers some land-based puffin-watching opportunities during the season.
In May and June, puffins can sometimes be observed from the Quesnard headland (near Mannez Lighthouse) and from the cliff edges on the northeast coast. These are birds from the Burhou colony feeding in the Alderney Race waters and resting on offshore rocks. Sightings are opportunistic rather than reliable — a boat tour is the only way to guarantee close views.
The Alderney Wildlife Trust organises guided wildlife walks during the season, including walks specifically designed for seabird watching from the cliff paths. These are strongly recommended as the guides know the most productive locations and can identify other species that casual observers miss.
Other seabirds at Alderney
While puffins are the headline attraction, Alderney offers some of the best all-round seabird watching in the British Channel Islands:
Fulmars: Numerous breeding pairs on the island’s cliff faces. Year-round residents.
Shags and cormorants: Common on rocky coasts and visible from the coastal path.
Razorbills: Present in summer on the northeast cliffs. Similar habitat to puffins, slightly more numerous.
Storm petrels: Breeding on Burhou. Observable only at night during the season by specialist observers.
Manx shearwaters: Breeding on Burhou. Sometimes visible from Alderney’s north coast in flight.
Peregrine falcons: Breeding on Alderney’s cliffs. Present year-round, regularly visible from cliff-top paths.
Kittiwakes: Breeding colonies on several cliff faces. Most visible June-August.
Alderney as a wildlife destination
Alderney’s wildlife extends well beyond seabirds. Grey seals are year-round residents, most visible in autumn. Bottlenose and common dolphins pass through the waters seasonally, with spring and summer the peak period for sightings from the coast or from boats.
The island’s inland habitats — unimproved grassland, gorse heath, and wetland areas including the reservoirs near the golf course — hold good populations of resident and migrant land birds. Mannez Quarry is one of the Channel Islands’ best migration watchpoints. For more on the migration and birdwatching context, see our Alderney Bird Festival guide.
Alderney’s status as a Dark Sky candidate island (similar to Sark’s formal Dark Sky designation) means that night conditions are clear enough for observations of nocturnally active species, including owls, nightjars, and — in season — storm petrels calling from Burhou.
Planning a puffin-watching trip
The ideal puffin-watching visit to Alderney combines:
- Travel in May or June from Guernsey via the Aurigny flight (25 minutes, year-round) — see our Alderney day trip from Guernsey guide
- A pre-booked boat tour to Burhou, departing from Braye Harbour
- Time on the Les Etacs coastal path to observe gannets from land
- Optional Alderney Wildlife Trust guided walk for additional seabird species
A day trip is sufficient for the puffin boat tour plus basic island exploration. An overnight stay allows for dawn walks (the best time for some land birds) and the evening atmosphere of the island.
Browse Alderney nature tours and wildlife activities on GetYourGuideFrequently asked questions — Alderney puffin watching
How many puffins are there on Burhou?
Estimates vary by season but the colony typically holds around 100-150 or more breeding pairs, making it one of the most significant puffin colonies in the Channel Islands. Numbers have fluctuated in recent decades, partly in response to sand eel availability in the North Atlantic — a trend linked to sea surface temperature changes.
Can you land on Burhou?
No. Burhou is a protected RAMSAR site and landing without a permit from the Alderney Wildlife Trust is not permitted. All visitor puffin watching is done from boats, which approach close enough for excellent views.
Are puffins visible from the Alderney coast without a boat?
Occasionally, from Quesnard headland and the northeast cliffs in May and June. The birds are feeding in the Alderney Race waters and sometimes rest on offshore rocks visible from land. However, reliable and close views require a boat tour.
Is the Alderney Bird Festival good for puffin watching?
No — the festival is in October, after the puffin season has ended. The festival focuses on migration-period species. For puffins, visit in May or June.
How does Alderney compare to other puffin-watching locations in the UK?
Alderney has a smaller colony than major UK sites such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland or Skomer Island in Wales, but access is typically easier and boat tours approach the colony closely. For visitors to the British Channel Islands, Alderney is the best puffin-watching destination in the archipelago.
Are grey seals easy to see on Alderney?
Yes, year-round but most reliably in autumn (September to November). They haul out on rocky shores around the island’s coast. The best sites are on the west and southeast coasts. Boat tours often include seal-watching stops.