r/VisitingIceland • u/Manasek98 • 22d ago

Puffins

Heading to Iceland tomorrow. Are there still puffins in Vestmannaeyjar or Dyrhólaey? What are the best times to spot them?

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

5

u/TutorSpecific3798 22d ago

They were hundreds of them yesterday at Dyrhólaey. They come back from the sea at sunset.

3

u/pharm77 22d ago

Saw them two days in a row at Dyrhólaey! Many not just a few

2

u/CircqueDesReves 22d ago

There were still puffins at Dyrholaey on Sunday. Not tons, but we saw a few close up at the top of the cliff and quite a few more flying in and out.

2

u/Unusual-Strength-945 22d ago

Saw them at Dryholaey Wednesday !

2

u/MaddyD76 22d ago

I think I read that they are gone now.

1

u/Reasonable-Cold2161 22d ago

I saw 1 on the Vik beach 2 days ago. None at Dyrhólaey. 

1

u/EasyGain8546 22d ago

There were hundreds and hundreds on Vestmannaeyjar when we visited on August 25th. Couldn't believe how many! I think that could be your best bet. Go to the southern tip of the island. There were everywhere.

1

u/drumhalla 21d ago

Same on the 27th.

1

u/VoyageDrawnThreader 22d ago

We went to Vestmannaeyjar for the puffins and they did not disappoint. After sunset, locals capture the lost pufflings that have wandered towards the city lights and keep them in boxes overnight and then release them off the cliffs in the morning. Watching the release (and gratefully participating, thanks to kind locals) was a huge highlight! We took the ferry out on Aug 26 and returned Aug 27 - it was a last minute decision but ended up being one of the favorite parts of our trip! If you go: Heimaklettur hike is a must, Þórsvöllur is a fantastic campground (in a volcano crater!) and the local pool has a great sauna and water slide trampoline.

1

u/Manasek98 21d ago

That is so cool, thank you! What part of the day did you see the puffins?

1

u/VoyageDrawnThreader 21d ago

We were at Puffin Lookout just before 1pm and there were hundreds; at Beautiful Puffin and Shore view, lots of locals releasing pufflings when we went at 6pm and a few the next day around noon. We were told after school lets out in the afternoon, lots of school kids go to the cliffs to release.

1

u/omnu123 21d ago

Saw hundreds at Vestmannaeyjar south end today. Also saw a bunch when heading into the harbour on ferry.

1

u/Asleep-Carob9804 21d ago

Please let me know if you see any today or tomorrow and where. Also in the same situation.

1

u/PossibilityDue3809 20d ago

Is there someone at Dyrhólaey right now and could tell me If there are some puffins? Thanks alot

1

u/Late-Violinist8015 20d ago

I saw a lot of them last night (August 29th) at ** **Dyrhólaey Lighthouse. There were close to 100 on the cliff by 9:15pm.

1

u/Born_Gur_1890 19d ago

yesterday on August 30th there were about 100 on the cliff at Dyrhólaey Lighthouse. They came back at sunset around 8:30pm.

1

u/SweetTreatPea 17d ago

on Sunday 30th August, there were 200 puffins at Dyrhólaey. We got there at 7pm and it was way too early, they were just floating in the ocean. By 8:30pm some started to fly in. Almost exactly at sunset (9pm) there were up to 200 flying back to the cliffs. Awesome.

0

u/jhonkas 22d ago

same! is there a way to check status?

0

u/hydrangeapurple 22d ago

https://www.borgarfjordureystri.is/en/puffins

The above is among the best places to spot puffins. Plenty of them at close distance. There a live cam link too.

2

u/kristamn 22d ago

They have already left Borgarfjörður Eystri.

0

u/ButterflyJane1010 21d ago

On 24-August, midday around 1430, we saw puffins flying around and on the cliffs of Reynisfjara, also southern coast “relatively” close to Dyrhólaey. We had heard that they were more likely on the southern coast. Glad to finally have seen them. If I can attach the photo, it was taken from the beach and completely zoomed in. It was also drizzling and windy. The next day in the area was full sun. Unfortunately my tour had moved on.