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Islanders taking a trip down to Plemont this Easter may be in for a surprise.
The two giant puffins on the headland appear to be set to become parents, with a woven egg having recently appeared between them.
The pair were originally installed at the coastal spot by the National Trust last spring to highlight the plight of the species and the role the Island can play in protecting seabirds.
Both puffins are depicted facing each other with their bills touching. Known as 'billing', the position is a sign of recognition and partnership between breeding pairs.
Pictured: The puffin sculptures as they were unveiled at Plemont in April 2022. (Jon Guegan)
There are four breeding pairs of puffins left in the island, compared with hundreds of pairs a century ago. They are often found between Plémont and Grève de Lecq from March to July.
However, the species is threatened by invasive predators such as feral ferrets and rats.
Despite these difficulties, the National Trust shared some "egg-cellent" news yesterday about its willow and steel wire sculptural pair.
"The willow puffins have shed their winter colours to brighten up their bills for the breeding season, with such success that they have laid their first egg!
"Here's to many more successful pairs of puffins this season."
The Birds on the Edge (BOTE) partnership recently submitted a planning application for a 15-metre-long section of temporary fencing to show the impact of what it would like to install a mile of fencing along the coastline to protect the puffins, their eggs and chicks from predators.
The mock-up will be identical in height, colour and look to a real predator fence and will be in place for a minimum of two months to give the public the chance to assess its impact.
Pictured: Cris Sellares, Project Officer for Birds on the Edge. (Rob Currie)
Cris Sellarés, BOTE Project Officer, said: "There are only eight puffins left in Jersey. If we don't do something now, there is a real risk that we will lose the iconic seabird which plays such an important part in Jersey's natural and cultural heritage.
"However, the BOTE partners fully recognise that such a strategy comes at a price and the proposed fence will have some visual impact upon the coastal landscape. It is, therefore, imperative that Jersey's community has the opportunity to assess the impact for themselves and decide whether they feel this project should go ahead. Such decisions are never easy but undoubtedly will be increasingly required if our community is going to play a full and active role in addressing the current biodiversity crisis."
She added: "The continuing loss of biodiversity in Jersey through local extinctions will inevitably result in a denuded and poorer environment for this generation and those that follow on. Already we have seen the loss of the yellowhammer and alarming declines in such species as starling and cuckoo. The time has now come to decide whether we wish to see the puffin and other seabirds follow suit or actively attempt to find solutions."
Public to assess visual impact of puffin protecting fence
“We can't take it for granted that this colourful seabird will keep returning"
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