In the 1950s, there were about 80 birds nesting in that area, but the number of pairs dropped to just 3...

For years, volunteers continued to crane their necks and test their patience, scrutinizing the crevices of the rocky cliff in hope of catching a glimpse of a creature covered in cheerful fur. Finally, their efforts paid off when a puffin chick made its way into the sunlight, becoming the first chick spotted on the coast of Dorset in southern England in three decades.

In this context, The Guardian quoted seabird scientist Richard Caldow as saying: 'Seeing a puffin chick was a huge thrill.' He added: 'Every chick counts, and a single chick won't save this colony, but having one chick is much better news than having no chick at all.'

This stretch of coast, the Purbeck Coast near Swanage, is the last known regular nesting site for puffins on the mainland of southern England.

In the 1950s, there were about 80 birds nesting in that area, but the number of pairs dropped to just 3, and no confirmed sightings of young chicks had been recorded for 30 years, amid serious fears that the colony was on the verge of extinction.

Throughout the summer, 13 volunteers took turns monitoring the rocky outcrops for 15 weeks, a task that was not easy due to the difficulty of accessing the observation point and its precarious location.

In April, 6 adult puffins were documented in the colony, and within weeks, volunteers noticed the birds carrying fish to at least two separate nesting sites, suggesting that more than one pair might be trying to raise young.

Most fish deliveries stopped after June 12, indicating that not all chicks survived, but fish deliveries continued at one site until eventually a puffin chick was spotted and photographed.

Caldow, supported by volunteers from the Purbeck Natural History Forum, said they chose the perfect timing for the photo: 'We knew its parents had been feeding it from around May 29 until July 5, so it was 38 days old.'

He added: 'At that time, it was likely to come out into the open every now and then, especially when one of its parents arrived. That was most likely in the evening, so we hired a boat on July 7 to anchor at the appropriate spot from 4pm to 8pm. It took 3 hours, but shortly after 7pm, the chick appeared from behind one of its parents. It was a wonderful sight.'

Caldow believes the chick may have left the site that night, adding: 'We have no idea where it is now; it will be far out at sea alone, as the parents do not care for the chick once its feathers are fully grown and it can fly. It will not return for at least two years, and will not breed before 2030 at the earliest. It may come back here, but it could also go elsewhere.'