Puffins, Razorbills, and Murres

Approximately 1000 pair of Atlantic Puffins nest on Machias Seal Island. Visitors will observe Puffins with burrows in cracks in the boulders near the sea. Puffins prefer to dig burrows in soft ground on the top of the island.

This Puffin is banded. The Canadian Wildlife Service manages the island and their research efforts seem to be directed toward the nesting terns whose population is declining.

Puffins loafing on the rocks outside one of the blinds. This photo was taken without a telephoto lens. I used a 300mm telephoto lens for some shots. On a typical visit you are allowed to visit 2 blinds for 20 - 30 minutes in each. Plan to shoot 2 rolls of 36 pictures film during each stay in the blind. I recomend you use the 36 picture film to reduce the amount of time reloading. You are never without a shot on this trip.

Another typical view from one of the blinds. Puffins, Razorbills and one Common Murre. Three to four people share a blind at a time making it difficult to use a tripod. I found I could steady the camera on the edge of the blind window.

Common Murre and Razorbill.