“Puffining” in Maine

[Editor’s note: While The Uncommon District is passionate about our nation’s capital and focuses almost exclusively on the DMV, we occasionally seek joy in places beyond our borders. This is one of those times!]

While my wife and I love living in the District, the summers are especially steamy, so we often head to Maine for a break from the heat and humidity. This month, our trip was particularly special because we were able to visit Machias Seal Island, the home to the largest puffin colony on the Maine coast. Two companies — one American and the other Canadian — offer visits to the island during the puffins’ breeding season, which runs from May through August.

Disputed Territory

Machias Seal Island is a small rocky island in between the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy, about ten miles southeast of Cutler, Maine, where we met the Barbara Frost, the vessel that took us on our journey.

It is in disputed territory, as both Canada and the United States claim ownership of the island and the surrounding waters. In fact, a sign on the island informed us we were in Canada. Happily, no passport was required.

A Hot Ticket

Tickets for the puffin tours of Machias Seal Island are much sought after. This year, they went on sale at the beginning of March and sold out almost immediately. As one of our fellow travelers put it, “I had an easier time getting Taylor Swift tickets than getting a slot on this boat.” The reason for this popularity is that the arrangements on the island allow you to get very close to the puffins. Photographers are split up into groups of four and placed into one of several blinds near a popular spot for the puffins.

The birds paid no attention to us when we were in the blind and only flew the coop when a predator, a hawk, came on the scene.

Some Puffin Facts

Puffins breed on islands in the Atlantic, mainly in northerly climes — including Maine in the U.S. as well as Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the U.K., and Norway. They winter at sea, sometimes as far south at the waters off of Portugal and north Africa.

During breeding season, puffin beaks turn a bright orange color to attract a mate, while in the winter, the beaks take on a gray hue.

In addition, puffins are often monogamous, sometimes pairing up together for decades. We were not fortunate enough to see any baby puffins (called, and I’m not making this up, pufflings!), as the birds make their homes by burrowing into the ground.

Eating

Puffins mainly eat small fish like eels, herring, and some invertebrates. While we were on the island, shrimp was on the menu.

Hanging Out

When groups of puffins are together on land, they are called a colony.

Swimming

A group of puffins in the water is called a raft. As you might expect for a species that spends most of its time in the ocean, puffins are excellent swimmers that can dive 60 meters down in search of food.

In Flight

While puffins look kind of like penguins, the two groups are not all that closely related. One obvious difference is that puffins can fly. A group of puffins in the air is called a whirl.

What’s That Sound?

While most birds sing, puffins typically sound more like a cow mooing. You can hear a puffin call here.

While we only got to spend 45 minutes in the blind taking photos, we felt that our trip was worth every penny.

If You’re Tired of Puffins…

While we were in Maine, we also got to see our share of lighthouses. Here is one of the over 60 lighthouses that line the coast. Little River Light is at the entrance to Cutler Harbor, where we embarked on our journey.

We flew in and out of Bangor, where Paul Bunyan makes his home. Here he is getting a touch up.