Audubon Project Puffin




Audubon Project Puffin
“Eastern Egg Rock is a 7-acre island located in outer Muscongus Bay, 6 miles east of New Harbor, Knox County, and provide nesting habitat for puffins and guillemots. The interior habitat is home to nesting terns, laughing gulls and eiders. Prior to recolonization, puffins last nested in 1885 and terns last nested in 1936. In response to the puffin restoration, five pairs of puffins began nesting in 1981; by 2017, at least 172 pairs were nesting on the island.
The island is closed to public visitation during the seabird breeding season (April 1 to August 31). Organized tour boats visit the island daily during the breeding season for viewing the restored seabird colony.”
My first trip out to the Easter Egg Rock had 5ft seas and head winds of 12 plus, the Puffins bobbed around in 1 to 2ft chop and Cap’n Fish’s Boat was pushed around in 2 to 3ft waves and increasing wind. We only made two passes and finding focus on Turns and Puffins, push my 7Dll to a keeper rate in the lower of 40%.
Day two had flatter seas and little wind. We spent 1/2 hour at Eastern Egg Rock. If you make this trip, plain on at least two days of shooting. I was shooting from the bow of the boat, witch is 6 or 7ft above the water line and my keeper rate increased to the high 60’s.
Thank you for stopping by.
Peter
Ps I keeper the out of focus Puffin in the 4 shot, because of the walking on water take off.

Specific Feedback Requested

any

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Canon 7Dll, Sigma150-600mm, 154-600mm, F9 Cropped 30 to 60%. DXO photo Lab4 & Fix Collection.

2 Likes

Wonderful series, Peter. Thanks for sharing the history and background also. Fascinating birds these Puffins and good to hear they are making a come back. Nicely done.

Wonderful story to go with the images. They are gorgeous, and I love the one walking on water – well worth keeping.

These are beautiful photos, Peter! And I love the story you wrote along with them! I never knew there were puffins off the coast of Maine! That’s awesome!

Peter, I love seeing the Puffins. That must have been quite an experience, not only seeing them, but pointing your camera towards them. We were able to see some in Alaska back in 2006, but I didn’t have the equipment nor the knowledge that I have now. Would love to see and photograph them. Thanks for sharing. Really nice.

Peter, Thanks for this wonderful group of images and for your detailed write-up. Yeah for conservation and wildlife protection. Of your four images, the first two have me looking back at them for longer and longer durations. The sharp detail of the puffins is mesmerizing against the blurry and soft pastel water. Absolutely outstanding. Nos. 3 & 4 are interesting as well, but a bit busier and more chaotic. This is a photo essay that demonstrates the effectiveness of showing images as a project.

Puffins are amazing to watch; you have done a good job with their behavior in this series. The detail and water in the first two images are especially nice.