Puffins are absolutely the sweetest, most striking birds. I gave Michael my Canon SX 60 since his hand is steadier when shooting at the full optical zoom. He captured some great puffin images at a coastal location Disa and Einar took us to. The last picture is with my iPhone. Lots of luck and a bit of skill predicting where it would come in so I could get a little better focus. Here are some interesting puffin facts I found on line:
During the breeding season, the puffin develops a distinctive colorful beak, that this becomes dull in the winter.
Puffins spend most of the year at sea, and only return to land once a year to breed.
An extra bone in the pugging’s jaw prevents fish at the tip from falling out.
The puffin’s bill is serrated to help carry fish, and it has be recorded hold 83 sand eels.
Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!
He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.
But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’,
For he hadn’t anybody
To play with at all.
So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.
Then along came the fishes,
And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!”
So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.
-Florence Page Jaques, originally published in Highlights magazine