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Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador. Puffins are arguably the most charismatic seabirds in the North Atlantic, and the cliffs of Elliston offer one of North America's closest and most spectacular land-based viewing opportunities.
Puffins mate in large groups on offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. After their young are raised they head out to sea until the following year. From the clifftops at Elliston, you can watch them coming and going, their stubby wings working overtime to keep their round bodies airborne, their colorful beaks often stuffed with small fish for their chicks.
They have large beaks that get brightly coloured during the mating season. I photographed this individual during the breeding season when puffin beaks are at their most brilliant — oranges and reds and yellows arranged in stripes that seem almost painted on. They shed the colourful outer parts of their bills after the mating season, leaving a smaller and duller beak for the months they spend at sea. A transformation that makes these summer sightings feel even more special.
What I love about this portrait is the puffin's expression — or rather, the expression we read into its face. The eyes seem curious, the colourful beak gives it a perpetually cheerful look, and the upright posture suggests a certain dignity. They're not actually any more personable than other seabirds, but something about puffins invites us to see personality.
Limited edition Chromaluxe metal print. Ultra gloss finish brings out the vibrant colours of the breeding-season beak.
Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador. Puffins are arguably the most charismatic seabirds in the North Atlantic, and the cliffs of Elliston offer one of North America's closest and most spectacular land-based viewing opportunities.
Puffins mate in large groups on offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. After their young are raised they head out to sea until the following year. From the clifftops at Elliston, you can watch them coming and going, their stubby wings working overtime to keep their round bodies airborne, their colorful beaks often stuffed with small fish for their chicks.
They have large beaks that get brightly coloured during the mating season. I photographed this individual during the breeding season when puffin beaks are at their most brilliant — oranges and reds and yellows arranged in stripes that seem almost painted on. They shed the colourful outer parts of their bills after the mating season, leaving a smaller and duller beak for the months they spend at sea. A transformation that makes these summer sightings feel even more special.
What I love about this portrait is the puffin's expression — or rather, the expression we read into its face. The eyes seem curious, the colourful beak gives it a perpetually cheerful look, and the upright posture suggests a certain dignity. They're not actually any more personable than other seabirds, but something about puffins invites us to see personality.
Limited edition Chromaluxe metal print. Ultra gloss finish brings out the vibrant colours of the breeding-season beak.
