Landing puffins on Matinicus Rock. Photo: Stephen Kress

Up until recently it was mostly a mystery where puffins went when they went out to sea. Their journey was simply not recorded. However, Stephen Kress of the National Audubon Society, the Director of the Audubon’s Seabird Restoration Program, came up with the clever idea to put a GPS tracking device on the leg of a puffin to figure out where it goes. So far, two puffins have returned revealing their journeys in the 8 months they are away from the shore. This is just the beginning of learning the puffins migratory patterns and the specific routes they choose. This information could be instrumental in helping conserve the puffin population and monitoring the health of the seabirds, sea life and the ocean itself.

You can read more here.

Puffin in setting sun, originally uploaded by TJ Large.

How sweet, he is posing for this picture. =) Isn’t the orange bit at the base of the bill/beak, interesting? They are fleshy yellow / orange rosettes.

According to the directory of Project Puffin, Stephen Kress, “the yellow rosette is believed to be part of the puffin’s ‘courtship’ ornamentation. Like the horny plates above and below the eye, the rosette is prominent only during the summer breeding season- it shrinks in winter and loses color. Probably it functions as a signal of maturity and like most such coloration (like a turkey’s waddle and face colors) serves to indicate vitality to prospective mates.”

According to the people who put up the puffincams,¹

“we were very excited when the puffins returned to the puffincam burrow at 11.20am on 17^th April.  They have been in and out lining their nest since then, so keep a look out for an egg any day now! The camera has also revealed unexpected visitors to the burrow in the form of a mouse, a starling, a robin and a rabbit (not all at the same time, it’s not the tardis burrow).”

1. http://www.shetland.org/puffincam/index.php?file=stream1

The lovely Tammie Puffin from the Scottish Seabird Centre is on the move. They have posted clues to her whereabouts on their website. If you follow their clues and find her, you could win prizes… up to £1500 in prizes! Now, why wouldn’t you want to find her? She is cute and maybe she’ll lead you to other puffins…

You can see it here. Made by Jennifer Marsh on Etsy.

A sweet story of a little puffling! =) Very cute story with lovely illustrations!

It is almost magical, like they are not real!

Puffin Greeting Card

Puffin in a Sou'wester (Greeting card) by Birdsinhats on Etsy

The Atlantic Puffin, Boiled Wool, Applique, Tote Bag – taupe wool base

The Atlantic Puffin, Boiled Wool, Applique, Tote Bag

Keep Calm and Love Puffins Poster by PosterPop

Keep Calm and LOVE PUFFINS Poster 11x14

Patty the Puffin Green and Purple Toned Glass Lampwork Necklace

Patty the Puffin Green and Purple Toned Glass Lampwork Necklace

And more…

You can buy them here.