I got a new book yesterday, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs by Gregory S. Paul, and as I was flipping through it I found the Saurornithoides? inequalis? or what looks like to me the DINO PUFFIN! Yes, it looks like a dinosaur version of a puffin. Take a look…
Illustration by Gregory Paul
Illustration by Gregory Paul
This dinosaur or to me, the dino puffin, liked to live in ‘well-watered, forested floodplain with coastal swamps and marshes, cool winters. I prefer cool winters myself.
Isn’t it fascinating to learn about new dinosaurs? When I was growing up…I learned about a couple dozen. Now, I have a definitive guide with hundreds of different kinds of dinosaurs. Technically birds are dinosaurs, theropod dinosaurs. So it is not without some merit that the puffin could be an ancestor of a dinosaur or a dinosaur itself. Amazing, the possibilities!
If you are interested in reading more about the dinosaurs, the theropods or the dino puffin (Saurornithoides? inequalis?) in particular…you can read it in this wonderful new book…
A baby Puffin about to be released into the outer Firth of Forth between the Isle of May and Anstruther. The bird was attempting to reach the water in the dark last night and got disorientated. The SNH folk on the island rescued it from being predated by the resident gulls and released it from the May Princess.
Would you have imagined there was violence amongst puffins? I wouldn’t! But that is exactly what was happening in a puffin colony in Scotland. A puffin now dubbed, ‘Asbo’ was caught on camera attacking a puffling for no apparent reason. He would go in and peck and kick at the little baby puffin.
It lends to the argument that social systems within the animal kingdom are much more complex than we can really fathom. Perhaps that baby was born of another male puffin, an old flame? Who knows what the real reason is for this puffin bully but I am glad to read that the puffling is ok and will most likely survive.
This puffin means business. =) Two-for-one puffins in this photo with the Tufted Puffin looking at the camera and the Horned Puffin in the background. This photo was taken at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward. Ironically, the Alaska Sealife Center was funded in part by the settlement from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Interesting.
My dearest friends went to the Point Defiance Zoo again today and spent a lot of time with the puffins! They had so much fun. Apparently, the little puffins were very friendly today. One came right up to the barrier, so close they could have picked it up! They did not though because that would set a bad example and could harm the little bird. The puffins at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington are Tufted Puffins. And they are adorable! The gave these pictures and videos to me so I can share with all of you!
One very passionate and creative man, Henry Lappen, took his love and knowledge for birds coupled with his passion for performance arts and created an educational artistic experience for all: A Passion For Birds. According to his website,
A Passion for Birds uses masks to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the avian world. Captivated by Henry Lappen’s beautiful masks and comic portrayal of birds, participants learn how animals adapt to their environment, and why they look and act the way they do.
Birds’ beaks are compared with common tools.
Feathers and footprints are explored.
Science facts and anecdotes are shared.
A Passion for Birds covers several of the core curriculum standards for science. A curriculum guide is available.
Henry’s combined love and knowledge of birds, and his extraordinary ability as a performer make for a very lively show.
Throughout it all, Henry dances among the crowd demonstrating the form and motion of the different species. Learning some specific mime skills, and imaging more, the audience joins him, taking on the character of each bird while gaining additional knowledge about it. Participants don the masks, and soar as Eagles, stalk as Herons and swim as Puffins. Additional topics include nest building, preening and hiding from danger.
One of his birds of choice is the ATLANTIC PUFFIN!!! =) See the photograph below of his puffin mask…
You can watch a video clip of the performance here. Or if you are in the Massachusetts area in the end of July,
“The Massachusettes Department of Conservation and Recreation will present “A Passion for Birds”, a comic, interactive, educational show, at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 31, at Wachusett Mountain State Reservation 345 Mountain Road. Created and performed by Henry Lappen, “A Passion for Birds” (formerly Birds in Their Habitat) uses realistic, handmade masks to explore how different birds have evolved different shapes and behaviors to adapt to their environment. Participants get a chance to try on the masks and soar as Eagles, swim as Puffins, and stalk as Herons. This program is free and registration is not required. For information, call Matt at (978) 464-2987.”1
Technology may help save the puffins of Farne Isles. We must first understand the puffins and their habits completely before we can help rectify the strains that are leading to decling numbers. This is exactly what they are doing at the National Trust Farnes Isles. Led by Dr Richard Bevan from Newcastle University researchers used up-to-date GPS Logging equipment to track 12 birds,1
“…birds to follow their fishing expeditions out from the islands and back. Results reveal that they now appear to be travelling about 20 miles out from the islands – whereas they were previously thought to head anything up to 60 miles away.”
This information is vital to scientist and researchers in helping preserve the much-needed feeding areas and helping puffin populations thrive.
I read this wonderful article giving the history of a biologist who set out to restore the puffin population and succeeded! You should definitely read this article!
Photo Source: Jose Azel
“Atlantic puffins had nearly vanished from the Maine coast until a young biologist defied conventional wisdom to lure them home.”
What an adorable picture! Doesn’t the mama or papa look like they are ready to pounce on the photographer? Protective parent! This little puffling is loved.
Here is what the caption reads:
This rather punky looking bird is a baby puffin. They are rarely seen as they live in the burrow and then shortly before flying out to sea they can be seen flapping furiously, stretching their wings before the first testing flight off the cliff.
I was so pleased to see this
I came across this short little video of two puffins, just hanging around and thought it was worth sharing. It was taken and shared by a man named Andrew on Flickr. He gave me permission to post his pictures on the site so I will! =)
You can watch the video here. I would post it but I cannot. It will open in a new window so you won’t technically leave this site.
Here are the photographs he took:
Photo Source: Andrew Green (http://www.flickr.com/photos/polandeze/)
Photo Source: Andrew Green (http://www.flickr.com/photos/polandeze/)
Photo Source: Andrew Green (http://www.flickr.com/photos/polandeze/)
To show affection puffins will do a form of kissing with their bills called billing. A billing pair face each other and repeatedly tap their bills together by rapidly swinging their heads side to side.
