I finally made it out to East Egg Rock in Maine. My sister lives 10 minutes away from where the Cap'n Fish's boat departs from Boothbay harbor, but we've just never made the trip to see the Atlantic Puffin colony. It was a 2.5 hour cruise to the island and back. This puffin colony was completely eradicated by human activities (along with all other New England breeding populations) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but a huge and successful recolonization effort in the 1970s brought the breeding population back to the rock. I think it's the southern most breeding population of Atlantic Puffins anywhere in the world.
ATLANTIC PUFFIN
The island is also the home of other seabirds including the alcid, BLACK GUILLEMOT.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTs with COMMON EIDERS
A lone COMMON LOON
HARBOR SEAL
Boothbay Harbor
I would highly recommend the Cap'n Fish's Puffin Cruise to East Egg Rock.
-K
