T. Dorsz Journeys - Seal Island, Maine

June 2023 - I've wanted to photograph Atlantic Puffins for quite some time. I signed up for a Puffin tour at Machias Seal Island with Bold Coast Charter Company, based in Rockland, Maine. This location is the only U.S. site accessible for public puffin photography. I called as soon as they began taking bookings in December 2022 for June 19, 2023. It filled up quickly. I only had one specific day and time to sign up, so I marked it in my calendar. Fortunately, I timed it right but could only get a one-day outing. I wish I could have booked at least two days because the weather here is unpredictable.

My wife wanted to join me, but only on terra-firma. I booked a B&B so she could stay on dry land and not have to take the 10-mile boat ride across the Gulf of Maine to the island. The drive from Frederick, Maryland, to Cutler, Maine, would have taken us about fourteen hours. Instead, we decided to break the trip into smaller chunks and stay with family for a few days in Ludlow, Vermont, about a seven-hour drive, and then on to Cutler, another seven hours.

"If you're a birder or a nature lover, take a half-day excursion to Machias Seal Island, summer home to spectacular nesting colonies of Atlantic puffins, Razorbills, Common murres, and Arctic terns, among others. For close-range puffin observation and photography, no other birding destination can compare, as Machias Seal Island is the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine! In addition to the nesting seabirds, guillemots, eiders, gannets, shearwaters, and storm-petrels are other species commonly spotted." Bold Coast Charter Company.

Cutler, Maine

Cutler is one of those classic Maine lobster towns: Piers, rocks, lobster boats, and large tides. There is something about the smell of the ocean here—a combination of seaweed, salt air, and marine life. I spent a lot of time in Maine, both as a kid and as an adult, and I truly love that smell.

Lobstering involves baiting traps with herring or other fish to attract lobsters. The traps are then deployed in the ocean, river, or bay and marked with unique buoys. They are left in the water for a few days to allow lobsters to enter. Afterward, the traps are retrieved, and the lobsters are sorted by size and sex. Any undersized lobsters or egg-bearing females are returned to the water. Once the catch is complete, the lobsters are transported to local wholesale markets, where it is decided which ones will be kept alive for resale and which will go to processing facilities, where they are cooked and their meat extracted. It is hard, physically demanding work, especially when dealing with the weather. Winter here can be brutal.

Kents Wharf in Cutler is a wholesale seafood business that purchases lobsters from local lobstermen and women for resale. Cutler is also where the Bay of Fundy meets the Gulf of Maine. This area experiences the highest tides in the world, which explains the very long pier pilings.

Boats are moored in Cutler Harbor. The two small boats will take us to the lobster boat, then to Machias Seal Island.

The Barbara Frost took us out to Seal Island.

We passed by the Little River Lighthouse as we headed toward the Gulf of Maine.

Machias Seal Island

I was fortunate! While talking to another island traveler at the pier before we got into the dinghy to board the lobster boat, he mentioned that he had hoped to go out yesterday, but their plans were canceled due to bad weather. Although Bold Coast Tours offers refunds for cancellations, they do not reschedule bookings. Fortunately, the weather was favorable, and we were able to go out. Whew! We left Cutler on a “three-hour tour,” lol! The trip was on a choppy sea, but nothing severe. It’s roughly ten miles out, and it takes a little over an hour to reach the island.

Our dinghy tied to the back of our boat as we headed to Seal Island.

That little spec of green at the bottom of the map is Machias Seal Island—a very remote spot in the Gulf of Maine. Notice the borders between the United States and Canada. It is a fascinating set of circumstances. Machias Seal Island is the last contested land territory between Canada and the US.

As we approach the island, a puffin and razorbills take flight.

It is called Machias "Seal" Island.

Machias Seal Island, known for its large puffin colony, also has many seals, including Common and Grey seals, making it a great place for them to come out and watch us.

This grey seal just surfaced which is why its nostrils are closed. Seals are safe here from shark attacks because the water in the Gulf of Maine is simply too cold.

Needless to say, it was a surprise to see the Canadian sign. Danger, yes, but Canada? Despite the automated lighthouse, the Canadian Coast Guard maintains a staff for "sovereignty" purposes. Two lightkeepers are stationed on the island, rotating on 28-day shifts, and flown in by helicopter from Saint John, New Brunswick.

After arriving at Seal Island, we climbed into a dinghy that took us to a concrete walkway and pier. Since the tide was out, the concrete pier was slippery and covered with seaweed, which we had to navigate carefully. It was great to be on dry land again.

We had to carry poles above our heads as we walked the boardwalk behind me. The terns weren't pleased with our presence, and we used the poles to protect ourselves from their dive-bombing attempts.

Terns are agitated and swarming. This is their nesting season, and they do not like intruders—image used under license from Adobe Stock\Dennis Donohue,

A nesting arctic tern—image used under license from Adobe Stock\Danita Delimont

Atlantic Puffins

Often referred to as the "clowns of the sea," Atlantic puffins are distinctive black and white birds with large, brightly colored beaks. In flight, puffins flap their small wings vigorously to stay airborne. However, when they dive underwater, their wings transform into powerful flippers, allowing them to catch small fish one by one. Puffins use their tongues to press fish against the roof of their mouths, securing them with the barbs on their beaks. This technique allows them to hold the fish in place while they catch more. Their colorful beaks can accommodate a dozen or more fish at a time. On average, a puffin carries around 10 fish, but they have been observed carrying up to 60 fish simultaneously.

These cute little birds are plentiful on Machias Seal Island during the breeding season. This marks a significant change, as puffin populations in North America were decimated due to overhunting in the 1800s, and by the early 1900s, no nesting colonies were left in Maine. Most puffins nest in crevices along rocky cliffs, while the Seal Island birds dig holes under rocks to create nests for their single chick. Puffins are known for their lively personalities and curiosity; they enjoy gathering in groups and often communicate with soft pig-like grunts.

The duck blind we took photos from.

The lighthouse keeper's bunkhouse is the second-highest point on the island after the lighthouse and a good place to congregate.

Lined up and ready to join the commotion.

They like to squawk with their colorful little mouths. How about that orange tongue?

Atlantic puffins display their vibrant beaks during breeding season. Afterward, they shed their colorful beaks, revealing smaller, duller ones for the remainder of the year.

A pensive look.

A pair of puffins take stock of their nest in the rocks while their noisy neighbors grunt above them.

Puffins are monogamous and mate for life, returning to the same burrow and their mate each year to have their one puffling (yes, that's what they're called).

Atlantic puffins dig burrows in grassy turf or rocky slopes, using their bills and feet for excavation. Once they've dug the burrow, they line the nest with grass, feathers, and other soft materials.

Bringing home dinner. Puffins generally catch small fish like herring and capelin. Puffins underwater appear to fly by flapping their wings to propel themselves into schools of fish, using their little webbed feet as rudders.

Puffins spend the winter months primarily at sea, far from land, bobbing on the waves and diving to hunt for food. They return to their nesting grounds only during the breeding season, typically from mid-April to August. Outside of this, puffins disperse widely in the open ocean, making them difficult to track. Their feathers are waterproof, and they can drink salt water, which is essential for sea survival. Additionally, puffins tend to be solitary during the winter, focusing on hunting and resting on the water.

Razorbills

Puffins and razorbills are members of the Auk family of ocean birds. They nest on land and spend the winter at sea. Like puffins, razorbills have sharp edges on their hooked upper beaks, which help them grasp fish well and defend themselves against predators. They have been known to dive to an incredible 330 feet. To me, they have that Darth Vader kind of look.

Razorbills make low rumbling sounds, almost like the deep purr of a lion or tiger.

Coming in for a landing. The razorbill has very distinguishing markings. I see a Star Wars character.

Like puffins, razorbills can fill their beaks with multiple fish using the hooks on their beaks.

Other Sea Birds

Besides the auks, many other bird species are on the island, including common eiders, arctic and common terns, common mures, double-crested cormorants, Leach's storm petrels, and black guillemots. The island is a key stopover for various land birds during migration. Species such as savannah sparrows, spotted sandpipers, tree swallows, and barn swallows nest there. It is designated as a Migratory Bird Sanctuary, underscoring the importance of protecting the seabirds that make this island their home.

A male common eider walks along a bed of seaweed. These northern seabirds typically fly close to the ocean and rarely venture inland. Their chunky bills are ideal for eating blue mussels, which are their favorite food.

A female common eider and ducklings. She is so different in appearance than the male.

The common murres pictured below, sometimes called flying penguins, are highly skilled swimmers who can dive over 100 feet below the surface while hunting. These birds have a distinctive "bridled" appearance, characterized by a white circle around their eyes and a narrow line that extends backward. These traits are typical of murres that inhabit northern regions.

I left the island after a slippery trek down the pier. The tide was low and still receding. The return trip was similar to the journey there—choppy—but the people on our tour were animated, and everyone chatted excitedly about the incredible encounter we had with the birds. Afterward, I picked up my wife, and we enjoyed a delicious meal at a local restaurant known for its amazing lobster chowder. We then headed to the easternmost point in the United States. The next day, we departed for Maryland.

We're heading back to the boat. It's still slippery at the end, but it's much better than when we arrived.

Leaving Seal Island.

West Quody Head Lighthouse, Maine

West Quody Head Lighthouse, Maine. New Brunswick, Canada, is on the opposite shore.

My watercolor "It's that Time of Year." Prints are available here.

Two Atlantic puffins gaze at each other. Puffins are monogamous and mate for life. They only have one puffling (yes, that's what they're called, lol) per year. Prints are available here.

Atlantic puffins and razorbills fly from Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, Canada. The island is one of the few in North America where the puffins come ashore to breed. Watercolor prints are available here.

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