Many people think of Dr. Steve Kress as “the puffin man.” He’s widely revered for reestablishing puffin colonies to the coast of Maine, and rightly so. But when it comes to bird conservation, Steve is much more than that. We first met Steve when we were graduate students at Cornell University years ago. (Interestingly, Steve Read More
Atlantic Puffins
My Maine This Week: Russell Regnery
Each summer, the Natural Resources Council of Maine invites members to join us on the Hardy Boat out of New Harbor on an evening cruise on Muscongus Bay to go see Atlantic Puffins on Eastern Egg Rock. This year’s trip was magical! The weather was perfect, the water calm, and the puffins and other birds Read More
My Maine This Week: Atlantic Puffins by Larry Mingledorff
As we say goodbye to the Atlantic Puffins as they head to their wintering grounds after gracing the Maine coast all summer, we wanted to share these stunning puffin photos by NRCM member Larry Mingledorff of Palm Coast, Florida. Larry captured these amazing images on Machias Seal Island. We hope you had a chance to Read More
“Naked & Afraid”? How about Feathered and Fearless!
As we’ve had to spend more time at home due to COVID-19, we have taken to doing more of most things we already do around the house—yard birding, yard work, reading, housework (OK, maybe not more housework!), jigsaw puzzles…and a bit more TV. Since we tend to gravitate toward natural history-based shows, perhaps it was Read More
Gulf of Maine’s 3rd-warmest Year on Record Harms Puffins, Turtles and Kelp
The effects on species that thrive in cold waters provide glimpses of the damage that rising ocean temperatures can do, but the federal and state response remains weak. by Colin Woodard, Staff Writer Portland Press Herald news story The Gulf of Maine is experiencing its third-warmest year on record, triggering the starvation of puffin chicks Read More
My Maine This Week: Eagle & Puffin by Larry Mingledorff
We are delighted to share these stunning photos by Larry Mingledorff, a photographer from Palm City, Florida, who spends time each summer in Maine, photographing its beauty. Do you have beautiful Maine photos to share? If so, please send them to us at nrcm@nrcm.org. To learn more about how to submit your photos, visit www.nrcm.org/our-maine/my-maine-this-week/share-photos/
Maine’s Puffin Colonies Produce Record Number of Chicks — and They’re Chubby Too
The bonanza of chicks is good news for the vulnerable seabirds. by Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press Portland Press Herald news story Puffins face existential challenges, but the little birds found a new role in Maine this summer: baby boomers. The 2017 nesting season was the most productive on record for a group of vulnerable Read More
Maine Puffins on the Rebound
by Fred Bever Maine Public news story Scientists have been closely watching puffin populations in the Gulf of Maine in recent years, in an effort to restore the species on certain islands. This summer, puffins and other seabird populations appear to have rebounded, but are still facing a threat from predation. Dr. Steven Kress is Read More
Puffin Chicks In Gulf Of Maine’s Largest Colony Starve To Death At Record Rate
By Colin Woodard, staff writer Portland Press Herald news story Machias Seal Island, home of the largest puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine, has had the worst breeding season ever recorded, with the vast majority of chicks starving to death in their burrows. The disaster followed a sudden drop in the puffins’ food supply Read More
