Puffins At Last

 
 

Fully rested up and ready for the day, we came downstairs to a lovely breakfast of pancakes and ham.  It was very good.  Then we walked down to the nearby beach.  As soon as I saw the beach, I knew it was one where I might find a bit more sea glass to add to my collection.  After about 45 minutes, I only found 2 small pieces, but it is fun to look.  There were so many little shorebirds there.  Some blended in with the rocks so well that it was hard to get a picture.  I enjoyed them just the same.  The fog was really rolling in - it definitely puts such a grey pallor on everything - odd to see fog in the middle of summer.

 

baby Murre

Along the way I finally saw where the capelin came in.  Unfortunately there was no one with a bucket to get the easy pickings…so not the birds and bugs are eating their fill.  This isn’t quite what I wanted to see – one of my favourite sayings is, “be careful what you wish for!” and this was certainly one of those times- I got to see the capelin…but yikes! And the smell…..ewwww.



Murres

So we were on the boat with Captain Wayne to have our puffin and whale adventure.  We set out and the fog was definitely putting a damper on visibility.  Whales were certainly not easily seen and then by the end of our trip – we didn’t see any at all.  But the birds!  We were out at the Witless Bay Ecological Protected Area.  It was on Gull Island.  The cacophony as we approached was amazing.  So many birds.  We saw puffins…so many puffins…murres, 

Razorbills

razorbills, black gulls and kittiwakes.  So many and all living in this amazing habitat.  It had lots of the grassy area that the puffins can burrow in – yes they have their nests underground, the rocky ledges for the murres, gulls and the razorbills.  

Puffin

So on the top, which is the grassy slope are the puffins, then the murres and razorbills and then the gulls after that. 

So If you are a puffin, you would never get pooped on – however the gulls – I imagine they have to dodge and duck.

The area we were observing is ancient - the rock formations told of much harsh weather creating deep erosion.  There were many sea caves that have been carved out and will eventually undermine the rock around sending it cascading down and then the sea will crash and etch and change the land again after the next winter.  There are areas where the boat could manoeuver between different rock stacks that were solid land in previous years.  Interesting area.

It remained foggy for the rest of the day.  We drove into Petty Harbour for dinner and it was a bit of a challenge getting back to the Inn.  With country roads and not much lighting, we had to pick our way a bit here and there, but we made it back safely.

Tomorrow, we are off to Ferryland (pronounced Ferilund) for our lighthouse picnic.  The weather says the day will be very hot and very humid.  Nasty combination.  We have to walk in about 3-4 km and then out again.  I think Tom is going to try to drive up the narrow road to avoid this walk.  We will see – either way I will be prepared with lots of water.