How to see Puffins in Maine

Next Adventure Series

The Puffin is one of the most beloved birds in Maine.  After all it’s cute, with its bright orange and red  beak, black and white feathers and small size.  They look like miniature penguins that fly around like hummingbirds.  A worthwhile sight to see.

Puffins live at sea until it is time to breed, at which time they make their way to Eastern Egg Rock Island and other islands off the coast of Maine.  Eastern Egg Rock Island is about 5 miles from New Harbor by boat, the closest cruise to the island.  They begin to come to the island in April; however the best viewing begins at the end of May and goes into June and July.

Puffins mate for life, with couples staying together for over 20 years.  They raise one chick or puffling each year over the summer on the island. The chicks stay on land until about 40 days after hatching, at which time they will swim out in the sea.  They will leave the island in late summer and typically return to the island in two to three years to breed.

Steps to plan your Puffin trip:

1. Check the Hardy Boat Schedule and book a trip
   1. Trips are at noon beginning around May 20^th and at 5:30 pm beginning mid-June.
   2. Trips last for 1.5 hours.
   3. National Audubon Project Puffin naturalists are on board every cruise: they will narrate, help with bird identification and answer questions.
   4. Parking is a paid lot located around the corner from the dock in a large grassy field.
   5. It is about a five-minute walk to the wharf from the parking lot.
   6. Do not park in Shaw’s at the Wharf Parking Lot, which is where the boat leaves.
   7. You will need to present your parking validation at the dock to collect your cruise tickets.
   8. You are asked to be at the dock 45 minutes in advance of the departure.
2. Book a room at The Bradley Inn
   1. We are located just 2.6 miles from the wharf on New Harbor.
   2. Book the Puffin’s Nest Suite keeping with the Puffin theme for your trip.
   3. Book dinner reservations on the nights the restaurant is open, if you are taking the 5:30 pm trip make the reservation for 7:30 pm.
3. Check the Puffin Cams in advance.
   1. Audubon maintains three Puffin Cams
      1. Puffin Loafing Ledge Cam
      2. Puffin Burrow Cam
      3. Puffin Burrow – Exterior View Cam
      4. The Cams have past footage all year, then become live when the puffins arrive.

4. What to bring
   1. Binoculars
   2. Layers of warm clothing, it can be cool out on the water
   3. Bring clothing for rain in the case of inclement weather.
   4. Hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses
   5. And of course, a camera!
5. Ancillary information
   1. Food and drink are available for purchase on the Hardy Boat.
   2. Be prepared for the possibility of seasickness.
6. Visit the Audubon Project Puffin Visitor Center
   1. Located in downtown Rockland at 311 Main Street
   2. Phone number 207-596-5566
   3. Exhibits, a gallery of seabird art and photography, information, video, film, lectures

Plan your Puffin trip as a stand-alone reason for coming Mid-Coast Maine or as part of your Maine vacation.  Start now by looking at the Puffin Cams, I have had one on in the background the entire time I have been writing.  Note they only weigh about the same as a can of soda so are much smaller than they appear on the screen. They are just so stinking cute!

Website booking engines are live for The Hardy Boat and The Bradley Inn, so plan that trip to the beautiful Pemaquid Peninsula in Mid-Coast Maine, just a mere 5 miles from Eastern Egg Rock Island on outer Muscongus Bay and the Puffins!