[Magdalen] Hog Island?

[Grace Cangialosi]

I actually skipped Fingal's Cave in favor of the puffins--they told us there wouldn't be time for both!
Our guide told us that the puffins actually like having people come to the island on the ferries, because they tend to discourage the seagulls. The gulls are their main threat, as they raid the nests and kill the chicks.
I guess that's why the puffins seemed to enjoy hanging out with us...

On December 11, 2014, at 5:58 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:

We were there this Summer. You picked the right time.  We missed them
entirely.  We did get some very nice pics of the other seabirds, and
Fingal's Cave was impressive.  The crawl over is a major part of the fun.

Puffins unfortunately are endangered.  I hope we can figure out a way to
safeguard some places for them to breed that can be kept secluded from
other predator animals.  I don't think humans (just looking, as you were)
are a problem but other birds unfortunately are.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better
for people coming behind you, and you don’t do it, you're wasting your time
on this Earth.”  -- *Roberto Clemente

On Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 9:55 AM, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yes, Damariscotta is the pickup location for folks flying in or taking
> other transportation. Boat sails from Bremen. I'll probably drive, since I
> have friends in Brunswick.
> Now I just have to figure out which of the enticing sessions I want to
> attend. Each one is five days, and some of them also fall under the Road
> Scholar umbrella, though they cost more that way and don't have the lowest
> cost accommodations (think hostel).
>
> I'm leaning toward one involving the arts, though there's also a hands-on
> that will teach things like bird banding, more advanced study and reporting
> techniques, etc.
>
> Re puffins, my interest goes back to the year I was nine. I was collecting
> stamps--sort of--and sending away for some of those packages you could get
> for a small fee. One of the offers was for a set of stamps from "Puffin
> Island." I got them and was sure that the birds were actually cartoon
> characters! Nothing in real life could look like that!
> Finally, on a pilgrimage to Iona, I took the ferry over to Staffa and saw
> my first puffins! In fact, they came right over, and I sat in the grass
> with them for quite awhile and have some great pictures. I didn't know then
> that we have them here, as well.  There's a Puffin Project out of Maine and
> also a live Puffincam site.
> I still love them...and I still think they look like cartoon characters!
>
> > On Dec 11, 2014, at 7:44 AM, ME Michaud <michaudme at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I've never been there, but, checking the map, it's near Wiscasset and
> > Damariscotta
> > and Rockland. Nice towns, interesting area (especially Rockland, where
> city
> > folk have the mind-bending experience of seeing huge oil paintings in
> > gallery windows without pull-down grates to protect them from
> miscreants).
> > The Farnsworth is worth a visit.
> >
> > Puffins are a hoot. You know that they nearly went extinct because
> they're
> > delicious. Or so the old-timers told us.
> >
> > Stay the heck out of Portland.
> > -M
> >
> > On Wednesday, December 10, 2014, Grace Cangialosi <gracecan at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> Thoughts? Suggestions?
>