Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Nesting Atlantic puffins lean on each other

This adorable pair of Atlantic Puffins landed on a lichen-covered rock at the Elliston puffin viewing site. One can assume they were building a nest, as one had nesting material in their beak, and on the rocky island offshore, nestbuilding was the current pastime. Elliston hosts a nesting site for approximately 300 pairs of puffins who return each May to breed and raise their chicks, until early September when they all return to sea until the next year.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2024
Photo Location: Elliston, Newfoundland, Canada
Camera: ILCE-7M3
Copyright: © Sandra Nelson