Johnny's Puffin

For years Johnny has been scoping Haystack Rock off of Cape Kiwanda while I scour the cape tidal areas for Black Oystercatchers. For years he has sworn he has seen Tufted Puffins flying into crevices on either side of a "shield-shaped rock". I couldn't see anything and couldn't believe there was a space big enough for a bird to fly into.

Yesterday, May 28, he brought the scope to where I was sitting watching two BLOY below me and wondering if they were going to nest on the Rock this year. "Look at where I've been seeing them. They have been sticking their heads out of holes on either side of that rock. You can see white on their heads and red below."

Red below?

I looked and saw nothing. He said they were not doing it right then. But he had taken photos with his camera. At home, I put the photos on the camera and... he was right. The photos are awful but you can see red feet (his "red below"), black body and white head with maybe a tinge of red where the bill should be. It's a lousy photo, but I do believe he finally has his photo of a Tufted Puffin on Haystack Rock.

shield-shaped rock with puffin on the right top

Johnny took lots of photos... I can see those red feet!

shield-shaped rock when I took a photo... no puffin

Johnny's puffin up close and blurry

puffins both sides, top of rock

puffins closer, sort of

 
To see these elusive creatures, look at the Rock from the parking area, wheelchair ramp or beach. The ledge, low on the east side, facing the beach, is obvious. Centered above it is Johnny's "shield-shaped rock". I don't know if it's shield shaped but it is a flattish obvious rock with crevices on either side. Note the size of gulls sitting on the ledge to give yourself an idea of how tiny those puffins are going to look. The Rock is a mile off shore.

Cape Kiwanda's Haystack Rock

the ledge, low on rock with shield-shaped rock above it

ledge and rock closer... note the size of that gull left

 Good luck looking... and if you get a better photo of one of "Johnny's puffins", Johnny would love to see it.

I'm glad he finally got his photo and I finally got to see what he was seeing (via his photos). But Black Oystercatchers are much easier... and closer... to see and photograph. Here are the ones I was watching on the cape yesterday.