Puffling

[William Dickson]

Canon 1DX
f/4 500mm
f/6.3
1/2500
ISO 800

A Puffling is a young Puffin :S3: Puffins lay one egg in the nest, within a burrow. When the Puffling hatches, it is fed by the parents until it is ready to leave the burrow and get to the sea. This happens during the hours of darkness, when the young Pufflings will run from the burrow and jump from the high cliffs, into the sea, to prevent being seen by predators, usually Gulls. If successful, they will remain at sea for four years before returning, in this case to the Isle of May.

This little guy decided otherwise, when I seen him jumping into the sea, during daylight hours. I managed to get the one unexpected shot, I was set up for flight photography. It is a fairly large crop, but I thought it worth sharing this rare moment.

Will

[keith mitchell]

Certainly is worth sharing your moment with this young Puffin,like the way you have caught it sitting on top of the swell which lifts it from the bg,very well done Will.

Keith.

[arash_hazeghi]

This one doesn't work for me William, the bird is OOF (critical focus was on the waves in front of him)

TFS though

[Glennie Passier]

Will, I have never seen a puffling before! What a treat. I think you image tells his story well. Here he is; a tiny bird atop a rough looking wave in the middle of an ocean after jumping off a cliff. Then surviving four years out there with everything else that would love a puffling meal. Wonderful capture.

Thank you for sharing a rare moment.

[annmpacheco]

Will, thanks for posting, I hope this puffling doesn't have any regrets! Wow!

[Marina Scarr]

This image could have worked but your bird doesn't look sharp. I do like the suds and the waves and what you were going for.