In Puffin Project’s 30th year of working to restore the Egg Rock puffin colony, they tallied a total of 59 breeding pairs – a 13% increase since 2002. Egg Rock researchers, led by supervisor Ellen Peterson tallied a record high count of 101 individuals and an impressive fledging success of 0.86 chicks per pair.
Since most of the Egg Rock puffins wear numbered leg bands, observers discover detailed histories about puffin mating habits. For example, puffins are typically very faithful to their burrow and usually to their mate from one year to the next. Puffin Y54 (a 26-year-old male transplanted from Newfoundland in 1977) holds the record for retaining the same burrow: 22 years!
Eastern Egg Rock continues to host the largest Roseate Tern colony in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the largest Laughing Gull colony (1,458 pairs). For more info visit: www.projectpuffin.org.
2003 Eastern Egg Rock Nest Totals
- Atlantic Puffins: 59 pairs
- Roseate Terns: 164 pairs
- Arctic Terns: 77 pairs
- Common Terns: 992 pairs