IMAGE OF THE MONTH

June 2025

Puffin Therapy Among the Sea Thrift

It had been over five years since I last saw puffins, so I was long overdue for some “puffin therapy.” These charming seabirds have always held a special place in my heart — their vivid beaks, expressive eyes, and delightfully comical walk never fail to lift the spirits. Watching them interact, especially their gentle billing when greeting a partner or fellow puffin, is a joy that feels both intimate and timeless.

Capturing this particular image was no small feat. The site was precarious and demanded great care and patience. But the moment was worth every careful step. Two puffins emerged from their burrow, framed perfectly by a cushion of blooming sea thrift — as if nature had composed the scene just for me. I knew instantly: this was the shot I had hoped for.

The location itself is nothing short of magical. I spent hours absorbed in the rhythms of this cliffside sanctuary, where puffins mingle with fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes, all deeply engaged in the nesting season. It’s not just a visual experience; it’s a full immersion into wildness — the calls of seabirds echoing across the rocks, the scent of salt on the breeze, the textures of moss and bloom underfoot.

Every visit here is unforgettable, and every photograph is a story of patience, place, and connection. For me, this image of two puffins surrounded by sea thrift is more than a composition — it’s a moment of pure presence with the natural world.