Puffins have always seemed nearly impossible creatures that look more like children’s toys than real birds. Their colorful beaks and triangular eyes stand out against sturdy black-and-white bodies, and their name perfectly captures their roly-poly look. As if that weren’t enough, their chicks are called “pufflings.”
These pelagic birds are masters of the air, sea, and land,
Flying thousands of miles over the ocean,
Diving to catch fish (click on photos to enlarge),
And burrowing to nest.
Despite the remote locations where puffins are typically found, I was determined to capture their beauty through my lens. The viewing site in Elliston, Newfoundland, is one of North America’s best places to observe puffins, especially from May to September when they breed on a rocky outcrop, allowing for close encounters.
Since the best times to photograph the puffins are early morning or late afternoon, I looked for other interesting ways to occupy my days. The surrounding area offers beautiful hikes and plenty of photo opportunities, so we booked a week at an Airbnb in Bonavista, just five miles from the Elliston site.
Johanna’s spacious BnB featured a private bedroom and bath, as well as a shared kitchen, and was conveniently located near restaurants and the harbor. Her mi-casa-es-tu-casa hospitality instantly made me feel like family. And the location was a perfect base for exploring all that the Bonavista Peninsula had to offer.
You can find her listing here:
I flew WestJet’s direct morning flight from Orlando to St. John’s, picked up my rental car, and drove the 3 1/2 hours to Bonavista. The route was scenic and colorful — azure lakes nestled between lush green hills with bright yellow, pink, and purple flowers growing wild alongside the road.
A red fox darted into the bushes as I drove by, and a bit further along, a second fox stayed long enough for me to snap a quick proof-of-life photo through the windshield as I zipped past.
The coastline is filled with charming towns featuring brightly painted buildings that line blue harbors, where equally colorful boats bob in the waves.
My first day was overcast, and after visiting the puffins in the morning, I spent the afternoon exploring. The Puffin Craft Shop in Maberly offers a selection of handmade items and photographs. I had a wonderful conversation with the owner, Bernice, while choosing a knit cap – embellished with a puffin, of course. I immediately put it on and wore it for the rest of my trip. (Arrow through gallery set)
At one of my stops, I happened upon the Sealers Memorial, a powerful seaside statue and monument honoring those who died in the 1914 Newfoundland sealing disaster. (click on photos to enlarge)
Every town has at least one cemetery with tombstones dating back to the 1800s. Many were overgrown, with ancient stone crosses tilted on their sides, and on the oldest, the writing had eroded from decades of wind and sea. (Arrow through gallery set)
On a whim, I turned down Dungeon Road and came upon a herd of beautiful horses in the community pasture. I couldn’t help but snap a few photos as they grazed on the green hillsides against the blue ocean backdrop.
Later, I drove to Cape Bonavista and the lighthouse. From high up on the hill, I watched two humpback whales slowly meander in the bay below me as a bright orange tour boat followed behind. (click on photos to enlarge)
I returned to the lighthouse for the sunset. While I waited, whales entertained me, tails slapping as huge flocks of birds circled above.
One morning, I stopped to photograph the inuksuks on Sandy Cove Beach. These traditional stone markers, which I first learned about during my visit to Churchill in November 2024, are a significant part of Indigenous culture. I was delighted to find them on a beach in Elliston, pointing the way to the puffin site!
I returned to Dungeon Road and visited The Dungeon, a massive, heart-shaped crater with two separate openings to the sea. I enjoyed watching as the waves crashed in, the same waves that had carved out this breathtaking sea cave millions of years ago.
Besides being famous for its puffins, Elliston is also known as the Root Cellar Capitol of the World. So, of course, I had to snap a few obligatory root cellar pics! (Arrow through gallery set)
“That’s all fine and good, but what about the puffins?” you ask. The puffin viewing site is located at the end of a short hike along a rocky, uneven path. Until I was up and over the last hill, I had no idea what to expect. (click on photos to enlarge)
What I was given on my first foggy morning were more puffins than I could have hoped for! The rookery itself is located on an island offshore, at a reach of only the longest lens.
However, there were hundreds of puffins on the mainland, so close that I had to back up to capture them with my 100-400mm!
Although there were several photographers already milling around, there were more than enough puffins for everyone. I was in puffin heaven, enjoying their roly-poly, comical beauty.
Wednesday morning dawned sunny and bright. I was back at the site by 6:45 and was greeted once again by hundreds of puffins on the mainland side. I had switched to my fixed 500mm lens this morning and needed to stay back even further to get my subjects in the frame! (click on photos to enlarge)
There were dozens of puffins floating in the bay, looking like miniature rubber duckies.
I watched them for the longest time, even attempting a few shots of birds in flight – but photographing puffins in flight is like trying to capture a speeding bullet! So, I sat back and enjoyed the beauty surrounding me.
As I watched from my little rock perch, two beautiful black guillemots landed no more than ten feet away.
Finally, the sun was high enough that I could move back to the east side of the mainland to shoot a few more close-ups, as close-up as my lens would allow.
A circus (yes, “circus” and “improbability” are both collective names for a group of puffins) had gathered on the cliffside several yards from me, and I was at a good vantage point with the sun at my back. It was indeed a circus as I tried to video a bit of their antics.
Suddenly, one brave puffin hopped up on the rocky ledge and waddled so close I had to put my camera down – I could not get her in my frame!
After two morning sessions with the puffins, I had filled two 32GB memory cards. Although I was, for now, puff-full, I was smitten with these birds and could hardly wait to visit them again.
The Klondike Trail is an easy 3km out-and-back hike that runs from Spillars Cove to Elliston. The Spillars Cove trailhead begins at a famous rock formation called “The Chimney” and offers sweeping views of the cove, coastline, and a shorebird rookery. (click on photos to enlarge)
I chose to hike the trail to Elliston while the morning was still cool, as it promised to be a warm, sunny day. The trail led me inland, away from the rugged coastline, and I enjoyed the fresh, sweet air, as well as the many chirping birds, (click on photos to enlarge)
And a snowshoe hare modeling her summer coat.
Upon my return, I followed a well-worn path of flattened grass down to the edge of the cliffs directly across from the rookery.
There were hundreds of puffins flitting around the island and swimming in the cove.
In 2017, we journeyed to Antarctica for our 35th wedding anniversary. I “penguined” for much of the time – I put down my camera and simply enjoyed the penguins and the beautiful scenery. This morning, I “puffined.” Unlike the sometimes-frenetic photographer activity at the Elliston site, I had Spillars Cove to myself.
As I quietly watched, the puffins flew back and forth to burrows on the mainland, some even landing on a ledge directly beneath me.
The world’s largest population of humpback whales returns to Newfoundland each year between May and September, and tour boats run daily trips to watch them frolic and feed near shore. I did not want to book a whale tour until I was certain I had all my puffin “money shots.” But after that spectacular first session on Tuesday morning, I booked a Friday tour with Discovery Sea Adventures.
After everyone was dressed in a brightly colored survival suit, we boarded our zodiac and headed out to sea.
Within minutes, Captain Bob spotted a minke whale. These whales are very shy, and it was just a quick glimpse before she disappeared beneath the waves. Next up, a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins, but at the same time, a mother and baby humpback breached in the distance.
Leaving the dolphins behind, we raced to the whales, as there is never a guarantee of how long they might continue this behavior.
Mama jumped a few times, but the calf jumped over and over again. I missed a few breaches as I was distracted by more whales off in the distance, but in the end, everyone got their money shots. (click on photos to enlarge)
Finally, after more than an hour of continuous breaches, we left the whales. We headed to the seabird colony below the lighthouse, a bustling community of puffins, razorbills, and murres, among others.
Captain Bob wanted to find us more dolphins,
But we were diverted by three fin whales, the second-largest whale on the planet. These mighty whales rarely show their tails or breach, but they did show us their distinctive dorsal fins.
Suddenly, Patti, a fellow passenger, cried, “What is that fin?!?” It turned out to be a porbeagle shark playing with a piece of kelp, adding even more excitement to an already fantastic day.
As we turned back towards Bonavista Harbor, we found our dolphins. They raced around the boat – almost too fast to photograph, but a thrill, nonetheless.
At the end of our adventure, Captain Bob instructed us to look up. A friend was flying a drone overhead and snapped a quick photo of our group – a special keepsake from our special day. (arrow through gallery set)
Later that afternoon, I returned to Cape Bonavista to search for a fox family that lives in the grassy meadow below the lighthouse. After 90 minutes of fox-less waiting, I walked up to the rookery. I was delighted to find a large group of puffins on the mainland, happily going about their evening business while cameras clicked away. (Arrow through gallery set)
With the weekend upon me, I decided to explore more of the area. Johanna had given me a list of “must-sees,” and I planned routes that would cover most of them. As I drove along, I realized I was following part of the “Discovery Trail,” a 425km route that circles the Bonavista Peninsula.
My first stop on Saturday was the charming town of Kings Cove and the Lighthouse Trail.
I chose the longer, 3.5km loop and was rewarded with a beautiful view from the lighthouse,
Another snowshoe hare,
And a moose!
I had planned to stop at Maudie’s Tea Room in Keels for breakfast, but I was too early for their noon opening. I missed their sign on my way in and stumbled upon another interesting site: Devil’s Footprints.
While geological studies attribute these cloven, hoof-shaped indentations to natural causes, locals claim that the tracks were made by the Devil dancing over Keels. I found the local version a much better story!
My journey then took me to Tickle Cove and the awe-inspiring Sea Arch, a magnificent rock formation.
I scrambled to the top of the hill above the arch and, lying on my stomach, gazed straight down at the sheer drop! (click on photos to enlarge)
Below the Sea Arch was a small rocky beach filled with wishing stones – rocks with continuous lines of quartz running around them. Folklore says if you’re lucky enough to find one with unbroken lines and make a wish while throwing it into the ocean, your wish will come true.
I spent an hour on the beach searching for a few stones that were just the right size to carry home. While I was there, I also threw one into the sea with a wish to return to Newfoundland someday. (click on photos to enlarge)
After a quick lunch in picturesque Trinity, I climbed the Gun Hill Trail for a panoramic view of the town.
And then, because I could not help myself, I returned to the Elliston puffin site. It was crowded this Saturday afternoon, and after snapping a few more photos of these captivating birds, I returned home to Bonavista. (Arrow through gallery set)
Sunday had me out the door before dawn, and I watched the sunrise over the ocean as I drove to Port Union and the Murphy’s Cove Trail.
This 7.7km hike features multiple ocean views and an interesting fossil story.
In 2008, scientists discovered the fossil of one of the world’s oldest living animals: a 560-million-year-old sea creature called a Haootia quadriformis. This ancient cousin to jellyfish is significant in understanding the origins of life. The fossil is on display in a museum in St. John’s, but it was fascinating to learn about it on this remote trail! (click on photos to enlarge)
However, the most exciting part of my hike was the sudden appearance of a red fox darting across the path in front of me! I had given up on seeing another one on my trip, and this unexpected moment made my day.
Port Union is North America’s first and, to this day, only union-built town. I checked out the historical Factory and Coaker Manor, and scrambled about on the rocks behind the Factory building, searching for (and failing to find) more fossils.
My next stop was the Skerwink Trail in Port Rexton. The Skerwink Trail is continually ranked in the top 35 trails in North America and Europe, and rightly so. As the founder of the trail, John Vivian, said, “This trail offers more scenery per linear foot than any other trail in Newfoundland.”
I followed the 5.3km route up and down steep hills that hugged the rugged coastline, offering breathtaking views of the ocean that on this day was an impossible shade of blue.
After two somewhat strenuous back-to-back hikes, I was ready for lunch! I stopped at the famous “Oh My Cheeses” food truck in Port Rexton and splurged on “The Gull” – grilled brie with Newfoundland partridge berry jam on toasted bread. Yum!!
On my way back to Bonavista, I swung by the Elliston puffin site one last time. The puffins were not putting on a show like they had earlier in the week. But Newfoundland had one final surprise in store: an iceberg!
I traveled to Newfoundland for the puffins and went home with so much more: whales, dolphins, foxes, a moose, countless stunning landscapes, rewarding hikes, delicious seafood, picturesque towns, spectacular sunrises and sunsets, and an iceberg – the final icing(berg) on the cake!
And although I didn’t have the opportunity to get properly “screeched in” on this trip, in my heart, I am an honorary “Newfie.”
To view all my puffin photos arrow through the set or click to open a new tab in Flickr:
To view my whale and other Newfoundland photos arrow through the set or click to open a new tab in Flickr:
On The Road with Tall Guy & JET 