One of the highlights of our trip is the wildlife, and we got to see a lot in one place at the Bird Islands.  We saw a puffin out in the ocean down off the SW coast of Nova Scotia, but nothing compares to seeing lots of them.  They come to the Bird Islands during the summer to nest and raise their chicks, and by September the chicks will have fledged and the puffins return to their life on the open sea. 

Other sea birds also nest on the islands - razorbills, guillemots, and black-legged kittiwakes.  Cormorants and gray seals are abundant, and seals are shy but curious - always poking their heads up to look at us.

Bald eagles are also abundant.  The eagles fish, but they also pick off the sick and injured birds.

It takes four years for a bald eagle to fully develop the white head and tail.  This photo shows a yearling landing next to a three-year-old.

We did this same tour on our last trip up here and it was just as wonderful.  The last time was earlier in the nesting season so the puffins were staying closer to their burrows.  This time there were fewer puffins - most were out fishing, able to leave their growing chicks in the nest for longer periods of time.