Atlantic Puffin 
- K -

Born  in the days immediately preceding June 18th, at burrow #3, Eastern Egg Rock Island, Muscongus Bay, Maine.  June 18th was the first observed feeding giving researchers an approximate date of hatching.

Parents  EN94 (F) and Y54 (M)

Sex Unknown

Banded on July 25th, 1995.  At time of banding several measurements are take of the puffin chick (called a puffling) including wing and bill length.  This information helps researchers learn about the natural history of puffins.  K’s weight at banding was 320 grams, length 31.8 cm, and height 19 cm.

Identification Bands
LEFT LEG: black plastic band with -K- engraved in white
RIGHT LEG: 785-25125 US Fish and Wildlife Service band

Fledged from Eastern Egg Rock, Maine sometime shortly after July 24th, 1995.  This date was the last observed fish delivery to K by a parent and marks 36 continuous days of observed feedings.  K spent the next year at sea.

Pre-breeding Visits to Land 1997: seen 14 days between July 8th and August 9th at Egg Rock
1998: seen 14 days between June 10th and August 5th at Egg Rock

First Breeding  1999 season (4 years old)

Mate(s)    1999: Unbanded 47 (U 47) an unbanded bird trapped with a noose mat on July 28th 1998 in the boulder field along the southwestern shore of Eastern Egg Rock.

Nesting Location Currently, Burrow #44, among the boulder field on the southern end of the island, a little to the west of burrow #3 where K hatched.
 

Nesting Success A nesting season is considered successful if an egg was laid, it hatched, and the chick was fed for a minimum of 21 days. It leaves the burrow under cover of darkness and walks or flutters to the water.  The puffling must now feed itself and guard against the dangers of the sea.  If fed for less than 21 days, we assume the chick did not survive. 
 

1999	chick fledged

Atlantic Puffin 
Bicolor 76 (BI76)

Transplanted from Great Island, Newfoundland to Eastern Egg Rock, Maine on July 12, 1978  along with 99 other puffin chicks.  Transplanted puffins were placed in sod burrows and fed thawed, vitamin-supplemented smelt three times each day until fledging.  (A bird “fledges”  when it leaves the nest on its own).
 

Age at transplant: 24 days

Sex: male

Identification Bands

LEFT LEG: a green coil band atop an orange plastic band with 76 engraved in black 
RIGHT LEG: 785-25476 US Fish and Wildlife Service band
  (REPLACED BANDS:  705-59076 worn from 1978–1996;   785-22176 worn from 1996–present)

Fledged from Eastern Egg Rock, Maine on August 24, 1978, a cool evening with a northerly    breeze and rain.  He spent the next three years at sea.

Pre-breeding Visits to Land 
1981 seen 1 day at Eastern Egg Rock among the decoys
1982 1 day at Matinicus Rock and 21 days at Egg Rock and 1 day at Wooden Ball Island.  There he  was captured by a Herring Gull, but broke free and was seen a few days later at Egg Rock. 
1983 20 days at Egg Rock

First Breeding 1984 season (6 years old)

Mate(s)
 

1984:	Unbanded puffin (nested at #19)	1996:	Unbanded puffin (nested at #23)
1985:	Engraved +92 (nested at #23)	1997:	Unbanded 11 (nested at #23)
1986–88:	Yellow 22 (nested at #23)	1998:	No mate, U11 did not return Egg Rock
1989–93:	Bicolor 45 (nested at #23)	1999:	No mate

Last known Nesting Location Burrow #23, a deep rock crevice above the southeast shore. 

Nesting Success 
A nesting season is considered successful if an egg was laid, it hatched, and the chick was fed for a minimum of 21 days. It leaves the burrow under cover of darkness and walks or flutters to the water.  The puffling must now feed itself and guard against the dangers of the sea.  If fed for less than 21 days, we assume the chick did not survive. 
 

1984	chick fledged	1994	BI76 did not nest
1985	chick fed only 1 day	1995	BI76 did not nest
1986	chick fledged	1996-97	chick fledged
1987	chick fledged	1998	BI76 did not nest
1988–92	chick fledged	1999	BI76 did not nest
1993	no feedings observed