This was painted from Seal Cove, looking back at the Homestead before it was rehabilitated. The beach here is the closest thing to a sand beach on the island. It captures the grayness of Maine's foggy days. Puffins nest on Matinicus Rock, just three miles farther out from Criehaven. The Audubon Society would have us believe that puffins are endangered or at risk or something.
Puffins are extremely common up north in Canada and Greenland.
The exact number of puffins in the world is not known, but some think they may be more numerous than pigeons. Yes, they are rare in Maine, with only two or three nesting sites. Likewise, park pigeons are rare in Greenland, but hardly at risk in New York.