Amazing Puffins!

Our latest issue of PHOTONews, Volume 31 Number 1, featured a photograph of a puffin holding an iris in its beak, captured by Newfoundland photographer Michael Winsor.

This image drew comments from several readers, most notably Dr. Wayne Lynch, our wildlife and travel photography specialist.

Here’s a snippet of the discussion between Wayne and Michael…

From Wayne Lynch :

The spring issue of PHOTONews arrived today.  Bravo!  It is a beautiful magazine. However, I doubt very much that the puffin and the iris on the cover is a real shot and not a product of Photoshop magic. There is something about the edges on the flower and the shadowing.  The raw file would tell the story.  Sorry to be a skeptic, but 50 years of looking at bird photos makes me suspicious.

The Reply, from Michael Winsor:

Thanks Wayne. Yes, it is real. There are a lot of Iris in Elliston where the puffins come over to collect nesting materials.   They are curious birds, so they pick up everything to bring back to the nest.  Here is a photo of one puffin trying to carry a Lupin, and the puffin in the background has an Iris or two.

Michael  

Reply from Wayne Lynch:

Thanks Michael, for tolerating my skepticism.  I love to learn such interesting facts!

Wayne

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