Maine in July.

I will be in Maine July 12 through July 16 and want to photograph Puffins and other interesting birds. I would like to engage a guide to assist. Any ideas?

There's a boat out of Cutler that goes to Machias Seal Islands and gets you pretty close. Not sure about the timing in relation to nesting in your time frame. Keep in mind that this is the 2nd bad year for nesting plus lots of dead birds found over the winter. I also read that the Machia Seal Islands do not have the population they once had. I'm not too encouraging am I? There are other places but they also would require you to find a boat to take you out to the island. Perhaps someone else has that info.

While in Rockland, Maine, we had stopped in at the visitors center of Project Puffin. We did not have time to take one of the cruises but attached is a link that may be helpful.

http://projectpuffin.audubon.org/puffin-watching-cruises

Also, here is another link which may be more what you are looking for.

http://www.boldcoast.com/msi.htm

I can't speak for the quality of this tour. . . and I'm sure there are several others like it available if you want to shop around.

Hope you have a great experience. . .it's a wonderful place to visit!

Hi Patrick,
Below are two links from Mass Audubon. They run a tour to Machias Seal Island each summer, which was the place to photograph puffins. As Peter pointed out, the puffin population is literally starving. Not enough herring in the sea to feed them. Here is an article on the puffins plight. http://www.pressherald.com/news/starvation-stressing-maine-puffin-colonies_2013-06-02.html

As of 2011 Bold Coast was the only puffin charter available. Not sure if any new ones are running this year. Be sure to ask if you will actually land on the island. If not, it is not worth your photography dollars.

Here is an article about the puffins on Machias Seal Island that I wrote a few years ago.
Good luck!
Greg

http://www.massaudubon.org/NH_Travel/listing.php?program_code=1191-SS13SU1

http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/wildlife/index.php?subject=Birds:%20Species&id=48

I took a cruise last summer out of Boothsbay Maine and saw and photographed quite a few puffins. Here is a link http://mainepuffin.com