b]Atlantic Puffin Burrow cam - Puffintruders Abound![/b]
It sure has been a chaotic week, y’all. If you don't already know, a very persistent intruder is desperate to make Burrow #59 its home.
Atlantic Puffins in Maine usually lay eggs in burrows or crevices in mid-May. Puffins typically lay one white egg each year, but another may be laid if lost early into the season. These eggs average 60mm long, 42mm wide, 0.31mm shell thickness, and weigh 62 grams. As we see with Willie and Millie, both parents will incubate the egg while the other parent fishes. Puffins have two lateral brood patches, featherless spots with enhanced blood supply, to warm the egg while they sit horizontally to incubate it. The egg needs around 39-45 days of incubation.
Now: let’s talk intruder! This bold Puffin has been charging into Burrow #59 every single day since May 18, including this morning. It even pushed Willie and Millie’s egg out of the burrow on May 19. This bird, nicknamed “Wily” by some viewers for his scheming ways, is likely a male looking for a burrow of his own. It may be particularly aggressive because it is still early–plenty of time for it to have an egg of its own. In nature, it’s all about having that competitive advantage and passing your genes onto your offspring. And someone else’s egg would not be a welcoming sight in your new home!
Puffintruder pushing the egg. Millie protecting egg, on high alert from intruder.6:56am Willie in the doorway and Millie on the egg.