Everywhere we looked, birds wheeled through the sky or sat on the water, disappearing underneath the surface when they dove for food. Individuals and groups flew to and from the island, some carrying fish in their beaks for the thousands of hungry chicks waiting on land. The din of their voices could be heard even above the noise of the boat’s motor.

This is what a visitor to Machias Seal Island will experience upon approach to this special bird sanctuary. Located nine miles from Cutler, this 15-acre island is home to approximately 2,000 pairs of nesting puffins, as well as Arctic terns, razorbill auks and common murres.

These seabirds historically nested off the coast of Maine. In the early 1800s, they were almost wiped out here by shooting, egg collecting and habitat destruction. The increase of great black-backed and herring gulls – which are aggressive and predatory – caused by poor refuse management in more recent times, has prevented these birds from reclaiming their former breeding grounds.

Machias Seal Island – the ownership of which has been disputed by the United States and Canada for many years – has maintained its seabird populations, particularly the Atlantic puffin. It has served as the inspiration for the reintroduction of puffin and other seabird colonies along the coast of Maine and even throughout the world.

Trips to the island are strictly regulated. Recognizing the need to educate and inform people, the Canadian Wildlife Service tries to balance the needs of the birds with the unique opportunity for people to observe them at close range.

Most of the trips involve a cruise around the island, which offers excellent views of air- and water-borne seabirds. At certain times during the season, small numbers of people are allowed onto the island to view the puffins, terns and auks from inside special observation blinds.

This is the trip that we were privileged to make this day. Landing on the island and being only a few feet away from the birds was both exciting and humbling. We saw them feeding their chicks and witnessed many interesting interactions. The captain of the Barbara Frost, Andrew Patterson, freely shared with us his knowledge and love of the birds and the area.

An added bonus on the way back from the sanctuary came with the opportunity to talk with research scientist John Chardine of the Canadian Wildlife Service.

As a result of his study of terns, Chardine has found that the expression “mate for life,” is a relative term. While terns and other birds may choose the same mate every year, if one of them dies – or turns out to be a bad partner – the other will choose another mate.

Divorce among birds – who knew?

Chris Corio, a volunteer at Fields Pond Nature Center, can be reached at fieldspond@juno.com.