I'm not really a birder, but I've been wanting to get closeup photos of Atlantic puffins since I first learned they were the official bird of Newfoundland.  With the summer in full swing, I made a day trip up the Bonavista peninsula to the town of Elliston, the root cellar capital of the world, as well as where a popular puffin viewing spot is located.  Boy, did they not disappoint!

Since moving to the east coast to pursue a postdoc in the macrophysiology of cold-water ecosystems, I've really taken to the rugged coastlines of Newfoundland.  It's really not hard to find inspiration when you have daily reminders floating in your backyard.

The bonus is that a lot of the coastline here is outside of restricted airspace (i.e., legal to fly a drone); the opposite of where I was living in Victoria, British Columbia.  Can't wait for field season! 

I recently learned about a new 'art installation' created using driftwood on Reddit. So, I decided to go on a weekend photo walk. I usually try to integrate a theme to a photo shoot; the large oil tankers in the background made for an interesting juxtaposition with the incredible driftwood art.

​The local artist scene is one of the best parts of living on Vancouver Island.