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Puffins on Machias Seal Island
Borderland birdies
If puffins were issued passports, we're not sure which one these two would get. The pair are among the many puffins, terns, murres, and more making a home of Machias Seal Island, the only piece of land still disputed between the United States and Canada. Close to the US mainland's easternmost point, the island is staffed by Canadians despite its sole lighthouse being automated. They're mainly there to help oversee the local seabird sanctuary, but also to keep pesky Yankees from flouting the Canucks' territorial claim (with some exceptions for Maine-based birdwatching tours).
Borderland birdies
If puffins were issued passports, we're not sure which one these two would get. The pair are among the many puffins, terns, murres, and more making a home of Machias Seal Island, the only piece of land still disputed between the United States and Canada. Close to the US mainland's easternmost point, the island is staffed by Canadians despite its sole lighthouse being automated. They're mainly there to help oversee the local seabird sanctuary, but also to keep pesky Yankees from flouting the Canucks' territorial claim (with some exceptions for Maine-based birdwatching tours).
This seabird-friendly island isn't far from the easternmost point on the US mainland.
© Guy Bryant / Adobe Stock 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :