Webfooted Take Off

This Pigeon Guillemot took off as I was taking his photo...the take off involved paddling on the water for several steps before taking flight. I love their red feet and did you know that they are part of the Puffin family? They have claws on their webbed feet for scaling rock cliffs where they lay two eggs each year. Most birds in the Puffin family only lay one egg. The Pigeon Guillemot is found along the coast line from the Northern part of Alaska to the Southern part of California. We see them often in Tillamook Bay.