March 25, St Abigails day, trip to Seal Island, Rednecks, Razos, murre and more

I went down to Seal Island March 25, here are some photos.

 Otter Island, spruce trees, white and red, fairly dominate the region, here pioneers commence the reconquista,  sheep grazing following forest razing, left lots of Islands barren, the patient determination of the spruces will prevail.

 Black Scoter Heron Neck beyond

It is understood that "The face of Hitchcock",  profile on channel rock, preceeded Hitchcock himself.... scary 

there were lots of Harlequins around the Islands.

a pair,

Harlequins and Black back on the Southeast shore of Otter Island,

Raven nest tree,

Otter Island, harbor seals,

 sometime known as, lords and ladies,

 It was near 40 and  calm so I headed to Seal Island

4 red-necked grebes in the bay, 

Sleek and villainous, like a weasel,  

I haven't often seen them so well with spring plumage,  these individuals all seemed very large.

winter more commonly seen plumage here,

 

 

 Heron Neck, Hurricane, Camden Hills

A Common Murre in the bay, changing to summer plumage,

During the summer we murre are becoming more and more common around Seal Island.

Such a still day, the water was super clear too, 

  there were small rafts of Razorbills at Seal,

Uoodle Oots,  aka Oldsquaw or Longtailed ducks 

know as Aa'aangiq, in Yupic,  they do a lot of calling during the winter, apparently conducting important interactions within the troop,

there were a couple of Oldsquaw at Seal Island much of last summer

 

Purple Sandpipers on the shore of Seal Island

Iceland gull, Dodge mountain

A second Iceland gull different individual

there were only three great Cormorant by the nesting area, and these three on the shore of the great cove

Squeakers hauled out in Squeaker guzzle,

Squeaker guzzle

Razorbills have a flying display they do in pairs,  they will be flying along together wheeling around, and head up into the wind hold their wings out straight, slow their wingbeats down and semi glide along adjacent to one another, it is a treat to see,  and there was a lot of this going on among the Razorbills off the western head this day.  I suppose that this display is a way of pair bond reenforcing,

 

Heading North, back to town

Heron Neck, Mt Battie and Meguntacuk

there were not many eider out there.

March 10, Dogfish Island to.. Little Hurricane, Little Roberts, Little Brimstone, Great Cormorants, Harlequin Ducks, Oldsquaw,

I got out for a ride March 10 with Kirk Gentalen, from the ferry channel by Green Island to Brimstone, by way of Little Hurricane and Channel Rock, Otter Island as well,  and Lanes Nubble,
calm and warming to 40 so so nice.

 

even the buoys were feeling cheerful,

Oldsquaw,

Mounts Battie and Magunticuk, the monument

Green Island, Black-backs on territory.

Drifts on Bald Island,

les canard Kakawi,

they must be thinking of tundra ponds and how to get there.

oldsquaw, grout bank on Hurricane beyond

 Heron Neck and Isle au Haut

Great Cormorants,  Heron Neck beyond

Heron Neck light,  Great Cormorants, setting on what looks like granite from Palmer Island,
they call it Palmer granite

Ilse au Haut, Lanes Nubble, Brimstone, Roberts, Otter, Little Roberts

oldsquaw infront of Little Roberts, Roberts and Otter behind

Oldsquaw, in front of Hay Island and Isle au Haut

Lanes Nubble

Otter Island

 

The end of Little Roberts and Otter Island

 Great Cormorant Early Spring breeding plumage is splendid, these photos do not compare to a good look in good light,  "a vision of heavenly beauty"

this is an stunning and intelligent species.

We saw about 12 total during out 3 hour tour,  no sub adults

Unfortunately the population is down to @50 pairs in '014, and has been declining since '92

the white nape feathers don't last long

Harlequins, at Otter Island,

there were lots of Harlequins out there

 sea mice,

Raven tree Otter Island, a few Harlequin on the shoreline

Cormorant roost on Otter Island

cryptic in the backwash

Great Cormorant, Saddleback  Duck Harbor mountain Isle au Haut

 Isle au Haut, Saddleback ledge, Great Cormorant on Holden ledge

Great Cormorant,

Brimstone

Tumbolo beach

Cormorant Roost Brimstone

our most dependable alcid the incredible Black Guillemot

A more stalwart alcid this region lacks

Robert's Island

Horned Grebe

A whistler in Sands cove

get a team together and give me a call these ducks will be around a while longer and seeing the spring plumage Great Cormorant is worth the trip