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.