Saturday, January 9, 2016

September 16 Seal Island, shots of Peregrines, ctenophores and Cormorants

Sept 16 Seal Island,  posted January 10, '16

Peregrine on Seal Island,
The observers, Keenan and Cole, there to keep eagles off had come off the island the day before, and there were 3 or 4 eagles already on the island.
Comb Jelly or Ctenophore, not semiphore or pinafore

moulting eiders
plucking on the back side of Murre head.
not sure the make of the victim






Cormorants back side of Seal Island

mostly greats with a few double-crests




 ,   there were about 20 Great Cormorant nests at Seal Island in 2015, that is half of all the great cormorant nests known in the US. in 2015.
from this shot I'd say they are all this years Great Cormorants, this on the 16 of September these birds were right below the nest site on the western head,  they do not rush to disperse,  that is they like to stay near the nest site for a long time.  To protect this population it will be important to keep eagles off the Island for the duration of their breeding cycle.
  I remember now the eagles had chased these birds off the high-ground near the nesting site  and they were at the waters edge as is typical of young cormorants when the colony is attacked by eagles.

Grey seals over the western breaker,

adult peregrine coming off the western head.

This is the last thing that lots of birds see.
He flew right over us.

there were 4 different individual peregrines on the island that day, Seal Island is a great place to see and watch peregrines.





a brief though nourishing stop at seal,  looks like hes got a crop full, and off he goes bound where?,  Cuba? beyond?









a young peregirne with a pale forehead off Otter Island.

Young peregrine.
Harrier over Roberts Island.

Harrier over Little Roberts.

Eric at Brimstone.

moulting eider.



 Great Cormorant, Seal Island, Sept 17


Otter and Roberts Islands

Sept 15



Lucy going to town
Gannet
Minnamurra,  North of Seal Island
loon.
Dc cormorant, sandy beach in the reach

a few shots from Sept. 12&14

Split Second.

Blue Monday evening Vinalhaven.

this years black-backed Gull,