Thursday, March 26, 2015

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,

Iceland gull, Dodge mountain


A second Iceland gull different individual


Squeakers hauled out in 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

Thursday, March 12, 2015

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,


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,
Tumbolo beach


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