Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Aug 10&11, Featuring Thasher Shark


Aug 10, Seal Island.  posted Sept. 29

The red-billed Tropicbird, passing SKUA,

Tropicbird over SKUA,
a 2015 Black Guillemot.

least and Semipalmated Sandpipers at the spooge pool.

Semipalmated plover.

I saw something in the eastern bite, trashing about.
it was a thresher shark, judging by the tail

Here is the dorsal fin and tail.
 I kept my eye on the cove for a while but did not see it again. I saw one breach three times one time.  Either Thrasher or Thresher will do, this caviler attitude towards spelling is something I respect in a fish.
the guillemots were busy feeding young usually the delicious red rock gunnel

least sandpiper

young savanna sparrow.

Semipalmated plover.
the many guyed tower, on top of Murre head.

Great cove from Murre head

guillemots morning sun
Guillemot

SKUA in the eastern bight.

 Semiplamated Plovers,

semipalmated plovers and a least sandpiper

again the Tropicbird was in the bight for a while in the morning, hanging out with one of his favorite buoys.
black guillemot,

Guillemot with rock gunnel,

Guillemot, and gunnel aka red rock eel.

Bank Swallow, they nest in the bank above the eastern bight.

beautiful red toes.

Spotted sandpiper



phalerope flying over the island.


young harbor seal.


Aug 8, trip to pick up the crew at Seal Island


August 8 Seal Island, posted Sept. 29
The Tropicbird was there to see the crew off,

hanging about in the morning for a while, it seems to have lost one of the tail feathers.

a more disturbing development has been our dear friends habit of hanging around with pot bouys with red spindles.

We swung by Matinicus Rock, then they commenced Ukeing


 there is a longstanding tradition of seeing bonapartes gulls in summer plumage in Rockland harbor, on this trip, this one was in the reach though.



long legged common tern