Friday, June 28, 2019

June 27, Eagles competing for prime bird island foraging territory, Gannets and Wilsons Petrels in the bay

Eagles competing for prime bird island foraging territory,

I saw a couple of manx shearwater and lots of Murre at Matinicus Rock, but it was a bit dark and foggy.

I went by the ball there was much taking place 

here is an eagle in the cormorant colony some cormorant nests have been abandoned others have not.
a herring gull repeatedly stooping on the eagle in the cormorant colony
the eagle was preoccupied and there was at least one eagle heard screeching,
herring gull again trying to drive this eagle off, some cormorant standing firm,
Some double-crested cormorant in the water having been scared off their nests by the eagle 
the eagle mid right takes off pursuing a second eagle
bald eagle
Eagle chasing eagle,

Eagle chasing eagle, and two black-backed gulls 

 there was a prolonged pursuit that lasted over a minute and finally the chased bird sailed away leaving the island and its delicious gulls and eiders and cormorants to the other
lots of Grey seals around the island
the victorious eagle sailed around over the island for a bit, terrorizing the gulls and cormorants, here several cormorants flush off their nests as the caos of gulls indicate the eagle is approaching their zone, some cormorant held tight and did not abandon their nests throughout
with all these gulls around unprotected cormorant eggs would be quickly vulnerable

there was a family gang of ravens on the island as well, racous fledglings enjoying their first summer on the islands


there were more gannets in the bay again after being fairly scarce for a few weeks
the bay had a nice  rich fishy smell
there were lots of Wilsons Petrels in the bay to for the first time this season.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

June 24 trip to Seal, King eider, razorbill chick in the bay

June 24 trip to Seal, King eider, razorbill chick in the bay
first razorbill chick seen this year , June 24th is the earliest I've seen one
there are lots of razorbills at Seal Island
eider hens and ducklings

   
puffin and eider hens,
a few great Cormorant nests from SW cove
great Cormorant, 2 male and a female eider and a razorbill
we found the King eider
king eider and laughing gull
according to one book, the closest place this species breeds is Baffin Island.
common and King eider males
young bald eagle and raven at Otter Island
young eagle on otter Island
adult eagle on Otter
Vinalhaven Harbor

June 19-23, tropic bird harlequin, orange hawkweed, new heronry in the region

June 19-23,

From my birdbath series
heron on platform,


a new heron colony in the area
one crouched on platform behind the spruce tree in the middle
the great blue



it was a Bit squally


Heron neck
the sacred orange hawkweed

Sunday June 23 trip to Seal Island

picked up this hitchhicker on the way to Seal Island
We saw the famous tropicbird of Seal Island

he put on a good show
there you can see the Seal Island sign,
and the Seal Island camp
there were plenty of puffins

a there alcid shot the murre being a bit pale in the cheek for this season

Immature great Cormorant at little Brimstone
two male harlequin,
two male harlequin ducks little brimstone June 23
eagles at Otter Island

we were followed in by this hungry gull
rainbow over lanes Island