June 25, Matinicus Rock and Seal Island,

3 Alcids at Matinicus Rock, there are  black guillemots there as well.

about one in five of the Murre in the area sport the flashy spectacles,

all three of the species, Razorbills, Murres and Puffins numbers in the gulf of Maine have swelled greatly during the last 60 years.

Common Murre, known as guillemots in England, are known to nest on two sites in the Gulf of Maine Yellow Murre Ledge and Machias Seal Island, there were  25 pairs on Yellow Murre ledge off Grand Manan in 1983, now the Gulf of Maine Population is about 1,500 individuals.

mostly at Yellow Murre ledge and Machias Seal Island, present throughout  the summer at Matinicus Rock and Vinalhaven Seal Island as well.

Dive!

Ducklings at Seal Island,

bueno suerte  Patitos,  did see a parasitic Jaegar, (aka felonius skua) on the way in,

June 24, trip to Seal Island,

June 24, Seal Island,

The Mother load of Ducklings,  don't take your babies up the Bay ladies, the eagles will eat them if you do.

 

Razorbills at Seal Island

the fascinating black guillemot,

Gull trying to push this young eagle along to the next island, this was at Otter Is.

Great Cormorant Little Roberts

Red-billed Tropic Bird Seal Island.

What a good bird.

this bird seems to be spending more time roosting on the water than other years, perhaps its getting a bit weary.

the newer tail feather a bit shorter and stiffer than the older one.

I have quite a pile of pictures of this bird yet I am still keen to get a few more.

Great Cormorant at Seal Island one of the 4 sites at which great cormorants nest in the U.S.

the lovely and apparently delicious baby eiders.

 

 One more close pass as we leave the island.

some photos of mid June sightings: June 12 & 18

June 12

male Harlequin at Little Roberts,  this is where the late ones are seen, most are gone by May 1st.

cryptic in the surg.

June 18

Great Cormorants at Little Roberts.  2 of the 40 great Cormorant nests in the nation,  they nest at 4 sites, all in Mid coast Maine.

Red-billed Tropicbird,  Seal Island

Puffin, at Seal Island

Eider hens and chicks, Seal Island.

Tropicbird and escort

Arctic Tern

Last years Arctic Tern, also known and Portlandic,

The magnificent black Guillemot

Researchers from National Audubon in the tern colony, looks like they might be disturbing them some.

Ravens and eagle,  Otter Island, the ravens were escorting the eagle away from the vicinity of their young.

Once the Eider Ducklings start to hatch the eagles come to eat them, these two were on the beach at Brimstone.

Recent sightings: Great Cormorant Survey

I have not been taking pictures much so I have no new pictures of Razorbills, Murre, Puffins, Arctic terns, that I see when ever I go to Seal Island.
I did go to Jericho bay to see how many great Cormorants I could find over there.

first just a reminder the legendary Red-billed Tropicbird of Seal Island is alive and in residence and awaiting our audience, and there are so many other good birds to see in the bay its worth the trip,  The ferry to Vinalhaven leaves from Rockland. its still nice and cool out on the water.

ok here are some pictures from the first week of June

Cortland, & James and the second boat is Six Corkers I think  Thanks for the help Cortland & James

A few Northern Phalerope, north of Seal Island, June 3

loon,

 Laughing Gulls, Eiders and a few terns on the roost in the eastern bite Seal Island

Lanes Nubble,  Hay Island,

 Diamond Rock, and Brimstone

 Saddleback Ledge,  and some Seals

 Saddleback Ledge

Seal Island,   en mirage

 Southern shore of Isle au Haut

 Great Spoon

 Adult eagle on Herring gull hill Great Spoon

Eiders and Cormorants on the north end of Little Spoon, Great Spoon Behind

Seals, Eider, Cormorant, Little Spoon

 Eagle on Spirit Ledge

 Raven over boulder on Mason Ledge

 Eider, Mason Ledge

 Small Mixed cormorant colony on Brimstone Ledge, 9 great Cormorant nests and 7 Double-crested Cormorant nests.

 Great Cormorants at Southern Mark

 The greats are across the bottom, there is another clump of Double-Crest nests on the other side

 The Greats like to be shore side of the Double-crested at mixed colonies

 

Eiders

 Double-crested

there were 8 Great Cormorant nests on Southern Mark,
9 at Brimstone:
17 at Seal Island:
6 at Little Roberts:

that is probably all that there are nesting in the United States, this population has been declining since 1992, eagles have been getting most of  the young ones

Southern Poplestone ledge

 male Eider

 Great Spoon

 Isle Au haut

 Green Ledge East side Vinalhaven

Green Ledge