Start of the 2013 Season!

The 2013 season on the Bay of Fundy is shaping up to be a good one! This is my first post for the season, and again I will be posting sightings and images of the bird life in the Bay of Fundy seen aboard the Quoddy Link Whale Watching vessel - For more info about the boat and our company please CLICK HERE

We kicked off the 2013 season with a pelagic birding trip that went out on the morning of June 1st. We had beautiful weather with calm seas and plenty of bird activity. We visited the nesting islands of Whitehorse and South Wolf, where the nesting of BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKES was well underway, we counted close to 100 nests between the two islands, more then I have seen in recent years.

The highlight of the day was a LAUGHING GULL that was seen on Tinkers Island along with a small group of BONAPARTE'S GULLS. Here are some shots of the laughing gull, thanks to Carol Ball, Wayne Perry and Merv Cormier for sending them in!

We also saw good numbers of BLACK GUILLEMOT and RAZORBILLS and a small group of COMMON MURRES.


Since then we have made it out onto the way a number of times and sightings of interest are listed below...

June 5th - a pair of COMMON RAVEN were harassing the nesting Kittiwakes on Whitehorse. There is a raven nest on the west facing side of Whitehorse and I have read that ravens have been known to predate heavily upon adults, chicks and eggs at Kittiwake colonies.

June 7th - The first GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL and HERRING GULL chicks are seen on Whitehorse Island.

June 12th - a PEREGRINE FALCON was observed hunting along the rocky shore of Fairhaven, Deer Island

June 14th - a PILEATED WOODPECKER flew across Little Letete passage coming from Deer Island. I have never seen or heard one in this area before. The first broods of EIDER DUCKS are seen in the St. Andrews harbour.

June 19th - First large group of around 100-150 gulls are seen feeding in Head Harbour Passage.

Here are some images from recent trips...

Cormorants and Herring Gulls on Whitehorse Island

Great black-backed gulls on Whitehorse

Great black-backed gull with chicks on Whitehorse

Black Guillemot

Black-legged Kittiwakes on Whitehorse

Black-legged Kittiwakes nesting on Whitehorse

A pair of Black-legged Kittiwakes

Herring gulls mating on Whitehorse island

Nesting Double-crested Cormorants onWhitehorse

Razorbills taking flight

It is looking like 2013 could be a special year for birds and wildlife in the Bay of Fundy. Minke whales have already shown up and we are seeing some good schools of herring appear on our sonar. We can expect a steady increase in bird activity from here on out so stay tuned and I hope to see many of you out on the water with us!

Cheers,
-Nick