If your looking for a chance to see ARCTIC TERNS the time is now! We often see a lot of feeding activity when it is foggy and overcast because the zooplankton (krill, copepods etc...) tends to be closer to the surface. Yesterday we had ARCTIC TERNS feeding all around the boat. It's hard to make counts on our trips but I would estimate their numbers would be into the hundreds of individuals. The terns were joined by many BONAPARTE"S GULLS, these birds are still in breeding plumage so it is the best time to see them. It was a great opportunity to see and study arctic terns up close and out of all the birds I saw I only noted a handful of COMMON TERNS.
I have also recorded significant numbers of shorebirds that have been roosting and feeding on the floating rafts of rock weed and other debris left behind by the recent high tides. These groups appear to be mostly SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and LEAST SANDPIPER but yesterday I observed two RUDDY TURNSTONES in breeding plumage.
On July 21st I saw and photographed a CASPIAN TERN west of South wolf island. This is the second caspian tern we have seen this year. See photo below.
On July 24th we had a juvenile PEREGRINE FALCON follow the boat briefly in the fog near Eastport.
Good numbers of alcids like RAZORBILL, COMMON MURRE and BLACK GUILLEMOT continue to be sighted on our recent trips along with the odd ATLANTIC PUFFIN and NORTHERN GANNET.
The Kittiwakes on Whitehorse continue to do very well and will soon be ready to leave the nest. The wet weather of recent days has kept my camera at home but I hope to get some pictures of the recent activity soon. Here's a few from awhile back...
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| Caspian Tern |
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| Black-legged Kittiwakes |
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| Blac-legged Kittiwakes with chicks on Whitehorse Island |
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| Adult Bonaparte's Gull in breeding plumage |
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| Bald eagle |
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| Common tern |
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| Razorbills flying with Bliss Island lighthouse in background |
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| Spotted sandpiper |
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