Lots to report!

Bird activity on the Bay of Fundy is building fast with many first of year (FOY) sightings to report. Alcids like Razorbills, Murres and Guillemots remain numerous within the Fundy Isles. The first Kittiwake chicks have hatched on Whitehorse island, I really hope they survive the heavy predation from the larger gulls and do better then the previous year. The young eagles that were raised on a nest on White Island have appeared to have fledged, lots of adult eagles around the area as well and our trips have been getting some excellent looks! Groups of gulls have began to feed on the abundant krill and herring in Head Harbour passage, some of the more interesting gulls species should be showing up any time now. Shearwaters, gannets and petrels have also started to make an appearance!

 Here is the bird list for the past week:

FOY SOOTY SHEARWATER (1)
FOY GREAT SHEARWATER (~50-100)
FOY LEACH'S STORM PETREL (1)
FOY WILSON'S STORM PETREL (~20-30)
FOY POMARINE JAEGER (1)
FOY NORTHERN GANNET (a few sightings)
FOY ARCTIC TERN (one first summer bird)
SURF SCOTER (1)
BLACK SCOTER (2)
Common Murre
Razorbill
Black Guillemot
Black-legged Kittiwake with hatched chicks
Herring gulls with chicks
Great black-backed gulls with chicks
Common Loon
Bald eagle
Osprey
Spotted sandpiper

Details of sightings by day:




June 30th - a SOOTY SHEARWATER with spotted off Whitehorse island and also a LEACH'S STORM PETREL in Head Harbour passage

July 1st - A WILSON'S STORM PETREL sighted in Passamaquoddy Bay. Several hundred gulls feeding on krill in Head Harbour Passage

July 2nd - a immature POMARINE JAEGER just off Head Harbour lighthouse at the tip of Campobello Island. First NORTHERN GANNET of the year in adult plumage. Also an interesting sighting of 2 BLACK SCOTERS that were flying north over Head Harbour Passage. Small #'s of WILSON'S STORM PETRELS offshore near Grand Manan, along the ferry track

July 3rd - First BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE CHICKS of the year on Whitehorse Island. A single male SURF SCOTER in Head Harbour Passage

July 4th - First GREAT SHEARWATERS of the year sighted off Long Eddy Point, Grand Manan, small groups totaling around 100 birds also small #'s of WILSON'S STORM PETREL. First ARCTIC TERN of the year, a juvenile resting on flotsam off of Campobello island.

Now for some photos!

Bald Eagle!

Bald Eagle nest on White Island

Strange plumage in female Common Eider

Common Murre

Double-crested Cormorant, look at that eye!

Great Shearwater

Herring gull and chick on Whitehorse Island

Herring gull and three chicks on Whitehorse Island

Black-legged Kittiwake and chick on Whitehorse island

Black-legged Kittiwake in flight

Black-legged Kittiwakes on the water

Double-crested Cormorants on nests on Whitehorse Island

Black-legged Kittiwake defending nests from Herring gulls at Whitehorse Island

Kittiwakes in the sun! They open their mouths to help stay cool. Note the broken eggshell on the ledge!

First Nothern Gannet of the year!

Fist Sooty Shearwater of the year!

With all the recent arrivals to the Bay of Fundy I am really looking forward to what's to come! Also looking forward to the Pelagic Birding trip off of Grand Manan this weekend and hope to see some of you there

Cheers,
-Nick