Bird activity in the West Isles continues to build, with the most recent arrivals being hundreds, if not thousands of terns. Both COMMON and ARCTIC TERNS are abundant in the Letete passage and Green's point areas with many juveniles present. I have also been noticing that many of these birds have bands on their legs from researchers
. With so many tern around, we often get jaegers show up and today (Aug. 11th) I had the first 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS of the year harassing terns off Green's Point.
RAZORBILLS
are common in the area with many father/chick pairs still together. We have been seeing small numbers of ATLANTIC PUFFIN on most every trip. BLACK GUILLEMOTS are abundant and beginning to moult into winter plumage and the odd COMMON MURRE is around.
The BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES have finished nesting on Whitehorse Island after perhaps the worst nesting effort I have seen in 5 years. We recorded only a single chick, who lasted only a week before disappearing, a likely victim of the many bald eagles that were a constant threat to the young birds. What appeared to be a strong start to the nesting season ended without a single kittiwake chick fledging from the colony.
Numbers of BONAPARTE"S GULLS are continuing to build and are mostly feeding near Eastport, Maine. These groups form massive flocks in the evening, easily containing over 1000 individuals. A second year LAUGHING GULL has been sighted numerous times off Green's Point lighthouse.
Tubenoses are still mostly absent from the area although I did see a few GREAT SHEARWATER off the Wolves and a single LEACH'S STORM PETREL has often been sighted in Passamaquoddy bay.
Sightings of interest by day:
Aug 3rd - WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER on off Whitehorse Island and two first GREAT SHEARWATERS of the year off of South Wolf island.
Aug 4th - GREAT SHEARWATER off Bliss Island, LAUGHING GULL off Green's Point Lighthouse in Letete
Aug 7th - LEACH'S STORM PETREL in Passamaquoddy Bay. 5 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES near Whitehorse Island
Aug. 8th - 8 GREAT SHEARWATER over the Wolves bank, 5 COMMON NIGHTHAWK flying over the St. Andrews wharf in the evening
Aug 10th - 2 GREAT BLUE HERONS flying south over Whitehorse Island
Aug. 11th - 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS chasing terns off Greens Point lighthouse, Letete. 7 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES in Passamaquoddy Bay
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| Arctic tern |
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| Arctic tern with bands |
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| THE kittiwake chick of Whitehorse Island |
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| Bald eagle with gull on Whitehorse Island |
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| Bald eagle with gull on Whitehorse Island |
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| Bald eagle with gull on Whitehorse Island |
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| Bald eagle with gull on Whitehorse Island |
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| Bonaparte's gulls |
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| Bonaparte's gulls |
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| Eagle meal leftovers on Whitehorse island |
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| Great shearwater, a rare wight in the Bay of Fundy this year |
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| Immature eagle over Whitehorse Island |
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| Immature eagle on Whitehorse Island |
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| Juvenile tern |
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| THE kittiwake chick of Whitehorse Island |
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| The next day... chick gone and adult looking for chick? |
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| Razorbill father/chick pair, check out those feet! |
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| Razorbill chick |
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| Red-necked phalaropes |
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| Gull sunset at the wharf in St. Andrews |
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| Arctic tern |
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| Arctic tern |
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| Common tern |
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| Juvenile terns |
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| Terns landing to roost on Splitting knife shoal |
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| Terns resting on the water |
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| Parasitic jaeger |
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| Parasitic jaegers |
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| Parasitic jaegers harassing tern |
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