Quoddy Link Birds

July 8th - 12th

LAUGHING GULL
2 adult male SURF SCOTERS
Bonaparte's Gull
Black legged Kittiwake
Razorbill
ATLANTIC PUFFIN
5 Northern gannets
Common murre
Black guillemot
Common loon
MANX SHEARWATER
Sooty shearwater
First ARCTIC TERN of the season
Common eider
Spotted sandpiper
Flock of sandpiper sp.

These last few days we have been spending most of our time in the areas around Head Harbour, Campobello and Whitehorse island. We have not been offshore, as most the whales (and birds) have been in close to the islands.

On July 8th I spotted my first arctic tern of the season, there have been a few groups on terns around but we have not been close enough to identify to species. Both common and arctic terns move through the area in good numbers as the season progresses.

On July 11th there were two LAUGHING GULLS on Whitehorse Island. Both birds were in full breeding plumage.

Laughing gulls on Whitehorse Island

Alcids have been fairly common with lots of guillemots around and smaller numbers of Razorbills and Murres. I photographed this family of razorbills on July 11th.

Razorbills with chicks

Small numbers of puffins continue in the area around Head Harbour, although we see less with each passing day it seems they are moving back to their usual feeding grounds.

Small numbers of sooty and manx shearwaters...no sign of greater sheartwaters in recent days.

Today, July 12th, I spotted a pair of male surf scoters that flew over the boat in a southerly direction. I have not seen any scoter sp. this early in the year before. I also spotted a large (50-100) flock of small shorebirds but was unable to ID them at a distance.

That's it for now, bird activity is picking up everyday with different species and more birds in general. There are more and more gulls feeding in head harbour passage everyday, there must have been at least a few hundred feeding off Cacso island alone. Now that Todd Watts is helping on the boat I am hoping we will pick out some interesting stuff. I will leave off with a few photos from Whitehorse island. Thanks for looking!
-Nick

Black-legged kittiwake (adult)

Black guillemot, bird at right has fish in mouth

Herring gull with chick