Hats Are Required

These are researchers on Petit Manan Island. The birds are Terns of various varieties. If I remember correctly, they are trying to establish a nesting colony for Roseate Terns in particular. Looks messy.

Common Murre

This Common Murre was floating near Petit Manan Island. Pretty cool looking bird.

Ya Gotta Love Puffins

A fairly crisp shot of a couple of Atlantic Puffins. Check out Project Puffin. They will even let you adopt a puffin!

Petit Manan Island

This is the lighthouse on Petit Manan Island.

Northern Fulmar

A couple pictures of a Northern Fulmar. We got nice looks at him. He just calmly floated along while the boat slowed down and drifted next to him long enough for everyone to see. They have a funky bill.

Seals!

I think these are harbor seals. They are lounging on Mount Desert Rock, and quite curious about the boat I am on.

Mount Desert Rock

If there ever was an "island" that deserved its name, this is it! Mount Desert Rock is literally a bump of rock that barely juts above sea level. But it is enough to put a lighthouse and a boat house on. And the birds and seals like it.

Greater Shearwater

You have to go out in a boat to see Greater Shearwater (unless you want to rely on a hurricane or something to blow them inland...no joke). There were lots of them to look at on this boat trip. Here is a sample.

Northern Gannet

I managed to get a decent photo of a Northern Gannet while on the boat. This species takes about four years to get their adult plumage. The bird in the photo is somewhere between year one and two.

Great Duck Island

This is the lighthouse on Great Duck Island. If you look closely on the left side of the lighthouse, you will see a group of College of the Atlantic students doing something that I must assume is productive.

Thinking of Buying This

This house is in Bar Harbor. I took this from the boat as we were pulling away from town. I think I will buy it.

Back From Boat Trip

I am back, and I am very tired. The boat trip was very nice. I saw eleven birds for the first time ever ("lifers") on today's trip. The weather and waves were very cooperative. And most importantly, I did not create my own chum :-)

The trip essentially went to three places in and around the Gulf of Maine. First we went to Great Duck Island. Next we went to Mount Desert Rock. This one was 25 nautical miles south of Bar Harbor, or, put another way, way out in the ocean. The last location we visited was Petit Manan Island.

I took pictures along the entire trip, but I have my doubts on their quality. I have enough problems getting pictures to not be blurry with that 100-400mm lense when I am standing on solid ground. The fact that I was taking pictures with that lense while on a moving boat will probably significantly reduce the number of quality pictures. But, the jury is still out. If I can stay awake, I will post some pictures tonight.

Preparation

Tomorrow is another field trip day. I have to be up at 3am again. I am taking a field trip on a boat tomorrow in order to see Atlantic Puffins. I bought supplies tonight in preparation for that trip.

Wool Hat. To keep my ears warm while the boat cruises along fast enough to create its own wind. I chose the University of Maine hat instead of the NASCAR hat, or the one with flames on it.

Gloves. Got to keep the fingers warm.

Dramamine. I am trying to avoid getting seasick.

Ginger Snaps. These are the "organic" kind, which means they actually are made with ginger. The stuff you get on the cookie aisle usually have zero ginger in them. Ginger is supposed to help with an upset stomach.

Kleenex. Well. If I do end up creating my own chum (see bullets three and four if you follow this link), then I will want kleenex.

I am up way too late. I need to go to bed so that I can get up in the morning.