[Maine-birds] Re: (Maine Birds) Mount Desert Island Birds: Barred Owl and Bonapartes Gull on the eastern shore of MDI

Mount Desert Island Birds:  Bonaparte's Gull on the Eastern Shore

Sand Beach to Otter Cove 2012 , Hancock, US-ME
Oct 14, 2012 10:00 AM - 12:20 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:  Rain and wet fog everywhere.  The cruise ship Maasdam of the Dutch fleet and an "Ocean Trail Hike" along the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island. Since 1994 I have lead Ecology based tours for the cruise ship industry as a way to educate the public about Gulf of Maine Birds and the Fisheries Issues now complicating future FOOD production for Maine. This is another year of migrating Northern Gannets found in large numbers along the eastern shore of MDI. Today we had 35 in our short time along the shore. This indicates to me the availability of food in the form of squid or fish as we watched plunge diving Gannets off of Otter Point. Opening the Penobscot River is a major step forward towards re-establishing our Inter-Coastal Fisheries on which NOGA depend. June 11, 2012 began the removal of the Great Works Dam and Positive Change for the Gulf of Maine Fisheries. Maine's Bird Populations will benefit greatly. Humans will produce fish Naturally and in the cycles of yearly Migrations into our River Systems. Maine's Rivers are the arteries feeding the GOM.... the future of Maine's fishing Industry depends on proper management of our River Systems. Fish Forever
22 species

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 280
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 2
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) 35 Many birds could be seen along the eastern shore and out a small distance from Otter Point
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 335 one very large migratory flock flying over Gorham Mountain
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) 1 This is the first Bonaparte I have had along this shoreline this whole season. Most fly along the northern coast southwest through Blue Hill Bay.
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 200
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 25
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 1
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 4
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 12
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 25
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 18
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 7
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 1 foraging and moving with a flock of White-crowned Sparrow (FOY)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 2
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) 1 flyover

Mount Desert Island Birds:   Barred Owl

Acadia National Park StrathEden Path, Hancock, US-ME
Oct 13, 2012 8:40 AM - 9:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.8 mile(s)
Comments: The Cruise ship Emerald Princess for a "Walk in the Park" taking us along the StrathEden Path. Here we found a BARRED OWL roosting with the whole forest of bird alarm calls. A flock of 7 Hermit Thrush was the first a several species keeping a watchful eye on Barred Owl. The Owl allowed the entire group to pass underneath the tree and out of sight never leaving its perch. As the group passed, the owl looked everyone over, turning its head around, while the cameras were clicking. The humanoids were respectfully quiet and the owl seemingly understood that all we wanted to do was look at this Strigidae local looking at us. I have often run into these barred owls out here and this was another close encounter in the Great Meadow cathedral. Today I found under a rotted stump one DUSKY SALAMANDER (one inch in length)  and two RED-BACKED SALAMANDER. The morning temperature was 34 F and we found ICE on Cadillac Mountain.
9 species (+1 other taxa)

Barred Owl (Strix varia) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 5
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 2
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 7
Catharus sp. (Catharus sp.) 3
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 3

Mount Desert Island Birds:  Species Totals
Report Details Date range: Oct 13, 2012 - Oct 19, 2012 Total # of Species: 26 Total # of Checklists: 2 Location(s):   Acadia National Park StrathEden Path; Sand Beach to Otter Cove 2012   Summary   Oct 13 Oct 14 Number of Species 10 22 Number of Individuals 30 958 Number of Checklists 1 1   Total Number of Birds   (sample size) Species Name Oct 13 Oct 14 Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) -- 280 (1) Common Loon (Gavia immer) -- 2 (1) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) -- 35 (1) Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) -- 335 (1) Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) -- 1 (1) Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) -- 200 (1) Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) -- 25 (1) Barred Owl (Strix varia) 1 (1) -- Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2 (1) 2 (1) Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) -- 1 (1) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 5 (1) 1 (1) American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) -- 4 (1) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3 (1) 12 (1) Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) -- 1 (1) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 2 (1) 1 (1) Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 7 (1) -- Catharus sp. (Catharus sp.) 3 (1) -- American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 3 (1) 25 (1) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) -- 3 (1) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 1 (1) 18 (1) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) -- 1 (1) Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) 3 (1) -- White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) -- 7 (1) White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) -- 1 (1) Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) -- 2 (1) Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) -- 1 (1) -- -- -- -- --

Michael J. Good, MS
President Down East Nature Tours
Founder and Director Research and Development
14th Acadia Birding Festival, May 31-June 3, 2012
Co-founder Penobscot Watershed Eco Center
39 COTTAGE STREET
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
207-288-8128 / 207-479-4256

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