[Maine-birds] Matinicus Rock - Maine Audubon Boat Trip, 6/6

Hey everyone:

Despite the daunting marine forecast earlier in the week, Maine Audubon's annual 'Seabirds of Matinicus Rock' boat trip went out on Friday and had calm seas and beautiful weather! We did see a few showers on the return trip but that couldn't dampen our spirits after the great alcid show we had all morning. Motoring aboard the Hardy Boat out of New Harbor we first stopped at Eastern Egg Rock where the Roseate Terns put on a great show and, though difficult to count, provided one of the highest counts of this species we've had on this trip. Several shorebirds were roosting on Eastern Egg Rock but five Red Knots (recently proposed for threatened status under the ESA) roosting near the shore really stole the show. Tubenoses were absent through the trip, perhaps a factor of cold water temps and west wind, but an adult Parasitic Jaeger did buzz by the bow of the boat on our way to Matinicus Rock. Tern and puffin numbers seemed low at Matinicus which may be a result of such a poor breeding season last year but it was great to still see hundreds of these birds nesting on Maine's islands. Thanks to everyone who came on this trip and especially to Captain Al and the crew of the Hardy Boat and Peter Vickery and Jan Pierson for their expert leadership!

FYI: Maine Audubon's fall pelagic out of Bar Harbor will be on September 20th this year: http://maineaudubon.org/events/bar-harbor-pelagic-trip-3/

**If anyone still needs me to share the eBird checklists from this trip with them, please email me directly**

Here is the full trip list:

Canada Goose (2; Eastern Egg Rock)
Common Eider (78+)
Red-throated Look (1; fly-by approaching Eastern Egg Rock)
Common Loon (20+; singles and several rafts throughout)
Northern Gannet (3+)
Double-crested Cormorant (188)
Great Cormorant (1; Matinicus Rock)
Spotted Sandpiper (2+; Eastern Egg Rock)
Ruddy Turnstone (2; Eastern Egg Rock)
Red Knot (5; Eastern Egg Rock)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (1; Eastern Egg Rock)
Parasitic Jaeger (1; adult)
Common Murre (25; including on 'bridled' murre at Matinicus)
Razorbill (470)
Black Guillemot (138; low)
Atlantic Puffin (473; low)
Laughing Gull (422; high; increasing on Matinicus?)
Herring Gull (182)
Great Black-backed Gull (23)
Roseate Tern (~30; Eastern Egg Rock)
Common Tern (131; most at Eastern Egg Rock)
Arctic Tern (141; most at Matinicus)
Sterna sp. (204; majority likely ARTE at Matinicus)
Barn Swallow (8; in New Harbow and 3 at Eastern Egg Rock)
Savannah Sparrow (1; Matinitcus)
Song Sparrow (1; Eastern Egg Rock)
House Sparrow (8; in New Harbor)
passerine sp. (2; flyovers)

Good birding,


Doug Hitchcox
Staff Naturalist
Maine Audubon
207-781-2330 x237
dhitchcox@maineaudubon.org

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