"Worst fisherman ever!" This was Anne's description of this adorable Black Crowned Night Heron.
It actually has a relatively long neck, but the neck is usually tucked against the body.
We waited for at least 45 minutes, and it never caught a fish. This was one of the attempts that the bird made to get a fish:
"Here, let me show you how it is done," said the Osprey.
Talons seem to be much more effective than beaks at catching fish. So frustrating (if you are a Black Crowned Night Heron).
The osprey, on the other hand, was busy with dinner.
At the same location (a fish ladder), gulls were having more success. Yes, that is a fish sticking out of the gull's mouth.
The storm from the weekend before we arrived had the water levels high and the fish ladder was flooded. The force of the water flowing down the river was enough to delay the alewife running. Obviously, since the osprey had caught one, some were already heading upstream but the mass migration had not yet started.
This osprey keeps looking, though.
This was the time of year that the osprey are nest-building.
The Canada Geese are ahead of the osprey, and already have goslings.
We spotted this nest in a woodpecker hole on a dead tree, but it looked abandoned.
On the side of the ice barn at Thompson Icehouse we spotted another nest. The bird didn't move so Anne was surprised at such a realistic fake Robin on top of the "help raise funds" sign. Then it moved and she realized it was a real bird after all, and it was pretty annoyed with the person standing there staring at it.
The gull most often seen around New England is the Herring Gull (as seen above swallowing a fish). A less commonly seen gull is the Laughing Gull. They are rather flashy looking for a gull, with the black wing tips and red beak.
We saw some Bald Eagles. They always look so majestic and unflappable. This one was along the Saint George River in Warren.
The impression is not entirely accurate, however, as evidenced by a Bald Eagle we saw at Ocean Point in Boothbay Harbor. First it was getting buzzed by a gull.
That bird handed-off to another small bird for pestering duty. You can often see adult birds of a small species harassing birds of prey such as eagles and hawks, since family might be on the menu.
Enough! The Bald Eagle decides to leave.
Large birds get a lot of attention, but small ones can be adorable. This is a Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Myrtle variety, which is the East Coast version).
Going back up in size, here is a Double-crested Cormorant.
A white pigeon is making a home by the water in Boothbay Harbor. It was not albino (having pigment in the eyes), but was mostly white.
We will leave this page with a couple pictures of Common Eider
Updated July 2023