Bird Island

[Moira]

I visited Bird Island in Cape Breton.  There are actually two islands with many different birds for me there - puffins (much smaller than I realized and hard to photograph), black guillemots, razorbills, northern gannet, many cormorants (2 kinds), GBH, gulls, 50+ bald eagles and seals.  Here are a few shots.  If you ever get the chance, it's worth the trip.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40798812@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40798812@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40798812@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40798812@N ... otostream/

[Misty01]

I really like the picture of the Northern Gannet

[mr.sharp-photo]

i swear you copied that picture from our Newfoundland photos!

www.nfld.sharp-photo.com

click on Irish Loop and you will see.
those gannets are cool. you should visit Cape St Mary's in Nfld to see where they nest and mate (amazing to see)

[Murray]

Hi Moira, sounds & looks like you had a great vacation.
 I just got back about two weeks ago from Cape Breton.
 I can't say enough, every Canadian should at one time visit the Cape if they can.
 During our time in Nova Scotia we saw some interesting birds.
 A few Bald Eagles on the mainland, many Cedar Waxwings ( they were everywhere),
 A nice close-up with a Male Pine Grosbeak on the Margaree River. Tons & tons of Crows.
 
 We also went on the Bird Island Boat Tour. Weather was a bit rough that morning, rainy & windy.
 But we did get to see the many Bald Eagles, Puffins ,Cormorants, Herring & Black-backed Gulls, Seals, etc
 and it was fantastic. The only unfortunate part was our captain was a Bald Eagle hater. Very strange I
 thought, considering half the tourists were from the States. He was a Puffin Lover & he did not like the Eagles
 harassing his Puffins.  
 Moira, did you have this same Captain? Just wondering.
 
 Murray

[Moira]

Murray:  We took the tour from Englishtown and the captain and his wife Donelda, who gave the tour, were great.  Donelda actually fed the eagle off the side of the boat.  She said she has years experience with eagles and feels they are hungrier this year?  I wasn't good enough with my camera to get it flying in, picking up the fish and leaving.  I have bits and pieces of this, some more in focus than others.  It was still impressive to see.  They were very cooperative in either pulling in or staying when people were taking pics or enjoying the view.  We also saw eagles in Margaree and in Mira, where we stay.  We saw an eagle eating roadkill raccoon.  The eagles on the side of the road in Margaree also let you get close.  I was thinking that the folks on this site who take such great pics, would have had a field day.  In Mira, we had daily visits from a kingfisher and downy woodpecker, who didn't mind me getting close with the camera.  We walked the Skyline Trail on the Cabot Trail and saw three moose - not too many birds though.  I think we saw pine siskins.

[Moira]

Misty:  Thank you.  My daughter actually spotted the gannet, it wasn't expected to be there.
YogiStewart:  I see what you mean.  Your Nfld. pics are great.  Gros Morne is high on my list.  The puffins sit in "doorways" on Bird Island.  It's really cool to see.
Murray:  I also meant to say that our captain advised there were 2800 kittiwakes on the Bird Islands and that the eagles have decimated them.  She didn't really seem to hold it against the eagles!

[fill23ca]

Nice assortment of birds!