Norwalk CT Brown Booby

Around 11:30 this morning I saw a post from Patrick Comins on CT BIRDS, about a Brown Booby that was spotted on a boat in Westport CT waters.

Several minutes later I received a phone call from Nick Bonomo alerting me about the Booby, moments later Patrick calls to tell me what he knows.

For those that don't know me, my boat is in the water year round and these waters have been my backyard for more then fifty years.

I started a search north of Cockenoe Island in Westport, the winds were Southwest near twenty and the seas were kicking up to that nasty two foot Long Island Sound chop, a wave about every second.

With the dropping tide I did not want to test the rocks on the south side of the islands, so I took the safe way in calmer seas, passing north and then east of Cockenoe, I spotted a few Double-crested Cormorants along the way that made me take a closer look.

With the rocking and rolling I did not want to venture further and started returning to Cockenoe to see what was happening with the terns and oystercatchers.

I watched from a distance as one oystercatcher pair had its hands full with five Fish Crows while trying to protect thier nest. Further on I did find one Oystercatcher hatchling, other adults mating and others on nest, at least three hundred Common Terns on or near the Cockenoe Sandbar, several Black terns, can't say I saw or heard a Least.

Back to the Booby.

Weather is coming my way so I decide to head back to port, as I start to head north into Norwalk Harbor I see rain in front of me so I decide to hang out a bit and wait for it to pass. I decide to go over to the Norwalk Power Plant and check out the many new Osprey nest.

On my way I come across what I initially think is a Common Loon in the water trying to swallow a fish, as I pass the bird I see that I'm very wrong .

 

It's the Brown Booby attempting to eat an Atlantic Menhaden.

I'm sorry about this photo, but in my haste to grab my camera I accidentally  turned it to a really bad setting and over exposed  it.

Soon the bird took flight and flew off to a harbor light, at this time Nick and friends were on his boat watching this happen.

On the Harbor Light

Another look.

After twenty or so minutes it flew over to Calf Pasture Beach, where it was mobbed by Gulls.

The booby headed east, we lost sight but headed in that direction.

I had to stop in choppy waters for this potential booby, still some Common Loons in the area.

We couldn't resight the bird, so with weather again at our doorstep, I headed back up the harbor and fast.

When I came close to my marina, I again saw gulls mobbing something, I figured this one out right away. 

It was the booby trying to escape the gulls, it headed over to my marina and set down on a friends boat.

 I never thought lightning could strike my boat twice in the same day, but wow!

Here he is, and he (she) seems to have no fear of me.

This bird had been reported perching on several working oysterboats today.

It had no problem posing

After a few minutes it flew off towards Veterans Park in East Norwalk

Where it was met again,

by some angry gulls.

So what does a Brown Booby do when being attacked by mobbing gulls?

Land on the nearest boat.

In this case, that was my boat!

So now I have a new friend onboard that is only a few feet away.

Back at the dock, it was not shy in the least, if fact it was very friendly, walking closer and closer to me. Perhaps it is used to getting handouts?

Frank Gallo did his best to get some sardines for him, but for no apparent reason it flew off.

We could not resight this bird.

Hopefully Tomorrow!

Sandy vs Norwalk Islands

Superstorm Sandy brought major damage to the Tri-State area, we have been well informed on that, but lets not forget the Norwalk Islands.

This early 1900's stone shack that stood proudly on Goose Island has been shattered by Sandy.

She saw many hurricanes and storms before, but could not bear the wrath of this incredible storm.

Above, is a current photo, her roof is torn apart as are her massive two foot walls and foundation.

Incredibly her NWR sign still stands, thankfully it was on the lee side of the storm.

Below, looking from the east, is the shack with it's  Double-crested Cormorant Breeding Area that swells to many hundreds, perhaps over one thousand Cormorants in nesting season.

In this post Sandy photo, along with the ruins of the 100 year old shack, almost all vegetation was wiped clean of the island.

All shell and vegetation that the Gulls,

 

and Cormorant nested upon has been washed into Long Island Sound

This is a photo of a Snowy Owl on Goose Island.

Here is the same area, just a few degrees east, the shell, sand and most vegetation are washed away.

Hopefully this will fill in again, a few species of breeding birds are also hoping for the same.

On to Cockenoe Island, this is the South West area, pre Sandy view.

This is the Heron Rookery Area

Same area on Cockenoe, post Sandy. The mass erosion is very evident.

Thankfully, this erosion didn't touch the Heron nesting area.

The Southeast side of Cockenoe, pre Sandy, note the trees and flagpole location plus the slope of the terrain

Same area, post Sandy,  here we see major erosion, the slope is now a cliff, several trees have fallen from the erosion and the flagpole has become very close to the edge. 

There is no need for me to mention the Tern nesting bar on this island, it has eroded further and it can not longer be considered a viable nesting area since it will be submerged on many spring and early summer high tides.

Hopefully a few new nesting areas may arise in the island chain.

Will we be ready?

A few other scenes, this is the shack on Sheffield Island.

Uprooted trees and shrubs encompass the whole southern shore of the island chain.

some more

and more

This Razorbill, that we found in Norwalk Harbor, before the beach and close to Cove Marina

doesn't seem to give a dang about any of this!

"                                          O bla de, o bla da life goes on..." Lennon & McCartny

Flooded Cockenoe Island Nest Site.

06/03/12

An 8.95ft high tide rises on  the Cockenoe Island Sand Spit at 23:02, a few friends and I were there by boat to witness the event.

Previous to this tide there were 600 plus Common Terns on this small sand spit with about 150-200 nest.

Damage may have already happened from almost as high of tides, plus severe weather the day or so before. I was not there to see that, so this is what I found. 

The USFW signs are now well below the tide line,there is little beach front left for the terns and oystercatchers.Many eggs are lost with this tide.

The terns settle on whatever land is left, perhaps crushing the eggs that survived the tide?

                  Returning by boat a day later, the terns were gone...600 strong and they were just gone.

                   Hopefully, they will renest somewhere else in a much safer place and do well.



                                  

                                             Several warning signs also also lost to the tides and sea.

                                   

On the main island, I happened on this resting Black Skimmer.

                                       

Plus this young American Oystercatcher, he or she also had a sibling that I missed in the photo.

Now take a very good look at this Oystercatcher, it has an inordinary amount of legs, eight legs in total!

Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Three chicks huddled in momma's feathers!

Do you see them?

Another AMOY chick along the shoreline.

As beautiful as these deer are, how many bird eggs do they smash on the islands while they are browsing?

                                    This deer was very close to the above Oystercatcher chicks.



 

 Peck Ledge Lighthouse.

She took a beating in last years storms, the deck railing is gone on the south east side.

But something new has been added.

Mr. Osprey has a nest, I haven't seen the Mrs. but will keep an eye out.

Over to Goose Island, the Great Black-backed Gull  chicks are running about.

QT's

They are quite a sight!

I look forward to photographing this hatch every year.