Hello everyone, it's Danielle with Quoddy back from a breezy and cold day on the Bay of Fundy but returning with great sightings. On both our morning and afternoon departures we had 4-5 finback whales as well as Mustache! And on our 2:00pm trip we were able to make it a "Hat Trick" by showing our passengers all 3 species of whales commonly found in our part of the Bay of Fundy; fin, minke and humpback!
The whales were amazing and we really did get some great sightings of both the fins and the humpback but what I was so excited about today was the huge flocks of northern gannets. I have included some photos below as well as some information about these gorgeous birds.
This impressive seabird can have a wingspan of over 2 metres. We have been seeing both immature and mature gannets, the juveniles won't reach their adult colours until 4-5 years of age. One of the most amazing things about watching gannets is the main way they feed. They are plunge divers, sometimes diving from over 100 feet in the air down into the water to catch fish. Their streamlined body has air cells between the skin of its neck and shoulders and the muscle beneath. When a gannet prepares to dive these air cells will inflate and cushion the body as it strikes the water. Gannets are also one of only a few birds to have binocular vision, therefor both eyes can see forward at once.
Northern Gannet information provided by: Hinterland Who's Who - Northern Gannet
Thanks for checking in today. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment