Return to Petit Manan
Petit Manan National Wildlife refuge has
several locations along Down East Maine. November was warmer
than usual this year and we chose to visit the shore trail at the
refuge site near Pigeon Hill in Stueben. A half hour walk from
the parking lot brings you to a rocky shore walk down the peninsula.
During
the walk we heard the constant tone of the fog horn at Petit Manan
light on the island we could see about a mile off the tip of the
peninsula. There is something very calming about the sound of
a fog horn and the lapping of the waves on the rocky shore.
This was a banner day for birds. As soon as we got to the
shore an eagle greeted us overhead. You can just pick out it's
white head in the picture. It seems unperturbed by our
presence and continued its hunting overhead.
We continued our walk
along the shore and saw other birds as well. Near this old snag we
encountered three snow buntings foraging for sand fleas and other
insects along the beach. Black scoters fished just off the
beach and black ducks were in the ponds just on the shore side of
the beach. Of course, the ever present herring gulls and black
backed gulls kept close watch on us.
