I returned to Gloucester and while I was there I checked to see if Long John Silver (see previous post) was still around. There were no fishing boats at the pier and there were almost no gulls around as a consequence. It appears that Long John and his fellow pirates set sail to raid some other port. Hopefully he will return when the boats return.
There were plenty of wintering ducks around though. Common Eiders were at several sites. Here’s a male in bright white and black plumage and some females sporting their cinnamon brown.
Bufflehead were everywhere from the shore to inland ponds. The iridescence of the male’s plumage was visible in the bright sun.
Red-breasted Mergansers…
The ocean was a bit rough after the storm on the previous day. But Eiders, Harlequins and Scoters were plentiful.
The ducks were close to shore despite the rough water. Here are some photos of them surfing.
Birds in My Viewfinder 