In our last blog, we wondered what kind of an impact the ferocious bomb cyclone might have on seabirds that winter on the open ocean off Maine. For instance, would Dovekies, those smallest of the alcids (the bird family that includes Atlantic Puffins and Black Guillemots), appear in high numbers along Maine shores?
Dovekies are the smallest of the alcids, but they are resilient. Thinking about their survival on the winter seas, especially during a storm, brought to mind a story we’d heard ages ago about a legendary cod fisherman. Perhaps you’ve heard this story. The fisherman’s name was Howard Blackburn. While fishing from a dory during a storm on the Grand Banks in January of 1883, he and his partner couldn’t find the schooner that was their home base. Their only recourse was to try to row the 60 or so miles to Newfoundland. Howard’s partner died and at some point, Blackburn lost his gloves. Thus he allowed his hands to freeze onto the oars so he could keep rowing. After about five days he made it to Newfoundland. He lost parts of fingers and toes from frostbite but went on to be a successful businessman in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
We always enjoy sharing that remarkable story of resilience. It illustrates so well the razor’s edge between life and death on the northern sea in winter. That’s true for people and birds.
Species like Dovekies, Thick-billed and Common Murres, and others that spend the winters in the northern seas are well suited to survive there. But heavy storms make it hard for them to feed. When those storms last a long time or appear in quick succession, some individuals are weakened and end up being pushed up near shore.
The bomb cyclone in late February moved through the Northeast relatively quickly, but there definitely was an impact on some of these ocean-wintering birds.
Following the cyclone, in February, three Dovekies were found at Parsons Beach in Kennebunkport. Dovekies were reported to eBird after the storm at a number of other Maine locations as well, including off Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Fortunes Rocks in Biddeford, East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford Pool, Crescent Surf and Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth, Portland Head Light, and Harpswell. We’ve heard that there may have been still others found and taken to wildlife rehabilitators, with mixed success.
Dovekies had been found near shore as far south as North Carolina even before the storm, presumably linked to the cold weather earlier in January and February. There were even some that were photographed in the Azores, in the North Atlantic, halfway between Maine and Portugal! These pre-storm observations were also perhaps related to the very cold weather earlier in the year.
Several Thick-billed Murres showed up post-storm near shore as well. Perhaps the most shocking was one that ended up in a snowbank in someone’s backyard in Topsham, about 15 miles from the ocean. That bird was among those picked up and taken to a wildlife rehabilitator. We sure hope it survived!
—Jeff and Allison Wells
