Friday, June 17, 2022

Visit to Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick - Part 6

 19 May, 2022

Swallowtail Lightstation - Hole-in-the-wall - Anchorage Provincial Park - Migratory Bird Sanctuary 

     We set out for the Swallowtail Lightstation, on the way seeing numerous Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) doing their best to secure food in cool weather conditions unsuitable for a substantial biomass of flying insects.


     The following picture of an American Crow (Corvus brachyrynchos) is not going to take first prize, but it is quite pleasing nonetheless, I feel.


     We arrived at the Swallowtail Lightstation and were instantly impressed by the sheer beauty of the place.



     It is easy to forget that these lonely outposts were a lifeline for mariners of old, instrumental in guiding them to safety as they negotiated treacherous shoals, and literally shining a beacon through the gloom to bring them to safe harbour. Sadly, even then, many ships were wrecked and lives lost. The story of the ocean is one of sorrow and grief.
     This location is owned by the Village of Grand Manan and it is a tribute to their dedicated volunteers that the lighthouse has been maintained so well. These monuments are part of the patrimony of all of Canada and it is a cause for celebration that they have not been lost to "progress."


     The views simply took our breath away and you will forgive me if I show too many pictures.




     A Common Loon (Gavia immer) searched for fish at the foot of the cliffs.


     We saw these enclosures all over Grand Manan and I know they have something to do with the lobster fishery, but I am not sure of their exact function.


     One magnificent view after another greeted us as we made our way around the promontory.


     The fog bell has been accorded a position of honour and neither Miriam nor I could resist striking it with the hammer.


     The sound travelled a great distance and would have no doubt given seafarers a sense that they were not alone on a dark and stormy night, as the waves crashed over the bow of their vessel, inciting a sense of dread in even the most seasoned sailor.
     What an imposing lighthouse this is.


     This red lichen was common around the coast, using rocks as its substrate and forming a very attractive component of the landscape.


     A helicopter pad is a contemporary addition to the lightstation.


     We were permitted entry into the lighthouse and were very happy to be able to examine every nook and cranny. The interpretive boards were so well done, and a wealth of information could be gleaned from them.




     Have I mentioned the world class views?



     In the picture below you can see the boathouse and the light keeper's house.


     Both these structures are in excellent condition, and one of the great pleasures of our visit was to meet Jared and Sophie, an American couple, who had volunteered their time to come to Grand Manan to help with the ongoing restoration of this historic site. In return they were permitted to stay in the house.



     They were personable, outgoing and hard working; Sophie was wielding a paint brush when we said goodbye to her.


     We greatly appreciated the dedication of these young people and their commitment, and their willingness to lend a helping hand on Grand Manan. We hope that one day they will make it to southern Ontario and that we will be able to see them again.
     I will leave you with a couple of parting vistas as we left to return to our car.



     On the way back to our B&B to have lunch we saw two White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the yard of a house. 


     They were obviously well habituated to people, since they made no move to flee from us, even when Miriam stepped out of the car to take a better picture.


     We thought it all very charming.
     After lunch we made a visit to Anchorage Provincial Park, but it was not yet open for the season. There was a migratory bird sanctuary close by, however, and we headed in that direction.
     For naturalists there is always much to see, and this alder (genus Alnus) attracted our attention.



     We were absolutely delighted to come across a Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus), not in the best light, but unconcerned at our presence.



     We had expected to see at least a few Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) in the maritime provinces, but we only encountered Double-crested Cormorants (Nannopterum auritus).


     Even they were seldom numerous.
     The same could not be said for American Herring Gulls (Larus smithsonianus).


     Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) were ubiquitous too.


     We frequently saw Tree Swallows in areas of standing water where they were able to successfully hawk for insect prey.



     In several locations nesting boxes had been provided and many were occupied.
     Quite often we saw benches whimsically constructed in the fashion of a lobster trap.


    In the bird sanctuary there was fresh water on one side and the saline ocean on the other. The Herring Gulls seemed to use the freshwater component exclusively for bathing and large numbers gathered together for a communal bath.



     Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) were not reluctant to join in.


     The woodland trails were very agreeable.


     A couple of bird hides provided concealment when viewing the wildlife on the wetland.


     A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator) remained aloof from the gulls.


     We were very excited to find a Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), a rare bird so far north. It was far off, and the picture does not do the bird justice, but it was the best we could manage.


     For some reason Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and Tree Swallows flocked to this perch and formed an attractive group.


     As we were leaving we spotted a white rabbit, obviously a domesticated animal, and when we called it, it came to us without hesitation, evidently associating people with petting and food.


     I have no idea how it came to this location. We were quite far from the nearest houses, and we shuddered to think that some unscrupulous pet owner had tired of it and released it into the wild. Without the survival skills of a wild rabbit it is facing a short life.
    Back at the B&B the feeders were quite active, with American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) being the most numerous of the visitors.


     At home in Waterloo we have goldfinches daily, and sometimes twenty or thirty at a time, but Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) is a rare visitor, so it was a special treat to see them join in the activity at the feeders.

Purple Finch ♂

Purple Finch ♀

      We had called in at the grocery store to pick up something for dinner and they had pizzas on sale so that is what we had. A glass of Don David helped it down, and we congratulated ourselves on another fine day on Grand Manan.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

80 comments:

  1. What a great nature.
    You have seen some very beautiful birds.

    Pizza is nice to eat :)

    Nice blog!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi David.

    I love to travel a little bit with you.
    Even if it is virtual.
    How beautiful those volunteers and nice that they could live there in that nice house.
    That seems great to me.
    It all gives a beautiful view
    Beautiful the birds and ducks and the deer.
    The finches are very beautiful.

    Thanks for letting us watch David.

    Greetings from Patricia.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Definitely a fine day. One of many. Thank you so much for sharing the wonders. Jared and Sophie obviously work very hard - but what an amazing experience...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You would have really liked Jared and Sophie, Sue.

      Delete
  4. Gorgeous place to visit, contemplate this beautiful nature and wildlife....and take a lot of pictures ;)
    Have a shinny weekend !
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  5. ...for me, the trip would be worth it just to see the lighthouse, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lighthouses seem to appeal to just about everyone.

      Delete
  6. Hari OM
    Oh, now you have us worrying about a little white rabbit on a faraway island... and, David, there can never be too many pictures!!! YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful photos, the views of the lighthouse and coastline are lovely. Some of my favorite birds are the Barn and Tree Swallows and the Purple Finch is beautiful. Sweet bunny and deer. Great trip report. Take care, have a happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What lovely photos from the trip. I like the views and the critters, especially the swallows.

    ReplyDelete
  9. j'aime beaucoup le pinson violet.
    Pauvre petit lapin :(
    Le phare est les alentours sont très beaux, de magnifiques paysages!
    Bon weekend

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, David. I think it was a wonderful trip in May. I especially liked the pictures with the lighthouse - it looks like the one I painted with watercolors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am sure that your picture is very beautiful, Nadezda.

      Delete
  11. Hello David,
    The photo of the american crow is so beautiful. They have a very pretty black color. Here the crows are grey and black, Corvus cornix.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am just speechless. Those pictures of Swallowtail Lightstation are beyond beautiful. The deep clean blue is just so wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  13. There is something about lighthouses that speaks to me.

    ReplyDelete
  14. A wonderful location, though I admit I had to look on a map to find out exactly where it was. We've both been visiting lighthouses this week.

    ReplyDelete
  15. That lighthouse looks beautiful. I think our coasts would seem barren without these classic lighthouses along the way. There is one on Campobello Island in New Brunswick that you can only access at low tide. It is quite adventurous to visit. And I don't know what those sticks are, but my guesses are 1) for oyster farming or 2) for taking rainbow trout and raising them to be steel head trout. I didn't know rainbow trout could live in either environment until I went to a lecture at University of New Hampshire. They have been doing this to help cod and other fishermen make a living as the numbers of allowable catch have dropped so much because they are trying to get the stocks back to a larger population. I enjoyed this post today, and it looks like you had a great overall trip. Happy weekend-almost. hugs-Erika

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps a local resident will see this post and let us know the exact function of the structures. Marie - if you read this, do you know?

      Delete
  16. Those are some beautiful views. I love both the foggy weather and the sunshine! The lobster trap bench is really neat! The Purple Finch photo is very artistic!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ohhh David. I can't get enough of this post. You are brilliant in sharing your adventures. As for Friday Face OFF all the beautiful bird and other animal faces do qualify for FFO but seeing the young faces of Jared and Sophie certainly make the grade. Thank you for joining in. Have a very lovely day.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for a beautiful post, David. Our local swallows are all swooping about the traffic intersections. The bugs seem fond of these locations. So many gorgeous birds!

    I was very interested in the lighthouse. My sister Donnie is working to preserve the Bear River Lighthouse near Smith's Cove with help from one of my other sisters Barb. She started the project and has been working on it over four years. She had to work with the Bear River Nation and the town of Digby and jump through all kinds of legal hoops and contracts, but she finally has the permission to move forward and is fundraising and writing grants. Volunteers in the Digby area have done a wonderful job go preserving the Point Prim Lighthouse at the entrance to the Annapolis Basin. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kudos to your sisters working to preserve a local lighthouse. I wish them great success.

      Delete
  19. The bird pictures are great as they always are; but oh...the scenery is truly breathtaking. Love the history of the lighthouse. How wonderful that young couple is restoring and preserving this piece of history. What an explore you had.
    Sandy's Space

    ReplyDelete
  20. If there are deer there, the place is still safe.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I don't know why you didn't mention the beautiful vistas. Blue water is so amazing to me down here on the gulf coast in Texas where the Gulf and our rivers are brown and silty. Goldfinches migrate through here early spring and usually stay for several weeks but they haven't got their bright mating color yet. Mostly dull yellow but occasionally a brighter one.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have an oil painting of a lighthouse at sunset. It's quite striking. Something so reassuring about lighthouses! I love finches, both yellow and purple. Gigi Hawaii

    ReplyDelete
  23. Grand Manan is on my wish list for travel for sure. The coastline is so different from PEI. Love it! The egret was a great find! Poor rabbit!

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a grand outing with beautiful sights and wildlife. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Pictures of the ocean and scenery are wonderful. I've only seen one white egret in my life!

    ReplyDelete
  26. That purple finch took my eye, gorgeous bird as are the others. The landscape is attractive along with the lighthouse - always good to see what you all see.

    ReplyDelete
  27. The swallows are very beautiful! What a brilliant blue!!!
    We have a pair of barn swallows this year under the kitchen deck, the babies were born and are a week old. What a joy.
    The whole collection of finches is great, how beautiful.
    Have a nice weekend David. Gros bisous de France où il fait trèèèèèèèès chaud !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are very privileged to have the swallows choose to share to share your home, Nathalie - but I am sure you know that!

      Delete
  28. I have a lot of respect for lighthouse keepers of old. They often faced a lot of hardship living in such remote spots, although no doubt some of them appreciated being out among all the wildlife and rugged scenery.
    (I hope you were wrong about the rabbit and that it belongs to someone nearby)
    Mxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope I was wrong too, but there was no one "nearby."

      Delete
  29. Friend David, there are never too many photos when there is so much beauty to see. The place is charming, the young American couple too, I liked seeing the hanging flowers of the Aliso, the swallows, seagulls and precious birds that you show.
    Thank you for the tour of Prince Eudardo Island.
    A thousand Kisses.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hello David,
    Wonderful collection of trip photos. I love all the birds, the deer and bunny. The views of the lighthouse and ocean are lovely. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Lighthouses make a wonderful historic reminder of how hard life could be prior to modern transportation, and the ability to set a light going automatically and to be controlled remotely. The isolation of most lighthouse-keepers and their families during the winter (or perpetually) is amazing to contemplate. The danger to the ships and their crews is also hard to imagine, though for many types of shipping, danger and isolation continue to this day. I enjoyed all your views of the sea, the coast, and the birds.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. The sea can be so deadly and beautiful at the same time. What a great adventure you had. There is an Alice-In-Wonderland quality to this post which even included a “tame” white rabbit.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hallo David,

    Een mooi verslag van jullie reis daar met enkele culturele hoogstandjes zoals de vuurtoren, maar ook enkele mooie vogelsoorten die je kon fotograferen zoals de Amerikaanse goudvink.

    Groeten,
    Ad

    ReplyDelete
  34. You always take such great bird photos...close up and afar! Love the amazing views. I would love to visit more lighthouses. I've read quite a bit about them and love the history. I'm so glad many of them are kept in good repair! It's special to meet good people no matter where you travel!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Another lovely trip. I have never seen red lichen. Rather strange and beautiful. Swallows have such gorgeous colors. I hope that pet rabbit got back home. :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. I enjoyed your post of this very photogenic area. You and Miriam both did a wonderful job capturing and sharing its beauty. Who wouldn't want to visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am pretty sure I know of one person who does!

      Delete
  37. Forgiveness would only have been necessary, David, if you had witnessed those fabulous views and NOT shared them with us!

    I was unaware of the Purple Finch and the spectacular plumage of the male. Far more striking to my mind than, for example, a male Cardinal.

    I was interested to note your observation that the gulls preferred to bathe in the fresh water. I have noted on the Isles of Scilly that, particularly after storms, the gulls come from the shore and bathe in nearby inland fresh water pools. They tend to only splash around for a few minutes before heading back to the coast again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Purple finch caught my breath. So very beautiful.

      Delete
  38. Spectacular views, David. I especially like the classic lighthouse on the promontory.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi David,
    Great post about history of the lighthouse and the beautiful views, really spectacular. ! And nice to meet enthusiastic people. who make the difference.. Than your birds: nice to see a purple finch, what a beauty! Never heard about a double-crested cormorant., nor that broad-winged buzzard, wow!. . Finally, I adore the Tree swallow. Thank you for sharing.. I have enjoyed it. Regards, Maria

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love to travel vicariously with you.

    What an amazing place to visit!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Prachtige foto's van alle vogeltjes David.
    Maar het landschap is ook prachtig om te zien.
    Groetjes Tinie

    ReplyDelete
  42. Another unforgettable report and photos from your May leak.
    I admire wonderful landscapes, wonderful birds, but my heart was stolen by two deer.
    Happy week for Miriam and for you David:)

    ReplyDelete
  43. Dear David,
    I can understand that you couldn't stop yourself from photographing this wonderful landscape - it's just fantastically beautiful. I love your storytelling style - I was "there" when I visited the light station. A really interesting place and nice that there are young people looking after it. The bathing seagulls were a refreshing sight! (By the way: I forgot to write the other day that I always love the sight of seagulls by the sea - but since a "special experience" my husband and I try not to be UNDER flying seagulls ;-DD (The smell of Seagull droppings is unbearable!) You saw many interesting birds again, but also other animals like white-tailed deer or a white rabbit. It looks very well fed - I honestly can't imagine that it was abandoned... Maybe it's just doing long distances walks from its home??? (Let's hope it's still doing well!) Also wonderful to see the goldfinches and purple finches - the male specimens are so pretty and colourful!
    Have a great new week!
    Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2022/06/wildalpen-und-mariazell.html

    ReplyDelete
  44. Tree swallows are nesting in the birdhouse on my floating garden in BC. We traveled through New Brunswick several years ago on our way to Newfoundland. That whole area is so beautiful. - Margy

    ReplyDelete
  45. What a beautiful trip!....I love lighthouses....for me they are romantic and nostalgic at the same time...all your pictures reflect what a beautiful area is PEI.........Abrazotes, Marcela

    ReplyDelete
  46. What a quiet peaceful place and so much nature ... loved all of your pictures. They are magnificent and knowing, as I do from experience, pictures rarely live up to the moment when you get them home, I can only imagine how wonderful it was for you to experience all of this wonder. My notes are to be short and sweet this week as I am still celebrating Father's Day and only have a few spare minutes to try to let people know how I enjoy their posts. Happy Father's Day to you David ... I hope you found time to relax after your trip and enjoy family :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Andrea: I have only one daughter and she lives in Ottawa, but she called me this morning. Unfortunately she and her husband both came down with COVID, but they are on the mend.

      Delete
  47. There can never be too many photos of such wonderful views! What a lovely lighthouse - I do recall seeing pictures of it somewhere and being rather taken by it. What an interesting and probably unforgettable experience to volunteer there - I'm sure Jared and Sophie will always treasure that time. People like them really give me hope.

    ReplyDelete
  48. A beautiful area indeed and the gulls look huge.
    The purple Finch sure steals the show. So cute!

    ReplyDelete
  49. What lovely photos of a beautiful part of Canada. It's somewhere I've always wanted to visit but that seems unlikely now so it's lovely to visit through your and Miriam's photos.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Yo nunca me canso de ver tus fotografías, están preciosas. Me encantó todo, las aves, paisajes, el faro. Abrazos para Miriam y para ti.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Hi David,
    You certainly know how to find interesting places, worth visiting if you don't live too far away. Also the wildlife you show us here is very interesting. If you take a careful look at the abundancy of the wildlife in Canada, there is no reason to travel abroad, especially these days.
    Greetings, Kees

    ReplyDelete
  52. Admiro la belleza de los paisajes y la vistosidad de esas bellas aves.
    Feliz semana.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Wonderful photos! You asked an interesting question on my blog about the general whiteness of the subjects. I responded that “Shenandoah County is 84.4% white, 8.4% Hispanic” which leaves only 3.2% for everyone else. Thus that particular event drew white or maybe Hispanic people. (Often I don’t know someone is Hispanic unless I hear their last name.)

    Last weekend’s event was slightly more diverse (https://webcroft.blogspot.com/2022/06/caturday-classicus.html), and social interaction is not really lacking. The prejudices of the past are gradually disappearing here, but this is Virginia and the rural counties suffered an exodus of Black families during the Civil War. Each time the Union army came through, enslaved people took the opportunity to travel north. Very few came back to this particular area to live.

    I do include non-white people in my photos but I reflect ordinary life; I don’t hire models. I could go on and on about diversity because it is a challenge for a committee I’m on that wants to encourage diversity in a local park, but how?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for this thoughtful comment, Linda.

      Delete
    2. As soon as I posted today’s drumming pictures, I realized you should see it! This is not in my county but one county to the east. https://webcroft.blogspot.com/2022/06/drumming-at-warehouse-gallery.html

      Delete
  54. Magnífica la sexta parte del reportaje de la isla del príncipe Eduardo, me ha gustado mucho. Enhorabuena David y gracias por compartir. Un fuerte abrazo desde el norte de España.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Bardzo podobają mi się pejzaże. Znam te okolice z książki o Annie. Teraz obejrzałam je na Twoich zdjęciach. piękne zdjęcia ptaków. Chyba lubią ten krzew o czerwonych liściach. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Thank you for another wonderful post and beautiful photographs.
    What a trip its been.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
  57. Thanks for introducing me to Grand Manan. As a travel enthusiast, I love learning about new places, and thanks to these lovely photos, it's a place I would love to visit.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Spectacular views!

    How wonderful that you were able to see inside the lighthouse. The keepers would have led an interesting life for sure. Interesting information on the boards too, especially about how they collected clean water. It's heartening to see the younger generation take an interest in the upkeep of this piece of history.

    I enjoyed all the wildlife images. I do hope the white rabbit wasn't dumped. So sad that people actually do that with their pets who have become totally reliant on them for everything. They couldn't possibly survive in the wild. Sadly, I've seen cases of this happening with dogs and cats too.

    Thanks for another enjoyable post, David and Miriam.
    Have a lovely week.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Although I've never traveled to Grand Manan, your post brought a flood of memories. I was friendly online -- on the old Weather Underground site -- with a couple of people whose families had been in the area for generations. One man coached the local hockey team (curling too, perhaps) and there were great stories told and recipes shared. His descriptions of traditional Newfoundland Screech-ins were hilarious. Did you kiss a cod and become an honorary 'Newfie'?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Grand Manan is in New Brunswick, Linda, not Newfoundland.

      Delete
    2. Granted. I was conflating conversations with several people from the area. It's been since 2005 or so that we were chatting!

      Delete
  60. Hi David - what an amazing place ... the history of the lighthouse was a fascinating read ... and yes wonderful seeing Sophie and Jared help conserve the area. Beautiful photos .. and I love the blue feathers of the tree swallows ... thank you - and lovely weather you had - while the purple finch is 'a sweetie' ... thanks - excellent post to read - cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  61. hello David
    Enthusiasm for me, what I read and see is more interesting than all travel guides together, so much input that a book could become.
    Did I already mention the great view ;-)) I like it very much
    Greetings Frank

    ReplyDelete

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

Followers