Where the rivers meet the sea

A few highlights from a short walk in Humarock, MA, this afternoon (26 December 2019), close to where the South River and North River meet.  This is my old stomping grounds (where I grew up), so there were some familiar friends, but some new ones, too!  

In order of appearance:

 

Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) hunting over the dunes at Fourth Cliff

 

Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) resting on a floating dock

 

 

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a tree on Trouants Island in Marshfield, MA.  I spent many years here and never saw an eagle, so it was fun to be surprised by one today!  (My mom mentioned there is now a pair nesting along the North River.)

 

Ripples in birch bark 

 

Ripples in sand

Not a seal

I was doing a Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) survey today, slowly scanning across the shoreline to count individual seals hauled out on the rocks.

Then I did a double-take.  Hold on.  That's not a seal.

 

A River Otter (Lontra canadensis) was eating a fish.  The seal was more interested in napping, but two Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis) were wondering if they might snatch some of the scraps.

Eventually the otter finished eating, left the rest of the fish to the gulls, and walked down to the water's edge:

 

I liked being able to see its front and hind feet.

 

Rising tide

 

Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) in Bodega Harbor on 7 October 2018.  

The seals were hauled out on the edge of the tidal flats (near the boat channel).  Their heads and tails/hind flippers are arched up out of the water, but the tide has come in and covered their mid-sections (so their bellies are still resting on the bottom).