Month: July 2017
NORTHERN GANNET MYSTERIOUS DIESEASE STRIKES AGAIN
A second Northern Gannet, in little over a week, has come ashore to die on a Cape Ann Beach. Jim Dowd messaged from the Backshore that the Gannet was resting on the rocks and was not walking well.
Heartbreaking to see, the usually majestic Northern Gannet is struggling to survive.
This beautiful Northern Gannet appears to have the same neurological symptoms of the mysterious disease that has caused over one hundred Gannets to wash ashore on Cape Cod beaches. Veterinarians are sending samples of the dead and dying birds to the USDA to see if federal experts can find the cause. A harmful algae bloom (often referred to as Red Tide) is suspect.
The Gannet tried and tried to take flight, but to no avail, wobbling instead and repeatedly tipping over.
The first dying Northern Gannet seen on a Cape Ann beach was shared by Ann Rittenburg. On July 12th, she discovered the bird struggling at Good Harbor Beach. Dianne Corliss, Gloucester’s Animal Control Officer, rescued the seabird. Dianne tried to help, but the Gannet was eventually put to sleep. She warns that the bills of Northern Gannets are extremely powerful. If you come across a Gannet on the beach, do not go near it as they are known to go for the eyes and necks of people.
What makes the deaths even more troubling is that Northern Gannets are winter migrants through our area, and most months are spent at sea. During the summer season they are typically at their North American breeding grounds, which are six well-established colonies, three in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec, and three in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Newfoundland. 
My husband Tom and I saw these magnificent seabirds from the shores of Provincetown last spring. They were feeding along with the Right Whales. The Northern Gannets soared high above the whales and then plunged straight down with a powerful ferocity. It was dramatic and gorgeous to see. I hope the same illness or Red Tide that is killing the Gannets will not affect whales.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW3c29Bl9sl/
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VIDEO: Blackburn Challenge 2017
A HIGHER QUALITY VERSION OF THIS VIDEO IS HERE.
Exciting Trailer by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100494
Artist: http://incompetech.com
Not Without the Rest by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
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Interesting rock formation out at Rafe’s Chasm
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Good Harbor Beach volleyball players assist the piping plovers and
it’s not the first time! Love these stories. #sharetheshore
From Hazel, piping plover volunteer: I was round the bend (!) replacing signs a little later – one of the volleyball players said he had escorted both of them to the creek. I have been turning people back from playa del plover & maybe 1/2 hr ago a small boy spotted an adult as he (the boy) was leaving.
Dave (whisperer) and Bill
link to Gloucester Plover on twitter: https://twitter.com/Glostaplover
link to Google docs Volunteer log
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Blackburn challenge pavilion beach
Donna Ardizzoni / Circle Consulting Group 978-526-9222
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LIVE from a distance: the 20+ miles row or paddle for Blackburn Challenge is SO impressive!
One participant was nearly a half hour ahead of the next cluster of fellow endurance sport enthusiasts. AT this point in the race the paddleboarders were hunched over but still going strong. Are the dories the most difficult to row?
Participants pass sailboats and working boats, fans and friends motoring nearby, and of course safety-police escort boats there monitoring the route
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High tide line from New Moon makes it easy to see dog tracks on Good Harbor Beach despite
No dogs — leash or no leash– rules for the beaches May 1 – October 1 in Gloucester
I stepped on a plastic bag of dog poop buried in the sand over by the footbridge this morning. It’s a drag. I can grab that plastic bottle litter (not so much really after such a busy day yesterday) The poop, not my thing to pick up…
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Minglewood Tavern. Kids eat free.
Minglewood Tavern at Latitude 43, is a serenitee restaurant.
Enjoyed nachos, salad pizza, spicy tuna avocado cucumber roll (next time we’ll hold the garnish sauce) and the knock out Danny Diamond’s custom painted wall menu
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Stars Wars Rogue One under the stars | next up HarborWalk Summer Cinema
What it’s like as the crowd fills in on Gloucester’s FREE Wednesday night movies — before the start of last week’s Moana, 8pm
in case you missed the Gloucester Daily Times “TALK OF THE TIMES”
Gloucester’s waterfront I-4, C-2 property — still used primarily as a downtown parking lot — returned to its added summer role as an outdoor movie venue this week, when hundreds of parents and children flocked to a free showing of Disney’s 2016 film “Moana” to open the fourth annual HarborWalk Summer Cinema series.
The free Wednesday night movies, a cooperative effort between the city and Rob Newton’s Cape Ann Cinema and Stage, begin at dusk, and will run through Aug. 23 when the original “Jaws,” released in 1975, will be shown. “Jaws” was to open the series on July 12, but the showing was postponed because of rain and thunderstorm warnings.
Christopher Sicuranza, the city’s director of constituent services, said the series continues to gain in popularity.
“It just seems to keep growing year after year,” he said, “and we’re getting more and more calls from outside the city, too. As much as people can watch these films on their iPads or at home, there’s nothing like getting out for these at such a community event — and that’s what these have become.”
Sicuranza, an admitted and unabashed “Star Wars geek,” said he’s especially looking forward to next week’s showing of 2016’s “Rogue One.”
The rest of the schedule calls for the “Lego Batman Movie” on Aug. 2, “The Princess Bride” on Aug. 9, and “Sing!” on Aug. 16.
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Visitors from California and Hamilton Wenham
Couple from Grass Valley California
Relaxing from Hamilton Wenham
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Gloucester Smiles-690(AB)
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Marshall Point Lighthouse
Today’s share is a pic of Marshall Point Lighthouse in Port Clyde, ME. It reminds me of our beloved Annisquam Light with its long white bridge and beautiful sunset location 😊
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Seacoast Race 2017
These runners are very impressive,
Seacoast 10K General Race Information: Hosted By Friends of Seacoast, the fund raising committee for the Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, in Gloucester. This race was previously a 7 Miler now it is a 10K. Medals for all age categories as well.
Race Distance:10K
Chip Timed: Yes
Prize Money: Yes, $300, $200,and$100 for first,second, and third place finish for both Men and Ladies.
USATF Certified Course: Yes, MA15003BK
Part of Race Series: No
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LITTLE CHICK LEARNING TO FLY AND OTHER SCARY HAPPENINGS
Day twenty-nine, or I suppose we could say four weeks and one day, and our Little Chick is growing gangbusters!
It’s always a relief to see our one surviving Piping Plover chick at first light.
Foraging in the seaweed at daybreak.
Little Chick seemed a little less independent today and spent a good amount of time with Papa Plover. I wonder if something frightened the Plovers?
Chief McCarthy, who now takes his morning run at Good Harbor Beach, has noticed tracks from folks that are still walking their dogs in and around (and through) the sanctuary. Not to disparage dog owners (I love dogs), a drunk guy also insisted on walking through the sanctuary. A super, super scary thing happened this morning where a small group had gathered around the enclosure. Two Great Blue Herons came flying low and slow over the roped off area, where both baby and Papa were resting. A conservationist told me awhile back to try to discourage folks from gathering round near the Plovers because it could alert predatory birds. I didn’t quite believe it, but after seeing the GBHerons flying so low, and seemingly fearless of the humans, I believe it now. Great Blue Herons are super predators and although their primary food is fish, they eat practically every small living creature, including birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, shrimp, crab, insects, and rodents.
Staying close to Papa Plover this morning.
Hmm, I think I’ll give flying another whirl.
Running to take off.
Hop Up?
Airborne for half a moment!
Landing, with a not-so-graceful skidding thud.
In the Pink
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Oprah Says . . . . .
“Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it.”
— Oprah Winfrey
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Low Fog on Shore Road
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Washington Post review for new novel A Catalog of Birds
goodlinens shares a Washington Post review for Laura Harrington’s second book of fiction, A Catalog of Birds
Laura Harrington’s novel is available locally at The Bookstore of Gloucester and Toad Hall Rockport.
Read the review : http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwlIf9vjU by Charlotte Gordon, a professor of humanities at Endicott College, author most recently, of “Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley.”
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Don’t Miss the Love on Sunday
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Kathy Roberts Art Show
FOB Kathy Roberts is having an art show at “The Bookstore” 61 Main St. for the month of July. Titled: ” An Italian Journey” featuring paintings of memorable places I visited while in Italy; Tuscany, Venice, the Island of Capri and Florence. Along with the paintings there are also prints and cards available for sale. For more info please contact Kathy Roberts @ 978-853-7825 or kathygroberts@yahoo.com
Good Morning Gloucester 