Author: patmorss

Current Events — pat morss

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Back to current events with our wildlife.

Cop Cormorant is directing traffic on Niles Pond.
Spring sun means preening for Easter.
Through the reeds, a group photo. SMILE
Painted Turtles are marshalling forces. “Attack when I give the word.”
A content Red-breasted Merganser couple parading the shoreline.
But we dive for food most of the day and it’s exhausting.
When the wind kicks up a chop we take refuge under the bushes.
Embarrassed seals at Brace Cove, giving up a prime sunning rock to two Herring Gulls.
Just missed a great photo of a wet River Otter cantering by under our bird feeder.
Overhead, there’s competition and a pecking order at the feeder.
A curious Common Grackle watches the activity, oblivious to the rain.
An upside to Spring rains is the rainbows.

Former Neighbors — pat morss

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Things are slow as we wait for the next generation of wildlife to appear. So, here is Part 1 of some of our neighbors who visited us, before I began posting on Good Morning Gloucester 5 years ago.

1973: Bruce Goose didn’t go south as expected – stayed until late winter.
1975: Indoors, Brutus and Mai-Tai were the best of friends. (Mai-Tai could bite)
1989: Racoons visited our 2nd floor deck back when we fed pets outdoors.
1990: Swan families were in abundance on Niles Pond.
1995: Pheasants would strut across our property. No more.
1996: Sunrise over Niles Pond, headed to the train.
1999: First Great Blue Heron we were aware of. Maybe Hank Heron’s grandfather.
2001: This Snowy Owl lived in transit in the Audubon sanctuary for a few weeks.
2004: A Red-tailed Hawk perusing the sanctuary from its perch outside our window.
2009: Word spread fast – Ivory Gull at Eastern Point Breakwater (flying in, dead center).
2009: Closeup courtesy of Derek, our son-in-law, also attracted from out of state.
2010: Gordo Baird’s barnyard, documented for years in the Gloucester Daily Times.

We’re already in Meteorological Spring — pat morss

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Astronomical Spring is based on the path of the sun, beginning on the Vernal Equinox. This year it is the earliest since 1896, at 11:06 pm on March 19th. Meteorological Spring always starts on March 1st and lasts exactly 3 months, and is based on temperature and a consistent calendar. I think I’ll side with the meterorologists.

Our Siren Seal of the Seas likes the thaw, on her customary rock in Brace Cove.
But ice persisted at the edge of Niles Pond, offering skate waddling for the Mallards.
Sally Scaup is perfecting her competition Forward Dive.
There was a bit of a splash on the entry, but I’ll give her a 9-1/2 score.
I guess we know who’s the boss here.
“I’ve told you a hundred times to stop pooping on our rock.”
Maggie Merganser is just back from the feather salon and looking for action.
Which comes in the form of another Mallard mating. “Is this the time”?
Yes, it is.
He celebrates with a victory lap.
She seems happy too, although aware of the family-raising challenges ahead.
Spring is happy time for dog walking. “Bruno – are you coming or going”?
And you know it’s Spring when you see your first crocuses.

Recent Happenings — pat morss

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We recently attended the first annual Rocky Neck Winter Fest, and the opening of Our Time on Earth at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem.

Rocky Neck, and Smith Cove which it protects, are in winter mode.
Adventure remains at the Marine Railways, now sporting her new propeller and rudder.
No, she doesn’t have a new wheelhouse.
That’s the tug Meridian, beyond.
As part of Winter Fest, multiple artists were sketching portraits at The Cultural Center.
Headquarters appears to be at The Salted Cod – if you can find and open the door.
It houses an excellent selection of local art, crafts and jewelry, and is open all winter.
With an ideal pairing of light food and drinks (sample the flatbreads and wines).
Outside, the flooding high tide reminds us of the impact of climate change.
That takes us to the opening of a current traveling exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum.
Our Time on Earth, curated by the Barbican in London, explores our sustainability.
This visitor is mesmerized by a cosmic video.

Robin Residents & Mallard Amour — pat morss

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There are winter flocks of Robins eating berries everywhere, and Valentines Day is catching on at Niles Pond.

First, the comparison of a European Robin that joined us at Christmas in Norway.
A few of our American Robins gathering around the water cooler to gossip.
A stretch for a red berry.
A friend in the flock positions itself to make it easier.
Quickly downing one berry after another.
Watching where the Robins land reveals what a bounty of berries we have in the winter.
Love is in the air over at Niles Pond. The Herring Gulls are all a-flutter.
A Mallard displays his dance – brother is not impressed.
This couple has already bonded.
Now we feel like intruders.

Winter Routine — pat morss

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Things are slow as we all settle into the winter routine.

Stripes of reeds, gulls, ice, and open water at Niles Pond.
Only one day of adequate ice for skating so far.
A USCG cutter tows F/V Orion, with a dead engine, home into Gloucester at dusk.
Color at dessert time on the suet sideboard. Here are the RED, …
… the WHITE, and the BLUE.
This Red-tailed Hawk is such a regular, I think we should name him or her ‘Randy.’
“Randy Red-tail. I love it. I’m so proud.”
Deer foraging for a late dinner, next door on the frozen ground.
“I’m the leader of the pack” – the first coyote is already down the path and on the rocks.
“I’m the defensive one” – the second coyote sees me, when at the top of the path.
“I’m the red one” – the third coyote just follows the others, often trotting to catch up.
“I’m the timid one” – the fourth coyote retreats back up the driveway to find a safer route.
Winter days often end with a unique sunset, here featuring the Boston skyline.

Second Storm, and (Wild)Life After — pat morss

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The second SE storm of last week was a repeat of the first. Winter wildlife routines then quickly returned to normal.

Once again, flooding of the Audubon sanctuary.
The Eastern Point Lighthouse was nearly an island at high tide.
Gulls seemed to enjoy effortless gliding in the wind.
The two storms stripped the Niles Pond / Brace Cove causway of its cover.
Salt water ponds sprang up inconveniently behind Raymond Beach.
Mallards stuck together, selecting preferred patches of water or ice at Niles Pond.
Huddling for warmth in the dropping temperatures.
Sipping fresh water at the edge of the ice.
Ring-necked Gulls, and Greater and Lesser Scaups gathering like birds of a feather.
A Gadwall couple drops in, and turns up their noses at the neighborhood residents.
A coyote, hobbling with an injured rear left foot, walks its daily route by our house.
Followed by a second.
And a third, running to catch up.

Weather and Wildlife — pat morss

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The beginning of a New Year.

A gig crew getting in a last harbor row before New Year’s Eve champagne.
Canada Geese noisily headed out over the ocean.
A skirmish over suet, the preferred dessert.
Fishing vessel headed home into Gloucester.
Toward a fiery sunset over the Boston skyline.
A Red-tailed Hawk could care less as we walked right under him.
Rain on the coast finally changed to the first snow of 2024.
Deer in the Audubon Sanctuary remained alert.
Two nights later a 70 mph southeast storm hit, causing tree losses.
Waves were modest, but there was a build-up of foam, looking like sponge rubber.
Heavy rain and driveway erosion compromised newspaper delivery.
Calming down last evening, but we’re expecting another storm tomorrow night.

Christmas in Norway –pat morss

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Anne-Lise and I spent Christmas with her sister Berit, husband Jan, and their family in Tjome, an hour and a half train/car ride south of Oslo.

Waterfront community, seen from the bridge between Notteroy and Tjome (islands).
Norwegian Shores is part of the seafood industry, including local wild harvested oysters.
Jan’s and Berit’s house (center); lobster traps are out after short Oct-Nov annual season.
View south down Tonsbergfjorden; the sun is near maximum winter solstice height.
‘Ribbe’ (bone-in pork belly) is one of the highlights of Christmas Eve dinner.
Three generations – two of them enjoying traditional beer and aquavit with dinner.
Jan, fitting the “Captain’s” role, took us out on a boat trip around the fjord.
It was calm and crisp, with the low noon sun; our house framed beyond, at the center.
Due to the steep, rocky bottom, it’s all floats and docks – no moorings.
On the way in, we retreived Jan’s 13 private-catch lobsters, including a rare blue.
They may not be kept alive past December 31, a month postseason – Hello, lobster parties.
The boiled 2-3/4 pound blue lobster is on the left.
The blue was longer than the “lobster guillotine” used to split and crack them.
A split chicken(+) lobster served in an unfamiliar way.
The sunsets were familiar, and seemed to last forever.

Bird Bevavior — pat morss

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A few birds and other photos before the holiday weekend.

Mallards on Niles Pond. Cementing bonds before spring mating?
Synchronous heads up and down. [Skip fast back and forth between photos]
Black-backed and Herring Gull antics.
Two Buffleheads penetrate a fleet of Ruddy Ducks.
A streamlined Red-breasted Merganser in the late sun.
Geese flying south (or to the Route-128 rotaries).
A Cooper’s Hawk having a bad feather day.
But he or she still has attidude.
A curious gull wondering what’s on the other side?
Our state bird, the Black-capped Chickadee, is one of the cutest.
Shifting gears, Moon Dancer is making her way home.
Monday’s storm was a study in black-and-white.
Late afternoon, wind and waves were abating.
None yesterday, but there is always a good sunset to look forward to.

Final Fall Foliage — pat morss

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Some photos of how late fall is playing out.

Even the largest leaves displayed some color before curling up for the winter.
Milkweed plants grew their season ending seed pods.
When ready, the pods opened to expose the seeds.
Their floss fluffed above each seed, and waited for the wind.
Which carried them away for propogation.
This tree was determined to keep “red” alive until the end.
We walked by a single, tiny, last rose for most of a month.
The invasive phragmite looked delicate in the backlit sun.
Foliage tempered by the ocean was the last to turn.
Yellow was the color of choice for most maples, with trunks dressed in ivy.
A little snow added a white accent to fallen wet leaves.
Snow made frosting on red berries for our wintering robins.

Odds and Ends — pat morss

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A few odds and ends that don’t go together.

A snail climbing our stucco wall. How does that suction cup work?
Watering can wouldn’t pour – plugged by a deceased mouse.
Crow executing a precarious stretch landing.
A White-breasted Nuthatch has found the perfect tree cavity.
A pair of Hooded Mergansers gliding on a serene Niles Pond.
And a curious Pied-billed Grebe, on another day.
A lone seal investigating our rocks, away from the Brace Cove community.
No orange stripe? Just another kind of Woolly Bear Caterpillar (no winter forecast).
A pair of Ring-necked Ducks cruising Niles Pond.
Sunset Photoshoot at Eastern Point Light.
Surprise! Hank Heron returned one more time with a friend.
Fishing boat returning through a stormy haze.
Red-tailed Hawk showing off her leg band.

Portland Waterfront — pat morss

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Last week I attended the New England Museum Association Annual Conference in Portland, ME. A “Waterfront Walk” field trip led by staff from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute pointed out a number of interesting comparisons with Gloucester.

Morning snow and schooners in hibernation at the harbor entry from Casco Bay.
Working down the waterfront, a life-size whale graphic at the Maine State Pier.
Further out the pier, walking on water at the car ferry loading ramp.
Also on the pier is the passenger ferry terminal, on the first level of a parking garage.
Lobster boats at Custom House Wharf dealing with overcrowded shoreside facilities.
Widgery Wharf has a new building, elevated in response to climate change and flooding.
Widgery seen from Union Wharf – unpopular condos beyond on Chandler’s Wharf.
Gulls enjoying gurry at the Portland Fish Exchange (display-auction since 1986).
Some of the larger fishing vessels docked at Portland Fish Pier.
US Coast Guard facility at Wrights Wharf (main USCG Station is across the harbor).
Adjacent, on Commercial Street, is the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Our host.
It advances marine research, ecosystem/climate education, and the blue economy.

Change of Seasons — pat morss

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As we move from fall toward winter, our resident wildlife is in transition.

A small American Copper Butterfly has joined the Monarchs on their migration south.
Asters provide some of the last pollen for the Bumble Bees.
A proliferation of red berries signals the Holidays are coming.
Hank Heron has gotten soaked in rain storms as the foliage changed to red.
But he, too, has now departed.
Eddy Egret had his last fresh seafood on our rocks, and hasn’t been back.
Some sport fishermen are still around to look after Eddy’s fishing grounds.
At Brace Cove, the seals have returned for the winter, claiming their rocks.
Flocks of Buffleheads have arrived on Niles Pond, napping after their trek.
Hooded Mergansers are repopulating the pond.
Mattie Muskrat is reinforcing her winter quarters with recycled water lilies.
With skies getting more menacing, this cloud wants to pick up the lighthouse.

Historic Maritime Moment — pat morss

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Two Historic Gloucester fishing schooners are currently up on the ways for maintenance at Gloucester Marine Railways, on Rocky Neck.

Looking at the schooners, across Smith Cove from Beacon Marine in East Gloucester.
Adventure (1926) and Ernestina-Morrissey (1894) are both National Historic Landmarks.
Both were built at John F James & Son Shipyard, in Essex, for Gloucester’s fishing fleet.
Ernestina-Morrissey, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, sails out of New Bedford.
Looking between the schooners that are framing two contemporary fishing vessels.
Part of Adventure’s maintenance will be replacement of her 70+ year old rudder.
Winching the rudder up couldn’t slip the pins out above the hinges.
Even cutting off the top of the rudder didn’t get enough play in the rudder post.
Strategizing Plan B. When successful, the new rudder will be fabricated here at the railways.

Essex River Cruise — pat morss

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At Pat D’s suggestion a few days ago on GMG, Anne-Lise and I took one of the last afternoon Essex River Cruises before they closed this weekend for the winter.

Starting down the river from the Essex causeway, toward Essex Bay and the Atlantic.
Cormorants, who may have beheaded this owl “scarecrow.”
One of several Great Blue Herons along the shore.
A family out on the river enjoying the last warm weather.
A couple of clam diggers, with the Castle Hill Crane Estate beyond, on Plum Island
Soaking up the sun on a sandbar, exposed at low tide.
Kayakers on Essex Bay heading out to fish; Atlantic beyond.
Around the corner from Wingarsheek and Coffins Beaches, Annisquam.
Turning back inland, Cormorants take over a sandbar beach.
Our guests view ruins along privately owned Corn Island as the sun gets lower.
A clam digger gets to appreciate the fall colors.
This is back-breaking work.
Back at the dock, just before sunset, and Halloween.

Two Sides of the Dike — pat morss

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The causeway separates salt water Brace Cove from brackish Niles Pond, creating two diverse environments.

A young Great Black-backed Gull and Ring-billed Gulls share Brace Cove beach.
A seal out in the cove has a long wait for low tide to haul out on a rock.
Another Great Black-backed Gull swims contentedly next to the breakwater.
Gulls adapt equally well to Niles Pond, which is starting to show its fall colors.
Painted Turtles enjoy the sun on a favorite rock.
An American Black Duck, protective of his family, lets me know he sees me.
Two American Coots struggle to untangle breakfast.
A Ruddy Duck resurfaces near the middle of its dive circle.
This female Mallard decides it’s time for a duck dunk.
And water rolls right off her back.
Standing up to dry off.
It takes flapping to dry the wings.
That refreshing feeling.
So nearby, why is he so sad?

Water Birds — pat morss

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Some real water birds, and some others that just like getting wet.

One of two chunky American Coots, standing on an underwater Niles Pond rock.
Bottoms up – A Mallard pair enjoying the “All you can eat” underwater salad bar.
Dad is up for air.
And Mom is too. Now repeat for dessert.
Eddy Egret has found some kind of eel-like fish at low tide. [Enlarge these 2 photos]
The eel hasn’t given up, as it’s swallowed.
Near our feeders, House Sparrows test the waters.
Not too deep. Nice and warm. A test splash.
How about a group splash?
You two take a swim. I’ll stand guard.

CAPA 2023 Quick Draw — pat morss

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This is Cape Ann Plein Air week, and I always enjoy the Quick Paint that gathers the artists together in a concentrated area to produce their paintings in just 2-hours.

The venue was all of Harbor Loop, but most artists favored Maritime Gloucester’s docks.
The deck overlooking Maritime Gloucester had a great vantage point.
It’s fun watching how different artists interpret a similar view, here with an hour still to go.
As a backdrop, schooner Adventure offers inspiration.
Concentration and discipline are the name of the game.
Even her special mittens are part of the composition.
Lynx sits across the harbor, docked at Ocean Alliance’s headquarters, the Paint Factory.
Beth is pleased with her version of Lynx and the Paint Factory.
Some of the artists test their balance on the floating dock.
With 10-minutes to go, finishing touches are applied to Adventure’s gunwale.
And the bell rings – “Put down your brushes.”
Framing, judging, and a public sale followed at the tent for both CAPA and guest artists.

Rescue at Eastern Point Breakwater 10/8/23–pat morss

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Here is a documentary photo taken by our close friend Tina Snider, who lives in view of the Eastern Point Dog Bar Breakwater. We don’t have a lot of details, but she caught this photograph of reportedly a pregnant visitor, one of two women being rescued after being swept off the breakwater by a wave late this morning.