My View of Life on the Dock
The tiny “Little Auk” has been on our shores for several days and this morning I was finally able to take a few good snapshots. It dips and bobs in a funny manner, weaving back and forth, up and down the channel, before using its wings to deeply dive for small fish and crustaceans.
The Dovekie is the smallest member of the auk (puffin) family. A bird of the open Atlantic Ocean that breeds on Islands in the high Arctic, Dovekies are only seen during winter months in New England.
Dave writes, “Saw this Dovekie at low tide Saturday. The gulls were picking it up and dropping it to the side. I chased them away – temporarily and shooed it back into the water.”
Dovekies are easily blown ashore during severe winter storms. They don’t walk very well on land. If you find a Dovekie on the beach, and it does not appear to be injured, gently pick it up and bring it to the water. And do as Dave did, shoo away interested gulls.
Thank you so much Dave for sharing your photo and for helping the Dovekie back in the water!
Read more about Dovekies here:
A tiny pelagic seabird, the Dovekie, was discovered this morning laying dead in the sand. I think it must have died very recently as it was completely intact. Dovekies are the smallest of the auks (the puffin family) and when on the beach they are in serious trouble because they walk very poorly and have difficulty taking off. Most of us will only ever catch a glimpse of this tiny treasure far away and out to sea and although very dead, it was beautiful to see.
Dovekies (also known as the Little Auck) breed on islands in the high Arctic and move south to the the north Atlantic in the winter. Several weeks ago, one was spotted off the shoreline on Atlantic Road.
Photos of living Dovekies courtesy wikicommonsmedia.
Good Morning Gloucester 