The Jodrey State Fish Pier at Gloucester Harbor is one of my favorite places to bird in winter. Visiting the pier each of the last three winters before, during, and after the Superbowl of Birding has been a great pleasure and the views I have had of a variety of species have been breathtaking. If you are willing to brave the cold you are almost guaranteed at least five species of gull, including two white-winged species, great looks at Common Loons, Common Eider, and Red-breasted Merganser, and, perhaps, if you are fortunate, something really cool like an alcid or something completely amazing, like an Ivory Gull. It really is a great place to see great birds and everyone from a raw beginner just learning to identify seaducks to an expert looking through the hordes of gulls for a rarity will find something to keep them occupied and entertained.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. Just take a look at a few of my favorite images that I managed to get on Sunday morning…
Common Loon Gavia immer
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Common Loon Gavia immer
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
…
Nice photos Corey! Reminds me of the seawall at Musselburgh in Scotland. I only got there once, briefly, and it was foggy, but it too had sea ducks, alcids and loons.
Awesome photos, especially the diving Murre.
I haven’t seen any of these beautiful birds. I really appreciate your clear and detailed pictures and that you are sharing your experiences. Lovely. Thank you. 🙂
Nice.
More.
@Duncan: Thanks! Wherever I go in the world I am going to watch out for harbors with fish-processing plants!
@John: Thanks! That murre was just spectacular, no?
@Suzanne: No problem, glad you liked them.
@Jochen: It’s never enough, is it? I just keep throwing images into that gaping maw of yours and you keep asking for more. I’m going to try to choke you on Yellow-crowned Night-Herons this spring… 🙂
Corey, you do realize that Europe has just disqualified itself as a respectable birding nation?
Someone on the Azores is actually claiming that he has found the WP’s first Yellow-crapped Nightmare-Heron:
http://www.birdingazores.com/?page=onespecies&id=290
The things people do with photoshop to get some attention.
And yes, it is never enough.
Of course technically Europe is not a nation.
I’ve never seen a loon anywhere outside of a scope (and even then, it was little more than a speck) but I’ve gotta say, up close they are cute! Nice shots all, Corey.
@Meredith: I have seen lots of loons standing behind scopes! 🙂
@Corey: Wow, how did they manage to stand that tall? Must have been quite a stack of phone books!
(Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all night, folks.)
@Jochen and Meredith: you two are hilarious.
Nice. What would I give to find a ‘Kumlein’s’ like that over here in the UK…
Corey, I was in Gloucester, MA for the first time the weekend of January 30th. I saw and photographed some Common eiders along rt. 127 near the Fisherman memorial but I do not know where the pier is. How do you get there and where do you park? I would love to see the murre and the iceland gull. I recently moved to Massachusetts from Tucson, AZ and am still learning all the birding spots. I have been to Plum Island, Salisbury Beach, and Turner’s Falls so far. With all this snow it makes it difficult to find and see birds! Great shots!
@kathiesbirds: If you click here it will take you to google maps with the exact location plugged in. Just drive to the end of the pier and park.