Friday, August 22, 2014

Black-legged Kittiwake

The Black-legged Kittiwake (scientific name - Rissa tridactyla) is a gull that is found in the N orth Pacific and North Atlantic oceans.  It breeds in large colonies on rocky cliffs. The bird has black legs, a small unmarked yellow bill, black wingtips  and a medium grey back. Photos were taken in July 2014 at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland.


Nesting

Common Murre

The Common Murre (scientific name - Uria aalge) is a fairly large seabird found on both coasts of North America in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. This bird spends most of its time out at sea and only comes to land to breed. They do not build nests, but lay their eggs on rocky cliffs and rock ledges. They have a brown-black back and white underside. The Common Murre found in the Atlantic sometimes has a thin white stripe from the eye. These photos were taken in July 2014 at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland.



Atlantic Puffin

The Atlantic Puffin (scientific name - Fratercula arctica) is a seabird native to the North Atlantic Ocean. It is found from the north coast of North America to Northern Europe and also up to Greenland.  It is easily identified with a black back and white underside and a l large multicoloured bill. These photos were taken in July 2014 at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland which hosts the largest colony of these birds in the Western Atlantic (over 250,000). The Atlantic Puffin is also the Provincial Bird of the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.