Hello from Rachel on Ship Island! This will be the last blog post as the season is coming to an end. It feels like just yesterday that we were dropped off of the boat onto this little island. Time does fly! I remember how excited I was just to see the few terns that started to show up in May versus now. There seems to be juveniles left and right when looking into the colony, and I am glad to know that it is due to the fantastic success this colony has had this breeding season! It warms my heart as well to know that these youngsters will join their parents soon on their journey back across the vast sea, and that we had some part in all of that. From chasing seagulls, geese, and falcons like crazy loons (sorry loons!), to weeding TONS of vegetation to make the perfect nesting areas, I can only hope that our efforts to give these chicks the best chance possible has helped this species thrive here on Ship. I never knew how much went into a successful seabird colony, and with the knowledge I have now, I must say that these seabirds are incredibly resilient, and I am thankful to have spent the season in their midst. It is a bittersweet goodbye! I will miss their incessant calling, and their goofy mannerisms. I wish them the best in their migration, and I hope if I ever return to Blue Hill Bay in the summertime, that I may see a tern that we banded while here on the island! Maine is one of the most beautiful states I have ever traveled to, and now had the chance to live in temporarily. My hopes are that through conservation work such as this, amazing creatures like common terns can continue to live and breed! Thank you to everyone who read these blogs and followed along on our adventures here! Signing off and sending love to all!
-Rachel
Here is one last hello from Ships 2022 supervisor! I am beyond grateful for the support we have received this season from refuge staff and FOMCI; my experience here has been all the better with their assistance and companionship. Dare I say this has been Ships best season yet, with high numbers of breeding adults who successfully produced numerous offspring. As of today, we have 105 juveniles fledged from our productivity plots, with fledging success at around 87%. Our productivity rate is at a heathy 1.75, and because of the islands abundance of birds, we were able to band 1,045 terns this year! I hope that in the years to come, some of these terns will be recaptured here on Ship as adults, happy, healthy, and full of tasty herring. I want the future generations of Maines terns to know that they can rely on Ship Island for protected nesting grounds and abundant resources to make their breeding efforts a success. Thank you all for tuning in to our weekly blog posts over the past few months. It means a lot to know that there are so many others out there who care about our natural world, and specifically Maines seabirds. I ask you to share your passions with those around you, for having respect and admiration for nature is something we should strive to inspire in everyone.
-Laura Wallace
Summer with the seabirds 