Marine Chart of Lobster Bay
The Puffin colonies of Noddy Island and Green Island (a.k.a. Green Rock) are still holding their own. The greatest numbers of 1998 were "at least 60 Puffins" at Noddy on August 2, reported to me by Daryl Amirault, and 30 Puffins at Green Rock on July 7 when I was there with CBC's Land and Sea crew. Small numbers of Puffins were regularly seen at Round Island again in 1998, suggesting a small colont there also. Generally, the numbers of Puffins seen at Noddy were less than 20 individual at any one time. No Puffin chicks were seen. Several eggs which could have been Puffin's were found in shallow burrows on Green Rock on July 12. The eggs appeared spoiled. Of note, there were 3 Razorbills at Green Rock on July 7; they were seen on one occasion only.
June 7, 1998 - There were 10 Puffins on Noddy I.; none on Round I. even though a few weeks earlier, Daryl Amirault had reported a few. My crew on this trip were Lester D'Eon and his brother, Andrew, and my son, Nigel. No Puffins were seen carrying fish.
July 7, 1998 - Trip to Gannet Rock and Green Rock (a.k.a. Green Island) with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) crew of Land and Sea, composed of Peter Verner, the host and producer, Charlie Dort, cameraman, and Mario Brenet, soundman. Lester D'Eon and Kendrick d'Entremont accompanied Nigel and me.
Two of the damaged decoys removed on June 21 were re-glued to the rock, as were a few more which had become unglued.
One of the Black Guillemot nests of June 21 now contained one hatched chick and one chick starting to peck out of its egg shell.
There were 3 Least Sandpipers on Gannet Rock and a few Arctic Terns in the air above, but no nests. Black Guillemots were very numerous on both Gannet Rock and on Green Rock, though more so on Green Rock. One Puffin was seen near Gannet Rock and 30 more at Green Rock. There were also 3 Razorbills in the waters of Green Rock - my first sighting ever of Razorbills here.
We managed to see 10 Gannets in the Gannet Rock/Green Rock area. This was great to see.
I lost one of my boat's anchors at Gannet Rock.
July 12, 1998 - Returned to Green Rock in the fog with Virginia and Robert D'Eon, her sister Lisette and Peter d'Entremont and their families, and Nigel.
We did not see any Razorbills, however we did see perhaps a dozen Puffins in the fog. Some Puffins were seen carrying fish. There were abour 150 Black Guillemots. We found two shallow burrows, each containing an egg which could be Puffin's, 50m south of the cove where the boat was anchored. One of the eggs was cracked and spoiled; the other was cold and covered with wet mud.
We counted 5 immature Gannets on this trip. Most were between Peases Island and Abbott's Harbour after the fog had cleared.
July 19, 1998 - On a trip to Seal Island I saw 3 or 4 Puffins at Round Island. Two of them were seen flying from the rocks on the eastern side of the island. At Noddy Island there were 8 to 10 Puffins. One was seen carrying fish.
August 2, 1998 - Daryl Amirault reported "at least 60 Puffins" at Noddy I. and 2 at Round I.
August 12, 1998 - With Bernard Surette, we counter 12 Puffins in the south-west cove of Noddy Island.
September 1, 1998 - Only 1 Puffin was seen at Noddy I; viewed from a distance.
Ted C. D'Eon
P.O. Box 100
West Pubnico
Nova Scotia
B0W 3S0
Canada
phone (home)1-902-762-2097
(work)1-902-762-2793
(FAX) 1-902-762-2885