Great cormorants are found throughout inshore areas and around inner and outer 

 islands. They occupy habitat similar to that used by double-crested 

 cormorants during the summer but they do not extend as far into estuaries. 

 They arrive in mid-September and depart in April and early May. A few (mostly 

 subadults) may spend the summer on outer islands or ledges. 



The red-throated loon and red-necked grebe are uncommon winter residents along 

 the Maine coast. Red-throated loons are usually found in harbors, coves, and 

 outer estuaries, whereas red-necked grebes frequent outer headlands and 

 islands . 



Glaucous and iceland gulls are found in association with herring gulls and 

 great black-backed gulls in coastal bays and estuaries, and around garbage 

 dumps, fish processing plants, and raw sewage outlets. Individuals are 

 scattered throughout the coastal zone but the greatest numbers (as many as 

 100) are found near Lubec and Eastport (region 6) . 



Among the offshore and pelagic species the kittiwake and fulmar are the most 

 abundant and occur in flocks numbering in the thousands. They are most 

 abundant in the waters of regions 5 and 6. In Passamaquoddy Bay kittiwakes 

 have occured in flocks of over 10,000, and more than 48,000 have been seen in 

 the eastern approaches to the Bay of Fundy. The dovekie may occur in rafts 

 (groups of birds in the water) numbering in the thousands, especially in the 

 Quoddy region (off the southern end of Grand Manan Island and the Cutler 

 headlands). Inshore they are generally found in small groups numbering less 

 than 20. 



Common and thick-billed murres are uncommon in the coastal zone. They are 

 usually found offshore and around outer islands of regions 5 and 6 but small 

 numbers are occasionally found inshore near harbors, inner islands, and 

 coastal headlands. 



Migratory residents. Six species of seabirds are found along the Maine 

 coast only during migration (table 14-5). Most of these are more common in 

 fall than in spring and may remain in coastal waters for several months. They 

 are locally common near upwellings and tidal rips. Bonaparte's gull is the 

 most abundant migrant. Typically, concentrations of a few hundred are found 

 in the outer and middle portions of estuaries, such as Back Bay in Portland 

 (region 1), Raccoon Cove in Lamoine (region 5), and Mason's Bay near Jonesboro 

 (region 6). Several thousand can be found in Cobscook Bay (region 6) and tens 

 of thousands in Passamaquoddy Bay near Eastport. Concentrations of several 

 hundred are often found roosting on inland ponds and lakes along the coast. 



The ring-billed gull is a common migrant, with flocks of a few hundred 

 occurring in the upper portions of coastal estuaries, such as the Pleasant 

 (region 6), Jordan (region 5), Union (region 4), Damariscotta (region 3), and 

 Kennebec Rivers (region 2) and Back Bay in Portland (region 1). It is also 

 very abundant (a few thousand) in Passamaquoddy Bay (region 6) in August and 

 September. Ring-billed gulls have increased in recent years, both as 

 nonbreeding summer residents and as winter residents. 



The gannet is a common migrant in both spring and fall. It is most abundant 

 offshore but is commonly observed from coastal headlands during periods of 

 easterly and southeasterly winds. 



14-16 



