Distressed Guillemot

While my cousin was out surfing he noticed this bird fly onto the beach and called me down from the house to check it out. We were experiencing a surge in the wave and tidal activity from the recent Atlantic storm system, and this juvenile Black Guillemot  was attempting to reach the beach free of the breaking waves. When I first got on the bird he was lying down just out of reach of the waves, but would occasionally have to reposition himself to stay on dry beach. I placed a call to the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center and was told that Guillemots would not beach themselves unless they were in distress. A volunteer recovery team was sent and arrived about 30 minute later, all the while I was within feet of the bird trying to provide cover from the several gulls that had noticed its predicament.

The first attempt at rescue failed, as the bird summoned the strength to elude us and flew down the beach and out over the water. We pursued the bird and found him several hundred yards from where it was first spotted, and watched as it once again attempted to beach itself. A large wave provided the necessary push to wash the bird onto higher ground and we were successful in our next attempt at capture. I'm hopeful the Audubon folks will revive this bird and be able to release it in the next several days.

I've included some shots of the bird as I first saw it. Several images are of the bird in the sand and the edge of the waves, and a few of him in the surf and rushing to gain higher ground. This was a first for me, being a part of a rescue, and it made the weekend.



Thanks to those of you who had the patience to read this entire post, and I hope you enjoy the images.

Saco Beach, Maine
 

Wonderful images and bravo on the rescue Chuck!

Nice story and images, Chuck.  Good job on the rescue and I hope the bird recovers.

 

Good job on the photos and the rescue, Chuck. Alcids in the Pacific are in distress. There was a massive die-off of young Murres – Thick-billed and Common – in Alaska last winter. Toxic algae in the food chain is suspected.

Great images Chuck, I especially like the last one in the series.  Well done on with the rescue.