Note Type
Artist's NoteNote
Artwork done for Van Dusen's Mass Audubon residency project.
Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary, Gloucester
LAND'S END January 26, 2016
At the Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary parking lot, you realize you've driven as far out the East Gloucester peninsula as solid ground will allow (at the very tip of the peninsula is the Eastern Point Lighthouse).
I am surrounded by ocean - the relatively protected waters of Gloucester Harbor lie to the west, and to the south and east are the vast expanses of the Atlantic. To the north, a small cove hosts a handsome flock of Red-breasted Mergansers, along with gadwall, mallards and a few buffleheads and eiders. The tiny adjacent saltmarsh is undergoing restoration to restore natural water flow and encourage native vegetation, but I could see that it was already a favorite haunt of mallards and black ducks.
Out in the harbor are more of the same species, joined by a winter loon and a few pairs of surf scoters. One pair of surf scoters favors the area near shore, affording excellent views through the scope. I start some drawings of the shapes and patterns involved, but with the birds bouncing around on the waves and diving frequently, and my eyes watering badly from the wind, my drawings are less than successful. Several times I retreat to the car to warm my hands.