Day 8: ME IV

· Maine Event
Good morning Portland! The view out my window where we eat breakfast
Woohoo it's an island day
What is affectionately known as the "Bug Light" since there are so many big fancy lighthouses. Here is more about it: https://www.visitportland.com/blog/2020/03/11/bug-light-park/
Tree swallows +
All these specks that look like bugs are actually very fast-moving migrating beautiful Tree Swallows. It was amazing to be around this many and it went on for half an hour or so.
The photos below are taken from where the star is and we are looking at these little non-inhabited islands off in the distance. Google Maps decorated by RJ.
Lovely bay on Cliff Island which is 7 miles by boat from Portland but still part of the city.
Close-up: These rocks are amazing, and the camera doesn't do them justice.
It's a very island-y island and the light and trees are magical
One-room schoolhouse serving kindergarten through 5th grade. Then the kids take the ferry to Portland it's about an hour and a half ride by ferry.
Summer Camp in Maine!
Looking back at Cliff Island from the ferry
While we waited for the ferry to leave, three osprey were cruising around, and then this bald eagle came by, which upset the osprey, who gave it a half-hearted chase. Quite a show!

Cliff Island is the smallest inhabited island in Casco Bay. It has a year-round population of about 60 people and grows to 200 during the summer. It is 425 acres and the ferry comes three times a day and the round trip to Portland takes three hours.

There are 15 year-round inhabited islands off of the coast of Maine whereas there used to be 333. An island is defined as any land that stays dry at high tide. Maine has 4,600 or so.

There are 15 year-round inhabited islands which include Cliff, Peaks, Great Diamond, Long Island, Chebeague, Monhegan, Matinicus, Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro, Isle Au Haut, Swan's, Frenchboro, Great Cranberry, and Islesford.

Four of those islands are in Casco Bay and are served by the ferry that is within walking distance. There are 785 islands in Casco Bay which is 1000 square miles. The ferry goes to seven of them, but two only have summer residents.

Here is a link to a picture of the islands as the ferry sees them.

Welcome sign on the side of the seasonal store and cafe.
Labyrinth love, for the opportunity to reflect and be.
Good night sweet people!

Have a splendid night.

Sending oodles of love!

And 24 species of birds, including the multiply osprey and bald eagle show mentioned above. Also in the evening back in Portland, there was a peregrine chasing pideons.

1 Common Eider
1 Rock Pigeon
1 Mourning Dove
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
1 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Common Loon
1 Double-crested Cormorant
1 Great Blue Heron
1 Osprey
1 Bald Eagle
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Blue Jay
1 American Crow
1 Common Raven
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Tree Swallow
1 Barn Swallow
1 Cedar Waxwing
1 House Sparrow
1 American Goldfinch
1 Song Sparrow
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
1 Northern Cardinal