Tidal Pools

Gary Lee

Gary Lee

Active member
I have never been to the Northeast coast but hope to do so this coming winter. Although waterfowl is on my mind, what other types of wildlife may I be able to see in the Northeast? As strange as it may sound, I have always wanted to see wild Starfish, Brittlestars, Urchins, Etc.
 
I'm a veteran tide pool picker, and would be happy to give you some suggestions on where to go here in Maine. Send me a PM and let me know what part of the state you'll be in.

I'm also a crazed angler and duck hunter, and I spend a lot of time in and on water during the snow and ice season, including wading for mid-winter trout fishing and breaking ice on the ocean for duck hunting. I would NEVER suggest picking through tide pools in winter. It would be cold, miserable, and potentially dangerous with the combination of ice and slippery rocks and sea weed. You really can't pick around the tide pools without getting wet. If you go this route, you should prepare be IN the water, with a cold water wet suit or dry suit.

I'd suggest coming in July or August, where on a nice day you can do it in shorts and T shirt.
 
I'm thinking sometime in December, but not set in stone yet. I hope this all goes through and I get to enjoy the coast.
 
Gary, that is a perfect time of year. If you come out this way (CT-RI) I will meet you and take you around and spend a day with you. You should see eiders, black ducks, brant, scoters, r b mergansers, harlequins (depending on the winds) gannets, razorbills, murres, gulls, kittiwakes, sanderlings, black bellied plovers, dunlins, turnstones, yellowlegs. If you go out on a palagic bird watching boat or a codfishing boat, depending on the winds, you could see greater shearwater, fulmar, more gannets, and a few jaegers. (Depending on the tides- many tidal pool creatures) such as: sea stars, urchins, blue mussels, sea worms, limpets, periwinkles, whelks, barnicles, anemones, etc...........who knows what else!! There is a really good book available entitled: A Practical Guide to the Marine Animals of Northeastern North America by Leland Pollock. Its a paperback and is inexpensive it lists everything you could possible see. Then if that isn't enough, you should hook up with Capt. Brian for a sea duck hunt in Rhode Island.

Keith
 
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That's what I'm talking about!! I want to see the things that call home there that I haven't seen in my travels elsewhere. I believe I have a seaduck hunt or two lined up, and hope it all falls into place. Just to hunt with good people, see the sights, and hunt the saltwater will be amazing to me and I'm very excited if you can't tell.
 
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