TheSky
I’mnotalwayslookingdownintothewater.Theskiesabovearefilledwithseabirds.Seabirdsformcoloniesofthousandsofbirds.Parentsfirstraisetheirchicksonland.Whenthebabiescanfly,theyflytogethertothe ocean.
Thebest-knownbirdsontheislandareAtlanticpuffins.Theyhavebrightorange-redbillsandfeet.Puffinsusethemtodigundergroundburrows.There,protectedfrompredators,theyraiseasingle chick.
Puffinsarestrongfliersandexcellentswimmers.Theytaketothesky.Thentheydiveintothewaterandgettheirfillof fish.
PuffinsareafamiliarsightonGull island.
Northerngannetsarestrongflyers.They nestonthesidesof cliffs.
Anotherwingedvisitoristhenortherngannet.Itisslenderandshapedlikeanairplane.Itholdsoutitswingsandglideswiththewind.Specialmarkingsarounditsblueeyesmakeitlooklikeitiswearing makeup.
I’vetraveledtoaplacecalledCapeSt.Mary’stoseethesefancybirds.Youmusttravelon longdirtroads.Thenyouhikedowna long,steeptrailtowardtheocean.Attheendofthetrail,there’sacliffwithasteepdrop.Ontheothersidearethousandsofgannetsnestingintheopen.It’s spectacular!
Mooseoftenmunchonnative plants.
TheLand
Newfoundlandalsohasitsshareofmoose.Theydidn’tcomefromhere,however.Peoplebroughttheseanimalstotheislandmorethanahundredyears ago.
Moosequicklyadaptedtothisenvironment.Theygrazeongrassesandotherplants.Theirbigappetiteisaproblem.Astheyeatnativeplants,theychangetheplantecosystem.It’ssomethingweneedtopayattention to.
TheFullPicture
Whyisitimportantforamarinebiologisttopayattentiontolandandskycreatures?I’velearnedthatallofthelivingthingsinanecosystemrelyoneachother.Thebirdsintheskyneedthefishintheoceantosurvive.Landanimalsneedplantsandotheranimalsto eat.
Asascientist,it’simportantformetoobserveallaspectsofanecosystem.Takealookaroundyou.Thinkaboutourworld.Thenwecanstarttoseehoweverythingfits together.
Newfoundland’ssea,sky,andlandarefilledwith life!