Birding Seawall

Seawall Picnic Area is an excellent place inside Acadia National Park to scan for passing seabirds from sandpipers to pelagic species. Any time of the year is a good opportunity to scan with your binoculars or scope, but especially during August and September for southern-bound ducks, grebes, sandpipers, terns, and gulls. The Picnic Area provides an open view of the Great Harbor along with the Cranberry Isles where traveling Northern Gannet or Bald Eagle can be spotted as well. Additionally, nearby Seawall Campground and Hio Road offers the only accessible location to explore the edge of the Big Heath within Acadia.

Details

Activity

Birdwatching

Pets Allowed

Yes

Activity Fee

No

Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.

Location

Seawall Picnic Area

Reservations

No

Season

Year Round

Time of Day

Day, Dawn, Dusk

A Black Guillemot fishing

Ashley L. Conti, Friends of Acadia, NPS

Parking your car at the Seawall Picnic Area is the best place to start. The cove southwest of the parking area is a typical place to spot rafts of Common Eiders, or Black Guillemot and Red-breasted Merganser. Next walk towards the cove to the north of the picnic area where during the summer flocks of American Black Duck can be seen together or along the rocks Laughing Gull often like to rest or hunt for food. During the fall this can be an excellent spot to see White-rumped Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and Least Sandpiper. Please note to be cautious when walking along the rocks near Seawall and make sure to wear sturdy shoes.

After checking both coves, this is a good time to set up with a pair of binoculars or scope and scan the open ocean for a variety of seabirds. During the spring and fall, its common to see passing White-winged, Black, or Surf Scoters, and Bufflehead along with Northern Gannets. During the summer months, Common Eider are abundant and carefully keep an eye out for passing Leach’s Storm-Petrel as they come and go from Great Duck Island, a local nesting site for this species. During the winter this becomes an ideal area to spot Purple Sandpiper, Long-tailed Duck, and Common Goldeneye.

After getting good coverage of the water from the picnic area, walking through Seawall Campground and along Hio Road, an old fire road, provides a peak into the bird variety that calls the Big Heath home. Birding the campground anytime during the spring or summer can result in Blue-headed Vireo, Norther Parula, and Black-throated Green Warbler. Heading towards Hio Road, listen carefully for Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, which infrequently nest in the Big Heath. Palm Warbler, Nashville Warbler, and White-winged Crossbill are also common inside the Big Heath and can often be spotted from Hio Road during the summer months.

Notable Acadia Species: Canada Warbler, Snow Bunting, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher