natural resources . A unique composition of spruce-fir-larch forest and glacial influence supports raised coastal peatland and plant communities rarely found south of Canada . Nearly 200 species of birds are recorded along the Cutler Coast , some rare to Maine .
Machias Seal Island off the Cutler coast is a renowned North American birdwatching destination . The tiny , barren island is nesting grounds for a great number and variety of migratory seabirds and is the largest Puffin colony on the Maine coast , with thousands more birds than any other site . The island is designated a bird sanctuary by the U . S . and Canadian Wildlife Service .
Cobscook Bay derives its name from the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tribal word for “ boiling tides ”. Cobscook Bay is an unusual estuary with a narrow opening to the sea ; long , convoluted shoreline ; and few tributaries . Twice-daily tides in the Bay average 24 feet , with occasional tides as high as 28 feet ( average tides in southern Maine are 9 feet ). These large tides bring nutrient-rich water from the Gulf of Maine , which stimulates phytoplankton growth that feeds a notable diversity of invertebrates , including multiple intertidal species normally found in subarctic waters . Cobscook Bay contains some of the last great scallop beds in the State of Maine . The Bay ’ s productive food web nourishes more than 200 bird species . Thousands of shorebirds stop over each fall to rest and forage as they migrate south from northern breeding grounds . Cobscook Bay has the highest density of nesting bald eagles in the northeastern United States and has played a key role in restoring eagle populations . During the winter , the bay ’ s convoluted shoreline and strong tidal flow keep it relatively free of ice , making it attractive to waterfowl such as black ducks and Canada geese . Up to 25 % of Maine ’ s wintering black ducks can be found in Cobscook Bay .
Puffin at Machias Seal Island - Machias Seal Island off the Cutler coast is a renowned North American birdwatching destination . The tiny , barren island is nesting grounds for a great number and variety of migratory seabirds and is the largest Puffin colony on the Maine coast , with thousands more birds than any other site . The island is designated a bird sanctuary by the U . S . and Canadian Wildlife Service . Photo by Richard Couse .
Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge , one of the oldest National Wildlife Refuges in the country , comprises two divisions on the Bold Coast - Edmunds and Baring . Moosehorn is an important breeding ground and critical migratory bird stopover point on the Atlantic Flyway . Moosehorn Wildlife Refuge provides habitat to many songbirds , including neotropical migrants . Twenty-six species of migrating warblers nest on the refuge . Two viewing platforms just outside of Calais are
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