Milk Island

Milk Island

Rockport, Massachusetts 01966

eBird Pelagic Protocol

About this Location

Milk Island is a small, uninhabited island located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Massachusetts. The island was once used as a grazing ground for cattle, a fishing station, a military outpost, and a lighthouse site. The island is named after John Milk, who owned the island in the 17th century. Today, the island is a protected habitat for seabirds, such as terns, gulls, and cormorants, and is accessible only by boat with a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

About Massachusetts Pelagic Birding

See all hotspots at Massachusetts Pelagic Birding

There are several different birding boat tours, whale watches, and pelagic trips that leave from Massachuestts ports. For pelagic trips, familiarize yourself with eBird's pelagic protocol and use the appropriate personal locations or eBird hotspots

The eBird pelagic protocol applies to checklists that are made farther than two miles offshore on oceans, seas, or large lakes. Choose the Pelagic Protocol option from the ‘Other’ menu of Observation Types. Please note that we still have much to learn about seabird distribution, so we encourage you to add photos and notes to document your sightings on your checklists! 

If you’re moving: Count for up to 60 minutes on each checklist; stopping at the 1-hour mark. Record the distance traveled (ideally with eBird Mobile Tracks), adjust the distance estimate for backtracking as you would a traveling checklist, and choose a location on the map for where you started that checklist period. Repeat this process throughout the trip until you return to within two miles of shore.

If you’re anchored: Keep a checklist for as long as you’re anchored, and then follow the above instructions once you start to move again.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Last updated February 2, 2024