Well, I managed to make just exactly 30 species and only 3974 birds for the MSI CBC. (Complete list at end.)
Missed the Robin on count day and suspected that it left the island when the temperatures dipped yesterday. However, there is a Robin presently feeding among the island structures. A new bird? Or the earlier individual surfacing with the milder temperatures?
I guess that's almost a CBC tradition: the bird that's seen both before and after the count day but hides out for that one frustrating day. I'm sure there's a few heads nodding right now.
One STARLING and a light phase ROUGH LEGGED HAWK arrived today.
I was glassing the flock of SNOW BUNTINGS feeding on the patio when the ROUGH LEGGED glided against the wind directly overhead and hovered only 30 metres away and right at eye level.
I was surprised that the Buntings barely acknowledged the hawk and the hawk, in turn, ignored the Buntings.
It was a nice light phase hawk and a species commonly seen on Grand Manan in the fall but it's a species which we rarely see here on MSI. I didn't see it leave and we've had driving snow and snow/rain ever since so it may hang around at least until tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Our SNOWY OWL wasn't apparent all day but I see him back at his favoured perch just a few minutes ago.
I watched what could have been feeding behaviour for several hours yesterday but, not wanting to flush the bird, I waited until it moved on its own. Checking the spot revealed a wing, a foot and other small remains of a Harlequin Duck, so it looks as if the owl is finding food and that's been my biggest concern.
As I mentioned, we are getting snowy-ish precipitation but everything is melting on contact so we still have bare ground. I'm expecting other arrivals because the island will be looking quite attractive to any passing escapees from the snow & ice covered adjacent mainlands.
MSI CBC December 25th, 2013.
2 BLACK DUCK;
46 COMMON EIDER;
62 HARLEQUIN DUCK;
28 SURF SCOTER;
4 WHITE WINGED SCOTER;
6 BLACK SCOTER;
22 LONG TAILED DUCK;
1 COMMON MERGANSER;
11 RED BREASTED MERGANSER;
3 COMMON LOON;
53 GREAT CORMORANT;
7 DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT;
1 BALD HEADED EAGLE;
112 PURPLE SANDPIPER;
306 BLACK LEDDED KITTIWAKE;
43 HERRING GULL;
4 ICELAND GULL;
21 GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL;
1 DOVEKIE;
4 COMMON MURRE;
3100 RAZORBILL;
1 SNOWY OWL;
1 RAVEN;
1 LAPLAND LONGSPUR;
110 SNOW BUNTING;
11 SONG SPARROW;
6 NORTHERN GANNET;
4 ATLANTIC PUFFIN;
1 PEREGRINE FALCON.
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