[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

I arrived back on MSI mid-afternoon yesterday, having been absent since early last fall.

Less snow than on the mainland but still more than we usually have on the ground. The continuous recent winds built a few drifts but lawns are pretty much bare. The taller vegetation has captured a bit more snow cover with depth proportional to vegetation height.
Temperatures are reasonable. -4 C yesterday and -1C at the moment. The 20 knot wind makes a Wind Chill of about -7C.

I haven't had a chance to really look around much but not big differences are obvious other that the number of passerines.

As I've reported other years, the only over-wintering specie as been the Song Sparrow and their number has been consistently less than a dozen; 1/4 to 1/2 dozen is typical and few or none of those survive until spring.
This morning I counted 4 SONG SPARROWS, 2 WHITE THROATED SPARROWS & 1 JUNCO. This number and variety so late in the season makes me think that this could be the highest survival number for passerines since I arrived here in '96, as well as more species.

Gulls look typical for the season and weather and although I've seen HARLIQUINS I don't have an idea of population yet. Likewise with PURPLE SANDPIPERS.

One EAGLE did a fly-by this morning, apparently headed further off-shore for a bit of hunting.

The ubiquitous pair of winter-resident RAVENS are also present.

3 or 4 adult GREY SEALS are hauled out on Gull Rock. Hard to tell if they have stayed around here all winter or if they are first arrivals in the spring migration.
I assume that the pupping has more or less finished in New England and the pups are now on their own so adults could be returnees.    

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