We faired well from Dorian, being as we were on the western, or rainy side of the storm, rather than the eastern, windy side.
We saw a few hours of heavy rain but the wind barely reached 40 knots.
We saw a few hours of heavy rain but the wind barely reached 40 knots.
As a result, very few storm-carried birds materialized in this area, unlike parts of Nova Scotia and NFLD.
The only birds that showed here that I can say were storm-carried from the south were probable CAVE SWALLOWS on Tuesday, September 10th, travelling with some BARN SWALLOWS (couldn't quite rule out the similar species). On Thursday I confirmed 2 Cave Swallows and 7 Barn Swallows.
The only birds that showed here that I can say were storm-carried from the south were probable CAVE SWALLOWS on Tuesday, September 10th, travelling with some BARN SWALLOWS (couldn't quite rule out the similar species). On Thursday I confirmed 2 Cave Swallows and 7 Barn Swallows.
On Friday, September 13th, I had 1 confirmed and 2 probable Cave Swallows and 4 Barn Swallows. (2 or 3 Barn Swallows showed up just now, late Saturday.)
Also, on Sunday, September 8th, behind the storm, I glimpsed a very large tern that could have been a ROYAL TERN but the sighting was so fleeting that it's only conjecture.
As the first feelers of the storm touched us late on Friday, September 6th, an ARCTIC TERN settled in to roost on our helicopter pad. In spite of being disturbed several times, it stayed into Saturday morning when horizontal rain across that exposed location pushed it to find a more secure perch. Its behavior leads me to think that it was one of our own Terns which didn't migrate with the others, rather than a bird brought northward by the weather.
A WHIMBREL also arrived as the storm was ramping up. After several low circles, including a pass just yards from me, it disappeared but I had the feeling that it continued its journey, rather than landing on the island.
At the height of the wind and rain I was surprised to see a MERLIN actively hunting. Youth? Inexperience? Desperation? Or an individual that found an unorthodox method? We can only speculate, but, whatever the reason, it's hard to imagine having your eyeballs hit by big water drops at well over 100 mph, much less skimming the ground and avoiding obstacles under those conditions.
Post-Dorian, we have had a steady trickle of migrants, primarily yellowish olive drab species with a liberal sprinkling of greenish, brownish and greyish drab Guess-Me Birds.
They are taking full advantage of the abundance of insects amid the carpet of PURPLE ASTER which is in full bloom. Most of the birds only emerge from the thick cover very briefly so keeping track of an individual long enough to make an identification is challenging.
Also, on Sunday, September 8th, behind the storm, I glimpsed a very large tern that could have been a ROYAL TERN but the sighting was so fleeting that it's only conjecture.
As the first feelers of the storm touched us late on Friday, September 6th, an ARCTIC TERN settled in to roost on our helicopter pad. In spite of being disturbed several times, it stayed into Saturday morning when horizontal rain across that exposed location pushed it to find a more secure perch. Its behavior leads me to think that it was one of our own Terns which didn't migrate with the others, rather than a bird brought northward by the weather.
A WHIMBREL also arrived as the storm was ramping up. After several low circles, including a pass just yards from me, it disappeared but I had the feeling that it continued its journey, rather than landing on the island.
At the height of the wind and rain I was surprised to see a MERLIN actively hunting. Youth? Inexperience? Desperation? Or an individual that found an unorthodox method? We can only speculate, but, whatever the reason, it's hard to imagine having your eyeballs hit by big water drops at well over 100 mph, much less skimming the ground and avoiding obstacles under those conditions.
Post-Dorian, we have had a steady trickle of migrants, primarily yellowish olive drab species with a liberal sprinkling of greenish, brownish and greyish drab Guess-Me Birds.
They are taking full advantage of the abundance of insects amid the carpet of PURPLE ASTER which is in full bloom. Most of the birds only emerge from the thick cover very briefly so keeping track of an individual long enough to make an identification is challenging.
Yesterday, Friday the 13th, I decided to spend a bit of Standing-Still Time out in some of the most viewable Aster concentrations and IDed YELLOW, MAGNOLIA, CAPE MAY, BLACK THROATED GREEN, BLACK THROATED BLUE, YELLOW RUMPED, PINE, BAY BREASTED, BLACK & WHITE and HOODED WARBLERS, along with NORTHERN PARULAS, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.
(Note: Just discovered what appears to be a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER that somehow managed to get inside our fuel storage building. No windows or open doors so I can only assume that it squirmed through some tiny opening in pursuit of an insect.
Nevertheless, I'll try to capture and extradite it after dark. Fortunately, the current cloud cover will help to mask the full moon. With 8 large skylights in the roof, a clear full moon would make it too light inside the building to facilitate a capture.)
After only a couple of earlier, pre-storm FLICKERS, Thursday and Friday produced a couple dozen. Hard to get a better count because of occasional KESTRELS, MERLINS and a couple HARRIERS that kept the prey birds close to cover most of the time.
Those pesky raptors seem to be moving through fairly quickly with only 1 or 2 here at any moment but almost always at least one somewhere on the island.
Most notable on Friday was the (finally) influx of RUBY THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS. Initially I thought that there were only a few scattered around the island but with evening approaching I was seeing dozens, many of them feeding in the "understory" of lower-growing Asters and spending a lot of time just sitting between hectic territorial (?) chases with other Hummers.
Butterflies have also picked up since the storm, although it's still mostly MONARCHS.
So, while trying to shoot the unpredictable Hummers, I took advantage of a few co-operative butterflies.
One of the 3 ANGLEWINGS that I saw decided to settle and feed about 6 feet in front of me with the light just beginning to turn good. Other than swatting MOSQUITOES, my attention was completely on that Flutterby. Soon, as will happen, I was snapped back to the wider scene. There was a Hummer no more than 6 inches from my eye, hovering, as if to say, "Pay attention to me."
Of course I know that I was never in any danger but it's just a bit disconcerting to suddenly realize that there's a flying needle pointed right at your eyeball.
Having planned on being out for less time as well as staying in more open areas, I neglected to apply any insect repellant. Consequently, I ended up calling it quit when the Mosquitoes seemed to be joying themselves more than I was.
As a side note: I've made reference to island insects from time to time but mosquitoes are now a bane.
What ever the reason; weather, temperature or something else, mosquitoes are now very, very heavy on MSI. That wouldn't be especially notable except that for the first 18 or 19 years out here I never saw or heard tell of a mosquito on the island!! They simple didn't exist.
There have been a few bird species adding variety recently but represented by just one, two or three individuals: 3 young CEDAR WAXWINGS still hanging around after 6 days; 2 separate DICKCISSELS, first a female and then a dull male a few days later; a single drab BOBOLINK; 2 widely separated EASTERN PHOEBES; a single RED WINGED BLACKBIRD; a scattered WOOD PEWEE; random flycatchers.
SAVANNAH SPARROWS are still the birds in greatest quantity, although I have the impression that some may have departed. However, I saw some newly minted Savannahs this week, apparently representing at least two different families. I assume that they are at least second broods and quite possibly even third broods.
Our patio Savannahs were joined briefly on Thursday and again on Friday by a pale BALTIMORE ORIOLE. It seemed to be on a strictly carnivorous diet and completely ignored both grape jelly and oranges.
The patio crew has also been hosting LARK SPARROWS since pre-Dorian.
I confirmed 4 individuals, including one bright rufus adult. For the past several days it seems that there are only two sub-adults. They started out quite belligerent towards each other but quickly reverted to their typical habit of hanging together without conflict. (Except when one found an huge grub and declined to share.)
Gulls continue roosting on the island with numbers reaching several thousand. I haven't attempted anything more that a loose estimate but they sure make a mighty cloud when our semi-resident EAGLE decides to check the neighbourhood.
Other aquatic birds are unimpressive, although DC CORMORANTS are beginning to pass in small, apparently migrating flocks. A few DCs are hanging around for a bit of feeding, as are perhaps 2 dozen COMMON EIDERS.
No HARLEQUINS or PURPLE SANDPIPERS yet but likely pretty soon.
One of the 3 ANGLEWINGS that I saw decided to settle and feed about 6 feet in front of me with the light just beginning to turn good. Other than swatting MOSQUITOES, my attention was completely on that Flutterby. Soon, as will happen, I was snapped back to the wider scene. There was a Hummer no more than 6 inches from my eye, hovering, as if to say, "Pay attention to me."
Of course I know that I was never in any danger but it's just a bit disconcerting to suddenly realize that there's a flying needle pointed right at your eyeball.
Having planned on being out for less time as well as staying in more open areas, I neglected to apply any insect repellant. Consequently, I ended up calling it quit when the Mosquitoes seemed to be joying themselves more than I was.
As a side note: I've made reference to island insects from time to time but mosquitoes are now a bane.
What ever the reason; weather, temperature or something else, mosquitoes are now very, very heavy on MSI. That wouldn't be especially notable except that for the first 18 or 19 years out here I never saw or heard tell of a mosquito on the island!! They simple didn't exist.
There have been a few bird species adding variety recently but represented by just one, two or three individuals: 3 young CEDAR WAXWINGS still hanging around after 6 days; 2 separate DICKCISSELS, first a female and then a dull male a few days later; a single drab BOBOLINK; 2 widely separated EASTERN PHOEBES; a single RED WINGED BLACKBIRD; a scattered WOOD PEWEE; random flycatchers.
SAVANNAH SPARROWS are still the birds in greatest quantity, although I have the impression that some may have departed. However, I saw some newly minted Savannahs this week, apparently representing at least two different families. I assume that they are at least second broods and quite possibly even third broods.
Our patio Savannahs were joined briefly on Thursday and again on Friday by a pale BALTIMORE ORIOLE. It seemed to be on a strictly carnivorous diet and completely ignored both grape jelly and oranges.
The patio crew has also been hosting LARK SPARROWS since pre-Dorian.
I confirmed 4 individuals, including one bright rufus adult. For the past several days it seems that there are only two sub-adults. They started out quite belligerent towards each other but quickly reverted to their typical habit of hanging together without conflict. (Except when one found an huge grub and declined to share.)
Gulls continue roosting on the island with numbers reaching several thousand. I haven't attempted anything more that a loose estimate but they sure make a mighty cloud when our semi-resident EAGLE decides to check the neighbourhood.
Other aquatic birds are unimpressive, although DC CORMORANTS are beginning to pass in small, apparently migrating flocks. A few DCs are hanging around for a bit of feeding, as are perhaps 2 dozen COMMON EIDERS.
No HARLEQUINS or PURPLE SANDPIPERS yet but likely pretty soon.
Shorebirds still have representation with a handful of migrant SEMIPALMATED & LEAST SANDPIPERS and a couple (possibly resident) SPOTTED SANDPIPERS. Other shorebirds certainly are moving through, largely unnoticed, like the Whimbrel that just over-flew the lawn and disappeared somewhere over the southern end of the island. Landed? Kept moving? impossible to tell.
Back at the Asters: MONARCH BUTTERFLIES were steady and in good number all week.
Last evening I watched as first one and then others began looking for night-roosts around the buildings. By sunset I had marked several locations and I checked around after full dark.
I found 23 Monarchs perched on the sides of buildings with 17 of those on 2 sides of our house.
We've all seen images of the millions of Monarchs in their winter aggregations and some have visited those sites. We're told that those gatherings used to be much, much greater and that they continue to shrink.
I have absolutely no doubt about our immense loss. That pitiful handful of Monarchs clinging to buildings last night reminded me about the numbers that we could experience up here just a few decades ago.
I recall in the 1970s, on Partridge Island, when conditions were right, there were warm, near-calm days when the air was literally filled with tens of thousands of migrating Monarchs and I remember seeing a 30 foot willow tree with branches draped and bowed with night-clustering butterflies. Not Mexico perhaps, but a damn good facsimile.
LEACH'S STORM PETRELS are reaching the fledging stage and possibly some have already departed.
I checked two chicks on Thursday and found one with only a few wisps of down while the other was about 95% feathered.
The PUFFINS are effectively gone. I've seen just enough to make me think that no more than 3 active nests remain.
I haven't see a Puffling around the house for almost 2 weeks.
All in all, the Puffins and the other Alcids seem to have had a decent year.
Eiders and Spotted Sandpipers also did okay and Savannah Sparrows would seem to be at or above average.
Combined with the Tern's good summer, I'd say that MSI is closing a fairly successful breeding season.
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