[Maine-birds] Re: MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

Please enlighten us as to the scent of a Storm Petrel.  Thanks, Steve Barnes, Port Clyde

On Monday, April 27, 2020 at 3:57:44 PM UTC-4, RALPH ELDRIDGE wrote:

Today, Monday the 27th, we have winds to over 45 knots (85KmH), periods of rain and just generally unpleasant weather, although I suspect we are better off than many folk, except perhaps for the wind. Not surprising, a lot of smaller birds are hunkered down in heavy cover. Even the bigger species like Puffins and gulls are challenged. Nonetheless, they are going about their business and some, like gulls, utilize the wind to forage for anything kicked up by turbulent on-shore surf.
Alcids continue to arrive and depart although some landings are a bit rough.

It went from a slow trickle to a big bump in migrants over the weekend.
The majority of SONG SPARROWS and JUNCOS seem to have moved on, replaced by a full compliment of SAVANNAH SPARROWS, included the annual pass-through of numerous Ipswich-type Savannahs.
3 or 4 CHIPPING SPARROWS are frequenting the patio and a couple SWAMP SPARROWS have been sulking nearby.
WHITE THROATED SPARROWS had been arriving in modest number for some time but Saturday night produced a big jump and they are evident everywhere.
Along with the White Throats we received a lot of thrushes.
Leading into the weekend I was seeing only an occasional HERMIT THRUSH and 1 VEERY. Sunday morning saw Hermits in their dozens, multiple Veerys and I've saw other thrushes but haven't taken the time to make positive IDs.

I noticed my first YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER Sunday morning. (Couldn't miss it as it came within a foot of my face, catching insects against a window while I was looking from the opposite side of the glass.)

ROBINS are scattered around and there's always a few FLICKERS to be seen. I never know how many of those ground woodpeckers are just quickly moving through but some definitely hang out for days to feed.

We have had at least 4 BROWN THRASHERS this spring and one decided to stay longer than the others.
It seemed no different from the others: actively feeding and bullying SONG SPARROWS. But after about 2 days something looked "off". Eventually I noticed that it appeared to have a slight hump on its back which hadn't been there before: just a bit and easily passed off as ruffled feathers in our incessant wind.
By the 3th day the hump was quite definite but the Thrasher's movements and behavior seemed normal.
On the 4th day I spotted the bird sleeping in the middle of the day which is unusual. It returned to feeding with no obvious distress.
By day five it would dip its beak nearly to the ground, it looked to be taking naps and its back was very hunched.
On the 6th day it was having trouble raising its head and would fall over so I confined it with food and water but little hope for its survival.
Within a few hours it was packaged in my freezer, destined for the museum collection.
I've had this scenario play out other times, with various species.
That's never the end that you want but it does raise the question of how many of the migrants that we see stopping over longer than most, especially the un-wary ones, are actually in distress of some sort and not just tired and hungry. Maybe those super opportunities are the ones we should avoid.

The Alcids did a runner from Wednesday through until Saturday night.
Everybody disappeared …….. completely ……. not just on the island but gone from surrounding waters.
Saturday mid-day saw small rafts of birds began to appear and a few tentative fly-overs which made me think that they would come right ashore. They didn't, however. They waited until nearly dark.
Totally vacating like this seems really odd but it happens most years, generally just once, and it's certain enough that I expect it in the first 1-3 weeks after the colony is first occupied.
There was some predator pressure in the lead-up to the departure this year but I doubt if that played any real part. The colony has emptied on other occasions when there was virtually no predator activity.

Raptors, other than Eagles, have been sparse so far this year. It looked like a little upswing was starting last week with several PEREGRINE FALCON sightings but that proved to be just one bird that was hanging about on Gull Rock and making feeding forays over here. Puffin take-away.

There were KESTRELS on Thursday and Friday but I couldn't convince myself that there were over a half dozen.
They were very active although the high winds made hunting very difficult.
One resourceful female repeatedly hopped along the boardwalks, peeping between the planks and herding hidden sparrows until she sensed an opportunity. Then, when the walkway structure allowed, she would dash under one side of the walkway and out the other side, panicking the potential prey into flushing. She missed most times but feathers on the ground attested that the technique was successful enough.
Another Kestrel, a bright male, spent a lot of time hunkered down out of the wind along the sheltered side of our patio. It left to forage occasionally but the sparrows became accustomed to its presence. Interesting to watch a couple dozen fresh meals hopping around the patio, absorbed in gleaning millet and squabbling among themselves while the Kestrel perched as little as 1 metre away.

With the true raptors relatively few, "our" RAVENS are continuing to do yeoman's duty, actively attacking throughout the colony; assaulting, wounding and killing PUFFINS, in particular, whenever one can be caught too far from a bolt-hole.
The actual number of causalities is probably not too high because the Ravens aren't as efficient as the raptors. The Ravens use their powerful beaks to inflict multiple wounds while keeping the weakening victim from escaping. It's usually a drawn out process. Small wonder that everyone looks to safety whenever a Raven appears, even if it's just doing a fly-by.     

A couple of BALD EAGLES are frequenting the colony. An apparent 4th year bird and a second year bird have both been seen taking Alcids. They do make aerial attacks, both on land and over the water but most times, the Eagles will sit on the low rocks, mere feet (even inches) from their cowering prey and pounce on any prey that losses its nerve and tries to make a break for it. They seem to be targeting MURRES, in particular, likely because their communal nest sites tend to be more accessible and may contain dozens of birds closely bunched together. Someone will always panic, eventually. It's just a high-stakes waiting game.
The Eagles may cruise around during the day but early and late day are definitely their preferred hunt times and that's when we see them the most.
It's interesting to watch the Alcid's reaction to the Eagle's presence. As with the Ravens and other large predators, they dive for cover when the Eagles are flying overhead but, unlike with Ravens, they pretty much just stand and watch the show as an Eagle chases, captures, subdues and consumes one of their cousins.
I guess it's a case of knowing your enemy: "I'm safe while someone else is being eaten but I'll keep watch, just to be safe."

Other seabirds appear about normal with a good number of COMMON EIDERS, frequently paired, but not yet prospecting nest sites.
HARLEQUINS are still numerous but well below their seasonal peak. It's hard to get a count because they tend to mix on the water with both Eiders and with Alcids.
LOONS & CORMORANTS are spotty but a few are seen daily, mainly in transit.

I'm still seeing flocks of 20 to 100 PURPLE SANDPIPERS off and on. Persistant high winds and rough seas keep them from feeding or lounging in any one spot for long.

Gulls are more prevalent now and some (mainly HERRING with occasional GREAT BLACK BACKED) haunt the seabird colony in hopes of a meal. No signs of nesting so far.

I was thinking yesterday that anyone who has spent much time in the field likely has some special event(s), species et cetera that particularly stands out. The scent of a STORM PETREL is almost addictive and rarely forgotten. A night of FIREFLIES. Well, you get the point.
I would add to that list with 2nd year GLAUCOUS GULLS. We get a handful here every winter: 2-3 youngsters along with a couple adults.
ICELAND GULLS can be shiny white and IVORY GULLS can be show stoppers but Glaucous Gulls glow. They aren't simply white. They positively G-L-O-W an exceptional silver white.
Of course lighting figures into it and they are at their best on duller days. Nonetheless, they demand your attention even a 1/4 or 1/2 mile away. Note it once and you'll not easily mistake it.   

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