[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

We got lots of snow over the weekend albeit less than other folks.
Our change over to rain was relatively short lived and served only to settle the snow in-place, preventing the wind from sweeping it away as usual. The wet snow then froze with a semi-hard crust; that horrendous stuff that sometimes supports you, sometimes doesn't support you, in a completely unpredictable manner.
This stuff is extra bad because it's glazed with ice, topped with a dusting of light snow and slippery as hell when it holds your weight.
So that's the long way of saying that I haven't ventured very far since Friday.

Activity observed here on land has been, as always, very limited and in stark contrast to the other seasons.
It is kind of interesting, though, to know that you can find ,with good certainty, the total population of an area.

Currently there are less than a dozen SONG SPARROWS; 1 probable young CHIPPING SPARROW; 1 possible SWAMP SPARROW & 2 SNOW BUNTINGS.
PURPLE SANDPIPERS vary from 100 to 150.
HARLEQUIN DUCKS are currently about 40 to 50. That's a good number but not a record for these recent years.

Yesterday, December 17th, two and possibly three SNOWY OWLS moved through, the first seen since the two left on Thursday last.

I suspect that the weekend storm has forced a new round of wandering for many Snowy Owls, especially for those confronted with hard crust conditions.

 

Also yesterday, two EAGLES actively hunting off-shore and later perched here and on Gull Rock.

Winter gulls (HERRING,  GRT. BLK. BACKED & ICELAND), together with KITTIWAKES & RAZORBILLS are working the tide runs daily. They are randomly joined by LONG TAILED DUCKS, COMMON EIDERS, SCOTERS, RB MERGANSERS & GRAY SEALS. 

 

Now we are into a new snow storm, with forecasts of "a wintery mix" into next week. Fingers crossed for decent weather for a CBC on the 25th.

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