I returned to MSI yesterday, April 9th to find a nearly complete lack of migrants.
Thousands of Song Sparrows, Juncos and other early migrants arrived nearly two weeks ago but virtually all have departed. On my first excursion around the island I saw fewer than a dozen SONG SPARROWS; 3 SWAMP SPARROWS; 4 JUNCOS; 1 GRACKLE; 10 ROBINS; 1 STARLING; 1 RED WINGED BLACKBIRD and 1 CANADA GOOSE.
220 PURPLE SANDPIPERS and a pair of RAVENS also remain.
On the water, occasional flocks of COMMON EIDERS, KITTIWAKES, SCOTERS, LONG TAILED DUCKS, a few HARLEQUINS, COMMON MERGANSERS and ALCIDS.
GREATER BLACK BACKED GULLS and HERRING GULLS are hanging around in expected numbers, augmented by a handful of ICELANDERS. Several obvious pairs of Herring Gulls and at least 1 Blk. Backed pair have established nesting sites.
Today, April 10th, Starlings & Grackles have doubled to 2 of each; the Goose remains and has been feeding on the lawn several times; 1 SAVANNAH SPARROW and several more Song Sparrows have arrived. The winter population of HARLEQUINS still seems to be around, perhaps just feeding out of sight yesterday.
Late this afternoon the Alcids began rafting and this evening a few thousand came ashore.
RAZORBILLS dominate in numbers but a fair number of PUFFINS and COMMON MURRES also arrived.
If they settle in to stay, the numbers should increase with every mass landing over the next several evenings.
There was an early landing of just Razos and Murres over a week ago but they left after one day. That early landing and departure of Razorbills & Murres in March is becoming the expected behaviour.
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