[Maine-birds] MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND REPORT

Numerous flights of BLACK SCOTERS passed this afternoon, as well as a few hundred COMMON EIDERS.
 
I spent nearly an hour yesterday convincing 3 CANADA GEESE that they really would be happier elsewhere.
I had to repeat the exercise with a single Canada Goose today.
As many people have found to their sorrow, when geese move in they aren't very nice neighbours.
Out here they can cause more problems than their daily kilogram of excrement.

Migrants haven't changed much; more BROWN HEADED COWBIRDS, few ROBINS, about the same number of SPARROWS and FLICKERS. Perhaps the only new species was a nice male HARRIER hunting the island last afternoon.

RAZORBILLS & MURRES continue to raft up late in the day and they again staged a recon flight late today.

HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue in about the same numbers, with a sprinkling of RED BREASTED MERGANSERS.
A bit more offshore there have been an increase in COMMON LOONS feeding and both they and RED THROATED LOONS are seen passing the island daily.

As I mentioned a while back, PURPLE SANDPIPERS have been down this year, well below even a normal low year.
I could only find 5 on the entire island today. That's been the story most all winter, in spite of a promising start this winter.

 

Post Script:

 

The RAZORBILLS & COMMON MURRES began landing at 6:20 this evening.
An estimated 1500-2000 individuals set down in the main colony area.
No birds landed in the satellite colony at the North East of the island nor in the satellite colony adjacent to the boat landing. Tonight, for the first time, there are small Razorbill rafts near each of those locations; 100 birds at the former and 50 at the latter.
Typical of recent years, this early landing contains no PUFFINS. I expect them to arrive with the vanguard of Alcids sometime in the next 1 to 3 weeks. 

 

Gulls are taking up strategic positions around the island in anticipation of casualities.

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