The weekend produced an upswing in the number and variety of migrants. Perhaps the most prominent have been the Raptors.
SHARP SHINNED HAWKS & MERLINS ruled Sunday. Also saw a handful of PEREGRINES and a couple KESTRELS.
SHARP SHINNED HAWKS & MERLINS ruled Sunday. Also saw a handful of PEREGRINES and a couple KESTRELS.
Lots of great opportunities to see different techniques employed by prey birds to avoid being eaten.
It's always interesting to watch the way some birds will flatten and freeze, remaining thus long after the danger leaves. Others will barely pause in their feeding in spite of the predator in view.
I watched one WHITE THROATED SPARROW frozen, belly on the ground, while a Merlin sat a few yards away on a roof edge. The falcon departed and the 20 odd CHIPPING, SONG, WHITE THROATED & SAVANNAH SPARROWS quickly returned to feeding and squabbling .............. all but the one. He stayed immobile in the middle of the patio for a full 12 minutes after all the others, seemingly oblivious to the activity swirling around him.
The first HARRIER appeared Sunday evening, an exceptionally pale coloured female. She was grounded near the house and with that owl-like facial disk, I did a quick double take just to be sure it wasn't an owl.
The second Harrier was here by mid-morning today, making breakfast stressful for the huge troop of sparrows.
I decided to stop by the pond to see if the WOOD DUCK was still around. Well, it looks like he has continued on the Northward migration ............ in the stomach of a Harrier. I came upon the Harrier tossing back great chunks of duck amid a drift of feathers. Seems that Sir Drake was literally a "sitting duck" once too often.
The ALCIDS were settling down and had stayed on the island for several days in very good numbers. That changed yesterday when they all left, not just the island but the nearby waters. We see that happen occasionally during the early season, particularly in fair weather. I would blame the weather and the raptor movement this time but it's unusual for them to stay away at night this far into the breeding season.
This evening they are again coming ashore but in very low number. If this keeps up it could be a very late breeding season.
Today produced several unusual sightings.
First was a WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH spotted well out on the rockweed rocks. It may have been foraging but it headed out over the water towards Cutler, Maine right after it was noticed. A few Red Breasted are seen every year but White Breasted are quite infrequent visitors.
Second was a DOWNY WOODPECKER. Those that know the island will appreciate that even in one's wildest imagination it isn't woodpecker habitat. Nonetheless, woodpeckers do show up and some, like this little fellow, manage to forage quite successfully amid the driftwood and/or around the buildings and boardwalks.
FYI: DOWNY, HAIRY, RED BELLIED & THREE TOED WOODPECKERS, as well as FLICKERS & YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have been here with varying frequency. Only PILEATED & BLACK BACKED WOODPECKERS have not been reported here.
Third was a Merlin and a Sharpie perched within two feet of each other on an antenna without the slightest sign of aggression.
Fourth was a BROWN CREEPER that staked out the lighthouse as its personal feeding area and for a couple hours it violently chasing away all invaders, including Flickers. Now that's "punching above your weight".
It's always interesting to watch the way some birds will flatten and freeze, remaining thus long after the danger leaves. Others will barely pause in their feeding in spite of the predator in view.
I watched one WHITE THROATED SPARROW frozen, belly on the ground, while a Merlin sat a few yards away on a roof edge. The falcon departed and the 20 odd CHIPPING, SONG, WHITE THROATED & SAVANNAH SPARROWS quickly returned to feeding and squabbling .............. all but the one. He stayed immobile in the middle of the patio for a full 12 minutes after all the others, seemingly oblivious to the activity swirling around him.
The first HARRIER appeared Sunday evening, an exceptionally pale coloured female. She was grounded near the house and with that owl-like facial disk, I did a quick double take just to be sure it wasn't an owl.
The second Harrier was here by mid-morning today, making breakfast stressful for the huge troop of sparrows.
I decided to stop by the pond to see if the WOOD DUCK was still around. Well, it looks like he has continued on the Northward migration ............ in the stomach of a Harrier. I came upon the Harrier tossing back great chunks of duck amid a drift of feathers. Seems that Sir Drake was literally a "sitting duck" once too often.
The ALCIDS were settling down and had stayed on the island for several days in very good numbers. That changed yesterday when they all left, not just the island but the nearby waters. We see that happen occasionally during the early season, particularly in fair weather. I would blame the weather and the raptor movement this time but it's unusual for them to stay away at night this far into the breeding season.
This evening they are again coming ashore but in very low number. If this keeps up it could be a very late breeding season.
Today produced several unusual sightings.
First was a WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH spotted well out on the rockweed rocks. It may have been foraging but it headed out over the water towards Cutler, Maine right after it was noticed. A few Red Breasted are seen every year but White Breasted are quite infrequent visitors.
Second was a DOWNY WOODPECKER. Those that know the island will appreciate that even in one's wildest imagination it isn't woodpecker habitat. Nonetheless, woodpeckers do show up and some, like this little fellow, manage to forage quite successfully amid the driftwood and/or around the buildings and boardwalks.
FYI: DOWNY, HAIRY, RED BELLIED & THREE TOED WOODPECKERS, as well as FLICKERS & YELLOW BELLIED SAPSUCKERS have been here with varying frequency. Only PILEATED & BLACK BACKED WOODPECKERS have not been reported here.
Third was a Merlin and a Sharpie perched within two feet of each other on an antenna without the slightest sign of aggression.
Fourth was a BROWN CREEPER that staked out the lighthouse as its personal feeding area and for a couple hours it violently chasing away all invaders, including Flickers. Now that's "punching above your weight".
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