The GANNETS lost their ill-placed nest to wave action just a few days after construction. I don't know if there was an egg.
However, they have rebuild in a safer(?) location, well up among the rocks and only 10 or 15 yards from a visitor blind.
It's likely about as secure a location as they could find on the island but research and tourist activity is a potential problem.
The birds are very tolerant so perhaps they will cope okay.
The ALCID season is ticking along pretty much normally. The first RAZORBILL hatchling was discovered yesterday.
However, they have rebuild in a safer(?) location, well up among the rocks and only 10 or 15 yards from a visitor blind.
It's likely about as secure a location as they could find on the island but research and tourist activity is a potential problem.
The birds are very tolerant so perhaps they will cope okay.
The ALCID season is ticking along pretty much normally. The first RAZORBILL hatchling was discovered yesterday.
That's a bit early but someone always has to be first.
The TERNS are looking better with more nests and more eggs.
A BLACK TERN appeared yesterday and I believe there may have been 2 of them.
We get Black Terns annually and, just prior to the Tern colony collapse, there were a couple unsuccessful nestings each year.
They try to get onto ARCTIC TERN nests, even trying to acquire an Arctic mate. The Arctics are not amused.
The Black Terns that did nest laid apparently unfertilized eggs.
Most days have seen at least a couple LAUGHING GULLS doing fly-bys and yesterday there were 3 sitting along the shoreline.
Although it's been a few years ago, Laughing Gulls have nested here in small numbers.
Given their history elsewhere in the Gulf of Maine, they are not a species that I'd welcome.
A few migrants have still been showing up and some have been hanging around. Most obvious are the numerous BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS but there have been YELLOW RUMPED, BLACK & WHITE, BLACKPOLL & BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, COMMON YELLOW THROATS, female and sub-adult REDSTARTS and PARULAS as well.
In recent days there has been a BROWN THRASHER, a bright WHITE THROATED SPARROW, occasional BARN & TREE SWALLOWS.
Also, a few Flycatchers. I've recently seen EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, LEAST FLYCATCHER & several unidentified.
The TERNS are looking better with more nests and more eggs.
A BLACK TERN appeared yesterday and I believe there may have been 2 of them.
We get Black Terns annually and, just prior to the Tern colony collapse, there were a couple unsuccessful nestings each year.
They try to get onto ARCTIC TERN nests, even trying to acquire an Arctic mate. The Arctics are not amused.
The Black Terns that did nest laid apparently unfertilized eggs.
Most days have seen at least a couple LAUGHING GULLS doing fly-bys and yesterday there were 3 sitting along the shoreline.
Although it's been a few years ago, Laughing Gulls have nested here in small numbers.
Given their history elsewhere in the Gulf of Maine, they are not a species that I'd welcome.
A few migrants have still been showing up and some have been hanging around. Most obvious are the numerous BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS but there have been YELLOW RUMPED, BLACK & WHITE, BLACKPOLL & BLACK THROATED BLUE WARBLERS, COMMON YELLOW THROATS, female and sub-adult REDSTARTS and PARULAS as well.
In recent days there has been a BROWN THRASHER, a bright WHITE THROATED SPARROW, occasional BARN & TREE SWALLOWS.
Also, a few Flycatchers. I've recently seen EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, LEAST FLYCATCHER & several unidentified.
There's been a single CANADA GOOSE hanging about.
They tend to become nuisances and aren't well liked by Terns, either.
Yesterday also produced a BLACK BILLED CUCKOO.
The Terns were unimpressed with it and the Cuckoo certainly didn't like the Tern's attention.
Normally I could say with near complete certainty that only SAVANNAH SPARROW nested on MSI and any summer sparrow seen here was a Savannah. This year I've seen an occasional SONG SPARROW and hear them singing, so nesting is a possibility.
The Savannah Sparrows are abundant (as usual) and I see some carrying food.
Several SPOTTED SANDPIPERS are around the island, presumably nesting.
I don't have any actually estimate of numbers but my impression is that they are in the normal range with likely 10 to 15 nests.
The COMMON EIDERS are getting down to their nesting, although I still see a lot of Drakes around (they usually leave during incubation) and there are still pair-flights exploring for nest sites.
The vegetation is just getting to the point that there is reasonable cover for the nests.
The COMMON EIDERS are getting down to their nesting, although I still see a lot of Drakes around (they usually leave during incubation) and there are still pair-flights exploring for nest sites.
The vegetation is just getting to the point that there is reasonable cover for the nests.
Some areas where we regularly see nests were scowered by waves last winter, leaving little vegetation.
Raptors haven't been too active, although PEREGRINES do pop by for a snack from time to time. Likewise, EAGLES occasionally drop by for a bit of take-out.
I just updated the island bird species list. The ANCIENT MURRELET brought the confirmed number to 294 species, with several other probable but unconfirmed species
Raptors haven't been too active, although PEREGRINES do pop by for a snack from time to time. Likewise, EAGLES occasionally drop by for a bit of take-out.
I just updated the island bird species list. The ANCIENT MURRELET brought the confirmed number to 294 species, with several other probable but unconfirmed species
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine birds" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to maine-birds+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
0 comments:
Post a Comment