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On Dec 1, 2022, at 10:54 PM, RALPH ELDRIDGE <lightrae1@gmail.com> wrote:
We have enjoyed upwards of a month of mainly mild, albeit windy, weather.
It seems to have encouraged a few birds to linger in their southward travel but now most of the expected late migrants have filtered through, with SONG SPARROWS & JUNCOS being most persistent throughout. They still count for 1/3 or more of the small birds that I'm seeing.
3 or 4 FOX SPARROWS have passed through since Saturday, as well as a couple CHIPPING SPARROWS.
GRACKLES hit here a couple weeks ago, soon joined by a few RED WINGED BLACKBIRDS and COWBIRDS, perhaps a combined strength of 50 birds. They are now mostly gone, with just a handful of stragglers left.
A few ROBINS are around but it's impossible to say if they are ever-changing migrants of a few that decided to stop for a spell. I'm thinking they are pausing birds, enjoying easy feeding with our frost-free ground still yielding lots of worms.
A small flock of GOLDFINCHES has settled in at our patio, with at least a couple foraging there at any particular moment and the whole group congregating several times a day.
SNOW BUNTINGS are here most of the time but never more than a couple at any moment.
Shorebirds are scarce. There are probably no more than a dozen or two PURPLE SANDPIPERS around the island and maybe that many more hanging out on GULL ROCK. That's about what I'd call low to low-normal winter population.
I did encounter a couple TIMBER DOODLES on Tuesday. It's a bit late for them but, like with the Robins, our soft, damp ground, teeming with worms, is likely quite attractive for a late-season stop-over.
Flushed one from under a boardwalk today.
We really don't think of WOODCOCK as shorebirds and only a few migrate through here. But one of those birds on Tuesday flushed from a boulder jumble, at the shoreline, right in the splash-zone, at highwater. Quite a departure from typical habitat.
It might have been simply resting, sheltered betwixt the rocks or maybe had a taste for the mirid of spiders that live there.
RAPTORS have been represented by EAGLES & PEREGRINES.
The Eagles seem to be a couple of mature adults and perhaps 3 different sub-adults.
I expect at least one sighting per day and occasional mass-flushing of Gulls suggest there's an Eagle around but not visible (to me).
Usually, they appear individually, but occasionally there will be a couple around, such as when two adults chased each other for a couple circuits of the island, yesterday.
Peregrines are sighted most days and I've come to believe that most all sightings are the same bird.
I'm thinking immature female, based on colour & size, and possibly she's resident on Grand Manan, based on its direction of travel when seen arriving and departing.
The dearth of Purple Sandpipers might be attributed to the presence of this falcon, since they are a known prey for coastal, winter Peregrines.
However, the unique thing about this Peregrine is its prey selection.
I never saw it show any interest in the Grackles or Blackbirds, where most raptors would.
In the past 8-10 days, though, I have seen it on 4 Gulls. One was a HERRING GULL; one was a 1st year GLAUCOUS GULL & two were immature GREAT BLACK BACKED GULLS.
I know for certain that she killed one Black Back on the ground, but I don't know if she brought it down.
The Glaucous Gull was also a fresh, bloody kill when I accidently flushed her off of it.
In spite of her size, speed and strength, I can't imagine her regularly taking down gulls bigger than herself.
I am wondering: is this individual becoming adept at scavenging and killing big prey that is weak or injured?
We also have a couple semi-raptors: RAVENS, which show up occasionally. In years past they would have been constant, all-day visitors. More recently, when the seabird colony is inactive, they survey the island, check out things of interest and leave.
Gulls are variable, as is typical in winter. Larger flocks generally form here, on MSI, when adverse weather, especially heavy seas, drive them from their usual roosting sites.
KITTIWAKES are increasing. They are common in winter and numbers cycle according to weather and (presumably) food.
GLAUCOUS GULLS are also getting up towards their expected winter level.
ICELAND GULLS, especially sub-adults, are around but a bit below expected number.
HERRING & GREAT BLACK BACKED GULLS appear to be seasonally normal.
Other aquatic birds are also seasonally normal.
Only rarely do ALCIDS stop near the island. Mainly they are RAZORBILLS ... 2, 3, maybe a half dozen. PUFFINS are very rare and usually just singletons, either alone or with Razorbills.
Small flocks, identified or presumed to be, mainly Razorbills, are often spotted travelling both up and down the bay.
So far, I haven't seen a day-long stream going north or south, as sometimes happens. I assume those streams are between feeding locations. Under ideal conditions, in years past, I have counted upwards of 22,000 Alcids in a single day.
It's hard to tell if the lack of large sightings is because of the feeding pattern or simply because of weather and viewing conditions.
DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS are occasional, with GREAT CORMORANTS far more frequent, but neither species are numerous here in winter except for flocks flying past the island.
We don't seem to have attractive foraging opportunities. There is some feeding, but the few "local" cormorants seem to spend most time roosting.
An occasional GANNET has been putting in an appearance, often when the wind is strong. Yesterday and today I saw several individuals soaring close above the swells. They make remarkable speed almost straight into the gale-force wind. Most are adults.
There are only a handful of COMMON EIDERS, most of the time, and RED BREASTED MERGANSERS seldom top a half dozen.
HARLEQUIN DUCKS are ranging upwards to around 50, with 30 to 35 about average. That number is in line with winter populations during the past few winters.
As with past years, I frequently see a single RB Merganser associating with the Harlequins. It's hard to believe it's the same bird for 5 or 6 years but there is never more than one and its behavior is constant.
There are still a few GREY SEALS hanging around, but most have left, presumably moved down the coast to New England where many birth their pups in middle/late winter.
So, November is past, and Wednesday dawned quite blustery after a night of storm-force wind and sheets of rain
Gulls scaled across the surf line on the windward shore, foraging for any tidbit churned up by the seas. They are mainly Herring Gulls, but I've identified a couple Glaucous and three Icelands. Offshore, presumed Kittiwakes have been widespread and numerous as they forage over the rough sea.
Our patio is still getting lots of wind (45-50 kpm) so traffic has been light since the storm.
Grackles, Blackbirds, Juncos & Song Sparrows popped in throughout Wednesday and left almost immediately. Just one Goldfinch has stayed anchored and continued to feed.
Today they have been more evident with the wind from a slightly different angle.
Strong winds are forecast for the next few days and, with no trees or shrubs on the island, the small birds will mainly stay tucked under our boardwalks, among the boulders, in tall vegetation and wherever else they can shelter.
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