CONTINENTAL SURVEY The Autumn Migration August 1 November 30, 1980 Abbrevialions frequenll}' used in Regional Reporls ad.: adult, Am.: American, c.: central, C: Celsius, CBC: Refuge, Res.: Reservoir, not Reservation, R.: River, S.P.: Christmas Bird Count, Cr.: Creek, Corn: Common, Co.: StatePark, sp.: species,spp.: species plural, ssp.:subspecies, County, Cos.: Counties, et ai.: and others, E.: Eastern (bird Twp.: Township, W.: Western (bird name), W.M.A.: Wildlife name),Eur.: European,Eurasian, F: Fahrenheit,fide:report- Management Area, v.o.: various observers, N,S,W,E,: direc- ed by, F.&W.S.: Fish& Wildlife Service,Ft.: Fort, imm.: im- tion of motion, n., s., w., e.,: direction of location, >: more mature, I.: Island, Is.: Islands, Isles, Jct.: Junction, juv.: than, <: fewer than, +: approximately,or estimatednumber, juvenile, L.: Lake, m.ob.: many observers, Mr.: Mountain, •': male, 9: female, •5: imm. or female, *: specimen,ph.: Mts.: Mountains, N.F.: National Forest, N.M.: National photographed, t: documented, ft: feet, mi: miles, m: meters, Monument, N.P.: National Park, N.W.R.: Nat'l Wildlife km: kilometers, date with a + (e.g., Mar. 4+}: recorded Refuge, N.: Northern (bird name}, Par.: Parish, Pen.: Penin- beyond that date. Editors may also abbreviate often-cited sula, P.P.: Provincial Park, Pt.: Point, not Port, Ref.: locations or organizations. NORTHEASTERN MARITIME Reporting coveragewas generallyexcellent summerCory's Shearwaterwas found well n. REGION although centralized records from Connec- of its usual limits; 40-50 were noted off ticut and New Brunswick were entirely ab- George's Banks (RGBB}; in the Gulf of / Peter D. Vickery sent. It should be noted that a number of Maine, 25 were seen s.e. of Mr. Desert I., June-July records from Nova Scotia-- Aug. 5 and a maximtim of 12 was observed The weather this fall was generallywarm unavailable earlier--are included in this from the "Bluenose" Aug. 10 (NF, DWF, and dry in Augustand the first three weeksof report. September. It then turned colder with above PDV et al.). Exceptional Cory's Shearwaters average precipitation in October. Continual includedan individualclosely scrutinized off northwestwinds in late Septemberand early LOONS, GREBES--Loon migration in MachiasSeal I., N.B., Aug. 9 (NF etal.), one October forced birds out off the coast--most the Region never, apparently, achieves the of few provincial records, and perhapsmore proportions on the W Coast; 100+ Corn. startling wre 18 Cory's carefully identified in of thesemigrants continued south unimpeded by poor weather. Veit's comments concern- Loons at Hemcon's Head, N.S., Sept. 2 and Cabot Strait on the N. Sydney, N.S.-Port- 60+ off Seal I., N.S., Oct. 25 (BMacT) were ing migrants on Nantucket Island hold true aux-Basques,Nfld. ferry Aug. 9 (SIT). Again for the entirecoast of New Englandand the notable counts. Unique this seasonwas a warm surface temperatures seemedrelated to Maritimes. "Two basic conditions are neces- thoroughlydescribed Arctic Loon at Kittery this N shift. Considering the above, it does Pt., Me., Oct. 11 (DJA etal.), providingthe not come as a complete surprise that another sary for the arrival of drifted migrantsto fourth documentedstate record. Interesting- warm water tubenose, Audubon's Shearwa- Nantucket: 1) predominant airflow from the west or northwest acwss much of the North ly, two of the previous three Maine records ter was well observedand carefully identified occurredat preciselythe same locality. The from the "Bluenose" approximately 1 + hrs Americancontinent and 2) a meteorological possibilityof the same individual wintering, out of Yarmouth, N.S., Aug. 27 (BC et al.}. barriersuch as rain, fog, or a low ceilingof or lingeringin that area through the fall can- The description reasonably eliminates the heavy cloud cover...preventingmigrants not be ignored. A breeding-plumaged Red- possibility of the closely related Little Shear- from continuing any further." necked Grebe off Cow In New Brunswick, Kent Island banders Head, N.S., July 14 consideredthe warbler migrationto be 7-10 was obviously out of days later than in 1979, the first sizablewave season(fide CRKA). this year occurringAugust 17. But MacTav- ish felt the Octobermigration on SealIsland, Nova Scotia, to be earlier than usual TUBENOSES-- "...migration was quick, early and all at Northern Fulmar once.Seal Islandwas continually being kept never appeared in the aliveby waveafter waveof freshmigrants." numbers observed Manomet Bird Observatory (hereafter, during the previous2 M.B.O.} experiencedits busiestfall banding summers. Moderate since 1971, recordingdata on 10,433 birds, fulmar counts with a whichwas 44% abovethe previous8-year av- maximum of 100+ erage. By contrast,Kent Island registereda off Lobster Bay, N.S., 30% decline in birds per net hour as com- June 4 (fide RGBB) pared to 1979. Kent Island banders noted indicated a scattered "conspicuous declines" in Yellow-bellied presence. A high Flycatcher and Least Flycatcher numbers count of only 29 ful- whereasManomet registereda 110% increase mar from the "Blue- over 1979 in Empidonax flycatchers.Need it nose" Oct. 3 was low be emphasizedfurther, generalitiesabout the compared to the pre- fall migrationcan sharea certainkinship to vious 2 years (PDV et walking out on increasinglythinner and thin- al.). Conversely, for ner ice. the second consecutive Volume35, Number2 157 water (P. assimilis), for which there are sive Nauset Beach marshes in Eastham, "Bluenose" sight recordsJuly 1971 (seeAB Mass., and was rewarded with one of those 25:5:830). This summcr's "Bluenose" Audu- elusive fall migrants, a Yellow Rail. A Black bon's Shearwaterprovided only a second Rail, localityunstated, was apparently shot in record from the Gulf of Maine, the first from Connecticut this fall (fide NSP). A road- the "Bluenose" and, apparently, furnished killed imm. Purple Gailinule was found in only a third Canadian record. Equally inter- Beverly, Mass., Sept. 4 and a secondindivid- estingwas another Nova Scotiareport, this of ual frequented Great Meadows N.W.R., in a Manx Shearwater believed to have bccn of Concord, Mass., Sept. 7-13 (fide RAF). Two the c. Mediterraneansubspecies P.p. yeikou- Am. Coot were rare near Doyles, Nfld., Oct. an noted on the n.c. cdgcof George'sBank 4-20 (SIT). June 25 (RGBB). Forty Manx Shearwaters were observed at Stellwagcn Bank, Mass., SHOREBIRDS--Six New England Am. Sept. 13 (fide RPE). Avocets were above average.Four occurred in Massachusetts;a pair at Plum I., and CORMORANTS THROUGH IBISES-- singlesat Monomoy I., and Truro. In Maine Rufous-necked Sandpiper, Scituate, Mass., Some 1000+ Great Cormorants in Boston singleAm. Avocetswere rare in S. Harpswell July 24, 1980. See AB 34:876 (1980). Photo / harbor Nov. 23 wasquite the largestconcen- Aug. 24 and Georgetown Aug. 26 (fide William Ervin. tration ever in the Regionand probably in PDV). North America(fide RAF). A 9 M,,gnlfieent billed Dowitchers reached a maximum of 48 Frigatebird was seensoaring over Matthew's S.A. individualsat Plus I., Sept. 2 (RSH), while in L., ShelburneCo., n.s., Sept.1 (fide RGBB). No doubt the most significant shore- Maine at least five individuals at 4 localities In August imm. yellow-crownedNight bird observations came from L'Anse-aux- were noted Aug. 15-Sept. 11 (fide PDV). A Herons ventured N in impressivenumbers: Meadows,Nfld., whereBMacT critically Stilt Sandpiper on Seal I., N.S., Oct. no fewer than five were seenat as many identified two Ringed Plovers (Charad- 22-Nov. I was impressivelylate (BMacT). Maine localities,most notably four in the e. rius hiaticula). The first bird, an adult, The fall flight of birds of a more w. origin, part of the state(v.o., fide PDV); five birds was found Aug. 24 & 28. Visibly larger i.e., Baird's, Western and Buff-breasted occurred in Nova Scotia (one adult, one in than SemipalmatedPlover, with sharply sandpipers, was one of the best in recent late July) (fide FS); a singlebird was studied defined facial markings, a broader black years. Perhaps as many as 45 Baird's Sand- on Machias Seal I., N.B., Aug. 8 (PDV et chest band and the distinct absence of pipers were reported, the latest on Plum I., aL). In w. Massachusettsa Glossy Ibis was a webbing between the inner and middle Oct. 18 (fide RPE). WesternSandpiper max- notably late lingerer in Richmond Nov. 4-5 toes, the call was noted to be very differ- ima reached 150 at Nauset Beach, Mass., (fide SK) while in Connecticut imm. White ent from SemipalmatedPlover. It was de- Sept. 7 (RSH, BN) and 100+ in Harrington, Ibiseshave become almost regular; a single scribed as a "plain, loud, monotone Me., on the samedate (NF)--the latter figure was noted in LordshipAug. 30 (SS et aL). Puurwe," having a "mournful, wooden a state high. No fewer than 71 Buff-breasted quality" (BMacT). The secondindividual Sandpipers, 60 in s. New England, were WATERFOWL, DIURNAL RAPTORS was found 2.5 mi s.e. of L'Anse-aux- recorded. A remarkably late juv. Buff- --The Snow Goose migration either never MeadowsSept. 21. The descriptionof an breasted on Nantucket I., Nov. 16-Dec. 1 materializedor passedunnoticed. No large adult just beginningto molt was essential- was quite likely the latest North American flights were reported. The season'srare duck ly the sameas the first individual--again record for this species(RRV). was a ty CinnamonTeal in eclipseplumage the distinctive mournful call was on Brier I., Aug. 26-Sept. I (ELM et ai.), unambiguous. BMacT's comments axe A concentration of 31 Hudsonian Godwits furnishing a first provincial record. Eur. particularly interesting:"1 don't feel that at Scarborough,Me., Aug. 15 (PL) was a Wigeon occurredon Plum and NantucketI., I have overlookedRinged Plovers here in high count for the state. Likewise, 70 Hudso- Mass., and Echo L., R.I. In Newfoundland a the past, at least adults that is.