The Winter Season December 1, 1977
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
DecemberThe1,Winter 1977- February Season28, 1978 NORTHEASTERN MARITIME REGION from New Brunswick and New Hampshire were /Peter D. Vickery entirely lacking.Without reasonablycomplete records, editing sucha vast area as the NortheasternMarifimes The winter of 1977-78was againcolder than normal. becomes a hopelessly speculative business. I find it Major snowstormsstruck the RegionJanuary 9, while very difficult and, no doubt, readers will find this the February 8 storm dumped some 28-32 inches of report less than complete. To reiterate, the winter snow on the Boston area. Transportation was so seasonends February 28. thoroughlyparalyzed it was impossibleto attemptto assessthe impact on birds suchas a stormmight have LOONS -- Along the w. Connecticut shore Corn. had. Late February seemedto ease a bit with sunny Loons were very scarceor completelyabsent, but this days and less severewinds. Consideringthe destruc- was apparently a local phenomenonas I I0+ loons tive impact the winter of 1976-77had on many semi- were observed in Westerly, R.I., Jan. 19 (FWM). An hardy speciesit was not a surprisethat birds in this imm. Arctic Loon was carefully identifiedoff Province- categorywere very few in number.Aside from several town, Mass., Feb. 18 (RRV et al.); salient features rarities, winter finches and an unprecedentedVaried noted were the obviously smallersize, the thin straight Thrush incursion, it was one of the quietestwinters in bill, a rounded crown that appeared smoky gray recent years. (lighter than mantle) which was clearly noted as extending below the eye, with no white feathering apparent before or above the eye. TUBENOSES-- Apparently N. Fulmar reachesthe s. limit of its regular winter range in the s. part of the Gulf of Maine. This January 2500+ fulmar (95% light phase)were observedjust n. of George'sBasin (RRV) and 600+ were seen just s. of Cashes Ledge Feb. 5 (BN). Significantly, no large concentrations were noted on two trips along the continental shelf s. of Nantucket. Practically unknown during the winter season, a Sooty Shearwater was carefully observed along the continentalslope some80 mi s. of Block I., at 39ø54'5"N,71ø32'W, Feb. 2 (BN). Perhapsthe most unusual fall-out from the Jan. 9 storm was a flock of 20 Leaoh'sStorm-Petrels seen flying about Boothbay Har- bor, Maine (BT). WATERFOWL -- Waterfowl were generallyunim- pressive, with fewer birds wintering in the Region. However, increasedcoverage unearthed unusual win- The Region's second Smew and second Eurasian toters which included a c• Gadwall shot in Lower W. Curlew appeared to be the same individualsseen in Pubnico, N.S., Jan. 16 (fide SIT), a Blue-wingedTeal 1976. This winter's Sinew, a drake at Quonochontaug successfullywintering near Manchester, Conn. (RJC), Pond, R.I., was discovered less than 30 miles from the and a Wood Duck in Storrs, Conn. (RJC). Perhapsthe Region's first occurrenceat Newport. The Eurasian most surprising winterers were two c• Ring-necked Curlew was found less than 50 miles from Monomoy Ducks in e. Maine, one each at PembrokeJan. 29 (fide -- the locality of the 1976curlew. The likelihoodthat WCT), and Princeton Feb. 2 (PDV). such vagrants ever return to their normal range is The Region'ssix Eur. Wigeonincluded a singlebird at remote. Consideringthis, it is not surprisingthat such Groton, Conn., two in Rhode Island (fide CW) and three individuals, if they can survive, would winter in the were noted from Nantucket (EFA). A sizable flock of 9 same general area year after year. Barrow's Goldeneyes was again reported from their Contributors are reminded that the last day of the traditional wintering area at Pugwash, N.S., Feb. winter season is Feb. 28. Although this date has been 18-26 (SIT). Other important wintering areas were in effect for two years, some confusionstill remains. generally unreported though 15+- Barrow's were As a result, records from Nova Scotia and Newfound- located in e. Massachusetts(fide RRV). The Region's land were sadly incomplete and centralized reports Harlequin Ducks were either scarce, or poorly Volume32, Number3 321 reported:only 35 individualswere recorded.Similarly !ew which lingered at Menemsha Pond, Martha's King Eiders were scarce with only 26 individuals Vineyard, Feb. 18 - Mar. 18 (GD et al., fide RRV) reported; 14 from L'Anse-aux-Meadows,Nfld., Dec. immediately led to the speculationthat this was the 19 (BMacT). same individual seen 16 months earlier on Monomoy A Sinew, seen at QuonochontaugPond, Westerly, (AB 31:227). Dick Veit, who examined both the R I, Jan. 16-29 (fide CW) was consideredby many to Monomoy and Menemshabirds, felt plumagecharac- be the same individual as the Newport bird of two ters to be very similarand sensedthey were in fact the wmters past (AB 30:691).Unbanded, wary and only same individual. Although discoveredin February, sporadicallypresent, the Quonochontaugbird appeared there was a strongfeeling that the Menemshacurlew wdd. Its occurrence less than 30 mi from Newport may have wintered there since October. It wdl of suggeststhat these two sightingsinvolved a single coursebe fascinatingto see fithis bird reappearstn the tndtvidual. Where it wintered in 1976-77 remains a next few years. mystery. Perhapsit simplywent undiscovered. In Rhode Island a late Am. Golden Plover was observedand heard calling at Napatree Dec. 4 (RJC) VULTURES, HAWKS, EAGLES -- Four Turkey while in Massachusettsa late (Western) Willet at East- Vultures observed moving N over Lebanon, Conn., ham Dec. 18 (WRP et al.) representedprobably only Jan 29 (PJD) may have beenearly migrantsalthough the second winter record for the state. Five Long- small numbers are known to winter in Connecticut. billed Dowitchers on the Newburyport CBC Dec 26 The Hidden Valley, Conn. CBC reported 53 on Dec. were remarkable -- the latest ever for New England 18 -- a late roost? Rough-leggedHawks were only (WRP et al.). An unusualinland occurrencewas that intermittentlypresent along the New Englandcoast of a Dunlin at Sharon, Conn., Dec. 11 (AG,MR) while but were considered common inland near Sharon, a Sanderlingat the n. tip of Newfoundland,at L'Anse- Conn. (MR); the first in years was seen near Storrs aux-Meadows, Jan. 6 was a very hardy bird (BMacT) (RJC). Generally light-phaseRough-leggeds are pre- On the day after a storm Jan. 19-20, 50+- Red dominant but curiously, of the nine birds reported Phalaropes were seen flying past First Encounter from w. Massachusettsfive were of dark phase -- Beach(CAG, fide BN). Equally surprisingwere stngle apparentlythis phenomenonwas also noted farther w. Red Phalaropesobserved 15 mi n.e. of Provincetown tn New York (DMcN). A single Golden Eagle was Jan. 15 (RRV) and 60 mi e.n.e. of Cape Cod Feb 5 found sporadicallyat Quabbin Res. (fide SK) and a (BN). second was easily studied at Ridgefield, Conn., Dec. 12 (MR). In Maine, winteringBald Eagleswere again SKUAS, GULLS, TERNS --A singleskua sp was esttmated at 150+ individuals (CST). A remarkable observed from First Encounter Dec. 7 (CAG,BN) count of at least 16 different eagleswas reported from while another skua, also unidentified as to spectes, Connecticut(fide NSP), the highestin recentyears for was noted on the w. George's Bank Jan. 17 (RRV) In that state. Some 15 individuals (10 ad., 5 imm.) were the s. Gulf of Maine a large skua,quite likely C skua, seenat QuabbinRes. (fide SK). Althoughthe species was closely studiedJan. 20 (RRV), while 75 mts of ts frequently noted on e. Massachusettsand Nova Martha's Vineyard 4-6 skuas,again apparentlyGreat Scotia CBCs, Marsh Hawks are almost unknown in Skuas, were carefully observed Feb. 4 (BN). Mmne during the winter season.This year three were In New England, white-wingedgulls appearedtn found on as many CBCs while a singleMarsh Hawk about average numbers. An ad. GlaucousGull was was carefully observed in w. Massachusetts at rare as far s. as West Haven, Conn., Dec. 30 (WRt) AgawamJan. 1 (SK). In New England,single gray while the Iceland Gull concentration off the n. end of phase Gyrfalcons were noted near Bolton, Mass., Plum I., was estimated at 70 individuals Jan 29 Dec 3 (NEM) and E. Orleans,Mass., Feb. 1! (WRP), (RRV). In Maine, a LesserBlack-backed Gull at Saco thts latter individual thought to be the same bird that Jan. 24 (MMcC, fide RAF) provided only a second has wintered on that part of the Capefor the last sev- state record. Digby's Lesser Black-backedGull was eral years.Elsewhere in the Regionfour Gyrfalcons(2 again present for its ninth consecutivewinter (SIT) whtte, 2 dark) were seen near L'Anse-aux-Meadows Black-headedGulls in the Maritimes were perhaps (BMacT). In Nova Scotia, a Peregrineseen at South fewer than average with 34 on the St. John's, Nfld Berwick during the last week of February was proba- CBC, and only 23 counted on all the Nova Scottan bly a remarkablyearly migrant(fide RDL). CBCs. Figuresfor New Englandwere incomplete,but seemingly fewer birds were present at trad•ttonal RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS -- Unusual for localities -- Watchemoket, R.I., peaked at a shm the Regionwas a ClapperRail which successfullywin- seven Black-headedGulls Feb. 20 (fide CW) while 13- tered in S. Norwalk, Conn. (fide FWM). In Nova 15 birds were found at various e. Massachusetts 1ocalt- Scotta, a Purple Gallinule found dead near Pubnico ties (fide RRV). The only Little Gulls of the season Jan 15 was a very rare occurrencefor that province were an imm. bird at Newburyport Dec. 26 (WRP) and (fide RDL). Unusually far n. was an Am. Coot at an adult at Warren's Pt., R.I., Jan. 27 (fide CW) Wells, Me., Jan. 1 (RC) but another coot seen on the ImmatureIvory Gullswere seenin Addison,Me., Dec Eastport, Me. CBC, suggeststhat with the recent 26 (M. Lovit) and N. Sydney, N.S., Dec. 28 (DWF et tncrease in n.