Atlantic Provinces largestconcentrations of the speciesin the Regionin autumnand early winter (EM). A Brant at Wahush, NF on 5 Jun was an unusualsighting for w. Labrador(CD). Five Wood Ducks in the Gamho-Glovertown, NF areain earlyJun was unexpected in a province wherethe speciesis not yet known to breed (GS). A male EurasianWigeon was paired with a femaleAmerican Wigeon in a pondnear StephenvilleCrossing, NF on 9 Jun (PL). There were 2 male EurasianWigeon in the samepond in earlyJul (ST). The firstsugges- tion that Tufted Ducks might eventually remainbehind to breedin the Regionwas a pair 16-19 Jun at pond near St. John'sNF (KK). A male Redheadspent the first two weeksof Junat FigL. in s.-cen.Labrador, a first BRUNSWICK Labradorrecord (JS, IG). The onlyreport of RuddyDuck wasa maleon a sewagelagoon (typical)at St.L•onard, NB (fideDC). For the 3rd summerin a row, a Rough-leggedHawk summeredon the Tantramar marsh, NB (KP). Another unseasonable individual was at Donkin, C.B.I., NS on 13 Jul (fide IM). A YellowRail was heard calling in lateevening 22 Jun at Whale Cove Marsh, G.M.I., NB, where Bruce Mactavish (fide BD) and a Red-neckedGrebe at thereare very few records at anytime of year 37 WaterfordBridge Road NapadoganL. 23 Jun(DG). Manx Shearwater (fideBD). Sorais regularlyreported in small St:John's, Newfoundland AlE lC5 remains fairly common and is probably numbers acrosss.-cen. Labrador, but the first ([email protected]) increasingin thesummer in se.Newfoundland actualbreeding record discovered was an ad. and St.Pierre et Miquelon,with severalcounts with a chick 26 Jul at LabradorCity (CD). o newsoften means good news for breed- of 50-100+ individuals. The only known Sandhill Cranes continueto he presentat ingbirds. There were no dramaticcold wet breedingcolony is still the one near Lawn, widely scatteredlocations throughout the spells to inhibit survival of insectivore Burin Pen.,NF. A feedingfrenzy of 20,000 Regionduring the summermonths. In New nestlings.There were no highfides to wipeout Northern Gannets off Miscou I., NB on 3 Jun Brunswick,there was a pair at Havenlockfor beachnesting species. There was amplerain. musthave been a spectacularsight (RS et al.). sometime (fide DC), and an individualwas Therewere no stiflingheat waves. It wasa bog- The seven sightings of American White near Bouctouche 10 Jul (ML). The island of standard breeding seasonin the Region. Pelican at widely spacedlocalities in New Newfoundlandhad oneat UpperFerry 21 Jun Raritieswere on the light side, with Eared Brunswick between 13 Jun and 26 Jul were (AG) and a bandedindividual at JoeBatts Arm Grebe making a first appearancein New possiblyall of the samebird (fideDC). 8-10 Jul(Jude PL). Brunswick St. Pierre et Miquelonhad their The onlyreport of thevery locally breeding second Sandwich Tern. Least Bittern was one heard at Amherst Point SHOREBIRDS THROUGH ALCIDS BirdSanctuary 11 Jun(FL). It wasan average The stalwartpair of AmericanOystercatchers Abbreviations:G.M.I. (Grand Manan Island, yearfor s. heronsin the Region.Great Egret raised3 youngat CapeSable I., NS, asis now New Brunswick). was the most numerous, with 3 in New expected. There was one unmatedad. also Brunswickand 2 in Nova Scotia. The only presentthrough the season(MN et al.). For LOONS THROUGH CP,ANES reportsof theformerly more regularly straying the 2nd summerin a row, an ad. summeredon The southernmost nesting Red-throated SnowyEgret were 2 at SambroHead, NS 12-25 the small islands off se. Grand Manan I., NB Loons in North America were holding their Jul (fideIM). FourCattle Egrets at BayBulls, (BD et al.). The island of Newfoundland own at Miquelon,SPM with two knownnests NF 22-24 Junewas an unusualdate for a sight- recorded its 5th American Avocet, one at and two otherssuspected (RE). A Pied-billed ing of multiplebirds in theRegion (fide PL). A Piccadilly5-7 Jun(BW et al.). Six Willetsin Grebewas sittingon a floatingnest at Loch Green Heron was well out of range at St. Newfoundland(Jude PL) and 2 in Miquelon, Lomond,NF 16Jun where the specieswas first Shotts, NF 7 Jul (KK, JWe). An exhausted SPM (fideRE) werene. of thebreeding range. establishedas a breeding species in the Yellow-crownedNight-Heron appearedoff- SouthboundWhimbrel arrivedright on cue, provinceonly recently (LB). New Brunswick's shoreat SableI., NS 14 Jul (ZL). with the first individual 28 Jun at Conrad's first Eared Grebe was a breeding-plumaged TurkeyVultures raised 2 youngat the only Beach,NS (fideSF) and the first flock being 35 bird at Wilson Pt. Rd, Miscou I. on the unex- known nesting locality in the Region, on 3 Julat Isthmus,SPM (LJ). A slightlyearly pecteddate of 1 Jun(RD, FB). Unseasonable Quispamisis,NB (JWi). A TurkeyVulture at Hudsonian Godwit was at Morien Bar, C.B.L, grebesin New Brunswickwere a Horned Brier I., NS on 21 Jun was considered unusual NS 28 Jun (SM). A cooperativeMarbled Grebein late Jun at Long Pond Bay,G.M.I. for early summer,yet the areareceives the Godwit frequentedMaisonette Dune, NB 14

410 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS Atlantic Provinces

Julto Aug (NB et al.). A dark Ruff wasas Eel beatentrack of birdersthan perhaps any other with one 28 Jtm at McCowansCorner (PP, River Bar, NB 14 Jul (ML). An impressive regularlong-distance vagrant in the Region. DG) and another28 Jul at Oromocto(fide 5000+Short-billed Dowitchers 21 Julat Cape This season'stwo sightingswere both from DC). A well-seenLark Sparrow in the sw cor- SableI., NS wascalled an "average" number for tourist destinations, with one at the Grand ner of Newfoundland at Searstonon 20 Jun this locality(MN et al.). The only Wilson's Manan Island ferry dock at BlacksHarbour, was a most unseasonable occurrence of this Phalaropesreports were 3 (2 in earlyJun, one NB 26 Jun(BS) and one near Peggy's Cove, NS regularw. vagrant,which is usuallyfound Aug m late Jul)in New Brunswick(fide DC). Four 8 Jun (KayRichardson). Purple Martins ven- to Oct in the Region(DP). First-yearIndigo hundredRed Phalaropes on 6 Junat Miquelon, turing ne. of the breedingrange were one at Buntingsfrequently sing n. of the specles's SPM during stormyweather was an unusual Loch Lomond,NF 3 Jun (KK) and one at St. breedingrange, as was exemplified by individ- springconcentration (RE). In lateJuly "thou- Pierre, SPM 12 Jun (RE). uals at Fredericton,NB 23 Jun (fide DC), sands" of both Red-necked and Red A pair of Brown Creepersnear GooseBay, Miquelon,SPM 18Jun (fide RE) andSt. John's, Phalaropeswere seen on whalewatching trips Labradorin Julwas n. of the knownbreeding NF 5-11 Jul (MP et al.). off BrierI., NS (fideSF). range(IS). The firstRegional breeding record A small colony of breeding Common There were just 2 reported skuas:one of Carolina Wren occurred on Grand Manan Gracklesat St. Lawrence,Burin Pen., NF was tinidentifiedto speciesoff BrierI., NS in late I., NB with one pair producingtwo broods. an eastwardextension of the breedingrange Jul (fideBMy) and a GreatSkua at seasouth- With the increasingfrequency of summer within the province (G. & N. Wilson) westof St. Pierre,SPM 26 Jul (LJ). The only Carolina Wrens in New Brunswick and Nova BaltimoreOriole is prominentamong the LittleGull wasat EelRiver Bar, NB 8-14 Jul(m. Scotia,breeding was anticipated. Nova Scotia groupof gaudys. specieswith a strongspring ob ) Therewere 3 LaughingGulls during the cameclose to gettingbreeding House Wrens at presencethat doesnot reflectits limitedbreed- 3rd weekof Junon Miquelon,SPM (RE) and Wolfville when a pair built a nest that was ingpopulation in the Region.A perfectexam- singlesin Newfoundlandat CapeSpear 29 Jun abandonedtwo weekslater (fide JT). Summer pleof thiscomes from the well-known vagrant (CB) and Fortune 11 Jul (Gary Felter,Jack researchin the lowerChurchill River valley w. trap,Brier I., NS, where3 malesand a female1 Hugus). The fluctuatingcolony of Black- of GooseBay, Labradorrevealed that both Jun were down to one male on 2 Jun and none headedGulls at StephenvilleCroksing, NF Winter Wren and Golden-crownedKinglet thereafter(fide DM). reacheda new high of 16 nestswith eggsor weremore numerousthan previouslyknown Finches,especially White-winged Crossbills, chicks (Greg Robertson). A report of a (IS). EasternBluebirds were reported in good oftenexhibit something like a sixthsense when CaliforniaGull at LongPond, G.M.I., NB in numbersin New Brunswick(DC). A Wood it comesto knowingwhat part of the country Jun was unfortunatelynot accompaniedby Thrush 3 Junat CheesemanP. P. in the sw.cor- hasa goodcone crop. BothNova Scotiaand detailsA SandwichTern was photographed at ner of the island of Newfoundland was one of Newfoundlandreported a fairly good cone St Pierre, SPM on 25 Jul was the 2nd for the only a handful of provincialrecords (KK). crop,but numbersof White-wingedCrossbills Frenchislands (PA). Tenyears of carefulmon- Northern Mockingbirdsannually push the were strangelylow, and there no reportsof ltonngand protection of RoseateTerns at The limitsof pioneeringby goingto Labrador.This singingbirds. Pine Siskinswere reasonably Brothers, NS has resulted in a record 90 nests seasonthere was one duringJun at GooseBay well reported from Nova Scotia and producing62 chicks(Ted d'Eon). The impres- (Betty Learning). The only known Brown Newfoundland. siveCommon Tern colony at Kouchibouguac Thrashernesting of theseason was at lastyear's N P contained 6454 nests 14 Jun (Mike siteat The Hawk, CapeSable, NS wherethree Contributors (subregionaleditors in bold- LeBlanc). Two LeastTerns wereunexpected youngwere fledged from onenest (MN). face): PascalAsselin, Louis Bateman, Nicole earlysummer visitors at LittleSheep I., G.M.I., Benoit, Todd Boland, Frank Branch, Chris NB 21 Jun (BD). A rare summer Dovekie was WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES Brown, David Christie, Brian Dalzell, Denis at Mlquelon,SPM 5 Jun(BL). Five Nashville Warblers and 7 Northern Detcheverry,Robert Doiron, Fred Dobson, Parulasin w.Newfoundland were typical num- Denis Doucet, Roger Etcheberry, Sylvia DOVES THROUGH WAXWINGS bers during the breedingseason for these Fullerton,Don Gibson,Ian Goudie,Alix Gray, MourningDoves are very slowly beginning to scarce breeders (PL et al.). A male Sylvia Fullerton, Laurent Jackman, Ken breedin e. portionsof the Region. The first ProthonotaryWarbler 27 Julin a backyardat Knowles, Fulton Lavender, Mike LeBlanc, breedingrecord for St. Pierreet Miquelonwas St. Lawrence,Burin Pen.,NF wasan earlybut Bruno Letournal,Paul Linegar,Zoe Lucas, confirmedwith an ad. and 2 juvs.at St.Pierre not unprecedenteddate in the Regionfor this Mike Lushington,Angus Maclean, Bruce 12 lul (DG). There were two broods of flashysouthern vagrant (GW, NW). An imm. Mactavish, Blake Maybank (BMy), Ken Mourning Dovesat St. Lawrence,Burin Pen., maleSummer Tanager lingered until 10 Junat McKenna, Ian McLaren, David NF (NW, GW). Both Nova Scotiaand New a Cape Sable,NS feeder(MN). Extralimital McCorquodale, Susann Myers, Laurie Brunswickreported above-average numbers of ScarletTanagers were at St.Pierre, SPM 2-7 Jun Murison,Murray Newell,Peter Pearce, Doug Black-billedCuckoos. One strayedas far e. as (LJ et al.) and Cupids,NF 2 Jun (PL). An Phelan,Kathy Popma, Greg Robertson, Isobel Mlquelon,SPM 1 Jul(DD). Springovershoot- EasternTowhee singing in a forestclearcut on Schmelzer,Bev Schneider,Jytte Selno, Ron mg or scoutingEastern Wood-Pewees were at the Wolfville,NS ridgefrom lateJun to lateJul Steeves,Greg Stroud, Stuart Tingley, Judy UpperFerry, NF 9 Jtm(PL, JP),Langlade, SPM failed to attract a mate (JT). Chipping Tufts,John Wells, Jim Wilson, Norman Wilson, 15 Jun (PA) and St. Pierre,SPM 22 Jun (PA). Sparrowswere again recorded during the Gail Wilson, Bill Winsor. LeastFlycatcher is increasingas a summerres- breedingseason in the lower valley of the ldent in sw.Newfoundland, where 11 territori- ChurchillR., addingto the suspicionthat the al maleswere recordedin Jtm (PL). Because speciesis a regularbreeder in smallnumbers in Scissor-tailedFlycatchers are a highlyattrac- s.-cen. Labrador (IS). Field Sparrowswere tive, the speciesis noticedmore often off the singingat two locationsin New Brunswick,

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