atlantic provinces

worthy of severalNov shearwaterreports SHOREBIRDS was that of 500 Greaterand one Sootyin A Northern Lapwingwas fully appreciated I. channel,NB, 23 Nov (RL). by birdersand curioustourists next to a High countsof Manx Shearwaterwere 70 parking lot at Cape Spear 17-19 Nov on 21 Aug,Brier I., NS (KM), and 134on 6 (m.ob.). A juv. AmericanOystercatcher Sepoff CapeSpear (BMt). Fifteenthousand with threeadults at CSI 21Aug was the first Leach'sStorm-Petrels flew s. past Cape actualyoung produced in Canadaafter two Spearin two hoursduring a he. gale23 Sep yearswith unsuccessfulnests (MN et al.). (BMt). FiveBlack-necked Stilts put downfor only Most "southern" herons were restricted 15 minutesat WindsorCauseway, NS, 17 to Nova Scotia and , with Sepduring the tail-end of a hurricane,pro- respectivetotals of five and two Great viding the sixth provincial record (JC, Egrets,two andno SnowyEgrets, three and BMo). Nova Scotia's second and the no Little Blue Herons, two and no Tricolor- BRUNSWICK Region'sthird CommonGreenshank was ed Herons,six and two Cattle Egrets,and at DanielsHead, CSI, 10 Sep (MN, JN). A two and one Yellow-crownedNight-Her- highof eightMarbled Godwits was report- ons.Another Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ed, with singlesat Castalia,GMI, 28 Aug wasat St.Pierre, SPM, 12 Aug (BL). A phe- (CC et al.) with a differentbird there6 Sep nomenal 125 Turkey Vultures were in (fideBD); MaisonnetteDune 20 Sep(MD); migrationover Brier I. 11 Oct (fide IM). St.Andrews 20 Sep(TD); SaintsRest Marsh BRUCE HACTAVISH The seasoh's Black Vulture was at Petite- 1 Oct (NG et al.); and in Nova Scotiawith Lam•que30 Aug-4Sep (HC). two at Big I., Pictou,20-26 Aug(KM, JM) There was an early Gr. White-fronted and one Dominion Beach,CBI, 6-7 Sep Goose at Summerside,PEI, 2 Oct (DT). Three Brant were raritiesat St. Paul'sInlet, (AM, CM). Maximumcounts of Semipal- matedSandpipers from traditionalstaging hurricanesbrushed by with little avian NF,6 Sep(f•/e JP).The male Garganey that summeredat BellisleMarsh, NS, was last sites in the upper Bay of Fundy were impact.The highlightsof the seasonmay 300,000at JohnsonsMills, NB, 31 Jul (fide seemoff-the-wall and unpredictable,yet seen 23 Aug (fide IM). An adult male Cinnamon Teal at Daniels Harbour, CSI, DCh), 200,000 at Mary's Pt., NB, 4 Aug each exoticrarity and everymomentous (DCh), 300,000at DorchesterCape, NB, 7 migrationalevent were all partsof patterns 27 Sep-7Oct providedone of the few con- firmedrecords for the Region(MN et al.). Aug(BB), and 250,000 at EvangelineBeach, thathave already been detected. Avid read- NS, 6 Aug (JT).Western Sandpipers, always ers of North American Birds will know that Theonly Common Teal were several during Nov at St. John's,NF (TB et al.). Eur. rarein the Region,were reported in typical the Broad-billedHummingbird in New numbers, with four in NB and two in NS. Wigeonwere at recentnorms, with totalsof Brunswickand the Sulphur-belliedFly- An odd Calidrisstudied at SpaniardsBay, catcher in Nova Scotia are northeastward one in NB, six in NS, and eleven in NE Tufted Duck totals were three in Nova NF, 7-10 Sepwas thought to be a hybrid extensionsof recognizedpatterns. The Scotia and six in Newfoundland. An im- White-rumpedSandpiper • PectoralSand- autumnof 1999produced many fasdnating piper (PL, BMt et al.)! It was a banner datapoints that strengthen and refine exist- pressivemigration of scoterswas noted at ingpatterns of occurrence. Pt. Lepreau,NB, 3 Oct, with 5,403Black, 7,445Surf, and 1,008 White-winged Scoters Abbreviations:CBI (CapeBrenton Is/and, (fideDCh). RuddyDucks staged the largest NovaScotia); CSI (Cape Sable Island, Nova autumn influx in years,with minimum totals of 60 in NB, 40 in NS, and one eachin Scotia);GMI (Grand Manan Island, New PEI and NE Brunswick);SPM (St. Pierre et Miquelon). Peak days of migration of Sharp- LOONS THROUGH CRANES shinned Hawks at Brier I. were 200 on 26 A Paci•c Loon observedfrom a boat one Sepand 500 on 8-11 Oct (fideRN). Broad- mile e. of RossI., Bayof Fundy,NB, 25 Sep wingedHawks peaked at BrierI. 25-26 Sep was photographedfor the secondcon- when 1,100 flew sw. out to sea (BMy). firmedprovincial record (ST et al.). Cory's PurpleGallinules were singlesat Jacques Shearwatersn. and e. of their usualrange River,NB, 7 Oct (LD), BigSalmon R., NB, werethree near Funk I., NF,7 Aug(SG) and 10-11 Oct (f•/e DCh), andDartmouth, NS Thisstunning Curlew Sandpiper one from the Argentiaferry, NF, 24 Aug in late Oct (fide BMy). Single Sandhill in juvenalplumage was at Spaniard'sBay, (DCa). A he. galesent 14,000 Greater and Craneswere at Petite-Lam•que,NB, 5-8 Newfoundland,29-31 Aug1999, with the 6,000Sooty Shearwaters s.past Cape Spear, Sep(JC et al.), Lanark,NS, 26 Sep-30Nov imagecaptured on the first date of its NF, in four hours19 Sep(BMt). Mostnote- (ACet al.), and Middleton, NS, 3 Nov (RP). visit. Photograph/BruceHactavish

VOLUME54 (2000), HUMBERI 21 Presumablydisplaced by a hurricane, singleRoyal Terns were at CSI 23 Sep(JN) and Sable1., NS, 24 Sep(ZL). Unexpected Exhibitingsome was a non-storm-related Sandwich Tern in unusual behavior n. New Brunswickat Miscou I. 2-4 Aug was this juvenile (HC, MD et al.). Consistentlyrare overthe Long-tailed decadesin the Region,a Forster'sTern was laeger that fed at SableI. 28 Oct (ZL). A he. galeat Cape on berries Spear14 Nov causeda largeflight of alcids, alongside Whimbrels including 25,000 Dovekies and 6,000 at CapeRace, Thick-billedMurres during the first two Newfoundland, hoursof daylight(BMt). Z Sep 1999. DOVES THROUGH WAXWINGS Photograph/ Bruce Hactavish It wasa bannerautumn for White-winged Dove, with one 13-17 Oct at Pointe-Verte, NB (RG), one 19 Oct at SableI. (ZL), and one 10-14 Nov at Miquelon,SPM (RE et al.). It wasa hugeautumn for Yellow-billed autumn for Curlew Sandpipers,with six nearnormal, •ith 23 Baird's,14 Stilts, and Cuckoo,with thepeak influx 20 Sep-5Oct. individuals,including two juveniles: one ad. 27 Buff-breasteds.Single Ruffs were at They were virtually common in New 10 Sepat LongPond, GMI, (fide BD), one Sydney,NS, 5-6 Sep (RK, SM), St. Paul's Brunswick,including 25 on GMI 27 Sep ad. 8 Aug at Port Morien, CBI, (AM, CM et Inlet, NF, 22 Aug (MV at al.), and Cape (BD). All told, 61 were reportedin Nova al.), one not aged6-11 Sepat Hartlen Pt., Freels,NF, 4 Oct (KB). Details on the few Scotia and nine in Newfoundland. The bird of the season was a female NS (IM et al.), onenot aged6-26 Sepat CSI Long-billedDowitcher reports were scant, (MN, JN), a juv. 2%31 Aug at Spaniards but oneat CSI 27 Oct wasthe right time of Broad-billed Hummingbird at Keith Bay,NF (PL et al.), and a latejuv. 11 Nov at year (MN). Unusualwas the late appear- Warren's feeder near Elgin, Albert, NB. Probablyappearing in late Sep,it wasnot CapeRace, NF (KK, JW). Regionaltotals of anceof 300-500 Red Phalaropesfeeding broughtto the attentionof the birding the traditional"western sandpipers" were closeto shoreat CapeSpear 30 Oct-8 Nov (Jp et al.). communityuntil 19 Oct (DCh, MM). It was viewedby 200 observersuntil it was SKUAS THROUGH ALCIDS captured25 Oct andbrought into a green- S A Thegionalwell-above-average total of 33 skuaswasRe- housefor care.It wasa firstfor the Region probablya reflectionof an increased Whimbrelsat Cape Race,NF, 2 Sep (KK, and a second for . A male Rufous seabirdingeffort and luck!The break- BMt). Five LaughingGulls were reported Hummingbirdwas at Barrington,NS, 23 down by provinceis as follows.New regionwide,dose to par, with one in NF Brunswick: two Great Skuas east of Aug (fide JN). Whereasthere was a high and two each in NB and NS. Little Gulls totalof sevenRed-headed Woodpeckers in White Head I., Bayof Fundy,25 Sep reportedwere one 6-7 Sep at Cap Brul•, (ST et al.) and one Great SkuaoffGMI New Brunswick,surprisingly the species NB, (RM), one 10 Oct at MiscouI. light- was not reportedin Nova Scotia.Red-bel- 27 Nov (AS). : house, NB (RG), and three 20-30 Nov at lied Woodpeckerstaged a good late Oct oneGreat Skua off EastPt. 11 Sep(RC OgdensPond, NS (fideBMy). The autumn et al.). Nova Scotia:one Great Skuaoff flightinto the sw.part of the Regiononly, peakof Black-headedGull at well-watched Brier I. 6 Sep (JT), anotherin Cabot with ten in NB and five in NS. A Sulphur- St.John's was a mediocre90 on 3 Nov (TB). Strait31 Oct (RK), fiveto eightSouth bellled Flycatcherseen well and pho- An impressive50,000 Bonaparte's Gull Polar Skuason whale-watchingtrips tographedon SableI. 21 Sepprovided a were betweenCampobello I., NB, and off BrierI. in "latesummer and early provincialfirst but amazinglythe third for Eastport,ME, 16 Nov (NF). An ad. Black- fall"(CH); singleskuas unidentified to the Region (ZL). There were six W. tailed Gull was the star attraction at a ball- specieswere at Brier I. 9 Sep (BMy), Kingbirds,one in New Brunswick,four in field in N. Sydney,CBI, 21-24 Oct (RT et Nova Scotia, and one in Saint Pierre et and 10 Oct (CH) and at CapeSable I. al.); it was the secondindividual for Nova 18 Oct (m.ob.). Newfoundland: ne. Miquelon.All areasreported good numbers galesproduced two Great Skuasand Scotiaand third for the Region.An early of N. Shrikesbeginning in late Oct. threeskua sp. at CapeSt. Francis 4 Sep first-winterCommon Gull arriving15 Oct White-eyed Vireos were singles at (JP,JW); and at Cape Spearone skua at St. John'swas joined by anotherfirst- McAdam, NB, 11 Oct (JL), Halifax, NS, 31 sp. 4 Sep,one Great Skuaand ten (1) winterand an adultin Nov (BMt). The only Oct (DC, ^V), and Sable1. 1 Nov (ZL). Two skuasp. 18 Sep, one Great Skua 23 Sep, other Mew Gull was an ad. 6-13 Nov at swallows casually identified as Cliff one Great Skua 6 Oct (BMt). It was GlaceBay, CBI (RK et al.). Therehas been a Swallowsat ,NB, 8 Nov, gratifyingto receivedetails on mostof distinct increase in Lesser Black-backed couldhave been part of the extraordinary the Great Skuas. Identifying these Gull in the Regionin last two years.This northward incursion of Cave Swallows doc- beasts at sea remains difficult. The sta- season'stotals were eight in NB, three at umented in Ontario and the Northeast at tus of South Polar and Great Skuas in PEI, 14 in NS, and 15 in NF. The only that time (fide DCh). Newfoundland's the Regionis stillfar from dear. Sabine'sGull wasa juvenile24 Sepat East fourth Marsh Wren was at Blackhead 17-18 Point,PEI, wherevery rare (PJ). Oct (DB).Although Blue-gray Gnatcatchers

NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS wereconsidered unusually scarce, a surpris- to normal after a coupleof banneryears, David,T. Dean,Ray d'Entremont, Luc Deroche, ingfive were at EastPoint, PEI, 24 Sep(PJ). with five in NB, three in NS, and one in Roger Etcheberry, Norm Famous,Dave The only two N. Wheatearswere at Grand SPM. Dickcissels were seen in somewhat Fifield,Sylvia Fullerton,Stafan Gartha, Bob Barachois,SPM, 9 Sep (LJ, RE) and St. above-averagenumbers, being too plentiful Gillis,Norm Gisele, P.Griffin, Roger Guitard, Carl John's19 Sep (MR). All areasreported more for contributorsto accuratelytotal. An E. Haycock,Andy Horn,Anne Hughes, Laurent N. Mockingbirdsthan normal. A probable Meadowlark was rare at St. John's 15-30 Jackson,Paul Jones, Laurent Jackman, Andrea YellowWagtail was seenbriefly at Cape Nov (BMt et al.). Nova Scotia scored the Kingsley,Richard Knapton, Ken Knowles, Spear19 Nov (DB); the recordis pending most Yellow-headedBlackbirds, with seven JanickLarouche, Lance Laviolette, Roger approvalby the NewfoundlandRecords individuals spread over the province LeBlanc,Bruno Letournel, Paul Linegat,Zoe Committee.Bohemian Waxwings staged an Aug-Nov;New Brunswick and Newfound- Lucas,Eric Mills, DanMcAskill, lan McLaren, earlyand large flight. Some were present all landeach had one. The onlyOrchard Oriole AngusMacLean, Bruce Macravish, R. Maillet, summer in Newfoundland. The first was a late bird in early Oct at CSI (AM, Mary Majka, Blake Maybank, Dave migrantshit New Brunswickin late Sep. CM). A massiveflight of Corn.Redpolls was McCorquodale,Jeannie McGee, Ken McKenna, During the last ten daysof Oct and into notedin NB andNS beginning +20 Oct and BerniceMoores, Allan Murrant, Cathy Murrant, Nov, theywere common in n. New Bruns- continuing through Nov. Other finch MurrayNewell, Johnnie Nickerson, Robert wickand NovaScotia. By the end of Nov a specieswere in poorto fair numbers. Phinney,John Pratt, Martin Renner, Andrew flock of 2,000 had accumulatedin St. John's. Sharkey,Greg Stroud,Stuart Tingley, D. Thompson,Ron Tozer, Judy Tufts, Monique WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES Observers (subregional editors in bold- face):Pascal Asselin, Bob Blake, Todd Boland, Vassallo,John Wells. Numbers of southern warblers were DaveBrown, Kevin Butler, Anne Camoozzi, Dick deemedlow acrossthe Region,probably a Cannings,Jean-Gilles Chiasson, Dave Christie, reflectionof weatherpatterns rather than HowardClase, Ray Cooke,C. Cornell,Dave populationchanges. Blue-winged Warblers Currie,Joan Czapaly, Brian Dalzell, [vlarcel wereat GMI 25 Aug(BD), Baccaro,NS, 22 Aug(fide AHo), andSt. Anthony, NF, 8 Sep (DF). A Golden-wingedWarbler was at GMI 10 Sep (fide DC). Yellow-throated Warblerswere at SableIsland 1 Sep (ZL), Kingston,NS, 29 Nov(PG), St. Pierre, SPM, qu&bec 7-27 Nov (PA), and St. John's6 Oct (TB) and 13-30 Nov (PL). A imm. female PIERRE BANNON CeruleanWarbler was photographed 30 Aug 1517Leprohon, Montreal, Pq H4E 1P1 at BrierI. (LL et al.). ProthonotaryWarblers ([email protected]) wereat SableI. 15 Sep(ZL) and Rainbow NORMAND DAVID Haven,NS, 2 Oct (fide AHo); a much- 11931Lavigne, Montreal, P(• H4J 1X9 appreciatedmale appeared16-26 Oct at ([email protected]) Bear Cove,NF (BMt et al.). Two Worm-eat- A round-tripaboard the Trois-Pistoles-Les YVES AUBRY •ng Warblerswere at CSI 12 Sep (MN). Escouminsferry 2 Oct producedseven N. Hooded Warblers appeared 6 Sep at CanadianWildlife Service, Fulmars,one Greater Shearwater, one Sooty PubnicoPt., NS (RD), 15 Sep at SableI. P.OBox 10100, Sainte-Foy, P(•G1V 4H5 Shearwater, and one Manx Shearwater (ZL), and 22 Oct at St. John's(DB). A Pine ([email protected]) (JPO,ML). Other trips made during the Warbler was far e. at St. John's 13-25 Nov sameperiod were also quite productive. The (JP et al.). Prairie Warblersand Yellow- averagealltemperatures with thecontinued exceptiontoof beOctober. above Matane-Godbout ferry yielded two Wilson's breastedChats were in averageto slightly The summerdrought, which lasteduntil Storm-Petrels11 Aug (L. Roy)and one was belowaverage numbers. earlySeptember, came to an endafter rem- detected from shore in Rivi•re-Saint- Late ScarletTanagers were 4-6 Nov at nants of HurricaneFloyd dumped up to Charles19 Oct (JFR,S. Blais). Campellton, NB (BG), 7-12 Nov at four inchesof rain in someparts of south- A white pelicanseen from a greatdis- Charlottetown,NF (fide GS), and 10-13 ern Quebec.October and Novemberwere tancein Rivi•re-Oudle22 Aug could not be Nov at St. John's (AHu et al.). Summer alsoquite wet. It wasan excdlentautumn identifiedto the species(JFR, I. Simard)but Tanagerswere one 13-16 Oct at BrierI. and for rarities, with the addition of three new onevideotaped in Lacdes Iles, near Mont- two 20-21 Oct at SealI., NS (fideDMcC). It speciesto theQuebec list of birds:Common Laurier,25 Jul, was undoubtedlyan Am. wasa better-than-averageautumn for Clay- Crane, Cave Swallow, and Swainson's White Pelican (P. Moffatt). Last year's coloredand Lark Sparrows,with respective Warbler. respectablecount of 10 GreatEgrets in St.- provindaltotals of four and sevenin NB, Timoth•e wasalmost trivial comparedto 30 LOONS THROUGH DUCKS nine and four in NS, and one and two in NF. that gatheredin the samearea throughout A FieldSparrow at Blackhead17 Oct-2 Nov Not seenevery year in s.Quebec, single Pa- Aug (m.ob.).Flocks of 14 and 17 individu- was one of the few ever in Newfoundland cificLoons in Cacouna11 Oct (L. Messely) alsappeared in Saint-Barth•lemy7 Aug (LS) (DB, TB). The annual late Oct and Nov andin Newport31 Oct (PP,D. Mercier,J. R. and in Notre-Dame-de-Pierreville28 Aug, influx of N. Cardinals into s. New Bruns- Lepage)were welcome sightings. Procellar- respectively(ND, D. Jauvin).Smaller flocks wick and Nova Scoitawas the strongest iidaemade a goodincursion into the St. were seen in different localities and one since 1995. Blue Grosbeak totals were back Lawrenceestuary in lateSep and early Oct. strayede. to Cap-des-Rosiers11 Aug (I.

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