Nova Scotia Birds A Quarterly Publication of the Nova Scotia Bird Society
Autumn Season 2016 Volume 59, Issue 1 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Board 2016-2017
President David Currie Vice President Eric Mills Treasurer Gillian Elliott Secretary Kate Steele Membership Secretary Ulli Hoeger Director B. Haley Director Angie Millard Director Tony Millard Director Chris Pepper Director Helene Van Doninck Honorary Solicitor Tony Robinson Honorary Auditor Ruth E. Smith
Formed in 1955, the Nova Scotia Bird Society is a member of Nature Nova Scotia and Nature Canada. The activities of the Society are centred on the observation, study, and protection of the birds of the province and preservation of their habitats.
Nova Scotia Bird Society E-mail: [email protected] c/o The Nova Scotia Museum Find us on Facebook 1747 Summer Street Web: nsbirdsociety.ca Halifax, NS B3H 3A6 Rare Bird Alert: https://groups.yahoo.com/NS-RBA/
Editor’s Foreword 2 Bird Society News 3 President’s Report 3 Minutes of Annual Meeting 3 NSBS Financial Reports 6 Autumn Bird Reports 7 Waterfowl 9 Galliformes 12 Loons and Grebes 13 Tubenoses through Cormorants 14 Herons and Relatives 21 Diurnal Raptors 23 Rallids and Crane 26 Shorebirds 27 Skuas to Terns 33 Pigeons to Woodpeckers 44 Flycatchers through Thrushes 48 Mimic-Thrushes through Warblers 52 Sparrows to Dickcissel 62 Icterids to House Sparrow 67 Peggy Scanlan posted on NSBS Facebook, Oct 28: List of Contributors 69 “After sitting and watching for more than 3 and ½ Other Reports 70 hours I spotted this Brown Booby around noon at the Calliope Hummingbird: second in Nova Scotia 70 Canso Causeway. I was 99.9% sure of the ID but sent Gray Flycatcher: first in Nova Scotia 71 it out on the NS-RBA . . . to get it out there asap”; and Historic Record of Sabine’s Gull 77 thereby summoned many other keen life-listers.
Published April 2017; ISSN 0383-9537 Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 2
Editor’s Foreword
By Ian McLaren Editor Ian McLaren Address below What an autumn it has been! With so many keen birders Production Editor out and about, many of them relatively new at the game, Andy de Champlain the records of our birds have become massive, and replete Copy-Editors with exciting finds. Some of us long-time birders may Dominic Cormier have twinges of regret, as many much younger birders Elizabeth Doull rapidly approach our long-accumulated life-lists. (But we Proof-Reader can remain smug about our ‘self-found’ lists.) And then, Maxine Quinton even long-time life-listers have been benefitting from the Section Editors keen eyes and photo skills of many more birders now Andy de Champlain roaming the province in search of novelties. Our cover Alix d’Entremont photographer is an excellent example; Peggy Scanlan also Ross Hall supplied our first confirmed White-faced Ibis to my Nova John Loch Scotia list and those of many others in spring 2015. Ken McKenna Ian McLaren This issue documents a roster of such extraordinary Bruce Stevens records, almost all of them with confirming photographs. Jake Walker We hope that some of the photographs and their captions Rick Whitman in this issue will help our readers become more alert to the details sometimes required for critical identification (and Records Editor documentation) of rare birds; and the more you learn, the Lance Laviolette (direct reports to NSBS) more the fun. It is also my opinion that such RR # 1, Glen Robertson, ON, K0B 1H0 documentation is the best way for future reviewers to [email protected] decide what bird records belong on our provincial lists. That view was shared with me decades ago by Earl eBird management for NS Birds Godfrey, then doyen of Canadian ornithology. He opined Keith Lowe that he would not accept decisions of regional ‘bird records committees’, which are often controversial, but Banner Artist & Line Art would judge the available evidence himself. Trevor Herriot Our section editors now largely begin to write their Photo submissions to: thoughtful seasonal reviews by subduing the voluminous Ian McLaren checklists being posted daily on eBird. That massive data Address below base will become increasingly valuable in time for sophisticated ‘Big-Data’ analyses of records from Nova Other Items for publication to: Scotia, probably mostly within larger geographical Ian McLaren contexts. However, with this issue, we’ve made a first 1755 Cambridge St step towards rationalizing our use of eBird records by Halifax, B3H 4A8 using graphs of semimonthly totals in some sections to [email protected] reveal major patterns of relative abundance of some common migratory species during their migration Use of written material or photos from Nova Scotia seasons. That way, obvious differences from year to year, Birds needs permission from either the editor or or even long-term shifts, in this age of global change, may photographer. be more immediately evident to our readers, and even serve to promote more critical analyses of such patterns Cost of this publication is partly provided by the Nova and their causes. Again, we believe that our quarterly will Scotia Museum of Natural History. continue to be a journal of record, of enduring value in clarifying what’s happening out there.
Enjoy! 3 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
President’s Report
As I write this short message, winter weather has arrived after such an unusually hot and dry summer. This drastic climate change has made it even harder to adjust to the shorter daylight hours but we thankfully hold out for those Christmas Bird Counts that attract so many of us for the birding and social interactions that come with this season.
Our Annual General Meeting in November was a huge success and in large part because of the extraordinary display of Wine and Cheeses artistically and creatively displayed by Allison and Bruce Stevens. The detail was extraordinary and as professionally done as any we’ve seen! The Museum of Natural History provided us with the main floor gallery as a venue, complete with many bird study skins from the cupboards and mounted specimens from the early 1900s. Although difficult, we will strive to duplicate this again next year.
Our first “The Silent Auction” as part of an AGM, added a new level of interest and we will be looking at making this an annual part of the AGM in future years. This year’s auctioned items came from the Estate of Blake Maybank. Many thanks to all those who helped make the evening such a good time.
During the business part of the meeting, it was my pleasure to present Bob McDonald, Verna Higgins and Suzanne Borkowski with Certificates of Appreciation for the work they have done with the Sanctuary over the years and especially more significant as they finish their roles on that committee. The fourth member, Dennis Hippern was not present to accept his plaque but be sure that I will find him! It is with much gratitude that we thank all four for the work that has been done, especially over the last several years as our properties were transferred to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust and Joint Ventures for protection in perpetuity.
Azor Vienneau modestly accepted a certificate for his artistry in the form of an NSBS colouring book that we can use for awareness and education as well as a fundraiser for special projects as time goes on. We thank Azor for the many contributions he has made through his drawings over the years.
Dr. Helene Van Doninck, typically, was too busy giving a presentation about the effects of lead in the environment in Port Hawkesbury at the time as our AGM so not able to accept her very well-deserved Puffin of the Year Award. We are all indebted to her for the significant contributions she makes every day for the benefit of wildlife.
One of our new members, Mirabai Alexander presented the Nomination Report and I’m pleased to list the directors for 2016- 2017 and the resulting positions they subsequently agreed to fill. Along with the wonderful group of directors listed below, I will be continuing as president.
Barbara B. Haley – Vice President Kate Steele – Secretary Gillian Elliott – Treasurer Ulli Hoeger – Membership Secretary Angie Millard – Field Trips Helene Van Doninck – Conservation Eric Mills – Director Chris Pepper – Director Tony Millard – Director Ian McLaren – Editor and ex officio Director Anthony Robinson – Honorary Solicitor Ruth Smith – Financial Verification ______
Nova Scotia Bird Society Annual General Meeting Minutes – November 26, 2016
Approval of the Agenda – 7:32pm Moved by Tony Millard, seconded by Eric Mills Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 4
Approval of the minutes from November 21, 2015 Moved by Joan Czapalay, seconded by Bob McDonald
Business Arising from the minutes of November 21, 2015 No business arising from the minutes of November 21, 2015
Reports
Treasurer’s Report Gillian Elliott presented an income statement and balance sheet with comparative figures from 2015. Moved by Tony Millard, seconded by Ron Arsenault
Dave Currie offered that the $2000.00 grant was provided by the NS Museum of Natural History to help with mailing and postage, which is no longer necessary as print publications are transitioning to online, although the NSBS continues to mail our quarterly magazine.
Ron Arsenault asked about the donation to the Ecology Action Centre, which was clarified as a donation to the “Allied Cats” program.
Membership Report Ulli Hoeger reported that the total number of paid memberships for 2016 is 419. Fifty-four have already paid for their memberships for 2017. There were 115 new members in 2016.
Richard Stern commented that there is potential for more members from the approximately 7000 NSBS Facebook page members. We have encouraged Facebook members to join in the past, but those who do, do not tend to renew their memberships the following year.
Nova Scotia Birds Editor’s Report The last issue of the year will soon be available online. Ian is always looking for new volunteers and suggested that some of the larger sections could be split to make them more manageable. Additional stories are also appreciated.
NSBS Sanctuary Trust Fund Report Bob McDonald provided the final Chair’s report for the NSBS Sanctuary Trust since their principle task is now complete after donation of the properties to the Nova Scotia Nature Trust (NSNT). Some have gone through easements to the province and Ducks Unlimited Canada as well.
The NSBS Sanctuary Trust has also gained over $50,000 so far from the estate of Gerald Francis. $10,000 of this was donated to the NSNT for stewardship since their mandate is to visit each property at least once per year. The remainder was provided to various research projects focusing on birds throughout the province. A request for proposals was sent out and the requests for funds exceeded the amount available, so each project was funded at about 62% of the amount requested. One more instalment is expected from the Francis estate and Bob requested on behalf of the Sanctuary Trust that this amount be provided to the projects. He hopes to summarize the projects and associated amounts in an upcoming issue of NS Birds.
Suzanne Borkowski presented the Sanctuary Trust Fund financial report on behalf of the group. She commented that with the donation of the properties, they are no longer paying taxes or insurance.
Ken McKenna commented that he was unaware of the available grant money and Suzanne explained that the information was sent to organizations and universities but the membership at large was not informed. She was very apologetic for this oversight. Dave Currie encouraged Ken to still feel free to approach the society as funding projects relating to birds is part of our mandate.
Under income and expenditures, Suzanne highlighted that there was $50,625.00 made in donations to the NSBS Sanctuary Trust in 2015/2016. 5 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
The balance sheet was presented which showed $14.51 remaining. Suzanne plans to provide Gillian with a cheque and then close the account. Acceptance of the report was passed by all in attendance.
Conservation Report Helene Van Doninck (Conservation Chair) was not able to attend the AGM, but Dave Currie provided a summary of what she has been working on over the last year. 2016 was her second year exchanging lead tackle and her fourth year exchanging ammunition for non-lead alternatives. She continues to present the dangers of lead locally and beyond, to apply for additional funding, and hopes to increase the availability of non-lead items, as well as translate resources into Mi'kmaq and French.
Helene is also busy with presentations throughout NS on the benefits to birds and cats in keeping cats indoors or in outdoor enclosures. She reaches out to other veterinarians and cat rescue groups on this topic and she is also partnering with Nature Canada regarding birds and window strikes.
President’s Report Dave Currie thanked all of the NSBS volunteers from throughout the year and provided certificates of appreciation to the NSBS Sanctuary Trust members as well as Azor Vienneau for all his hard work on the colouring book which he created and donated to the NSBS. He hopes that the Birding Passport and Brochure intended to target tourists interested in birds will be available in 2017. Eleanor Parke was not in attendance but Dave planned to provide her with a certificate of appreciation for the huge task of cataloguing Blake Maybank’s estate items.
Dave noted that there is a small silent auction at the AGM with more auctions to come in the near future. Each monthly meeting will likely have a few items as well.
Angie Millard (Field Trip Coordinator) reported that she has seen an increase in the number of attendees with typically ~10- 30 people per outing. There are many field trips happening, many in new locations as well.
New Business
Mirabai Alexander, on behalf of the Nominations Committee, named the board of directors for 2016-17 and David Currie asked for further nominations from the floor.
Members of the Nova Scotia Bird Society Board of Directors, 2016-2017: David Currie B. Haley Gillian Elliott Kate Steele Ulli Hoeger Angie Millard Tony Millard Eric Mills Chris Pepper Helene Van Doninck
Ian McLaren – ex-officio Honorary Solicitor – Anthony Robinson Honorary Financial Reviewer – Ruth Smith
Puffin of the Year
Dave Currie presented the Nova Scotia Bird Society’s 2016 Puffin of the Year Award to Dr. Helene Van Doninck for her tireless work, not only rehabilitating injured birds, but for everything she does to try to prevent birds from coming into her care. Helene was unfortunately not present at the AGM.
Adjournment Motion to adjourn made by Gillian Elliott at 8:20 pm Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 6
Financial Reports, Nova Scotia Bird Society, Fiscal Year 2015-2016
Balance Sheets Income Statements
as at Sept 30, as at Sept 30, Fiscal year Fiscal year 2016 2015 ending ending Sept Sept 30, 30, 2015 ASSETS 2016
Current Bank REVENUE 8,970 Account 16,480 Memberships 9240.00 8,595.00 Power Savings 32,619 Advertising 0.00 80.00 Account 28,728 Accounts Donations 3189.50 1,014.00 558 Receivable 532 received ______Grants 0.00 2,000.00 TOTAL ASSETS 45,740 42,147 Interest 106.43 209.56 ======Product Sales 1665.25 3,893.00 LIABILITIES Miscellaneous 781.68 145.70
Payables 135 5 TOTAL Deferred Revenue 0 0 REVENUE 14982.86 15,937.26 TOTAL 5 ______LIABILITIES 135 EXPENSE EQUITY Cost of Goods 1131.45 3,425.51
Current Earnings 3463 3,637 Sold Accumulated Nova Scotia 5527.83 5384.84 38,506 Revenue 42,142 Birds TOTAL EQUITY 45,605 42,142 Advertising/ 307.37 747.92 ______Promotions LIABILITIES AGM 313.95 408.33 45,740 42,147 AND EQUITY Awards/ Gifts 110.75 753.07 ======Bank Charges 169.3 32.78 David Currie, Gillian Elliott, Ruth Smith, PayPal 291.05 248.30 President Treasurer Auditor Donations 1500.00 75.00 Given Honorariums 0.00 0.00 Insurance 900.00 450.00 Memberships 100.00 100.00 Miscellaneous 986.73 292.18
Monthly 181.83 382.53
Meetings
TOTAL 11520.26 12,300.46 EXPENSE ______NET 3462.60 3636.80 INCOME ======
7 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
The map above gives the names and a list of abbreviations used in the seasonal reports of all the counties (always in italics) of Nova Scotia, along with names of some larger, or otherwise often-mentioned, cities, towns, and islands (two of them with abbreviations). County names are abbreviated when part of a bird location or date, but spelled out when stand-alone in the text. Other well-known communities (most on the above map) may be used without their counties or municipalities. This also applies to larger urban units within Halifax (e.g. Dartmouth, Sackville) and Cape Breton (e.g. N. Sydney, Glace Bay, New Waterford). Months with dates are also given standard abbreviations, but again spelled out when stand-alone. Below is a list of frequently used abbreviations and acronyms to save space, generally when given in parentheses. Also, cardinal and ordinal compass directions may be abbreviated (as w., n.e., etc.) and are capitalized when part of a place name. Bird names in the Seasonal Reports are in full caps when first mentioned and rare ones (those missing or with asterisks on the NSBS Field Checklist, 2014) in bold font. Other terms, abbreviations, and frequently used place names used in preparing the seasonal reports are listed on the next page.
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 8
General terms (some used largely in parentheses) Up. = Upper (for communities) ABO = Atlantic Bird Observatory (reports from) var. obs. = various observers AHY = After Hatch year; second or more after birth yng. = young AOU = Am. Ornith. Soc. (AOS) official checklist + or ++ with numbers = more; with dates = later ad. = adult < > = less (or fewer) than, greater (or more) than Atlas, or MBBA = Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas Pk. = Park BBS = Breeding Bird Survey PP = Provincial Park Bch., bch. = Beach, beach Pt. = Point (not Port) Brk.= Brook pr. = pair (not simply two birds, a ‘twosome’) ca. = approximately R. = River (spelled out if in a community name) CBC = Christmas Bird Count Rd. = Road DU = Ducks Unlimited (wetlands) rept. = report (pl. repts.) f. = female Sanct. = use in a named Sanctuary fide = on the authority of SARA = Species at Risk Act status in Canada g.d. = good details spec. = specimen Hbr. = Harbour SY = second year; born in the previous year Hwy(s) = Highway(s) usually numbered HY = hatch year; a bird born in the current year Frequently birded locations (counties not needed) I. = Island (pl. Is.) APBS = Amherst Point Bird Sanctuary, Cumb imm. = immature Belleisle Marsh = e. of Annapolis Royal incl. = including Cape Sable, Shel, not to be confused with CSI juv. = juvenile (first post-nestling plumage) CBHNP = Cape Breton Highlands National Park loc. = location, locality (pl. locs.) Conrad Bch. (largely a PP; central coast of HFX) Lr. = Lower (for communities) CSI = Cape Sable I., Shel m. = male French Basin Tr. = Trail around marsh in Annapolis Mid. = Middle (for communities) Royal. m. obs. = many observers Hartlen Pt. = e. edge of Eastern Passage, HFX. n.d. = no details (unsupported by documentation) Keji NP = Kejimkujik National Park no. = number Keji Seaside NP = Kejimkujik Seaside National Park nr. = geographically near NW Arm, Halifax = Northwest Arm, Halifax. NSBS = Nova Scotia Bird Society PPP, Halifax = Point Pleasant Park, Halifax Pen obs. = observer(s); not observed or observation(s) Saltmarsh Tr., HFX = Former rail trail across Cole Pen. = Peninsula Hbr. ph. = photographed Uniacke PP = Mt. Uniacke Estate Museum Pk., Hants Tr. = Trail
______
Waterfowl By Ross Hall
Among goose rarities, a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (almost routine now) was found by Fred MacKenzie and Ken McKenna amongst a large flock of Canada Geese at Cape John, Pict, Nov 14, and observed by others up to Nov 26. Reports of SNOW GOOSE included: possibly the same adult at Tidal Bore Rd., Truro, Sept 29 (KLO, ph.) and Oct 1 (GFO), and at Shubenacadie Oct 7-15 (3 repts.); a juvenile photographed by Peggy Scanlan at ‘Rollie’s Pond’ in Haliburton, Pict, Oct 8; and an adult with two juveniles at the Chester Golf Course Oct 20-21 (JAH; Sandi Keereweer, ph.). It is interesting to get reports from Sable I., where a single BRANT was seen by Greg Stroud, Oct 13-23. Sharp eyes discerned the CACKLING GOOSE amongst Canada Geese. One was seen by Clarence Stevens Sr. at Shaw Pond, Shubenacadie, Oct 8. Another was found by David Bell near Truro Nov 13, and probably the same one was found nearby Nov 26 (MCD, Sandra Dennis). Finally, another two were observed by Clarence Stevens Sr. at Cape John, Pict, Nov 15.
CANADA GOOSE was reported in huge numbers through fall 2016, with 761 eBird reports and a cumulative total of over a hundred thousand. This total, of course, was partly from different observers repeating estimates of large gatherings through time. The biggest flocks were seen around Shubenacadie, Truro, and Cape John, Pict. One survey of nearby locations from 9 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
North River to Masstown, Col, on the same day logged 4448 Canada Geese Sept 29 (KLO), and a similar survey there Nov 10 produced an estimated 5875 (ELM, DBM). There were also counts of 1000-2000 around Shubenacadie Oct 24-Nov 12 (DBM; PAO), and flocks of 1000-3000 were counted at Cape John, Nov 14-26 (var. obs.). Eric Mills estimated that of 2500 Canada Geese at North River Oct 3, 20% were Branta canadensis interior, and a yellow neck band on one bird indicated that it was ringed at Issungua, West Greenland in 2014. The Interior subspecies of Canada Goose largely breeds from Ontario to Northern Quebec, but nesting began in Greenland in 1976 and has dramatically spread there since.
WOOD DUCK was found across the province, frequently near or in sewage lagoons. There were 162 eBird reports with 697 individuals, including many repeated through time. A high count of 85 was made from the French Basin Tr. Oct 9 (LNE).
The 88 eBird reports of GADWALL totalled 786 individuals, with many repeated observations. Most were found in Annapolis, Cumberland and Yarmouth. There were reports of four EURASIAN WIGEON. A male was nicely photographed by Andrew Stadnyk (NSBS Facebook) along the W. Lawrencetown Tr., HFX, Nov 13, and observed later that day by Chris Pepper. David Bell spotted a male at the Maccan Tidal Wetlands Park, Cumb, Nov 13, and also a presumably different one that day at John Lusby Marsh. He also found another, or one of the earlier ones, at John Lusby Marsh, Nov 20. AMERICAN WIGEON was in 202 eBird checklists adding up to 2517 individuals from throughout the province. Again there were many replicated observations, including on Seal I. Aug 19 to Oct 25, which accounted for 58 of the reports and 737 of the numbers (ABO group). The highest eBird estimates were 200 at John Lusby Marsh Nov 20 (DMB), and 135 at W. Lawrencetown on both Nov 4 and Nov 13 (CHP).
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK and MALLARD were abundant, as usual. David Bell observed a high number of 2300 Black Ducks off the common mouth of the Debert and Folly Rivers at Lower Debert. That number is not unexpected, as large numbers move about Cobequid Bay and their location is determined by tide and wind. The following are reported estimates of more than 200 Black Ducks.
Date Locality No. Observers Oct 5 Oak I., Avonport, Kings 250 PHT Oct 8 Melbourne, Yar 230 AAD Oct 24 Kingsport, Kings 250 PHT Nov 2 Grand Pré, Kings 600 DMB, LUB Nov 2 Porters Pt., Lr. Canard, 400 PHT Nov 3 Starrs Pt., Kings 250 PHT Nov 17 Grand Pré- The Guzzle 300 JAW Nov 16 Forbes Lake, Pict 220 KJM Nov 19 Murphy Rd., Pict 210 4 obs. Nov 20 Boomer Rd., W. Amherst 1200 DBM
And below are reports of more than 200 Mallards:
Date Locality No. Observers Sept 24, 29, Oct 11 Wolfville Rail Tr. 225, 275, 412 GFO Nov 14, 20 Reservoir Pk., Wolfville 350, 300 LUB; JAW Nov 24 Saxon Pond, Kings 400 PHT Nov 2, 3 Farnham Mill Pond, Col 600, 400 ROH; KLO Nov 10 Kiwanis Pond, Truro 250 DBM Nov 20 John Lusby Marsh, Col 250 DMB
BLUE-WINGED TEAL occurred in relatively low numbers across the province and the 105 eBird reports totalling 337 birds included several repeated counts. One to three birds were found on Sable I. on many days between Oct 12 and the end of November (Greg Stroud). Miners Marsh produced 23 reports, with an average of 2.2 individuals per report, between Aug 24 and Oct 6 (var. obs.). Nine counts on Seal I. averaged about 1.8 per report between Aug 20 and Oct 25 (var. obs.). The 59 eBird checklists totalled 489 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, often at sewage lagoons. Locations (with no. of repts. in parentheses) included: French Basin Tr. (7); Antigonish sewage lagoons (5); Amherst sewage lagoons (6 of the 10 Cumberland repts.); in Kings (34), including at New Minas sewage lagoons (8), Port Williams sewage lagoons (14), Miners Marsh (8), and elsewhere in Kings (4); Shelburne (1); and Yarmouth (2).
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 10
The 89 scattered eBird reports of NORTHERN PINTAIL totalled 317 birds. These came from across mainland Nova Scotia, but none from CBI. Some locations produced notably more reports: French Basin Tr. (10 repts.); Antigonish Landing (3); Cole Harbour-Bissett Lake (9); Canard Pond, Kings (3); CSI (11); and Seal Island (12). One migrant appeared on Sable I. Nov 13 (Greg Stroud). GREEN-WINGED TEAL produced 609 ebird reports totalling 8619 individuals; these totals are similar to those of fall 2015. Some areas and dates with higher reported numbers of Green-winged Teal follow:
Date Locality No. Observers Aug 24 Antigonish Landing 147 Allana Boyd, KJM Sept 6, Nov 4 New Minas sewage lagoons 173, 109 DMC; GFO Oct 5 Miners Marsh 130 JLC Oct 8 Canard Pond, Kings 160 RBS Oct 9, 12 French Basin Tr. 200, 200 LNE; RIW Nov 3 Carrolls Corner, HRM 125 CSS Nov 12 Snides lake, Hants 116; 126 Liz Voellinger; DBM Nov 20 John Lusby Marsh, Cumb 200 DMB
A “distant” male REDHEAD was seen from the Boomer Rd. vantage point on the John Lusby Marsh Nov 23 (DMB). Another male was found and photographed by James Hirtle on Kingsburg Pond, Lun, Oct 30 (JAM) and by others up to Nov 23. The 199 eBird reports of RING-NECKED DUCK totalled 3443 birds, including several repeated estimates, and were similar to those of fall 2015. Reports by county were: Annapolis 24 (20 at French Basin Tr.); Cape Breton 38 (11 at Centreville lagoon and 12 at Tower Road lagoon); Colchester seven (five at Brookfield Marsh); Cumberland ten (six at APBS); Digby five; Guysborough one; Halifax 33 (12 on Bissett L. and six on Sable I.); Hants five; Kings 22 (17 at New Minas sewage lagoon); Lunenburg 24 (22 at Kingsburg Pen.); Pictou 23; Richmond two; Shelburne one; Victoria two; and Yarmouth three. Higher counts of 100-130 were at Bissett L., Oct 27-Nov 11 (var. obs.), and an estimated 300 were on Albro L., HFX, Nov 30 (CSS). A female with three young was observed at Deyarmont L., Col Aug 16 (ROH).
A TUFTED DUCK, reported by David McCorquodale as a male with a short tuft and dusky patches on the sides (and thus presumably a HY bird), continued at the Tower Rd. lagoon in Glace Bay Oct 1-24.
There were 49 eBird reports of GREATER SCAUP adding up to 1226 birds, but with numbers of repeat entries. Cape Breton and Pictou accounted for 28 of the reports and 1178 of the total number, leaving only 48 seen at other scattered provincial locations. Most were seen in October and November, but there were 11 reports (with an average of almost 40 birds) of Greater Scaup through August and September in the Middle River of Pictou near Granton (KJM, var. obs.). The 42 eBird reports of LESSER SCAUP totalled 414 individuals, as tabulated below:
Date Locality No. Observers Aug 6-Nov 23 Big Pond, Florence, CB av. 13.3 (6 repts.) DBM; DMB Oct 6-Nov 24 sewage lagoons in Kings av. 3.4 (12 repts.) var. obs. Oct 15-Nov 11 Cole Hbr.-Bissett L. av. 10.3 (8 repts.) var. obs. Oct 29-Nov 5 Antigonish sewage lagoons av. 34.3 (6 repts.) var. obs. Nov 13-19 Sable Island 1 Greg Stroud Oct 20 Middle R. of Pictou Dyke 1 Emily Gillis, KJM Oct 20 Liverpool sewage lagoons 4 ELM Oct 22, 23 Bras d’Or, Church 1,1 DBM Oct 30 Brier I. 3 JAW, RIW
COMMON EIDER was posted on more than 1000 eBird checklists. Each list averaged about 21 eiders, with some estimates of up to 400 birds.
There were a gratifying 52 eBird checklists of HARLEQUIN DUCK, with average count of about five birds. These came from Annapolis (1 rept.); CBRM (one rept. from each of Fourchu, Gabarus, and Fortress Louisbourg); Digby (4 repts. from Cape St. Marys); HRM (15 repts.); Kings (6 repts. from Black Rock Lighthouse and Cape Split); Pictou Hbr. (2 repts.); Shelburne (8 repts. from CSI, Baccaro, and Hemeons Head; and Yarmouth (5 repts. from Seal I. and Chebogue). The rush to see the Brown Booby at the Canso Causeway coincidentally produced eight eBird reports of four Harlequin Ducks. The species was understandably a favourite photo subject on NSBS Facebook, and one photo was posted (see below) with about half the estimated flock of up to 30 (Simon d’Entremont) at Peggys Cove during November. 11 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Peggys Cove, with its broad appeal as a tourist destination, also lured birders to see the flock of HARLEQUIN DUCKS gathering to overwinter there. This photo, obtained Nov 5, has 16 in one frame. [Photo by Simon d’Entremont]
There were 235 eBird checklists with 4870 SURF SCOTERS this autumn, compared with 200 totalling 2790 individuals in autumn 2015. While some did linger through summer, observations increased through fall (8 repts. in August; 39 in September; 235 in October-November). Places in Shelburne and Big Merigomish I., Pict, supplied the most reports. Locations and dates with groups of 50 or more Surf Scoters follow:
Date Locality No. Observers Aug 3 Moose Cove, Hants 68 CSA Sept 5-Nov 17 Big Merigomish Island, Pict 50-127 18 repts. Oct 9 Blanche Pen., Shel 209 MCD, Sandra Dennis Oct 17 Hampton, Anna 120 LNE Nov 2 Kingsport, Kings 60 JAW Nov 3 Lower Argyle 70 MCD Nov 6 Digby 150 DMB Nov 11 Sandhills Beach PP, Shel 120 MCD Nov 17 Baccaro Pen, Shel 60 MCD Nov 29 Drinking Brook Pk., CSI 58 MCD, Sandra Dennis
There were 180 eBird checklists with a total of 902 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, close to the 174 entries with 1095 birds in 2015. Their concentrations were generally small, averaging 5.0 birds per checklist. There was one large count of 75 in the Annapolis Basin at Digby Nov 6 (DMB). The 170 eBird checklists with BLACK SCOTER summed to a total of 2807 individuals, compared with fewer reports (117) and exactly 1000 fewer individuals than in autumn 2015. Repeated counts at Seal I. Sept 25-Oct 26 (DMB), averaged 15.2 per eBird checklist. Several counts in Pictou Aug 16-Nov 13, averaged 3.6 Black Scoter per checklist (var. obs.). Locations and dates for Black Scoter estimates of 50 or greater follow:
Date Locality No. Observers Oct 10 Schooner Pond, CBRM 110 DBM Oct 28 BPI 70 DMB, LUB Nov 5 Canso Causeway area 50-200 4 repts. Nov 5 Brier I. 600, “large groups passing by” DMB Nov 6 Annapolis Basin, Town of Digby 100 DMB Nov 23 Fortress of Louisbourg 80 DMB Nov 25 Western Head Lighthouse, Queens 60 Jamie Huskins
As in autumn 2015, LONG-TAILED DUCK did not return to our waters until October; the earliest two off Sober I., HFX, Oct 2 (AMI, MMI), were followed by 112 eBird checklists totalling 950 individuals. Only a few locations had large numbers: 100 in Annapolis Basin Nov 6 (DMB); 102 off CSI Nov 13 (MCD); and 93 at Pictou Landing Nov 29 (KJM).
Do readers know that the name BUFFLEHEAD is a contraction of “Buffalo-head” referring to the male’s odd, puffy head shape? Although a few have been found in summer, Bufflehead is late to return to Nova Scotia with 163 eBird reports in October and November and only four in August (earliest two in Kings Aug 11). Where are they before their later-fall arrival? A search using eBird maps did not reveal any potentially large staging or stopover areas, such as the Great Lakes or the St. Lawrence River, during August and September. Instead, huge numbers suddenly appear in October and November across North America south of their breeding range. Locations and dates here with Bufflehead numbers 50 or more follow:
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Dates Locality No. Observers Oct 30-Nov 24 Cole Harbour-Bissett L. 60-110 5 repts. Nov 5 Melbourne, Yar 87 AAD Nov 6-28 French Basin Tr. 50-131 7 repts. Nov 6 Digby 250 DMB Nov 20 Liverpool sewage lagoons 121 ELM
COMMON GOLDENEYE is another waterfowl species that arrives late in Nova Scotia: there were only six eBird reports for August and September (possibly summer residents), but 98 during October and November. The number of eBird reports and individuals for 2016 were about double those of last autumn. Many (63) of the records and all estimates of 50 or more came from Pictou. BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was found at two locations. One male was at New Glasgow Nov 26 (KJM), and up to 18 were off the Dobson Yacht Club in Sydney Hbr. Oct 30-Nov 23 (DBM, DMB, Angela Granchelli). One found there by David McCorquodale Nov 23 was apparently a Barrow’s X Common Goldeneye hybrid.
The 293 eBird checklists totalling 3756 HOODED MERGANSERS no doubt included repeated observations, but were notable increases from the 174 with 1473 individuals in 2015. Although it was recorded throughout the province, Pictou accounted for 2715 of those observed. Haliburton Gut alone produced 17 checklists with an average of 124 birds; including 350 there Nov 23 (CHK, KJM). The 199 eBird records of COMMON MERGANSER were up from the 119 in 2015, and this year’s total of 4117 exceeded last year’s total of 1971. As in previous years, it was especially common in Pictou. Locations and dates of counts of 50 or more follow:
Dates Locality No. Observers Sept 9 Saltmarsh Tr., HRM 63 KLO Aug 23-Sept 18 Big Merigomish I. 50-104 5 repts., var. obs. Sept 30 Powells Point, Pict 110 KJM Oct 20, Nov 9 Middle R. of Pictou Dyke 100, 232 var. obs. Nov 11; 26 Forbes L., Pict 80, 50 KJM; AAD, KJM Nov 29 Haliburton Gut, Pict 455 KJM Oct 28 Wagmatcook, Vic 110 DBM
Finally, the 218 eBird reports totalling 4996 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were another increase over last year’s numbers. Included were 14 reports from Sable I. Oct 14-Nov 30, with an average of 11 per count (Greg Stroud). Again there were large concentrations in Pictou, where they were likely feeding on American Sand Lance.
Dates Locality No. Observers Oct 16-Nov 20 Waterside PP, Pict 50-150 4 repts. Nov 3 Little Hbr., Pict 250 KJM Nov 6, 13, 17 Big I. Causeway, Pict 270, 54, 467 KJM Nov 6 Big I.-Merigomish Pt. 572 KJM Nov 29 Brown’s Pt., Pict 1100 KJM Nov 5 Taylors Hd. PP 51 MAB Nov 19 Corkum’s I., Lun 50 JAH, Howard Heffler Nov 26 Brule Pt., Col 298 MCD, Sandra Dennis
Galliformes By Ian McLaren
Altogether 596 eBird checklists included a total of 1249 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS; roughly double the summer 2016 totals, but closer to those of fall 2015. They are more wide-ranging and augmented by young in the fall-season. None were listed from CBI or, oddly, Queens, although a couple of Facebook photos were from that county. Although this introduced gamebird is hardly prized by experienced birders, it is a photo-favourite on Facebook. Nothing further has come forth on last fall’s sighting (NS Birds, Vol. 58, Issue 1, p. 15) of a residual (or re-introduced?) Gray Partridge family at their former ‘last stand’ near Truro. Ron Wilson reported a NORTHERN BOBWHITE in Lakeville, Kings, Nov 11, “feeding on gravel beside the road” that he concluded was “most likely an escaped game bird from a local farm.” One photo of a CHUKAR, obtained near Brookfield, Col, Aug 18, was posted on NSBS Facebook; there is not much evidence yet of a self-sustaining population in our sporadic records of this regular ‘escapee’. Two GUINEAFOWL (Helmeted, Numida meleagris?) in Wolfville Oct 8 (fide JWW) are probably best ignored. 13 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Perhaps not surprisingly, all counties were represented in the 120 eBird records of 165 RUFFED GROUSE, which are respectively about 36% and 21% more than last fall’s totals. Although not as impressive as the increase between summers 2015 and 2016 (see last issue, p. 9), the fall-season records could be more evidence of a real short-term increase in this somewhat cyclical species, despite an apparent 50% decline overall between 1970 and 2015 (BBS; NS and PEI combined). Of the 39 eBird reports of 100 SPRUCE GROUSE, ten reports and 39 of the birds were from CBI, especially Inverness, where several broods were noted. The total individuals reported were respectively about 95% more than reported in summer 2016 and 79% more than in fall 2015. Do we accept that these were real increases (as suggested above for Ruffed Grouse), or simply from more eBird reporting. There is much to be done in sorting out such matters.
Loons and Grebes By Ross Hall
RED-THROATED LOON arrived back in Nova Scotia beginning in late September; there was only one earlier report of one at Port George, Anna, Aug 1 (LNE). Migrant and potential overwintering birds were well dispersed along our coastlines, with 206 eBird checklists totalling 933 individuals; these numbers are similar to those reported in autumn 2015. There were a few locations with notably high counts:
Date Locality Number Observer Oct 16 Waterside PP/ Caribou I., Pict 32 PSC Oct 19, Nov 1, 13 Waterside PP 25, 49, 81 KJM Nov 6, 13, 17 Big Merigomish I.-causeway 53, 23, 48 KJM Nov 13 CSI-Daniels Hd. 59 (after overnight wind) MCD
A juvenile PACIFIC LOON was observed by David Bell as it flew by 400 m off Seal I. Oct 25. Although it was distant, he described it (from familiarity with the species in western Canada) as: “Size similar to [Red-throated Loon] but more robust, with thicker neck. Dark back, darkish ‘hood’, slower wing beats than RTLO, and didn’t throw head around.” The COMMON LOON was abundantly recorded, with 634 eBird reports containing 2161 individuals. Again these numbers were almost identical to those of autumn 2015. Most were in coastal waters, and little information on breeding was provided: adults with two half-grown young were observed at Deyarmont Lake, Col, Aug 16 (ROH); an apparent failed breeding was inferred when the “adults apparently had one young but hasn’t been seen for weeks” at Sandy Bottom L., Anna Aug 22 (JOL); and Emily Gillis recorded three presumably successful adults with three young at Keji NP Sept 4.
The 164 eBird reports of PIED-BILLED GREBE totalled 660 birds. These included numerous repeated observations, such as the 101 reports from Miners Marsh that accounted for 484 of the total. From Annapolis, there were five reports from Belleisle Marsh and ten from the French Basin Trail; two reports from Cape Breton; one from Colchester; eight from Cumberland (six from APBS); two from Digby; six from Halifax; one from Hants; 102 from Kings (all but one from Miners Marsh); four from Lunenburg; 22 from Pictou (18 of them at the Old Halifax Rd. Pond); and one from Yarmouth. Pied-billed Grebe appeared to have left the province by mid-November, and the latest one was seen at Neuville L., Cumb, Nov 13 (DMB).
This rather late-hatched young was still being served by a parent at the French Basin Trail in Annapolis Royal, Aug 3. [Photo by Joan Comeau]
There was only one early eBird report of four HORNED GREBES at Graves Island, Lun, Sept 27 (JAW). The remaining 66 eBird reports and 330 individuals were through October and November, very similar to those of autumn 2015. Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 14
The 109 eBird reports of RED-NECKED GREBE added up to 445 individuals, again similar to the 128 reports of 450 in autumn 2015. Shelburne accounted for 44 of the 109 reports. The earliest were one at East Berlin, Queens, Aug 20 (Jamie Huskins) and another at Gullivers Cove, Digby, Aug 31 (David Rymal). Larger numbers are tabulated below:
Date Locality Number Observers Sept 30; Oct 27 Gabarus, CB 16; 24 B. Kent, L. Saunders; DBM Oct 26 Hwy 329, Lun 14 Gilles Bourque Nov 2-30 CSI Six reports of 10-20 birds MCD Nov 6 Ogdens Pond, Ant. 23 JAW Nov 11 Little Brook, Digby 32 AAD Nov 30 Baccaro Pen., Shel 20 DMB, DMC
Tubenoses through Cormorants
By John Loch
Major highlights of the 2016 fall season included extraordinarily high counts of Cory’s Shearwater and several sightings of some rare pelagic seabirds (none included on the NSBS Field Checklist) in Canadian waters during seabird and cetacean surveys by the US NOAA/NMFS research vessel Henry B. Bigelow: a Black-capped Petrel; 11 Audubon’s Shearwaters; a single White-faced and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel; and a White-tailed Tropicbird. Also, a much-‘twitched’ immature Brown Booby turned up at the Canso Causeway.
Aug-Nov 2016 fall sightings of Tubenoses to Cormorants have been sourced principally from eBird and Canadian Wildlife Service’s Eastern Canada Seabirds at Sea (ECSAS) database; see this section in the autumn 2015 issue of NS Birds for more details on that database and survey methodology. There was one other key source: Michael Force for NOAA/NMFS sightings; I also checked NSBS Facebook, and the NS-RBA. The 2016 fall sightings from the first two sources were compiled and are summarized in the three tables immediately below (also see discussion of Michael Force’s sightings in the section on rare bird sightings below). Fall 2016 Sightings from eBird and ECSAS
eBird ECSAS
s
Species
Sep Oct Sep Oct
Nov Nov
Aug Aug
totals total Northern Fulmar 3 8 3 4 18 2 28 15 9 54 Cory's Shearwater 61 108 4997 3 5169 282 147 41 0 470 Great Shearwater 8237 7665 248 13 16163 547 119 24 0 690 Sooty Shearwater 397 28 16 6 447 13 3 0 0 16 Manx Shearwater 28 4 2 0 34 5 0 1 0 6 Wilson's Storm-Petrel 195 81 3 0 279 117 79 1 0 197 Leach's Storm-Petrel 1935 513 126 56 2630 236 56 16 0 308 Brown Booby 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Northern Gannet 3266 5353 18892 5142 32653 6 60 4 54 124 Double-cr. Cormorant 14485 15703 13056 1786 45030 6 0 0 0 6 Great Cormorant 352 302 685 86 1425 0 0 0 0 0 totals 28959 29765 38029 7096 103849 1214 492 102 63 1871 * Table excludes all unidentified tubenoses to cormorants (~10000); these unidentified birds account for 4% of all birds seen.
For future comparisons and following similar summaries for the 2016 spring and summer seasons in NS Birds, data subsets of fall sightings since 2006 were obtained from eBird and ECSAS – the former by an online request to eBird, the latter from Carina Gjerdrum (CWS) on February 20, 2017. These are presented in tabular and graphic form in the two tables and several figures below. Readers should note that the section on Tubenoses to Cormorants in the Summer 2016 issue of NS Birds cautioned that it’s moot whether any comparisons or trends noted in the eBird data from 2006 to about 2012 reflect biological realities, but rather are artifacts of eBird, which has shown annual exponential growth in submissions of checklists and species totals (eBird Newsletter, June 22 2016, http://ebird.org/content/ebird/news/333million/).
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Another caution relates to the inevitable duplication of records on eBird if more than one person bird together: in that case often more than one observer files his/her report to eBird resulting in duplicate records. In general, for the eBird databases used in this paper, there was an approximate 10% inflation of sightings (i.e., 50,000 duplicate sightings) resulting from 2% duplication of records (620).
Finally, I’d like to mention recent efforts to identify trends in sightings. Initially I attempted to graph sightings in such a way as to try to identify actual temporal trends in inter-annual sightings. However, this approach was (temporarily) abandoned with the absence of effort data that would allow sightings per unit effort that would standardize all sightings data in such a way that there could be trend analyses. Having said this, it seems that, with the assistance of Carina Gjerdrum (CWS), we are close to being able to do so for ECSAS data using kilometres of survey as a measure of effort; indeed, we do have the necessary data for a monthly/seasonal/ annual amount of effort table. It would seem appropriate to use 2016 as the reference point and calculate weightings of effort against that reference point and use those to calculate number of sightings/km/year or month or season. Also, the reader will notice that there was a fall with relatively low effort (2010) and also even months of varying effort including zero effort (e.g. August in 2006, 2011, 2012 and 2015 and November is a low effort month overall).
eBird Fall Sightings 2006-2016
eBird fall counts
Species
15 15
-
avg.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06 Northern Fulmar 0 1 1 74 1 74 22 30 33 65 18 30 Cory’s Shearwater 0 0 0 0 12 20 13 11 142 820 5169 102 Great Shearwater 15 251 48 2708 2533 1542 7560 2065 15163 25012 16163 5690 Sooty Shearwater 4 11 12 190 44 68 98 253 444 336 447 146 Manx Shearwater 0 0 0 4 10 35 21 61 47 34 34 21 Wilson’s Storm-petrel 0 30 2 1016 70 257 327 30 45 735 279 251 Leach's Storm-petrel 1 0 1 4 265 4 421 1092 1954 1519 2630 526 Northern Gannet 715 42 719 3396 7529 8216 3371 8892 34166 57450 32653 12450 Double-cr. Cormorant 2553 1659 602 619 2509 5200 5801 17449 32196 37318 45030 10591 Great Cormorant 117 60 109 179 236 287 277 799 1506 861 1425 443 totals 3405 2054 1494 8190 13209 15703 17911 30682 85696 124150 103848 30249 * Table excludes all unidentified tubenoses to cormorants (~40000); these unidentified birds account for 3% of all birds seen.
ECSAS Fall Sightings 2006-2016
ECSAS fall counts
Species .
15 15
-
avg
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06 Northern Fulmar 53 238 79 220 53 134 20 76 81 147 54 110 Cory’s Shearwater 18 10 36 56 6 96 36 17 60 54 470 39 Great Shearwater 136 412 187 444 233 213 113 218 431 161 690 255 Sooty Shearwater 3 23 6 16 2 2 0 15 22 4 16 9 Manx Shearwater 2 11 3 8 3 2 5 4 21 4 6 6 Wilson’s Storm-petrel 27 47 10 134 63 15 14 23 179 8 197 52 Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 16
Leach’s Storm-petrel 58 165 70 110 105 121 34 68 409 103 308 124 Northern Gannet 84 109 168 220 53 127 96 135 157 82 124 123 Double-cr. Cormorant 11 4 6 18 10 3 2 1 7 4 6 7 Great Cormorant 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.4 Totals 392 1019 567 1228 528 713 320 557 1367 567 1871 726 * Table excludes all unidentified tubenoses to cormorants (~11000); these unidentified birds account for 13% of all birds seen.
NORTHERN FULMAR was seen 18 times this fall per eBird, below the 2006-2015 decadal average fall numbers (30). Indeed, fall eBird sightings have exceeded 50 only thrice since 2006. A low sightings-count of 54 Northern Fulmar (NOFU) occurred during the ECSAS surveys this fall, compared with the 2006-2015 decadal fall average of 110. NOFU is more frequent offshore and the difference in decadal averages reflects that. There were no large single counts of NOFU this fall. The graph below appears to show some parallelism in annual fall sightings between the two data sources since 2008.
Sightings of CORY’S SHEARWATER on eBird have increased, arguably exponentially, starting in 2014. As can be seen from the eBird graph below; there were few observed until 2014 with an average sighting rate from 2006-2013 of seven birds per annum. Clearly this recent increase in sightings has only accelerated further in the fall of 2016 as a remarkable 5169 estimated sightings were reported in eBird. From the eBird sightings, this species has gone from being uncommon to abundant in three years. However, the ECSAS data set is less convincing, notwithstanding a relatively large increase from the decadal average of 39 to 470 in 2016; previous to 2016, fall ECSAS sightings have remained fairly constant, fluctuating only slightly around the decadal average of 39. The largest single sighting was reported by Clarence Stevens Sr., who estimated 1500 off Hartlen Pt., HRM, Oct 9. Alix d’Entremont has made several important contributions to chronicling this rapid increase in sightings of Cory’s Shearwater, and readers are referred to several Facebook posts in Oct 2016 (especially one on Oct 10), as well as his 2014 blog entry http://alixdentremont.blogspot.ca/2014/12/corys-shearwaters-in-2014-record- year.html).
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This BLACK-CAPPED PETREL, about 180 km south of CSI Aug 14, but still within our waters, was labelled (tentatively) as a ‘‘black-faced type (?)” by the photographer, because the cap just skims the upper surface of the eye, suggesting it might be an “intermediate type”. There are about a half-dozen prior Nova Scotia records, but none by ECSAS or archived yet on eBird. [Photo by Michael Force]
Interestingly, GREAT SHEARWATER sighting trends on eBird and ECSAS closely follow those of Cory’s. That is, sightings of both have increased markedly and in parallel, since 2013. Numbers were high this fall both per ECSAS (690, highest of all fall records) and eBird (16163, third highest). Sightings on eBird have exceeded the 10-year average the past three years while the 2016 ECSAS sightings exceeded the long-term average (255) for the second time since 2009. The largest single estimate of about 3000 was made from North Point, Brier I. Sept 23 (DMC, JAW, PHT).
The eBird total of 447 SOOTY SHEARWATER this fall was about three times the long term average (146) and exceeded this average for the fourth consecutive year. While the 2016 ECSAS sightings (16) of Sooty were double the nine-bird average, there are no consistent indications otherwise. The largest estimate of Sooties (60) was made off BPI Aug 13 (DMB, LUB, and Siobhan Darlington).
The eBird total of 34 MANX SHEARWATERS was above average (21); this has been the sixth year in a row that the 10- year average has been exceeded. The ECSAS total (6) was the same as the decadal average (6). Counts from eBird and ECSAS continue to be quite different. Overall, it appears that, while the fall counts vary from year to year, this shearwater remains uncommon, but with some indications of increases in eBird sightings. One eBird estimate of ten birds was reported from a “whale watching tour boat throughout the Bay of Fundy” Aug 20 (Kendra Chisholm). Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 18
The rare AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER continues to be seen in small numbers over the past few summers and/or falls. Eleven were observed (and some photographed) this fall during NOAA/NMFS surveys from the Bigelow (M. Force); none were reported on eBird or by ECSAS. Overall, 20 Audubon’s Shearwaters have been reported on eBird and by ECSAS since 2006 and by NOAA in 2015-2016. It seems apparent that more dedicated offshore vessels counting seabirds would report this species more frequently. Michael Force also photographed (as a ‘record shot’) an even rarer BAROLO SHEARWATER in the general area of the cluster of 12 sighting locations (figure below). The six prior records, including four in autumn 2012, are documented by Johnson (2013, NS Birds, Vol. 55, Issue 2, pp. 65-68). Adding to these unusual records were sightings (photos below) of two very rare storm-petrels: two WHITE-FACED STORM-PETRELS and four BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS spotted during the NOAA surveys in deep Canadian waters about 350 km south of CSI Aug 12 (Michael Force). All previous records of the former were documented by Johnson (op cit.) and of the latter by McLaren 2012, All the Birds of Nova Scotia. The locations of all the fall 2016 rare bird sightings reported by Michael Force are shown in the figure below. There were 16 different locations where the five rare species and 20 individuals were sighted.
The locations were aggregated into two clusters at the scale necessary to produce a useful map with two sighting locations on Aug 21 within Cluster # 2, one WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD and one Audubon’s Shearwater, and 14 sighting locations from Aug 12-14 within the other Cluster (#14), where the rest of the sightings occurred: seven Audubon’s Shearwaters, four Band-rumped Storm-Petrels, one Barolo’s Shearwater and one Black-capped Petrel. The two clusters were within the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone.
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These images at right of a WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL and three BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS were all obtained about 350 km south of Cape Sable Aug 12, within the area designated as #14 on the map above. The White-faced is unmistakable; the Band-rumped less so. Its ‘wrap-around’ white rump and squared-off tail distinguish it from Leach’s Storm- Petrel. The lower right panel also illustrates another informative difference: the pale stripes on the upper wing of Band-rumped, unlike Leach’s above it, do not extend to the bend of the wing. [Photos by Michael Force]
WILSON’S STORM-PETREL (WISP) totals were 279 (eBird) and 197 (ECSAS), and were below average (251) for eBird and above average (52) for ECSAS respectively, over the 2006 to 2015 long-term average period – see the two figures immediately below. The largest single eBird total was of about 100 during a whale watching tour off Brier I. Aug 13 (AMI, TMI) – see table below for other large counts & details per eBird. LEACH’S STORM-PETREL (LESP) observations per eBird were 2630 for the fall period, while the 2006-2015 fall average was approximately one seventh of that (526). The number of ECSAS sightings of LESP (308) was above the 10-year average (124/year since 2006). The largest single sighting of LESP (200) was by Gilbert Bouchard on Aug 18; see table below for other large counts & details. The figures show the 10-year (2006-2015) estimated sightings for both species; WISP sightings clearly are much lower than LESP for the entire time series shown.
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The number of sightings of unidentified WISP/LESP in 2016 was 116 per eBird (about 1% of total storm-petrel sightings); there were 257 unidentified by ECSAS observers (28% of total Hydrobatidae sighted). I also looked at the entire 2006-2016 data set: the percentage of unidentified storm-petrels in the eBird data set was always very low (most years no reports of unidentified storm-petrels with an 11-year average of 0.4%). However, there always have been high rates of unidentified storm-petrels in the ECSAS data – yearly percentages ranged from 8% - 67% with an 11-year average of 28%. Obviously, identification of these species isn’t as easy on a vessel steaming and pitching on the rolling main as from terra firma!
NORTHERN GANNET sightings dominated this fall’s eBird observations of pelagic seabirds. The 32,653 individuals and 57% of sightings (excluding cormorants) reported in eBird was also ~2.5 times the 2006-2015 eBird average of 12,450. Their numbers’ dominance over the span of 2006-2016 is also apparent in the eBird totals for gannets (~157 K) versus the rest of the non-cormorants (~92 K). The largest single eBird sighting was of 3000 seen by Mark Dennis from Daniels Head, CSI on Nov 23 – see table below for listing of all large-scale sightings. From the ECSAS side, while 124 NOGA were observed this fall, the average over 2006-2015 was 124, no difference from fall 2016. The graph below showing NOGA sightings per eBird and ECSAS seems to show little coherence between eBird and ECSAS sightings over the eleven-year period. Unlike the dominance of NOGA throughout the entire eBird data set, gannets did not dominate the eleven-year ECSAS sightings of pelagic seabirds at all.
One WHITE-TAILED TROPICBIRD was observed just inside the southeast corner of the Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone (40.219 x -65.745 – see figure (map) above and within the Cluster #2). An immature BROWN BOOBY was seen and photographed in NS waters by at least two dozen observers around the Canso Causeway, Rich, between Oct 29 and 30.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT sightings this fall were the largest of the 11-year eBird data set (about 45,000 vs. the 10-year average of about 10,000); see graph below. The largest single estimate was of 500 on Oct 26. Ten Double-crested sightings during ECSAS surveys weren’t surprising, given the offshore nature of these surveys. GREAT CORMORANT was seen in unusually high numbers this fall per eBird (about 1400 vs. the ten-year average of about 450). This was the second highest number of sightings of GRCO in the time series. Ken McKenna and Mark Brennan saw 61 GRCO off Seal Island Oct 13. No GRCO sightings occurred during the ECSAS surveys.
As this NS Birds issue addresses the fall migratory season, here are some latest sighting dates in fall 2016:
SPECIES * DATE* LOCALITY OBSERVERS Northern Fulmar Nov 2 N. Sydney-Port aux Basques Ferry, 63 to 97 km Alvan Buckley Cory’s Shearwater Nov 13 Daniels Head, CSI MCD 21 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Great Shearwater Nov 30 Baccaro Point, Shel DMB, DMC Sooty Shearwater Nov 1 Brier I., North Point CSS Manx Shearwater Oct 12 Seal I. DMB Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Oct 2 N. Sydney-Port aux Basques Ferry (NS waters) Wayne Hochstetler Leach’s Storm-Petrel Nov 5 Aulds Cove, Ant; Canso Causeway; Troy Coastal Tr., Inv JAW, KJM, LNE * Great Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Great and Double-crested Cormorant were observed beyond November * Great Shearwater Gannet,
The following is a listing of the three largest single-sighting counts by species
eBird Species DATE LOCALITY OBSERVERS est.* 1,500 Oct 9 Hartlen Pt. CSS Cory’s Shearwater 750 Oct 13 Seal I. DMB 350 Oct 1 CSI and Cape Sable, Shel A AAD, MCD, et al. 3000 Sept 24 Brier I., North Point DMC, JAW, PHT Great Shearwater 1700 Sept 24 Brier I., North Point AAD 1361 Aug 21 Brier I. whale watch Kendra Chisholm 60 Aug 13 BPI DMB, LUB, Siobhan Darlington Sooty Shearwater 40 Aug 07 Brier I. ELM 30 Aug 03 Brier I. whale watch MCD, Ervin Olsen, RDE 100 Aug 13 Brier I. whale watch AMI, TMI Wilson’s Storm-Petrel 65 Sept 17 Yarmouth-Maine ferry (NS waters) Anthony Laquidara, + 3 obs. 48 Aug 01 Yarmouth-Maine ferry (NS waters) Dave Beeke, Jim Beeke 60 Aug 18 NL-NS Ferry s.e. St. Paul I., Vic Gilbert Bouchard Leach’s Storm-Petrel* 26 Nov 05 Aulds Cove, Ant JAW, KJM 25 Aug 01 Yarmouth-Maine ferry (NS waters) Dave Beeke, Jim Beeke 3000 Nov 13 Daniels Head, CSI MCD Northern Gannet 2400 Oct 26 Schooner Pond, CB DBM 2000 Oct 10 Strait of Canso Richard MacDonald 61 Oct 13 Seal I. KJM, MAB Great Cormorant 40 Oct 25 Seal I. DMB 35 Aug 02 Bird Islands, Vic GRW 500 Oct 26 BPI DMB, LUB Double-crested 400 Oct 11 Seal I. DMB Cormorant 370 Oct 15 Seal I. KJM, MAB
*Larger Leach’s Storm-Petrel estimates (200 and four of 150) were made Aug 9-25 by ABO observers on BPI. However, they are not included in this table because all, or almost all, were “burrow” counts and therefore not comparable with the other large single sightings listed here.
Herons and Relatives By Jake Walker
AMERICAN BITTERNS were seen at 15 locations in nine mainland counties plus Cape Breton this fall, with the latest at Overton, Yar, Nov 19 (JOK), almost a month after a prior latest on Seal I. Oct 25 (DMB). An atypically cooperative immature LEAST BITTERN was found by Mark Dennis at a pond off the road along The Hawk Beach, CSI, Sept 16, and it delighted many other observers through Sept 21.
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Only 30 LEAST BITTERNS have been reported here since the mid-20th century, and only a handful in recent years. So, the one found by Mark Dennis on CSI Sept 16 attracted much attention during its short stay. [Photo by Mark Dennis]
There were a whopping 1227 eBird reports of GREAT BLUE HERONS this fall. Largest post-breeding gatherings were: 45 along Salt Marsh Tr., HFX, Sept 9 (B. Haley); 25 on the Bird Is., Vic (Aug 2, GRW), 23 on Big I., Pict, Aug 20 & 27 (KJM, Andrew Wagstaff), and 23 at Morien Bar, CB, Aug 12 (Céline Maurice, François Shaffer).
Five or six GREAT EGRETS were reported this fall, two of which lingered for several weeks. The earliest were one and another “possible” at different Lunenburg sites during the first week of August, as reported to James Hirtle. The next was found off the Salt Marsh Tr., HFX, Sept 1 (MZE), and was seen by many in that vicinity until Oct 7. The other was found on CSI, Sept 16 (Mike MacDonald) and remained there until Oct 6. Two more passed through quickly. One was found at Avonport, Kings, Sept 11 (PHT) and then seen several hours later at nearby Grand Pré (JLC). The other was at Pinkneys Pt.¸ Yar, Oct 6 (LNE). One or two SNOWY EGRETS were seen in the province this fall. The first appeared with the GREAT EGRET at the Salt Marsh Trail on Sep 5 (B. Haley) and was seen at Rainbow Haven PP on Sep 6. Then another (or the same) was observed at Sambro, HFX, on Sep 10-14. The Rainbow Haven bird was back on Sep 17 and seen there through Sep 27. Nine LITTLE BLUE HERONS were found in Nova Scotia this fall, and one continued in Lunenburg from the summer reporting period. All were immatures. In order of appearance they were: Sambro, HFX, Aug 1-26 (Diane LeBlanc, m. obs.); two at Tyndal Rd. Estuary, Cumb, Aug 19 (Donald Gorham); Elmsdale, HFX, Aug 19-21 (Shannon Doane, Andrea Drake); Brier I., Aug 27-Sep 14 (JAW, ELM, JLC, Mike Russell); Hilton Rd., Yar, Sep 1 (LNE); Lingan, CB, Sep 1-10 (Angela Granchelli); Chezzetcook Inlet, HFX, Sep 30 (AMI); and Seal Island, Oct 22-25 (DMB). The TRICOLORED HERON found by Mark Dennis on CSI July 31 (see last issue) was seen by several observers through Aug 12. Five CATTLE EGRETS this fall were all found within days of each other. The first was at New Harbour, Guys, Oct 24; another was at Bayport, Lun, Oct 26-Nov 1 (JAH, m. obs.); one and at times two were at Factory Hill Rd., Shel, Oct 27-Nov 23 (PRG, m. obs.); and the latest was one off Dyke Rd., Kings, Nov 1-3 (GFO, m. obs.).
A GREEN HERON was seen intermittently on Seal I., Sept 9-23 (LUB, Ari Rice). BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON sightings included: up to five on BPI Aug 2-27 (DMB, LUB); one at Daniels Head CSI, Aug 8 (MCD); one at Dennis Pt. Wharf, Yar, Aug 12 (KJM, PSC); one flying over one of the Outer Tusket Is. during a pelagic trip out of Pubnico, Aug 13 (m. obs.); and one on Seal Island, Aug 24-25 (DMB). Only one was found outside of those usual haunts in Shelburne and Yarmouth – along the causeway to Big I., Pict, Aug 2 (KJM).
Nova Scotia was flooded with YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS, at least 20 overall, starting early August. The first, an HY bird that had lingered at “Back Cove”, Hartlen Pt., from late July (see last issue), was joined by another Aug 4- 24 (Liz Voellinger, m. obs.), one of which stayed to Sept 10. The strangest was photographed by Stepanie Fetinko in a grapevine in Lawrencetown, HFX, Sept 10 (NSBS Facebook). As usual, most of these annual ‘reverse migrants’ were juveniles born in spring 2016 somewhere in e. US up to coastal Massachusetts. Because the influx was certainly our largest ever, the rest are tabulated below by day of first sighting.
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Location Date No. and age Observer and Comments W. Head, nr. Lockeport Aug 2 1, HY Bill Crosby, ph. Lockeport Back Hbr. Aug 2-11 1, HY Bill Crosby, ph St. Peters, Rich Aug 5 1, HY Sheila Digout, ph. First South, Lun Aug 7-18 1, HY Charlene Meisner MacDonald, m. obs., ph. Three Fathom Hbr., HFX Aug 9 1, HY CHP, KST; AMI, TMI Crescent Bch. area, Lun Aug 9-15 1, ad. RIW, m. obs., ph. Halifax Hbr. Waterfront Aug 10; 19 1, HY Eileen Allen; Graham Hawkins Daniels Head, CSI Aug 12-Sept 2 1, HY Liz Voelinger, ph.; MCD, m. obs. Blandford, Lun Aug 14-15 1, ad. Angela Kitching, ph., sev. obs.; injured leg Green I., Shel Aug 15 1, HY Roxanne Smith, ph. The Hawk, CSI Aug 16-Sept 6 1, HY MCD, m. obs., ph. Crescent Bch., Lun Aug 21 2 HY, 1 ad. CSS Liverpool Bay, Queens Aug 24 1, age ? Robin Anthony Seal I. Aug 26-28; Sept 6-11 1, age? DMB; LUB, Ari Rice; 2 birds? Near Baccaro, Shel Sept 8 1, HY Marsha Bateman Lawrencetown, HFX Sept 10 1, HY Stephanie Fetinko BPI Sept 24 1, age? DMB
The only reported GLOSSY IBIS appeared at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, Oct 11, the day after the tail end of Hurricane Matthew passed through the region (Trish Fry).
Diurnal Raptors By Ian McLaren
The table below continues recent practice in this section of comparing between-season differences in eBird totals of our common raptors (including many repeated sightings) as a basis for comments in the text. The relative number (Rel. no.) of each species is expressed as a proportion of the eBird totals of Bald Eagle.
Autumn 2016 Summer 2016 Autumn 2015 Species T Total (Rel. no.) Rel. no. Rel. no. TURKEY VULTURE 687 (0.310) 0.165 0.258 OSPREY 514 (0.232) 0.618 0.249 N. HARRIER 1137 (0.513) 0.169 0.461 SH.-SHINNED HAWK 815 (0.368) 0.026 0.411 BALD EAGLE 2216 (1.000) 1.000 1.000 BROAD-WINGED HAWK 1157 (0.522) 0.080 0.401 RED-TAILED HAWK 428 (0.193) 0.148 0.141 AM. KESTREL 813 (0.366) 0.098 0.247 MERLIN 759 (0.343) 0.075 0.246 PEREGRINE FALCON 296 (0.133) 0.025 0.106
The relative abundances did not differ greatly between the two autumn seasons – some species found a bit less and others a little more often. However, the relative abundances clearly differed greatly between summer and autumn 2016, for the obvious reasons that some species (Sharp-shinned Hawk and Merlin) are less easily found in summer and others are augmented by large numbers of fall migrants (Sharp-shinned, Broad-winged Hawk and the three falcons).
The eBird totals of 15 or more TURKEY VULTURES are tabulated below.
Date Location Number Observers Sept 22 Brier I. 18 ELM, AHM Sept 24 Brier I. 20 Sev. obs. Oct 9 Bridgetown, Anna 21 LNE Nov 1 Chebogue, Yar 23 AAD Nov 5 Brier I. 23 DMB Nov 10 Bridgetown, Anna 15 Cora Difford Nov 12 Brier I. 58 GFO Nov 20 Salmon River, Yar 17 AAD Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 24
As expected, all large counts were from the southwest end of the province. The spectacular total on Brier I. Nov 12 included an estimated 50 “swirling and rising” and then “all lined up and facing the West and were off” (GFO). Cora Gifford commented the 15 at Bridgetown, Anna, were part of a “larger flock or flocks that sometimes combine into one enormous group. . . I've seen up to 45+ at times.” It would be interesting to know what proportions of the well-known fall gatherings on Brier I. consist of residents exiting NS and of others en route from farther west.
Most OSPREYS were encountered in ones and twos, with an eBird total of eight on BPI Sept 15 (DMB) probably signaling a peak movement of this early migrant. The latest was seen at Chezzetcook Inlet, HFX, Oct 20 (AMI). NORTHERN HARRIER was reported from all counties, with maximal eBird counts of eight-to-ten migrants on Brier I., BPI, and Seal I. Oct 10-29.
All eBird counts of five or more SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS were on our ‘southern’ islands between Sept 5 and Oct 16; larger totals of 15 or more were concentrated during late September (table below)
Date Location Number Observers Sept 15 BPI 16 DMB Sept 24; 25; 26 Brier I. 30; 17; 15 Sev. obs.; ELM; ELM Sept 25 BPI 17 DMB Sept 29 Seal I. 15 DMB
There were 25 eBird entries of single COOPER’S HAWKS, with photos of a few of them posted on Facebook. By accounting for certain and probable repeat sightings, the numbers can probably be reduced to about 15 individuals – still a spectacular increase in recent years. One particularly long-staying immature female lingered on CSI from late September through late November, causing some havoc at feeders (MCD et al.). The 40 eBird checklists summed to a total of 43 NORTHERN GOSHAWKS (with few apparent repeats), and included a couple of late “noisy begging youngsters” along Lily Lake Rd., Anna, Aug 10 (GRW). Presumed migrants were found on Brier I. Sept 1 (David Rynal); on BPI Sept 22, Sept 29, and Oct 25 (LUB, DMB); and on Seal I. Sept 2 (two birds, LUB), and Oct 19-24 (DMB).
BALD EAGLE was the most commonly reported diurnal raptor on eBird, making up almost 15% of the combined totals of all species combined. Some particularly large numbers were gathered at three locations: 35 on the Bird Islands, Vic, Aug 2 (GRW); 27 in the Grand Pré area Aug 29 (RBS); and 26 at Aulds Cove, Ant, Oct 31 (LNE, WPN). Those hanging around the Bird Islands are now preying (excessively?) on the seabird colonies found there.
Our rarest ‘regular’ buteo, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, was sighted only twice: an ‘immature’ photographed on Brier I. Sept 24 (DMC, JAW, RIW, PHT), and one of unspecified age on BPI the next day (DMB). BROAD-WINGED HAWK was as usual the most common buteo; eBird totals of ten or more are tabled at left below, along with a graph at right illustrating the restricted duration of the huge pulse of migrant Broad-wings on Brier I. Sept 25-26.
Date Location Number Observers Aug 18 Blomidon PP, Kings 12 Sev. obs. Sept 16 CSI 26 DMB Sept 16 Brier I. 50 RBS Sept 25 CSI 12 MCD Sept 25 BPI 26 DMB Sept 25 Brier I. 37 Sev. obs. Sept 26 Brier I. 400; 500 PMC; ELM
The only large count of Broad-wings not on our ‘southern’ islands was the 12 in Blomidon PP Aug 18. They are known to follow the North Mt. chain in migrating down the Annapolis Valley, and perhaps those mid-August birds were a gathering of early migrants awaiting conditions for departure. The 348 eBird checklists with 428 RED-TAILED HAWKS were considerably more than tallied in fall 2015. Four, including one (a summer resident?) at Timberlea, HFX, Aug 18, were tagged as subspecies abieticola, and nearly all the photographs of this very popular subject on Facebook seemed to match that form. The 28 eBird reports of 36 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS came from seven mainland counties and from Inverness 25 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1 on CBI, where the season’s earliest appeared Oct 9 (NAD). Most, as usual, were seen in the s.w. Tri-Counties, especially as migrants on Brier I.
Our two small falcons appeared to be reported in similar relative numbers this fall as last (see first table in this section). As usual, AMERICAN KESTREL displayed impressive migrations on our ‘southern’ islands, as indicated by the maximum daily totals in September submitted to eBird by ABO researchers on Seal I. and BPI, and by many observers on Brier I.
The kestrel, above, showed peaks in early (maximum of 4 before Sept 5) and late September (maximum of 5 thereafter) on Seal I. and BPI, and although Brier I. was not covered between Sept 18 and 21 (broken baseline on Brier I. graph), there should have been some indication of kestrels had they been present Sept 15-17.
By contrast, MERLIN had three distinct peak eBird totals on Seal I. during September (graph at left), but only paltry numbers on the other two islands: daily eBird counts of five or fewer except for 13 on BPI Sept 29. It is also noteworthy that Stephan Murray counted 15 Merlins but no kestrels while he was crossing the Gulf of Maine Sept 12. Do these differences imply that the (stronger, faster) Merlin is more willing to undertake over-water flights rather than linger to await ideal conditions on BPI and Brier I., but is then more likely to put down on offshore Seal I. when energy needs dictate it?
Nonetheless, American Kestrels do find themselves at times far offshore, like this youngster settling in for the night aboard a vessel 110 n.m. south of Yarmouth, Sept 16. [Photo by Chris Matheson]
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Like the other migratory raptors, the fall eBird totals of PEREGRINE FALCON were augmented by counts on the southern islands, but only Seal I. was favoured by peak daily eBird totals of more than five birds: bursts of eight found there Sept 29 (DMB), then 12 there Oct 7 (DBM), and again Oct 10 (KJM). Presumably these larger counts were augmented by the arctic subspecies tundrius, which mostly winter in S. America; but no attempts were made to distinguish subspecies on eBird.
Rallids and Cranes By Jake Walker
Six juvenile VIRGINIA RAILS were found in a marsh near the Middle Aspy River along the Cabot Trail near Dingwall, Vic,
Aug 12 (Céline Maurice, François Shaffer). The young birds were seen to Aug 24, but no adults were ever seen.
This young VIRGINIA RAIL, still bearing much of its blackish juvenile plumage, was photographed at about the northern limit of the breeding range, near Dingwall, Vic, Aug 24. [Photo by Andrew Wagstaff]
Up to two SORAS (both adult) were observed at the above marsh near Dingwall, Vic, Aug 12-19, and up to 11 in all (without repeats) were found in the usual mainland marshes this fall, the latest at the French Basin Tr. Sept 26 (GFO).
The two most tantalizing rails of the season were a large one at Canso Oct 30 (FHM, KJM, MAB), and a smaller one, again at Canso, Nov 26 (AAD, KJM). Notes with the first sighting are:
“While walking in the area of the O’Leary? Shop on Sterling St, the three of us suddenly put up a largish rail. It flew maybe 5 m and dropped into the grassy edge near the pond beside the shop. The rail was largish and had a long bill not stubby like Sora. The belly of the bird appeared dark like the colour of a starling thus probably a bird of the year. It displayed the open upper wings in flight which had obvious rufous patches on inner wing. The bird made no sound and did not respond to playback of any of the large rails. None of us could recollect what the head and neck looked like so will have to leave the bird as large rail species for now.”
And with the second:
“We had brief views of a Sora-sized, all-dark looking rail with a small bill at the small bridge at the southeast part of the Marina. We were about 20 feet from it when it flew and landed just east of the bridge in the grass. We did not notice any pattern above, it looked all dark. As it flew, I noted the spread tail as it landed, again with no apparent pattern. We searched the area well for the rail and played different rail species’ calls. There was no response and it was never seen again.”
Although neither was identified, the size, long bill, and rufous patches on the upper inner wing of the first are features of King Rail among vagrant possibilities. Of about a half dozen records here, only two have been fully confirmed. The all-dark smaller one might fit either Sora or Virginia Rail, but blackish juvenile plumage should be replaced before early October.
AMERICAN COOTS were in somewhat short supply this fall, and were only reported from five locations: up to three at Bissett L., HFX, Oct 30-Nov 19 (m. obs); up to two at the French Basin Tr. Nov 2-29 (m. obs.); one at Big Pond Causeway, CB, Nov 13 (DBM); up to 11 at Kingsburg Pond, Lun, Nov 23-29 (Jamie Huskins, KEL); and an ill-situated HY bird appeared on the rocky shore at Port Hawkesbury Nov 29 (DJO, ph.).
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The wild SANDHILL CRANE, apparently drawn in by captive cranes at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, was seen repeatedly (m. obs) from early July (see last issue) up to Oct 16 (Robert Lange, ph.), with photos again supporting it as a mid-continent bird. Could two adults displaying at Shinamicas, Cumb, Aug 14-14, have been the pair that bred successfully in that region last summer? (See Summer Season 2015 issue.) Then some returned to the (now traditional?) fields of the Milford-Shubenacadie area; five there Nov 4 (Steve Hutt, ph.), fully eight Nov 25 (Myrna Isenor), and three next day (MCD. Sandra Dennis). Blaine MacDonald had a possibly different one flying over his yard in Chaswood, HFX, Nov 16; nice yard bird.
Shorebirds By Rick Whitman
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS were reported only from The Hawk and Daniels Head on CSI, and from nearby Cape Sable. The maximum number reported was five, but with birds reported from two locations on the same date, there is the possibility of up to eight birds. The latest of the season were two at Cape Sable Sept 10 (four obs.). BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were seen mostly on well-known beaches in every county except Guysborough and Annapolis. Its seasonal eBird status is graphed below in comparison with that of American Golden-Plover. A most unexpected EUROPEAN GOLDEN- PLOVER was seen and photographed (photo below) at Miners Marsh, Kentville, Sept 4, by Renate Helmsmueller-Young and Charmaine McInnis. Despite considerable searching, the bird was not re-found by other birders.
An unexpected male EUROPEAN GOLDEN- PLOVER, in worn alternate plumage, was photographed at Miners Marsh, Kentville, Sept 4. Diagnostic differences from American (and Pacific) Golden Plovers are: white flanks, generally stocky build, and shorter legs, bill, and primary projection. [Photo by Charmaine McInnis]
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was reported from Cape Breton and nine Mainland counties (Antigonish, Pictou, Hants, Kings, Halifax, Lunenburg, Shelburne, Yarmouth, and Digby). Observations of ten or more birds all came from the Sydney airport, with 35 there Oct 9 (DBM). Its seasonal status is compared with that of Black-bellied Plover in the graphs below. The latest one was at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Nov 12 (SJF).
The graphs at right depict semi-monthly eBird totals of our two regular large plovers. Black-bellied Plover (left graph) breeds more abundantly, largely in Nunavut, winters along coastal North America, and some linger here into winter. American Golden-Plover (right graph) breeds widely but sparsely from Alaska to Nunavut, and is a long-distance migrant to South American grasslands, so its migration is more sharply defined.
There were two extraordinary discoveries of juvenile PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVERS this fall. Eric Mills observed the first bird at Pond Cove, Brier I. Sept 5, and provided very detailed field-notes, summarized here: Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 28
“a . . . juvenile . . . with two molting adult American Golden-Plovers…and I scoped it for nearly an hour). I was struck initially by its warm buff coloration and the lack of contrast on its buffy-yellow face and breast (bill-on, there was a very conspicuous whitish area around the base of the bill)…It was capped, but not markedly so, with fine yellowish streaks in a darker matrix, brown and not gray. The ear-spot was conspicuous and nearly double. Breast band was sharply demarcated at the bottom and was made up of light brown vertical streaks in a buff background. The back was spotted with many widely-distributed yellowish spots in a brown but not particularly dark matrix. The legs appeared long (but the bird never came very close to the two Americans for a comparison). I tried to count exposed primaries beyond tertials [but] uncertain of this (…perhaps due to uncomplete feather growth)… Eye striking (appeared large) in pale buff background”
Then Dennis Garratt observed and convincingly photographed (see below) the second bird at Cow Bay, HFX, Sept 17. It was “highly mobile [and] flying around giving its ‘chu-it call’.” This becomes the only photo-documented record for the province.
These images of a HY PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER on the mudflats of Cow Bay HFX, Sept 17, illustrate diagnostic features: its overall yellowish-buff, non- contrasting plumage, slender bill and long legs (tibia below feathers about 40% the length of the tarsus, vs. 33% in Am. Golden-Plover). Although extension of the feet beyond the tail in flight is sometimes mentioned as a field mark, other sources state this differs little from the American species. [Photos by Dennis Garratt]
The image at left was one of several posted on NSBS Facebook of a bird frequenting Schnares Cove in Chester. This one, obtained Sept 13, has been slightly brightened and ‘de-blued’, but otherwise not modified. The inset of a HY SEMIPALMATED PLOVER was taken on Cape Sable Oct 8. The overall greyish plumage is an alerting feature of the Old-World COMMON RINGED PLOVER (which also breeds on Baffin I., but normally migrates to Europe). The breast band is narrow, but that is much affected by posture; the lores, although perhaps too ‘pinched’, appear to meet the bill gape; the orbital ring is dark, with no hint of the yellow of Semipalmated; and the lower mandible has no ‘bulge’ on its anterior half. Such ‘tweeners’ might result from (disputed) interbreeding with Semipalmated on Baffin I. [Photo by Christine Ingeborg; inset by Ronnie d’Entremont]
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SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (graph at right) breeds in taiga and tundra across Canada, and occasionally here, so migrants arrive here early and linger, but begin to move out after mid-September to winter mostly in Central America and n. South America. It was reported from every county in the province, and its abundance was marked by estimates of 1000 at Little Dyke, Col, Aug 6 (Anne Richard), 2220 at Martinique Bch., Sept 3 (Nazo Gabrielian), and 1000 at Murder I., Yar, Aug 20 (AAD). The latest one was seen at Crystal Crescent Bch., HRM, Nov 29 (Diane LeBlanc).
PIPING PLOVER begins to migrate early in this period. The species was reported only from Antigonish, Pictou, Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne, with maxima of five birds at any one location. The latest were individuals on BPI Sept 19 (DMB) and at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Sept 22 (SJF). KILLDEER was reported from Cape Breton and 11 mainland counties. The latest reported was one at Ketch Hbr., HFX, Nov 26 (CPE, Diane LeBlanc).
The season’s only UPLAND SANDPIPER was not seen, but voice-recorded (attached to the eBird report), as it flew over Seal I. Sept 12 (LUB, Ari Rice). A total of 810 WHIMBREL were reported on eBird from Cape Breton and 11 mainland counties. Four reports of more than 20 birds (28-50) were all from Sydney airport or the Lingan golf course, CB, Aug 15-Sept 10 (DBM and others). The latest, at Belfry Gut, CB, Oct 8 (DBM), was injured and could fly but not walk, and was probably too weak to migrate.
HUDSONIAN GODWITS – about 32 birds in all – were reported only from Cape Breton, Halifax, Lunenburg, Shelburne, Digby and Kings It was present at the start of this period and five birds lingered into October: singles at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Sept 30-Oct 1 (BLF, RIW), one bird at Daniels Hd., CSI, Oct 1 (MCD), one bird at Sable I., Oct 14 (Greg Stroud) and two birds at Wolfville, Oct 19-21 (JAW, var. obs.). A MARBLED GODWIT was heard only at Seal I., Aug 23, its “unique kaa-weh call distinctive” (DMB, Siobhan Darlington).
Bernard Forsythe found this juvenile Hudsonian Godwit at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Sept 30, and next day it was remarkably tolerant and provided the photographer with a unique experience. It is more easily distinguished from the remotely possible Black-tailed Godwit in flight, but in this pose its slightly upturned bill and longer primary extension beyond the tail suffice. [Photo by Rick Whitman]
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The semimonthly eBird totals (above) of RUDDY TURNSTONE were much larger than those of RED KNOT, but their seasonal patterns were similar: large numbers maintained through the early season followed by precipitous drops in early and late October respectively. Both nest largely in Nunavut, which they leave early to overwinter along coasts from southern US (and occasionally here) to South America. (High-Arctic subspecies of both cross the North Atlantic to overwinter in Europe and Africa). Ruddy Turnstone was found in three CBI counties and all on the mainland except Colchester. Estimates of 50 or more were: 51-55 on BPI Aug 12-14 (ABO); 75 on Seal I. Aug 30 (DMB, Siobhan Darlington); and 50 at Sydney-South Bar Sept 1 (DBM). The latest was one on CSI Nov 30 (PRG, MCD). Red Knot was reported from Cape Breton, Richmond and eight mainland counties. Checklists with 30 or more were all from Shelburne: 30 at Sand Hills Bch. PP, Aug 30 (David Rymal); 35 at Matthews L., Sept 3 (AVM), 40-62 at The Hawk, CSI, Sept 28-Oct 3 (MCD). The latest was one at Cooks Bch., Yar, Nov 25 (RDE).
STILT SANDPIPERS, about 23 birds in total, were seen only in Pictou, Halifax, Lunenburg, Shelburne and Kings. The first was on Baccaro Pen., Shel, Aug 19 (JAH), and the latest at Miners Marsh, Kentville, Oct 14 (JLC, JAW). The presumably southbound adult male CURLEW SANDPIPER found by Robert and Sandi Keereweer at The Hawk, CSI, July 22 (see last issue), continued there and was well-photographed (see below) through Aug 6, and more than ten lucky birders saw it.
This CURLEW SANPIPER, a Eurasian vagrant, was discovered at the Hawk, CSI, July 22, but lingered into this reporting period, and was particularly well photographed there Aug 1. [Photo by Sandi Keereweer]
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The relatively common SANDERLING (graph above) breeds largely in Nunavut and is a long-distance migrant to coastal S. America, but also winters in coastal N. America, and some in NS. Numbers peaked in late September, and fell slowly thereafter. It was reported from every county except Guysborough, Hants and Annapolis. Observations of more than 200 or more birds were: 410 at Pt. Michaud, Rich, Sept 4 (BID); 550 and 265 at Sable I., Oct 14 and Nov 6 respectively (Greg Stroud); and numerous records of 300-600 birds on CSI and Cape Sable, Shel, Sept 29-Nov 7 (MCD, Mike MacDonald). The DUNLIN (also graph above), which peaked about a month later, was reported from Cape Breton and ten mainland counties. Observations of 200 or more were: 225-450 on CSI and at Cape Sable, Oct 3-Nov 7 (MCD, AAD, PRG, RDE), 275 at Grand Pré, Oct 18 (JAW); 220-250 at West Chezzetcook, HFX, Nov 2-13 (SEM); and 300 at Boomer Rd., Cumb, Nov 13 (DMB).
An eBird total of 111 of the late-migrating and routinely overwintering PURPLE SANDPIPER was reported from rocky shores of Pictou, Halifax, Lunenburg, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Kings. The first one was on Seal I., Oct 25 (DMB), and three more appeared in the first week of November. A maximum of 20 were at Duncans Cove, HFX, Nov 25 (Diane LeBlanc).
Semimonthly eBird occurrences of the three most common remaining ‘peeps’ are graphed in taxonomic order above and are considered below, along with uncommon and rare species. The uncommon BAIRD’S SANDPIPER was reported from Cape Breton, Pictou, Halifax, Lunenburg, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby and Kings. Three individuals had been seen in July, but first this season was an adult at Pond Cove, Brier I., Aug 4 (ELM); and the latest was at the same location Nov 6 (RBS). Although the eBird total was 44, accounting for repeats suggests that the true number was at most about 15, with a maximum of three on Seal I. Sept 1 (LUB, Ari Rice). The subarctic-taiga nesting LEAST SANDPIPER (graphed above) peaked after mid-August and had largely left a month later for its wintering grounds in coastal and inland southern US and northern S. America. It was reported from every county, although the Richmond reports were not on eBird. Five records of 300-400 birds were all from Grand Pré-The Guzzle on five dates between Aug 25 and Sept 13 (JAW, DMC, PHT, Christine Anderson). WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was seen in Cape Breton, Richmond, and nine mainland counties. It is a particularly long- distance migrant from Nunavut to the coasts of southernmost S. America, although a few overwinter here. Migration (graphed above) was well underway at the start of August, but numbers seemed to decrease in later September then pick up again in October; if real (e.g. first adults, then young?), this pattern might be worth checking in future. Eighteen reports of 25-60 birds came from Sydney-South Bar, Sable I., West Chezzetcook, Chezzetcook Inlet-Dyke Rd., Cape Sable, BPI and (nine of them) from Grand Pré-The Guzzle. The latest were three at W. Chezzetcook, HFX, Nov 26 (SEM, PMC). About 30 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were found at: Sydney airport and Schooner Pond, CB; Selma, Hants, Taylor Head PP, HFX; Crescent Bch. and Cherry Hill Bch., Lun; CSI, Cape Sable, and BPI, Shel; Murder I., Yar; and Brier I., Aug 13-Oct 1. All reports were of one or two birds, except from Cape Sable where 3-16 birds were seen on four dates Aug 27-Sept 4. The 16 at Cape Sable, Aug 30 (RDE) might be a NS record. PECTORAL SANDPIPER was reported from Cape Breton, Richmond, and ten mainland counties. A few were present from the first of August and continued to the end of October. One or two birds were present on CSI and at Cape Sable, Oct 30-31, and two or three on Sable I., Nov 1-6 (Greg Stroud). Checklists with ten or more birds were posted on eBird from Sydney Airport, Big I. causeway, Pict, Grand Pré, CSI, Brier I., and there were an unusual 35 at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun (SJF). SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was found in every county except Guysborough and Annapolis. As shown in the graph above, it is an early migrant, with huge numbers reported from the head of the Bay of Fundy in early August; a flock estimated as 14,000 “was congregated . . . to rest at high tide” at Grand Pré Aug 11 (DBM, WPN). Most were gone after mid-September, but there were four November observations: four on Sable I., Nov 1 (Greg Stroud); one at Wellington Dyke, Kings, Nov 2 (JAW); one bird at Martinique Beach PP, Nov 5 (CHP, KST); and one at Crystal Crescent Bch., HFX, Nov 7 (Diane LeBlanc). It is always possible that late birds ID’d as Semipalmated Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 32 are in fact short-billed male WESTERN SANDPIPERS. One of these was identified on Seal I., Aug 25 (DMB, Siobhan Darlington; ph.), and another at The Guzzle, Grand Pré, Oct 16 (photo below).
This photo of a WESTERN SANDPIPER at The Guzzle, Grand Pré, Oct 16, was posted on the NS Bird Society Facebook page. Although it is a short-billed male, it differs from Semipalmated by its slightly decurved, fine-tipped bill, full chest, large flat-capped and squared-off head, and upright stance, and especially the strongly red margined scapular feathers. [Photo by Renate Helmsmueller-Young]
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER was reported from all but Inverness, Guysborough and Colchester. This early migrant was abundant at the start of August, but numbers fell rapidly (graph below), and only two were found in November: one at Pinkneys Pt., Yar, Nov 5 (AAD) and another at BPI Nov 9 (AAD, PRG). Estimates exceeding 500 birds were all in early August: 547 at West Chezzetcook, HFX, Aug 1 (SEM); 550 at BPI, Aug 12 (ABO); and 1400-4000 at The Hawk, CSI, Aug 1-6 (DMB, LUB, MCD).
About nine LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were seen this fall. One was an early adult identified by call note on BPI, Sept 10 (DMB); and then two were at Daniels Head and The Hawk, CSI, Sept 10-13 (MCD). The rest, all singles, were at: Chezzetcook Inlet, HFX, Sept 22 (CSS); Amherst sewage lagoons, Sept 23-Oct 1 (Shawn Chapman, sev. obs., ph.); CSI, Oct 6-8 (Cal Kimola Brown et al., ph.); Morien Bar, CB, Oct 16 (a juv., SEM); Pinkneys Pt., Yar, Nov 5 (AAD); and Stumpy Cove, CSI, Nov 23-24 (MCD, PRG, RDE; ph.).
The summer resident WILSON’S SNIPE was reported from every county except Richmond, Antigonish, Cumberland and Hants, and throughout the fall period. Even during November, aside from almost daily records from Miners Marsh, Kentville, there were reports from eleven other locations on the mainland as well as Sable I. The maximum number seen was three birds and fewer than 30 in all were reported. All reports of 5-18 birds were from Miners Marsh, Kentville, which has clearly become a significant stopover point during fall migration of this species. AMERICAN WOODCOCK was reported only from Victoria, Pictou, Colchester, Lunenburg, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis and Kings. There were five records of single birds in October, and the latest was one at Argyle Head Rd., Yar, Nov 3 (Mike MacDonald).
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was only reported from the Tri-Counties (Digby, Shel, Yar), almost all from whale-watching trips from Brier I., a pelagic-bird trip from Pubnico, and the Portland-Yarmouth ferry. It was reported as 10-2000 times less common as RED PHALAROPE on some dates in early August, and the latest were three seen off Brier I., Sept 24 (MCD, var. obs.). Red Phalaropes were seen in the Tri-Counties, again, mostly from vessels; an additional one was seen from Pt. Aconi, CB, Aug 27 (DBM), and two were at Pictou I., Sept 16 (PSC). As mentioned above, this species was generally far more common than the Red-necked, with an estimated maximum of 40,000 by Eric Mills during a whale watching trip from Brier I., Aug 4. His comment implies that as many as 400,000 may have been present: 33 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
“Enormous numbers in active feeding flocks spread out for many km along streaks and tide-lines, often with feeding gannets, shearwaters. Estimated by using blocks of 1000 birds, the count could be low by an order of magnitude.” [Emphasis mine]
What a wonderful trip that must have been! Three days later Eric saw only 3000 birds, showing how fluid these migration and food-related numbers can be. The last report of 50-354 birds was also from the pelagic-birds trip from Brier I., Sept 24 (MCD, var. obs.).
SPOTTED SANDPIPER was reported from every county except Antigonish and Richmond, although doubtless they could have been found there too. Observations were steady through the first half of October, but only three birds were seen after Oct 16: one at Sable I., Oct 23 (Greg Stroud); one at Waterside PP, Pict, Nov 1 (KJM); and one at Haliburton Gut, Pict, Nov 11-14 (PSC, KJM, FHM). Seven-to-ten birds were noted only at Hartlen Pt., BPI, and Huntington Pt., Kings. SOLITARY SANDPIPER was reported from all counties except three on CBI and two on the mainland. There were numerous daily records through Sept 24, but only three singles were seen later: at Sandy Cove, HFX, Sept 28 (Diane LeBlanc); Masons Bch., Lun, Oct 2 (JAH); and Brooklyn Shore Rd., Queens, Oct 9 (Jamie Huskins). All observations were of one-to-six birds, except for ten at Tyndal Rd. Estuary, Cumb, Aug 26 (Donald Gorham).
The above graph summarizes the relative semimonthly abundances and seasonal patterns of occurrence of our common, large Tringa species in taxonomic order. GREATER YELLOWLEGS breeds in our boreal forests (rarely here) and overwinters in coastal and inland regions of s. US and throughout S. America. Perhaps because it is large and hardy, it lingered in good numbers through fall until dropping sharply in late October. Counts and estimates of more than 50 occurred widely, and the latest was on CSI Nov 30 (PRG, ph.).The WILLET, which breeds along our coasts, is out of here early; half-dozen counts of 25-38 birds were all made in August. The latest individuals identified as the eastern subspecies were found at both W. Lawrencetown, HFX (Eileen Allen) and Crescent Bch, Lun., Sept 3. As usual, the western subspecies appeared later. An early one was at Sandy Cove, HFX, Aug 29-Sept 7 (KLO, sev. obs., ph.). Other individuals turned up at Three Fathom Hbr., HFX, Sept 3-4 (CHP, KST; Angela Granchelli); Broad Cove, Lun, Sept 3 (SJF); Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Sept 6 (SJF); and Crescent Bch., Lun, Oct 24-Nov 13 (RBS, sev. obs.). A few others up to mid-September were not identified to subspecies. Nesting of LESSER YELLOWLEGS extends somewhat further north than the Greater, but it arrives before August and in larger numbers that diminish through fall. It was reported from almost every county (except Guys and Col), and found almost daily through October, with many double-digit records; but only five of 70 or more. The latest were found at three locations Nov 2: one at Rainbow Haven PP (JOL); two at Daniels Head and four at The Hawk, CSI (MCD).
Skuas, Jaegers, Alcids, Gulls and Terns By John Loch
The following are highlights of the fall season (Aug-Nov) 2016.
Skuas & Jaegers: all five species were seen, including eight of the rare Great and 12 South Polar Skuas, as well as 82 Pomarine Jaegers, 31 Parasitic Jaegers and two rare Long-tailed Jaegers.
Alcids: The eBird totals of Razorbill and Black Guillemot were 20 and three times their prior 10-year averages, respectively, with Razorbills showing large increases over the past two falls; the eBird total of Black Guillemot was second highest of the 11-year series.
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 34
Gulls: The eBird total of Black-legged Kittiwake was five times the 10-year average and the second highest in the series, and the ECSAS sightings were the highest since 2011 and the fourth highest in the time series; the eBird total of Bonaparte’s Gull was greater than four times the 10-year average and twice the highest previous total in 2013 (sightings by ECSAS over the eleven falls were too few to be informative); the eBird total of Ring-billed Gull was the highest in the 11-year series and four times the 10-year series average; the eBird total of Herring Gull was roughly four times the average, with a high rate of increase since 2010, until a slight decline this fall (ECSAS sightings were the highest since 2008); the eBird total of Great Black-backed Gull was the highest of the entire series and approximately five times the 10-year average, but the rate of increase has slowed and ECSAS sightings this fall were the highest since 2007. I and others have recently argued that the continuing annually increasing rates of increase of gull totals on eBird, especially of Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black- backed Gull, were mostly driven by the nearly exponential increase in eBird reporting, rather than abundance. This remains the most likely explanation at this time but until we have more years of records and factor in birding/survey effort, we won’t be able to resolve this matter.
Terns: The eBird total of Common Tern was third highest in the 11-year series and about ten times the long-term average, but their rate of increase has now levelled off (ECSAS sightings have been very low throughout the time series, with only one seen this fall); the eBird total of Arctic Tern was about equal to the long-term average, but third highest in the time series (ECSAS sightings have been near zero since 2006, but about 40 were sighted this fall). Finally, there were three tern species rarely seen here: one each of Gull-billed, Forster’s and Royal.
August-November 2016 sightings of skuas and jaegers, alcids, gulls and terns were obtained from eBird; the ECSAS data base was provided by Carina Gjerdrum (CWS) (see the Skuas to Terns sections in the 2015 issues of NS Birds for more details on that database and survey methodology), NSBS Facebook (FB), and NS-RBA (RBA). These are summarized in the tables and graphs below within the various sections of this report. Furthermore, to assist in comparing these 2016 observations with those of the past ten years and possibly to identify any long-term trends, data subsets from 2006 to 2016 were drawn from eBird and from the ECSAS database for 2006-16 provided by Carina Gjerdrum of CWS in February, 2017. Finally, about 5,000 (17%) of eBird records were duplicates as I had used the data set for Jan 2006 - May 2016 provided directly by eBird; that date set had not been ‘cleaned’ of duplicates (unlike the 2016 data provided by Keith Lowe). These duplicates would have inflated the estimated number of sightings by 430,000 (~30%). However, all duplicate records have been deleted from the numbers given in the tables below. Finally, I’d like to mention recent efforts to identify trends in sightings. Initially I attempted to graph sightings in such a way as to try to identify actual temporal trends in inter-annual sightings. However, this approach has been postponed to the next issue. The reader is referred to the Tubenoses to Cormorants section of the Fall 2016 issue of NS Birds for more information about effort, but suffice it to say here that there isn’t similar effort being used to make sightings between months and years, both for eBird and ECSAS. We are very close to resolving this for ECSAS.
Fall 2016 monthly sightings of Skuas and Jaegers*
eBird counts ECSAS counts
Species*
Sep Oct Sep Oct
Nov Nov
Aug Aug
totals totals Great Skua 0 7 0 0 7 8 0 0 0 8 South Polar Skua 3 9 0 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 Pomarine Jaeger 4 39 21 6 70 0 72 40 0 112 Parasitic Jaeger 1 6 15 4 26 0 9 10 33 52 Long-tailed Jaeger 1 0 0 0 1 8 0 0 0 8 totals 9 61 36 10 116 16 81 50 33 180 * Table excludes all unidentified skuas & jaegers (83), although they accounted for 38% of the birds seen.
Fall 2006-2016 sightings of Skuas, Jaegers from eBird & ECSAS*
eBird
Species* .
15
g
-
av
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Great Skua 0 0 0 1 3 0 2 0 11 6 7 30 2 South Polar Skua 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 5 3 12 12 38 3 Pomarine Jaeger 2 0 1 14 3 12 47 63 234 222 70 668 60 35 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
eBird
Species* .
15
g
-
av
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Parasitic Jaeger 6 0 1 0 4 0 1 6 87 37 26 168 14 Long-tailed Jaeger 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 3 1 10 1 eBird Totals 9 0 2 16 12 13 52 74 340 280 116 914 80 ECSAS
Great Skua 4 3 2 1 5 3 3 3 1 6 1 32 3 South Polar Skua 2 1 2 2 2 5 2 1 0 0 0 17 2 Pomarine Jaeger 7 23 25 6 4 8 6 6 4 18 12 119 11 Parasitic Jaeger 1 4 10 2 5 17 4 0 1 4 5 53 5 Long-tailed Jaeger 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3 1 2 1 10 1 ECSAS totals 14 32 39 11 16 35 15 13 7 30 19 231 21 * Table excludes all unidentified skuas & jaegers (247), although they accounted for 18% of the species seen.
Generally, both GREAT SKUA and SOUTH POLAR SKUA are infrequent visitors to Nova Scotia (on average about three to four per year over the past 11 falls), with the Great Skua considered rare in our waters. However, there was a spike in sightings in the fall of 2016 with seven Greats and 12 South Polars seen from land or near-shore (eBird), and one each of Great (ECSAS) and South Polar about 50 km n.w. of Yarmouth Aug 7 (Ellis d’Entremont, ph., NSBS Facebook). The two figures immediately below show 11-year fall sightings for both species. Great Skua has been spotted sporadically in the fall while South Polar Skua has been seen more consistently and frequently, including twelve times in both 2015 and 2016. (As an aside, it’s somewhat surprising that both species are reported more often near-shore (i.e. per eBird) than offshore (ECSAS) – note especially 2014-16 for South Polar and Great Skuas).
12 15 10 12 12 8 10 4 5 6 3 6 4 2 3 3 5 1 3 5 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 2 3 0 1 0 1 2 2 2 0 2 5 2 11 6 1 7 2 0 0 0 2
Great Skua - eBird Great Skua - ESCAS South Polar Skua ECSAS South Polar Skua eBird
POMARINE and PARASITIC JAEGER are seen more often than the skuas, but still are uncommon (2006-2015 ten-year average of about 95 jaegers per fall, with 115 seen in the fall 2016), despite breeding in the Canadian Arctic (see comments in last summer-season issue, p. 24). Both eBird and ECSAS sightings of Pomarine Jaeger (70 & 12 respectively) were slightly above the 10-year averages (60 & 11 respectively), with most reported in eBird in September (39) and October (21). The eBird total of 26 Parasitic Jaegers exceeded the decadal average (2006-2015) of 14. ECSAS sightings of Parasitic (not shown in figure below) were average (5) in fall 2016 and the five 2016 sightings were the third largest in the 2006-2016 time series.
250 100 200 80 234 60 87 150 222 40 100 20 6 37 0 1 0 4 26 50 0 0 6 2 47 63 1 0 1 14 70 14 0 3 12 60 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 06-15 ave.
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 36
5
4 5
3 3 2 1 Single sightings of the rare LONG-TAILED JAEGER 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 were reported on eBird in the fall of 2016: off Seal I., Aug 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 31(DMB, Siobhan Darlington) and by ECSAS (66 km 3 1 due west of Sable I. Aug 7). Over the 2006-2016 decade 2 1 1 Long-tailed Jaegers have been seen sporadically four/six of eleven falls via eBird/ECSAS respectively. Long-tailed Jaeger ECSAS Long-tailed Jaeger - eBird
The monthly and decadal eBird and ECSAS counts of alcids are summarized on the following two tables.
Fall 2016 monthly sightings of Alcidae on eBird and by ECSAS*
eBird counts ECSAS counts
Species*
Oct
Sep
Oct Sep
Nov Aug Nov
Aug
totals totals Dovekie 0 0 0 700 700 0 0 0 319 319 Common Murre 10 3 3 1 17 8 0 0 0 8 Thick-billed Murre 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 165 165 Razorbill 48 22 40 3713 3823 8 0 0 66 74 Black Guillemot 843 448 1037 488 2816 0 9 0 88 97 Atlantic Puffin 629 107 2 1 739 8 54 0 220 282 Alcid Totals 1530 580 1082 4907 8099 24 63 0 858 945 * Table excludes 85 unidentified alcids which would account for 1% of the total Alcids seen during the fall 2016.
Fall 2006-2016 totals of Alcidae on eBird and by ECSAS*
eBird
Species*
g.
v
A
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 totals Dovekie 0 0 0 6 360 15000** 4 0 0 190 700 16260 1556 Common Murre 0 2 1 8 3 10 19 11 8 4 17 82 7 Thick-billed Murre 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 10 17 4 36 3 Razorbill 4 0 0 15 11 69 3 102 15 1507 3823 5549 173 Black Guillemot 59 34 67 323 461 386 249 2029 2205 3285 2816 11914 910 Atlantic Puffin 14 37 99 343 342 65 403 127 191 816 739 3176 244 eBird Alcid totals 77 73 167 695 1181 15530 678 2269 2429 5819 8099 37017 2892 ECSAS
Dovekie** 3 52 36 24 105 35 0 38 0 0 29 322 29 Common Murre 0 0 2 3 23 1 2 3 0 0 15 49 3 Thick-billed Murre 2 1 2 9 10 1 0 8 0 1 0 34 3 Razorbill 0 0 0 4 2 5 1 0 0 0 1 13 1 Black Guillemot 7 1 0 4 5 6 4 2 0 1 7 37 3 Atlantic Puffin 7 23 10 18 18 1 4 5 16 6 9 117 11 ECSAS Alcid totals 19 77 50 62 163 49 11 56 16 8 61 572 51 * Table excludes 658 unidentified alcids which would account for 3% of the total alcids seen over the past 11 years. ** A sighting of 15,000 Dovekies in 2011, not included in the table, is discussed below.
DOVEKIE breeds only in colonies in high-arctic regions, and generally doesn’t move into our waters until late fall at the earliest. Fall appearances are also sporadic: About 700 were reported on eBird this fall, below the 10-year average of about 37 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
1500; the 29 ECSAS sightings this fall were exactly the 10-year average. The ECSAS numbers have been roughly similar across the 11-year span whereas eBird estimates tended to fluctuate considerably (see figure below).
Of special note is an estimated 15,000 Dovekies reported on eBird by Dominic Cormier at Chebucto Head, HRM, Nov 11, 2011. That record obviously swamps all others, and the table above and figure below (except as a red spot) consequently exclude that number. Alvan Buckley observed 572 Dovekies from the Port-aux-Basques Ferry Nov 2, between three and 36 km from N. Sydney. (See also the large sightings on the table below.)
The 17 COMMON MURRES reported on eBird this fall were more than twice the 10-year average of seven, but ECSAS reported only one this fall versus the 10-year average of four. This fall’s four eBird sightings of THICK-BILLED MURRE were about the ten-year average of three, whereas the 19 sighted by ECSAS were about five times the average of three. The 3823 RAZORBILLS reported on eBird this fall were more than six times the 2006-2015 average of 173. It is also interesting that eBird estimates rose sharply from 1850 in fall 2015 to 3823 this fall. (see figure below) The latter total includes 572 observed by Alvan Buckley from the ferry to Port-aux-Basques between three and 36 km out of N. Sydney, Nov 2. This fall’s estimated eBird sightings of 2816 BLACK GUILLEMOTS exceeded the 10-year average of 910; but sightings jumped from 386 in 2011 to 2029 in 2013 and continued to increase to a peak of 3285 in 2015 and declined somewhat to 2816 in fall 2016 (see figure below). Since Black Guillemot and Razorbill are mostly inshore birds, ECSAS sightings of both species were minimal in 2016 and indeed have been throughout the entire 11-year period (therefore not shown in figure). The “Pubnico Pelagic 2016 Trip, Leg 2” observed 255 Guillemots Aug 13; that was the largest concentration seen this fall – see the table below for large estimated sightings of all alcids.
This fall’s eBird total of 739 ATLANTIC PUFFINS was thrice the 10-year average of 244, and second only to the 2015 total of 816. ECSAS sightings (not shown in figure below) have remained low, never exceeding 23 (in 2007) and averaging 11 overall of this inshore bird since the beginning of the 2006- 2016 period. The Brier I. NSBS pelagic trip of Sept 24 produced the highest count of 80 puffins this fall.
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 38
Three largest estimated sightings of Alcidae in fall 2016 eBird SPECIES DATE LOCALITY OBSERVERS total N. Sydney-Port aux Basques Dovekie Nov 2 572 Alvan Buckley Ferry; km 3 to 36, CB Dovekie Nov 2 100 Above ferry; km 36-63 Alvan Buckley Dovekie Nov 2 22 Above Ferry; km 63-97 Alvan Buckley Razorbill Nov 30 2650 Baccaro Pt., Shel. DMB, DMC Razorbill Nov 30 350 Matthews L. & Hemeons Head, Shel DMB, DMC Black Guillemot Aug 13 255 Pubnico Pelagic Trip Leg 2, Yar RDE + 21 obs. Black Guillemot Nov 13 77 Daniels Head, CSI MCD Black Guillemot Aug 02 50 Bird Islands, Vic GRW Atlantic Puffin Sep 24 80 Brier I. Whalewatch MCD + 24 obs. Atlantic Puffin Aug 24 36 Brier I. Whalewatch Donald A. Sutherland Atlantic Puffin Aug 13 35 Pubnico Pelagic Trip Leg 2, Yar RDE + 21 obs
Readers should refer to the two tables below for monthly counts of gulls in fall 2016, as well as the longer-term time series 2006-2016; the graphs that follow also illustrate the 11-year sightings of selected species.
Monthly totals of gulls in fall 2016
eBird totals ECSAS counts
SPECIES*
Oct
Sep
Oct Sep
Nov Aug Nov
Aug
totals totals Black-legged Kittiwake 15 126 1746 4103 5990 8 54 0 220 282 Bonaparte's Gull 2873 6113 2902 12,019 23,907 0 0 0 0 0 Black-Headed Gull 6 10 25 47 88 0 0 0 0 0 Laughing Gull 3 2 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 Ring-billed Gull 5084 7525 4767 8336 25,712 0 0 0 0 0 Herring Gull 72,744 36,771 35,775 27,010 172,300 344 369 90 198 1001 Iceland Gull 0 0 12 440 452 0 0 0 11 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull 18 34 64 31 147 0 0 0 0 0 Glaucous Gull 0 0 0 7 7 0 0 0 0 0 Great Black-backed Gull 28,765 13,792 10,474 5634 58,665 320 288 160 121 889 Totals 109,508 64,373 55,765 57,627 287,273 672 711 250 550 2183 * Table excludes all unidentified gulls (10,386), which would account for 3% of the total gulls seen during the fall of 2016.
Fall 2006-2016 sightings of gulls
eBird
Species*
15 15
-
avg.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Bl.-legged Kittiwake 83 20 61 898 278 624 214 98 767 7725 5990 16,758 1077 Bonaparte's Gull 56 49 35 208 10,088 6780 6689 11991 9061 12,889 23,907 81,753 5785 Black-Headed Gull 64 47 2 28 42 32 48 36 90 80 88 557 47 Laughing Gull 0 0 0 0 841 0 0 1 60 0 5 907 90 Ring-billed Gull 378 588 477 279 4329 4628 3988 7725 18649 23763 25712 90,516 6480 525 257 621 9502 1319 1410 1126 4038 12710 18029 17230 58,219 4098 Herring Gull 0 7 3 3 5 8 6 2 8 0 4 9 Iceland Gull 19 0 46 27 64 66 279 50 245 518 452 1766 131 Lesser Black-b Gull 0 0 3 1 24 17 23 57 152 239 147 663 52 Glaucous Gull 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 4 4 7 20 1 Great Black-b Gull 2333 576 2274 2393 3517 2154 3046 10,843 39,968 57,310 58,665 18,3079 12,441 818 385 911 1333 3237 2840 2555 7118 19609 28282 28727 6709 eBird totals 958213 3 7 1 9 6 8 5 7 8 6 3 4 ECSAS
Bl.-legged Kittiwake 16 74 26 48 108 81 0 18 48 5 27 451 42 Sabine’s Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0.1 39 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
eBird
Species*
15 15
-
avg.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Bonaparte's Gull 0 0 1 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 1 Black-Headed Gull 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Laughing Gull 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.4 Ring-billed Gull 0 2 1 16 10 15 6 2 0 2 0 54 5 Herring Gull 92 117 117 150 68 100 50 64 60 54 111 983 87 Iceland Gull 0 0 1 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 8 0.7 Lesser Black-b Gull 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 Glaucous-winged 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.1 Gull Glaucous Gull 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 6 0.6 Great Black-b. Gull 87 71 121 128 50 39 27 57 55 21 99 755 66 ECSAS totals 195 268 268 359 241 236 85 144 164 82 238 2280 204 * Table excludes all unidentified gulls (28,804) which would account for 3 % of the total gulls seen over the past eleven years.
The eBird total of 5990 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES this fall (graph at right), of which 70% were in November, was the second highest in the 11-year series and more than five times the prior 10-year average of 1077 (graph at right). The ECSAS sightings of 27 were lower than the long-term average of 42. The high single estimate (2500) was by Clarence Stevens Sr. at North Point, Brier I., Nov 1.
This fall’s eBird estimated sightings of about 24,000 BONAPARTE’S GULLS (graph below) was about four times the 10- year average and twice the previous highest estimate in 2013. ECSAS sightings over the entire period of 2006-16 were low. The highest single eBird estimate of 1750 was made at Haliburton Gut, Pict, Nov 23 (CHK, KJM). This fall’s eBird total of BLACK-HEADED GULL maintained recent high levels (see graph below). This fall’s eBird total of 88 was second highest in the 11-year series and almost twice the 10-year average. ECSAS sightings were too low to be usable, but as expected, given that ECSAS surveys are primarily offshore.
The five LAUGHING GULLS reported on eBird in the fall of 2016 (see table above; no graph needed) were few and widespread: two were seen by Dave and Jim Beeke from the Portland to Yarmouth ferry in NS waters Aug 1, and singletons were seen as follows: from BPI Aug 31 (JAW, PHT); on Big I., Merigomish Pt., Ant, Sept 15 (Fred MacKenzie, Mark Brennan; and at Martinique Beach HRM, Sep 22 (CSS). The long-term fall-season average of 90 is misleading, as this species has only been sighted in four of the 11 years of eBird records. Obviously, a few can be expected in fall but only sporadically so far, although hurricanes do sometimes deliver much larger numbers (e.g., 842 by “Earl” in fall 2010, and 60 lingering from “Arthur” in 2014). ECSAS fall sightings have been even more restricted – three in 2007 and one in 2008 (see table above).
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 40
As mentioned at the beginning of this report, and discussed in the summer 2016 edition of NS Birds, there had been little doubt that increasingly high estimates of our most common gulls in recent years were driven mostly by increased reporting. However, there may be contrary evidence now, as discussed after the Great Black-backed Gull paragraph below.
The eBird total of 25,712 RING-BILLED GULLS this fall (graph at left and two tables above) was quite evenly distributed among the four months, highest in the 11-year series, and about four times the ten-year average of 6480. ECSAS sightings were too low to be usefully analyzed, again because the surveys are primarily offshore, not usually favoured by Ring-billed. The highest single estimate (550) was at Cape John, Ant, Nov 15 (KJM + 3 obs.); see the table below for other high numbers of this species and other gulls.
Of the fall 2016 eBird total of 172,300 HERRING GULLS, 72,000 were in August and 27,000 to 36,000 during each of the other three fall months – see details on the above two tables. The 10-year average for the fall is about 41,000, roughly a quarter of the 2016 total. As shown by the graph below, there had been a steady increase (exponential?) in Herring Gull totals since eBird data were first included in 2010, but this fall there was a slight decline. The 11-year ECSAS sightings of Herring Gull have arguably not paralleled the eBird totals since 2009, if ever (graph below). Indeed, 2006-2009 sightings were the best of the 11 years of ECSAS sightings, and the 10-year average of 87 has been exceeded since 2009 only in 2011 (100) and this fall (111). This apparent disparity between eBird and ECSAS sightings may be key to interpreting the seemingly exponential increases in eBird sightings since 2012.
Arrival of winter gulls was heralded by 12 ICELAND 600 518 GULLS in October and 440 in November, together about 400 452 279 200 four times the 10-year average of 131. An impressive 50 19 46 245 0 27 64 66 were found at Aulds Cove, Guys, Nov 12 (DBM). 0 50 131 (Another large November sighting is in the table below). There was only one ECSAS sighting this fall and only three others since 2006 (see last table above).
Although the LESSER BLACK- BACKED GULL is not really a ‘winter gull’, 147 were reported on eBird over the four-month period this fall, with a 10-year average of 52 (see figure below). As can be seen at left, good numbers (average 60 per fall) have been reported on eBird since 2008, and they have seemingly shown a gradual increase until recently.
41 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Only seven GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen in November, and all but two were seen by Greg Stroud on Sable I. in early to mid-November; the other two were found by Mark and Sandra Dennis in Lr. W. Pubnico, Shel, Nov 13. While the 10-year fall average is one, 15 of the 20 reported since 2006 were seen in the past three years.
A total of about 58,700 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS were reported on eBird this season. This is the highest estimate of the entire 11-year eBird series in which the average of 12,441 is only about 20% of this fall’s total. Although the eBird sightings have continued to increase, there was some leveling off since last year (see graph below). The 99 birds sighted during the fall 2016 ECSAS surveys were only the third largest in the 11-years series and this was the first year the long term 10-year average of 66 had been exceeded since 2009.
As discussed at the beginning of this report, and in the Tubenoses to Cormorants sections of the Summer and Fall 2016 issues of NS Birds, I conveyed considerable confidence that the increasingly high sightings and rates of increase, especially of Ring- billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, were driven mostly by the nearly exponential increase in reporting on eBird, rather than by real increases in abundance. However, there has been a levelling off this fall of eBird totals of Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, but no parallel increase in ECSAS sightings of Herring or Great Black-backed Gulls. So, it remains uncertain if the increases in eBird totals of the three species reflect population changes. Most importantly, looking for trends is risky without standardizing the totals with some measure of effort. Suffice it to say that effort for ECSAS surveys is not similar from one year to the next (see Tubenoses to Cormorants section of this issue, p. 14). Therefore, until we have a year or more of sightings and until we can weight the numbers with effort, the answers remain moot.
The two largest fall 2016 counts or estimates (with ties) of some gull species
SPECIES NAME DATE LOCALITY OBSERVERS
eBird Estimate Bl.-legged Kittiwake Nov 1 2500 North Point, Brier I. CSS Bl.-legged Kittiwake Oct 26 1200 Schooner Pond, CB DBM Bonaparte's Gull Nov 23 1750 Haliburton Gut, Pict CHK, KJM Bonaparte's Gull Nov 20 1200 Pictou Causeway KJM Black-Headed Gull Oct 12 14 Salt Marsh Tr., HFX Chris Kennedy Black-Headed Gull Nov 4 8 Antigonish sewage lsagoons JAW
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SPECIES NAME DATE LOCALITY OBSERVERS
eBird Estimate Ring-billed Gull Nov 19 550 Cape John, Pict Fred MacKenzie + 3 obs. Ring-billed Gull Sep 11 310 Haliburton- Rollie MacDonald's, Pict KJM Herring Gull Aug 8 & 13 3000 BPI DMB, LUB, Siobhan Darlington Herring Gull Nov 25 2500 Fred Thomas Rd., Kings GFO Iceland Gull Nov 12 50 Aulds Cove, Guys DBM Iceland Gull Nov 16 39 Sable I. Greg Stroud Great Bl.-backed Gull Aug 13 1500 BPI DMB, LUB, Siobhan Darlington Great Bl.-backed Gull Aug 8-16 1000 BPI ABO group (most days)
The tables below list the fall 2016 monthly totals of terns as well as the longer-term one beginning in 2006. The graphs that follow also show 11 years of sightings of selected species.
2016 fall period monthly totals of terns*
eBird counts ECSAS counts
Species*
otals
Oct Oct
Sep
Sep
Aug Nov Aug Nov
totals T Caspian Tern 6 29 0 0 35 0 0 0 0 0 Black Tern 12 2 0 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 Roseate Tern 10 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 Common Tern 3168 750 66 2 3986 8 0 0 0 8 Arctic Tern 60 4 1 0 65 96 0 0 0 96 Totals 3256 785 67 2 4110 104 0 0 0 104 * Table excludes individuals of three rare vagrant terns (see text below) and 895 unidentified terns which would account for 18% of the total number of terns sighted in the fall of 2016.
Fall 2006-2016 sightings of terns *
eBird
Species .
15 15
g
-
av
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Caspian Tern 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 1 4 2 35 47 1 Black Tern 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 2 14 21 1 Roseate Tern 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 51 2 5 10 69 6 Common Tern 4 3 1 5 5 4 4 15 0 1 3986 4028 4 Arctic Tern 0 2 4 31 8 1 1 8 0 0 65 120 6 Totals 4 6 6 36 18 6 5 75 9 10 4110 4285 18
ECSAS
. 15 15
Species g
-
av
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
totals 06 Caspian Tern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 Black Tern 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.1 Roseate Tern 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 Common Tern 6 3 0 0 8 0 0 9 5 0 1 32 3 Arctic Tern 0 1 0 3 3 0 0 2 1 0 12 22 1 Totals 6 4 1 3 11 0 0 11 7 0 13 56 4 * Table excludes all rare vagrant terns (see text on last page) and 2022 unidentified terns which would account for 10% of the total number of terns sighted over the 2006-2016 period.
About 4000 COMMON TERNS were reported on eBird this season, the third highest total in the 11-year series, but about three times the 10-year average. Again, the number of sightings continued to be high, but have levelled off since 2014 (graph below). The ECSAS sightings are very low with an average of three per fall and there was only one seen this fall. In terms of large fall eBird sightings, 180 Common Terns were observed at Hemeons Head, Shel, Aug 3 (AVM), and 63 at Daniels Head Aug 8 (MCD). Fall 2016 eBird estimates of ARCTIC TERN were 65, subequal to the long-term average of 66; this was the third highest estimate in the time series. As can be seen from the table above, Arctic Tern eBird sightings spiked to 309 birds in 2014 and remained relatively high at 224 in 2015 but dropped considerably to 65. ECSAS sightings have been close to 43 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
zero since 2006 except for fall 2016 when 38 were sighted – they are sighted infrequently offshore. Ten Arctic Terns were sighted in one group at Daniels Head Aug 1 (DMB & LUB).
The other regular tern species this season included the uncommon CASPIAN and BLACK TERN, and the provincially endangered ROSEATE TERN. The eBird totals of the three are graphed below. It appears that 2016 eBird totals of Caspian Tern have increased slightly over last fall’s, but there were seemingly minor reductions of the other two species. ECSAS sightings have remained minimal over the past three years (except for the 38 Arctic Terns observed from ECSAS survey vessels in fall 2016). Speculation on why the eBird totals have increased and then decreased recently would be premature.
In addition to these fall sightings, there were brief appearances of three rare vagrants. David Bell spotted a GULL-BILLED TERN, presumably a flyby, on BPI Sept 22 (n.d.); Dominic Cormier reported a FORSTER’S TERN (n.d.) as a flyby at The Guzzle, Grand Pré, Aug 10; and Ken McKenna found a more obliging ROYAL TERN at Big I., Pict, late in the day Aug 2 (see photo below). Only a few of the latter two rare terns had been reported on eBird following the large numbers of various terns delivered by Hurricane Earl in early September 2010 (see Mills, 2011, NS Birds, Vol. 53, Issue 1, p. 26).
This ROYAL TERN amongst the Ring-billed Gulls on Big I., Pict, Aug 2, was found by Ken McKenna and photo-documented soon after in the waning light. It is distinguishable from the Caspian Tern, which is a regular migrant on Big I. (11 on eBird this fall, Sept 2- 18), by its thinner, orange rather than red bill, and less up-tilted, but more tufted hind-crown. [Photo by Robert Lange]
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Pigeons to Woodpeckers By Andy de Champlain
After three or four issues as production editor, I am now debuting as section editor. I hope not to disappoint. What follows is based on eBird data except where I state otherwise.
The ROCK PIGEON population seemed quite healthy this season, with 9430 birds included in 1063 checklists. If the numbers of reports and pigeons seem to be rising, it may be more a result of more people ‘eBirding’ than any real rise in the species’ population. In any case, it seems reasonable that an average of almost nine feral pigeons was noted on any given bout of birding. Considerably less common, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE showed up Aug 20 and spent the better part of a week at Dorothy Cameron’s feeder on Popes Rd. in Upper Woods Harbour, Shel (photo below). Mark Dennis described it thus on the Atlantic Canada Birding Facebook page: “Judging by the overall coloration, [it was] of the western subspecies mearnsi.”
Since our first one wandered here in 1979, the WHITE-WINGED DOVE has become almost annual, probably more often here than in any other province or northeastern state. This one, not unexpectedly, with the greyish plumage of the Mexican and s.w. US subspecies, was nicely documented at Upper Woods Harbour, Shel, Aug 23. [Photo by Mark Dennis]
MOURNING DOVE numbers this season were not remarkable compared to the fall 2015 season, with 10,120 reported this fall (in 1755 eBird entries) versus 11,842 last fall (1703 entries). [Editor’s note: incorrectly published as 703 eBird entries in the fall-season 2015 issue]
Four BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS were noted this season. The first was heard on BPI Aug 6 by David Bell, who got to see it the next day with two others. The second one was heard by David McCorquodale, this time on Brier I. Aug 11. The third showed up Aug 18 in Apple River, Cumb, where it hit Kathleen Spicer’s window. She wrote that it was “stunned a bit but was okay.” The only other eBird entry was from Sept 2, CSI, where Mark Dennis and Ronnie d’Entremont “both heard it calling several times but just could not find it” and concluded that it was “probably buried in one of the dense alder patches.”
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO is among our most frequent ‘reverse fall migrants’, and this year was no exception, with about 21 individuals reported, mostly from the southwestern counties, but a couple reaching CBI. The earliest one appeared on Seal I. Aug 17 (ABO researchers), and the latest was found by Chris Pepper at Three Fathom Hbr., HFX, Nov 24. One particularly long-staying individual in Dartmouth, Oct 19 – Nov 5, became a ‘lifer’ for many.
Six species of owl were seen or heard this season. The 111 eBird entries for GREAT HORNED OWL probably amounted to 30+ individuals from nine counties (Yarmouth, Shelburne, Digby, Lunenburg, Kings, Halifax, Pictou, Guysborough, & Inverness). Their presence remains well documented on BPI where up to four were reported on a single day (Sept 14, DMB). Angie and Tony Millard recorded a group of two “chicks and mom . . . calling to each other” in Seaforth, HFX, Aug 24. Nesting activity was also recorded in Cheticamp, Inv., Sept 8 when Amanda Gallant “was able to watch mom give a rodent to one of her two noisy babies.” More evidence of family life throughout the season came from Pictou, where Mark Brennan made eight entries of one to three owls (“at least one imm.”) hunting and calling between Aug 24 and Nov 28. One SNOWY OWL came into the records for fall 2016. Greg Stroud saw it on Sable I. Oct 30-Nov 1, and again Nov 12, when he wrote that it was “most likely the same bird seen a few days ago.” He also noted: “appears to be a juvenile female. Heavily spotted with a complete white face.” About 35 BARRED OWLS were reported on eBird from most 45 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
counties, from Victoria in the northeast to Yarmouth and Shelburne in the southwest. One on CSI Nov 2 was found by Mark Dennis, who noted it as “quite rare on Cape Sable Island”. LONG-EARED OWL was noted on eBird twice: the first occurrence was on Seal I. Oct 25 (DMB), and the second was also in Yar, this time heard at 120 Whites River Rd. Nov 8 (JOK). SHORT-EARED OWL likewise occurs twice in this season’s eBird records: the first was located around Onslow Mountain, Col., Aug 1 by Anne Richard. She noted that the “owl was hunting in freshly mowed field beside house, and being harassed by crows,” alas. The second bird was reported on CSI Nov 24 (MCD, Mike MacDonald & RDE). A handful of NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were observed this fall, mostly from BPI and Seal I. On BPI, Lucas Berrigan noted five one day (Oct 5), and later with David Bell noted four there Oct 27. On Seal I., Ken McKenna and Mark Brennan reported an individual bird Oct 11, and David Bell noted one there Oct 25. At Taylors Head PP, HFX, Mirabai Alexander found one, and Clarence Stevens Sr. reported two more: one in Petite Riviere, Lun., Sept 12, and one along Hway 101 in Annapolis, Nov 1.
There were 69 eBird entries of COMMON NIGHTHAWK totalling 371 birds, which is over double the number seen in fall 2015 (51 entries of 151). All counties except Richmond, Victoria, Guysborough and Hants were represented this year and, as in last fall, most entries were of ones or twos. Larger groups are compiled chronologically in the following table.
Date No. Location Observer(s) Aug 9 9 Rose Bay, Lun KEL Aug 10 5 Clyde River Rd., Shel MCD Aug 12 60 Bridgewater PRG, ph. Aug 13 60 Central Av, Kings Holly Lightfoot Aug 13 25 Port Clyde, Shel KEL Aug 13 25 CONI loc., Shel CHP, KST Aug 15 11 Dartmouth DAC Aug 16 11 Macbeth Rd., Pict Fred MacKenzie Aug 18 8 Balls Creek, CB DBM Aug 20 9 N. Kingston Wayne Neily Aug 20 23 J30 of Hway 103, Shel MCD Aug 22 7 Plymouth, Pict Fred MacKenzie Aug 24 10 Antigonish Landing, Ant CHP & Tom Neily Aug 24 5 Arcadia, Yar AAD Aug 27 16 Greenville Road, Yar Lauren Lawrence Aug 31 7 Kentville JLC Aug 31 8 Munroes I. – Caribou, Pict Fred MacKenzie & Karen Berezowski
Fourteen of the 33 eBird entries of CHIMNEY SWIFT were from the traditional chimney roost in the Temperance St. school in New Glasgow (all KJM); the graph below illustrates their decreasing numbers there over the month of August.
The graph at left, based on data (gaps in dates meaning no counts were made) collected by Ken McKenna, illustrates the sharp drop during early August of numbers of Chimney Swifts entering the chimney. Temperance Street School is now being reconstructed with the exception of its chimney which is being preserved for the swifts.
The highest number reported (150) came from Middleton Regional High School, Anna, Aug 1 (Louis Rajnys). Another 35 were observed the same day at 10 Catherine Court in Wolfville (DMB), and two weeks later, a kilometre away at the Robie Tufts Nature Centre, ten more swifts were seen “entering chimney one at a time between 20:40 and 20:55. Two were seen to enter earlier by others present” (Caroline Maurice & François Shaffer). Other counties reporting sightings of seven birds or fewer included Yarmouth, Colchester, Halifax, and Lunenburg. Two notably late reports were received. One seen by
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 46
Gilles Bourque along Thomas Rd., on Cape Forchu, Yar, Oct 22, “flew overhead out of nowhere, swift-like bird, long wing, stubby body, dark bird . . . Cannot confirm if it’s the proper identification...”, with the latter comment referring to the unlikely possibility of the similar looking western breeding Vaux’s Swift. The second was photographed by Bill Crosby (NSBS Facebook) the following day, Oct 23, in Lockeport, Queens. With probable repeats removed, the eBird records imply about 350 swifts observed this fall, virtually all in August.
There were 434 entries of RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS totalling 776 individuals. They visited each county, although Richmond and Inverness only yielded one report apiece. The latest report of the season was of one “coming to a feeder on 2nd Street” on Brier I., Sept 24 (LNE). There were two reports of RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD this season. The first was an ad. male briefly observed by Donald A. Sutherland (with L. Humphrey) in Central Grove PP, Digby on Aug 23; Donald Sutherland posted his account on eBird thus:
“I could see the rusty-brown flanks, cheeks and crown contrasting with a white upper breast, creating the impression of a collar. The gorget appeared orange-red. . . . I cannot say that I noted the colour of the back, as when perched the bird was facing me and when in flight it was too fast, so Allen’s cannot be ruled out as a possibility absolutely, though that species would seem even less likely.”
The second one was found and photographed by Neila MacLellan at her feeder at Hectors Pt. in Iona, Vic, Aug 18. David McCorquodale visited the feeder the next day and noting its green back also raised the issue of possible Allen’s Hummingbird from California or w. Mexico (which has occurred in n.e. US). But David thought the wingtips extended beyond the tail, as on Rufous. The poses of the bird on Niela’s photos (see below) are not clear on that, but other features settled the issue.
This hummingbird (Iona, Vic, Aug 18), despite its largely green back, is identifiable as a young m. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD. Although the tail is missing several feathers, the rectrices are broad like those of a Rufous, not lanceolate like those of an Allen’s; and the remaining left retrix 1 abruptly narrows at its tip, again characteristic of Rufous, not Allen’s. [Photos by Neila MacLellan]
Even more astonishing than Rufous Hummingbird was our second confirmed CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD, seen and photographed only by Arthur d’Entremont as it fed on his garden flowers in Middle W. Pubnico, Yar, Oct 21. It was recognized from the photos by his son Alix d’Entremont, who has prepared an account of this discovery of the very rare vagrant (see p. 70), with only a handful of records from n.e. US, and one prior one in Nova Scotia (see NS Birds, 2011, Vol. 53, Issue 1, p. 33).
Another noticeable increase in numbers of BELTED KINGFISHER was reported in fall: In 2014 there were 468; in 2015 there were 755, and this season we have 1063, although, as the section editor noted last fall, “this doubtless comes from increased reporting”. The average number of birds per report was 1.30 in the previous two fall seasons, and this year it’s up only slightly at 1.41 birds per report. A few observed were well into the end of the season, the latest of which was found along the Wolfville Rail Trail Nov 29 (RIW).
There were two reports of RED-HEADED WOODPECKER: the first was out of reach on Seal I. Oct 16 (DMB), and the second was photographed by Ellis d’Entremont at his house in W. Pubnico Nov 19, and put on eBird (AAD). There were only about 35 records of the species here between 1984 and 2012 (McLaren, 2012, All the Birds of Nova Scotia p. 150), and few since, so there is no wonder others sought out this one, but to no avail after Nov. 19.
47 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
This rare first-fall (HY) RED- HEADED WOODPECKER was photographed at W. Pubnico, Yar, Nov 19. [Photo by Ellis d’Entremont]
RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER was reported this season in four counties (Halifax, Victoria Yarmouth, & Lunenburg), all of them as single individuals. Of the 41 reports, well over half were in or near the s. end of Halifax, as far north as Vienna St. (PMC, Oct 31) and as far south as PPP (AGH, Nov 29), and often around Dalhousie or Saint Mary’s Universities. From Halifax, Allan Springer reported at least two HY birds at a feeder just south of the Dalhousie Campus Sept 8, and Ian McLaren observed one adult in early September near a possible nest hole at the Waegwoltic Club. Other provincial reports were of individuals at Baddeck, Vic, Oct 12 (n.d.); on Seal I. Oct 16 and Oct 25; in Dartmouth Oct 25; at First South, Lun, Nov 6 (Charlene MacDonald), and at least three in Yarmouth.
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER appeared on 72 eBird checklists, with a total of 105 birds observed from most counties, but none on CBI, Guysborough or Antigonish. Although there were no eBird entries for Queens, I photographed a family with young in Greenfield in that county as late as Aug 20.
This largely juvenile-plumaged YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER at Greenfield, Queens, Aug 20, appeared and behaved more like an adult then it had done in July, although its parents were still close by. [Photo by Andy de Champlain]
The ubiquitous DOWNY WOODPECKER was observed in every county to the tune of 1000 birds in 769 eBird reports. The HAIRY WOODPECKER was not far behind, with 869 birds noted in 639 eBird reports, and also seen in every county. More than ten individual BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS were observed and reported from seven counties (Halifax, Guysborough, Hants, Inverness, Kings, Lunenburg, & Richmond), which does not seem much different from previous seasonal accounts. The total number of NORTHERN FLICKERS was a whopping 3589 entered in 1481 eBird checklists from all counties; and from largest number to largest tree-clinger – the PILEATED WOODPECKER was observed in all counties except Richmond and Inverness, with 246 individuals in 231 eBird checklists.
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 48
Flycatchers through Thrushes By Ian McLaren
This season, there were 21,056 eBird checklists totalling 118,208 individuals in this section, compared with 14,977 checklists totalling 77,308 individuals in the fall season (Aug-Nov) 2015. These comparisons suggest that changes in total eBird numbers of particular species of notably more than about +50% or -30% between the years might be meaningful.
Five sightings of single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS along forest trails in Kings Aug 3-4 (JAW, PHT), three more in Halifax Aug 5-7 (CHP, KST; GRW), one near Vincents L. Ant, Aug 7 (KJM et al.), and possibly one on BPI Aug 8-9 (ABO group), were all plausibly still on breeding grounds. Beginning with single probable migrants Aug 18 at both Bishops L., Rich (CHP), and Hartlen Pt., HFX (AGR, LIV, BHA), about 15 more were entered in eBird, the latest on BPI Oct 9. Photos of another three were on NSBS Facebook during this period.
The eBird totals tabulated below of our more common resident and migrant flycatchers (including many ‘repeats’) allow comparisons between the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Species August September October November Latest Eastern Wood-Pewee 180 40 4 0 Seal I., Oct 12 (KJM, MAB) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 56 49 0 0 BPI, Sept 29 (LUB) Alder Flycatcher 316 33 0 0 Brier I., Sept 26 (ELM) Least Flycatcher 136 47 1 0 Cranberry L., Cole Hbr. Oct 4 (KST) Eastern Phoebe 23 19 39 1 N. Point, Brier I., Nov 5 (DMB)
The increase of EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE in 2016 over 2015 eBird reports by about 35% seem a little below increased effort. A 48% increase between 2015 and 2016 in number of checklists with YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER can be attributed to increased effort, but the roughly three-fold increase in eBird totals can largely be traced to surges of migrants encountered this fall by ABO researchers on our ‘southern’ islands: e.g. eight found on BPI Aug 25, 11 on Seal I. Sept 3, and 12 there Sept 10. On the other hand, the ALDER FLYCATCHER eBird total (349), at 28% larger than last fall’s, was some below expectations (about 50%; see above). The eBird total of 112 “Alder/Willow Flycatchers”, 38% higher than in fall 2015, cannot fully explain this fall’s deficit. The eBird reports of WILLOW FLYCATCHER (not tabulated above) were all from BPI or Seal I., where they were identified by call notes or in the hand by ABO researchers. Discounting probable repeat sightings, about 16 were identified on BPI between Aug 9 and Sept 15, and 16 on Seal I. between Aug 20 and Sept 23. Another was listed for Cape Sable, Shel, Sept 2 (MCD, RDE). Dennis Garratt identified one by its calls in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lr. Sackville, Aug 31. The eBird total of 194 LEAST FLYCATCHERS compared with the fall 2015 total of 131, was close to that expected from 50% more eBird effort.
Now we come to two vagrant Empidonax flycatchers from far to the west. A HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER, like our four previous ones, was encountered by ABO researchers on one of our southern islands (see photos below). It was netted for banding and in-hand identification on Seal I., Sept 14, and was still hanging around next morning (LUB and Ari Rice). Even more exciting was Nova Scotia’s (and Atlantic Canada’s) first GRAY FLYCATCHER found and amply photographed on Sable I. Nov 11-20 by Greg Stroud. The details confirming this very rare find are in this issue (p. 71).
This HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER was captured for banding on Seal I., Sept 14. Its grey head contrasting with its olive-brown back, its oval eyering, somewhat expanded together, and especially its short but broad bill, with fleshy lower mandible darkening towards the tip (insert), are all diagnostic. [Photos by Lucas Berrigan]
49 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
The eBird total of 62 EASTERN PHOEBES (almost half of which might have been repeats, especially on our southern islands) was about 48% higher than the fall 2015 total, again as expected from increased eBird effort. One pair that nested under a bridge on Willard Fraser Rd., Pict, was still feeding three large young Aug 4 (KJM). Phoebes are later migrants than their smaller relatives, and the latest in 2016 (above table) was on the same date as in 2015. A late GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER found on Seal I. Oct 24 was carefully checked over by David Bell to eliminate some more exotic relative.
Although Western Kingbird is almost annual here in the fall, with almost 20 in fall 2015, none turned up this year. Also, despite greater eBird effort, somewhat fewer EASTERN KINGBIRDS were recorded this fall (69, probably about 60 different birds) than last fall (87, probably about 80 different birds). All were probably migrants, beginning with five in Kings Aug 1 (JAW), and ending with three found by Anne Richard at Onslow Mt., Col, Sept 24. A half-dozen photos of other individuals were posted on Facebook, including the latest one by Susan Woodland at Blomidon, Kings, Oct 1, displayed on the NSBS Facebook page.
Our first NORTHERN SHRIKE was timely in barrens along Paquette Lake Rd., CBHNP, Oct 16 (DBM, Mirabai Alexander), and another seven appeared (all sources) widely thereafter in later October through November.
It was a bonanza season for WHITE-EYED VIREO, with about 25 reports of this highly ‘twitchable’ vagrant. (All sources, probably about a dozen with elimination of probable ‘repeats’.) This latter number has only been exceeded by an estimated 22 in a singular large ‘fallout’ here Oct 19, 1998. Even more exciting was a BELL’S VIREO found and photographed (see below) by David Currie along Lakeside Terrace, Dartmouth, Oct 26. It then was added to their life-lists by many others up to the last sighting of it Nov 11, again by David Currie (with Chris Field). As indicated by the photos below, the bird appears assignable to the somewhat duller population that breeds from s. New Mexico to s.e. Texas, nominally subspecies medius, rather than the much drabber far-southwestern arizonae or the bright nominate subspecies bellii breeding in s.-central US. Another Bell’s Vireo was studied briefly by David Bell on Seal I., Oct 25, and described as having a “longish tail, gray-green back, gray head, white chest, with yellow wash on flanks and undertail” and thus “intermediate in brightness per Sibley” (implying subspecies medius).
The BELL’S VIREO at left was photographed by its finder along the edge of Birch Cove Pk., Dartmouth, Oct 26, and again from another angle Oct 29 (centre). The mix of retained and replaced wing and tail feathers indicate a HY bird. That age also seemed to fit a much brighter bird at right, photographed in Spryfield, Halifax, Nov 1, 2010. The central image was somewhat brightened and ‘de-blued’, but the other two left as in the originals. [Photos by: left, David Currie; middle, Jason Dain; right, Tuma Young]
Somewhat less unusual were five wandering YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS, beginning with one photographed by Larry Neily on Cape Forchu, Yar, Sept 14. Another found by Kate Steele and Chris Pepper when they cycled along Three Fathom Hbr. Tr., HFX, Sept 16, was seen by several others next day. The third was reported by Clarence S. Stevens who found it along Portland Lakes Tr., Dartmouth, Oct 21. Then one was found by Liz Voellinger at the Bell’s Vireo hotspot in Dartmouth, Oct 27, and found by others seeking that vireo up to Nov 6. The latest was found by Diane LeBlanc at Crystal Crescent Bch., HFX, Nov 7. The 491 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS posted in eBird this fall were about 38% more than in fall 2015, and thus only slightly fewer than expected from increased effort. The latest (all sources) one was found by Jake Walker at the foot of Coburg Rd., Halifax, Nov 29. There was some discussion on NSBS Facebook of a drab “Solitary Vireo” with some possible traits of Cassin’s Vireo, photographed by Constance Angelina in (the community of) Spencers Island, Cumb,
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Sept 30, but it was as usual inconclusive. Readers should learn about the ID issues from an article by Bruce Stevens et al. in NS Birds 2015, Vol. 52, Issue 2, pp. 62-66. A total of About 14 WARBLING VIREOS (all sources) were found, and most photographed, between Aug 31 and Nov 10; the latest had been lingering along the Albion Tr., Stellerton, since Nov 2 (STV, then KJM, other obs.). The eastern and western subspecies groups of this vireo are probably going to be ‘split’, and “Western” Warbling Vireos have occurred here in late fall. Birders here seldom attempt to distinguish them, although one in the hand on Seal I. Oct 17 and another observed there Oct 20 (both DMB) were diagnosed as the eastern gilvus. The eBird reports of RED-EYED VIREOS totalled 1415 individuals, 49% more than last fall, therefore readily attributable to increased eBird effort. The latest (all sources) was found by Jake Walker in Wolfville Nov 15.
Nova Scotia birders, if not the Canadian public, know where to find the GRAY JAY, and there were 105 eBird reports of 225 of them this season – twice as many as in 2015 – and from every county except Annapolis and Hants, where they certainly occur. The table below compares fall-season 2016 eBird totals of our three more common corvids compared as ratios of the American Crow totals with those of 2015 (the latter from p. 41 of the 2015 fall-season issue of NS Birds). The separation of August sightings from those of September-November may give insights into possible differences between the ‘tail’ of the breeding season and the later gatherings or movements of these species.
August September-November Species BBS ratio 2016 total 2016 ratio 2015 ratio 2016 total 2016 ratio 2015 ratio Blue Jay 0.14 1481 0.23 0.28 4077 0.12 0.25 Am. Crow 1.00 6334 1.00 1.00 32,900 1.00 1.00 Com. Raven 0.13 856 0.12 0.23 3470 0.11 0.09
Although only about 20% more AMERICAN CROWS were entered in eBird in 2016 than in 2015, their seasonal balances with the other two corvids differed substantially: BLUE JAY appeared relatively about half as common during September- November 2016, and COMMON RAVEN twice as common during August. A dozen large eBird counts (50+, including 75 on BPI Oct 3) of Blue Jays in September-November might have indicated a noteworthy out migration this fall; we’ll await any indications of reduced numbers in winter. I can offer no speculation on the reduced relative abundance of ravens in August compared with September-November. Again this fall (see last fall’s NS Birds issue, p. 42), a second-hand report was posted on NatureNS magpies, this time two in Dartmouth in mid-August. Such reports demand documentary photos; our only published images of one (and evidence from its vocalizations) at Clam Bay, HFX, April 2008, indicated that it was a (ship- assisted?) Eurasian Magpie. It should also be borne in mind that escaped ‘pet’ magpies have turned up in eastern North American cities.
The first HORNED LARK (all sources) was on schedule at Big I., Pict, Sept 21 (KJM). Thereafter there were 93 eBird checklists totalling 879 individuals, both roughly twice as many as last fall’s totals, and perhaps reflecting more wintery conditions further north or more birding in coastal habitats (variables that might be considered in future big-data analyses of many eBird species). All photos seemed to be of the usual northern subspecies alpestris.
A young (HY) ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW was a rare find by Alix d’Entremont on Chebogue Pt., Yar, Aug 3 (photo below), and was seen that day and next by a few more lucky observers. Another was briefly on Seal I. Aug 23 (DMB, Siobhan Darlington). 51 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
This ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, a HY bird as usual among vagrants, was beautifully photographed at Chebogue Pt., Yar, Aug 3. [Photo by Alix d’Entremont]
The table below compares eBird totals of our four regular swallows (relative to BARN SWALLOW for some in parentheses) through the 2015 and 2016 fall seasons. In addition this year there were 35 unidentified swallows in August, 32 in September, and one in November. Note that BANK SWALLOW, the most long-distance migrant, decreased most sharply after August.
Species Aug 2015 Aug 2016 Sept 2015 Sept 2016 Oct 2015 Oct 2016 Nov 2015 Nov 2016 Tree Swallow 185 243 58 16 4 0 1 1 Bank Swallow 870 558 74 0 000 0 0 0 0 Barn Swallow 689 1590 202 84 5 0 3 2 Cliff Swallow 28 57 3 3 1 1 1 0 1 0
The latest records (all sources) were: TREE SWALLOW, one on Sable I. Nov 21-22 (Greg Stroud); BANK SWALLOW, Somerset, Kings, Aug 28 (Ron Wilson); BARN SWALLOW, three on CSI (MCD) and seven on Seal I. Sept 21 (LUB); CLIFF SWALLOW, two at Rainbow Haven PP Sept 27 (CSS; dark throat noted).
The table below lists the season’s eBird monthly totals of our resident or partially migrant forest insectivores, totals per checklist, and their approximate ratios relative to the BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE totals. The relative BBS estimates of the other species, with Black-capped Chickadee again taken as 1.00, are based on the 2008-2012 average counts on all survey routes in NS and PEI combined. The tabulate data may give insights into relative abundances, seasonal changes, and birding effort in different habitats.
Relative August September-November Species BBS ratio eBird total Per checklist Ratio eBird total Per checklist Ratio Black-capped Chickadee 1.000 3376 5.20 1.00 18,417 6.78 1.00 Boreal Chickadee 0.024 540 5.80 0.16 1385 5.50 0.08 Red-breasted Nuthatch 0.083 2688 6.72 0.80 4965 4.78 0.27 White-breasted Nuthatch 0.015 75 1.39 0.02 738 1.52 0.04 Brown Creeper 0.023 36 1.39 0.01 461 1.63 0.03 Winter Wren 0.116 196 2.72 0.06 231 2.33 0.01 Golden-crowned Kinglet 0.164 1224 8.27 0.36 5666 5.76 0.31 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 0.529 45 1.61 0.01 450 2.07 0.02
The mismatches between ratios from BBS and eBird counts of most species may be meaningful. BBS routes are inevitably tied to driveable survey routes in early summer, and tend to ‘under-sample’ forest birds unless they are loud and persistent singers that later become less noticeable (e.g. WINTER WREN, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET). When they joined wandering groups after the breeding season, relative abundances of most other species (BOREAL CHICKADEE, RED- BREASTED and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET), increased above BBS levels. Relative numbers of some species between August and September-November may reflect migration. For example, the partially migrating Red-breasted Nuthatch increased almost ten-fold over its relative BBS ratio in August, and dropped to
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 52 slightly more than three-fold in Sept-November. Particularly large eBird totals of 60-80 Red-breasted Nuthatches, no doubt birds on the move, were recorded on Brier I., BPI, and Sober I., HFX, Aug 20-28.
Mimic-Thrushes through Warblers By Ken McKenna
In this report a new approach is taken to dealing with the increasingly massive eBird records by graphing the most common migratory species in this section as semi-monthly eBird totals (day 1-15 and 16-to-30, or 16-to-31, of each month). This is a means of summarizing and analyzing their relative abundance and seasonal patterns of occurrence.
As usual, GRAY CATBIRD was by far the most numerous of three Mimidae this autumn, with 445 eBird reports of 729 individuals. Reports came from 13 counties, almost half from the southern counties of Yarmouth and Shelburne. Although it is not unusual on CBI, no reports were received this season from that under-reported region.
As indicated at left, peak numbers (237) of GRAY CATBIRD reported on eBird were during the second half of August, suggesting that they were being augmented then by migrants.
A high of ten catbirds was tallied by Mark Dennis at the Hawk, CSI, Aug 20. Greg Stroud observed one flying around near the Main on Sable I. Oct 28-30. Individuals also appeared at Mahone Bay (JAH, ph.) and Duncans Cove, HFX (CSS, Diane LeBlanc) Oct 30, but none were reported after that date. BROWN THRASHER was noted from only five locations. The first was on Seal I. Sept 19 (LUB); subsequent sightings there Sept 28-30 and Oct 19 might have been of different birds (DMB). Singles were also noted on Cape Forchu, Yar, Oct 8 (EOL, ph.), and in both south end Halifax (CSS) and on BPI (LUB) Oct 14. At least 15 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS reported on eBird and elsewhere were spread among eight counties, in line with numbers in the last ten autumns. In August there were singles on CSI (Karen O’Hearn); at the Tyndal Rd. Estuary, Cumb, Aug 18 (Donald Gorham); and in Lr. Sackville, Aug 30 (a juv., DGA). September reports came from Hants, Shelburne (including a spotted juv. on CSI that had probably been raised somewhere nearby; EOL, ph.), and Yarmouth (two birds). October reports were from: CSI, Conway, Digby; the Miners Marsh area and Port Williams, Kings; Yarmouth (three birds) and Lunenburg. In November there were continuing sightings at Miners Marsh, Kentville, and on CSI, and an additional bird at Chebogue Point, Yar (MCD, Sandra Dennis).
EUROPEAN STARLING was widespread as usual, with 2000 eBird reports of about 100,000 birds, including some obvious repeated observations of local flocks. A large ‘murmuration’ at Cape John, Pict, Nov 11 was estimated at 4000 birds (FHM, KJM). The first arriving AMERICAN PIPITS were found along the causeway to Big I., Pict, Sept 4 (KJM). Numbers then increased in the second half of September with a total of 480 listed on eBird. Even more appeared on eBird, a total of 1113, in the first half of October, including a maximum of 96 found on BPI Oct 5 (LUB). Reported numbers declined in the second half of October, and by the second half of November only a couple dozen were reported. The eBird reports came from nine mainland counties, and none from CBI.
BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were reported in larger numbers this year than during the past few autumns, with 43 eBird checklists totalling 985 birds. The first report is often from CBI, but this year a very early one was identified by field marks, including calls as it flew over Seal I. Sep 11 (DMB, who noted that it had been reported in Maine). The next were two at Canso on the more usual date of Oct 3 (MAB, KJM, FHM). Numbers began to increase in November, and 120 were noted at Big I., Pict, Nov 6 (KJM). All but one thereafter (at E. Pubnico, Nov 30; DMB, DMC) were in northeastern and central counties (Cape Breton, Guysborough, Antigonish, Pictou, Halifax, Cumberland and Kings). The largest flock reported was estimated at 150-200 at Cape John, Pict, Nov 19 (MAB, STV, FHM, KJM). As David Currie correctly noted on NSBS Facebook Nov 10: “With the enormous berry crop . . . this is just the beginning.” CEDAR WAXWING is a quite common and late-nesting bird in the province, so not surprisingly, 1123 reports totalling over 11,000 individuals were reported on 53 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
eBird and from all counties. This impressive total might again indicate the good berry crop allowing the birds to linger rather than migrate (see graph below).
Although there was a clear peak (of immigrants?) in late September, large numbers of CEDAR WAXWINGS were still present through November.
The first returning LAPLAND LONGSPUR was at Green Cove, Vic, Sept 22 (John Farner). Then several more appeared by month’s end. Reports on eBird continued at a steady pace, with one-to-five birds totalling 61 in all, reported in the first half of October. The 72 noted in the second half of October were boosted by 15 at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, Oct 17 (CSS), and 22 on Sable I., Oct 23 (Greg Stroud). Numbers then declined to 24 in the first half of November, including a high of ten at Martinique Bch. PP Nov 6 (CPE), and only five later individuals, the latest near Lockeport, Nov 27 (Bill Crosby, ph.). Nova Scotia’s first photographically confirmed SMITH’S LONGSPUR was found by Russel Crosby at West Head, Queens, Oct 11, but was only identified from photos a month later.
This stunning portrait of a HY SMITH’S LONGSPUR at West Head, near Lockeport, Oct 11, serves to document our first fully confirmed record of this taiga nesting bird from the far n.w. of Canada. Its overall buffy ground colour, lack of rufous on its greater coverts, and broken ‘frame’ around the auricular are good distinctions from our commonplace Lapland Longspur. [Photo by Russel Crosby]
An exceptionally early SNOW BUNTING, “clearly calling overhead at night” over Seal I. Sept 24, was reported by Lucas Berrigan and Ari Rice. The next were one or two observed on Seal I. Oct 11 (DMB; KJM, MAB), and four on Sable I. Oct 13 (Greg Stroud). The 138 eBird checklists totalling 1971 birds were notably fewer than in autumn 2015. Most were in the first half of November, with 72 eBird reports for a total of 1409 individuals. The largest number was found by David Bell, who estimated there were 250 along Boomer Rd, Cumb, Nov 13. He also reported that 150 were still present there a week later – making up a substantial portion of the 41 eBird reports of 508 individuals in the second half of November.
Twelve species and one distinctive subspecies of vagrant southern and western warblers added excitement and boosted this fall’s list to 35 warbler species. The results summarized in this section have benefited greatly from eBird data provided by ABO researchers on BPI and Seal I. and by the nocturnal acoustic recording carried out by John Kearney at Carleton, Yar. These data, as well as the thousands of other checklists in eBird, give us an excellent picture of fall migration in the province,
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 54 and I encourage all birders to add their sightings to this growing cache of information. The capacity of eBird to add photos and sound tracks makes it even more useful for confirming rare species.
The OVENBIRD departs relatively early to its wintering grounds, primarily in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. The 74 eBird reports of 98 Ovenbirds from 11 counties in this fall were slightly up from last year, although they were down by 56% at the nocturnal monitoring station at Carleton, Yar (JOK). Migrant numbers peaked in the second half of August, with almost half the season’s eBird total in that period. Only six were seen after Sept 12; the latest at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens Oct 25 (Trish Fry) was the only one reported that month. A reverse-migrant WORM-EATING WARBLER was discovered by Chris Pepper in the Three Fathom Hbr. area, HFX, Aug 30. He was unable to photograph it, but was soon joined by David Currie, who did do so (photo below).
This rare and very wary WORM- EATING WARBLER was photographed soon after it was found (by Chris Pepper) along the Atlantic View Trail, in the Three-fathom Hbr. area, Aug 30. [Photo by David Currie]
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH was recorded from only seven counties, with most of the 53 eBird reports of 118 birds from either offshore islands or coastal headlands. Overall, there was a notable decline from last year’s eBird total. But, interestingly, there was increase over last fall in numbers detected acoustically. Only 11 were recorded in the first half of August, but numbers increased to 35 in the second half and 41 in the first half of September (most in the first week, corresponding to peak numbers in acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar, Sept 2 (JOK). Numbers on eBird continued to be steady, with 30 in the second half of September; ten found on BPI Sept 16 (DMB) were the season’s high. A late bird was spotted in Dartmouth Oct 3 (CHP).
Four BLUE-WINGED WARBLERS were fewer than the six or seven in the previous two years, but still a good number of this rare bird. The first was found at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lr. Sackville, Aug 30, and was well-described (CSS). For the second year in a row, Robert Turner posted a photo of one (see below) to NSBS Facebook. David Bell was alerted by the odd flight call of a flyby at Seal I. Oct 6 and he described it as: “a small mostly yellow warbler with mostly white outer rectrices, dark wings, and dark eye-line”. David Currie provided a good description of the latest seen along stream banks at Landrace Park in Dartmouth Oct 30. It stayed that day for a few others to view and photograph it, but was not seen later. BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER was reported on eBird from all counties and with 475 reports of 975 birds, peaking at 338 in the second half of August following 178 in the first half. Numbers remained high at 271 in the first half of September, dropping to 157 in the second half, with most gone by month’s end. The ABO group banded 12 of 32 spotted on Seal I. Sept 4. Peak numbers recorded at the nocturnal migration site in Yarmouth came later, Sept 22; and 15 on Seal I. Sept 25 also indicated a small later migration pulse. Observations dropped sharply after this, and only 13 were noted in the first half of October and four in the second half. A female on Sable I. in the first week of November lingered to Nov 10, and was replaced by a male Nov 11-20 (Greg Stroud). The latest was in south end Halifax Nov 26 (PAO). The first of two PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS was lurking at Hartlen Pt. Aug 19 (JED; photo below). The second was a flyby at the banding lanes on BPI Sept 12. It was described by David Bell as “a large yellow warbler with short tail, white under-tail coverts and dark wings” but not located after that. In addition to the two seen, one was recorded calling over the nocturnal migration station at Carleton, Yar, Sept 22 (JOK). 55 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
A BLUE-WINGED WARBLER at Rockland, Shel, Sept 11 (left) and a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at Hartlen Pt, HFX, Aug 19, were great finds, and beauties to behold. Both appear to be adult (AHY) males, although the former has somewhat messy plumage, and the latter an oddly bright-toned back. [Photos by (left) Robert Turner; (right) Jim Edsall]
There was a slight increase in numbers of TENNESSEE WARBLERS over last fall, with 15 individuals reported on eBird from 12 locations in six counties from Cape Breton to Yarmouth. Seven were found in August and six in September. The latest were singles on Seal I. Oct 2 (DMB) and in PPP, Halifax, the next day (PAO). A similar increase in nocturnal calls of this warbler was noted at the recording station in Carleton, Yar (JOK). It will be interesting to see if this modest increase in numbers continues next year in response to the higher Spruce Budworm infestations in provinces west of us, or if the budworm spreads here. ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER is generally the latest warbler to arrive here from its boreal nesting grounds, but the first this fall was found very early in a “small push of warblers overnight” at Bear Pt., Shel, Aug 27 (RDE, ph., NSBS Facebook); the next was discovered at the old Halifax dump Oct 2 (DAC). Its numbers have either increased in the last few years, or more likely more people are looking for them in the right places. There were 94 eBird reports of 135 birds, an increase of about 30% over last autumn. In the first half of October, nine were found in Halifax and on Seal I., but the numbers increased to 46 in the second half of the month. Peak eBird numbers were in the first half of November, when 59 were noted in eight counties, mostly along the Atlantic coast from Guysborough to Yarmouth. Sightings then declined to 21 in the second half of the month. Sightings of NASHVILLE WARBLER were steady from mid-August to the end of September, with a small peak of 60 in the last half of August, but very similar numbers were seen in the first (51) and second half (49) of September. Peak numbers were recorded acoustically at Carleton, Yar, Sept 21 (JOK). There was a steep drop in sightings in October, with nine in the first half and 14 in the second half, dominated by sightings by the ABO researchers on BPI and Seal I. About six were found in the first half of November and four observed in the last half (including an oddly plumaged one photographed in Broad Cove, Lun, Nov 20; see below). The latest sightings were of two lingering at the west end of Coburg Rd., Halifax, Nov 29 (JAW).
This apparent HY NASHVILLE WARBLER (juvenile outer greater coverts retained), at Broad Cove, Lun, Nov 20, is odd in a number of ways. The grey back and white throat may be within limits for a young female, but the apparently white undertail coverts are not normal for any plumage. One wonders if there is mixed ancestry; Tennessee was mentioned by Dominic Cormier. [Photo by James Hirtle]
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Reports of CONNECTICUT WARBLER were not accompanied by photographs, as this skulker usually offers only brief views. Dennis Garratt had a three-second view of one described as a HY male, before it melted into the undergrowth at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lr. Sackville, Sept 1. He also indicated it was seen by at least three others over the next four days; that two may have been present Sept. 3; and that a third was seen and heard Sept 14. Jim Edsall found one skulking in bushes at Hartlen Pt. Sept 21, noting that he had good views, but lamenting he could not get a photo. The last one, reported by David Bell Sept 25, was first heard flying south low over the banding lab on BPI. He wrote that its flight call was Blackpoll-like, but that it flew much lower and in the opposite direction taken by the Blackpolls present, which drew him to focus on the bird. He described it as a “large chunky warbler with yellow underside, greyish hood and greenish back, seen without binoculars at 10 m distance in flight”. Somewhat more co-operative was our second documented (and photographed) MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER from the far west, found and photographed (see below) by David Currie in a thickly shrubby ravine on the NSCC-Akerley campus, Dartmouth, Nov 1. This extreme rarity was seen and photographed by many other observers over the next 12 days, as it often betrayed its presence by a distinctive chip note. MOURNING WARBLER is the expected member of the same genus as MacGillivray’s, although still uncommon here in fall; the 29 eBird checklists this fall totalled 38 individuals. The 11 sightings in August, some probably on their breeding grounds, were all from northeastern counties (Inverness, Cape Breton, Antigonish, and Pictou), and individuals lingered on known breeding territories on wind farm sites near Kemptown, Col, to Sept 4 and McLellans Brook, Pict, until Sept 8 (KJM). The first certain migrant reached Seal I. Aug 30 (ABO), and there was a modest peak of five in the area (BPI, CSI, Seal I.) Sept 10; but the most nocturnal calls over Carleton, Yar, were recorded Sept 22-23. The latest was at Duncans Cove, HFX, Oct 5 (DAC, IAM). Two vagrant KENTUCKY WARBLERS, both HY females, were banded by ABO researchers: one captured on Seal I. Aug 21 stayed to the next day (DMB, Siobhan Darlington); then another netted on BPI Aug 24 continued to be observed to Aug 30 (LUB).
The MACGILLIVRAY’S WARBLER at left (Dartmouth Nov 1) is here contrasted with a MOURNING WARBLER at right (Cape Sable, Shel, Sept 10; image flipped for comparison). The former was succinctly discriminated by its finder by its “obvious short eye arcs, whitish throat . . .” The Mourning Warbler also has a more olive-washed ‘hood’ and a distinctly yellowish throat. [Photos by: left, David Currie; right, Ronnie d’Entremont]
57 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT was indeed common, with 1178 eBird reports totalling 4412 birds, as graphed at left. Migration probably started in early August, with a peak in later August and early September. Chris Pepper had the high one-day total during a five-hour cycle ride from West Lawrencetown marsh to Bellefontaine Rd, HFX, Sept 8. The peak of nocturnal flight calls over Carleton, Yar, Sept 22, was somewhat later (JOK). One of three at Miners Marsh in November, Kings was last seen Nov 29 and was the latest for this period (JLC).
Date Locality Status Observers Aug 16 Hartlen Pt. m. JED et al, ph. It was a banner fall for HOODED Aug 28 Brier I. HY f. RDE, JAW WARBLER with six reports (previous Sept 10 Hartlen Pt. m. JED, ph. maximum of ten in 2015). The sightings Sept 13 BPI heard DMB are tabulated at right. Sept 23 Duncans Cove m. S. Dempsey Oct 27 BPI HY f. DMB, LUB
AMERICAN REDSTART was recorded in eBird from all counties except under-reported Inverness and, oddly, Queens. Fall migration was in full swing from the start of this report period, and about three-quarters of the eBird total of nearly 1000 were found in August, almost half of them in the second half. The ABO group recorded the highest eBird day total of 24 during poor weather on BPI Aug 17. The highest nocturnal flight-call count of 63 over Carleton, Yar, Sept 3, was about a tenth of the season’s total (JOK). Numbers posted on eBird trailed off in September, with 139 in the first half and 70 in the second half. They became hard to find in October, with eight listed for the first half, and individuals on BPI, Seal I., and Dartmouth, and two on Sable I., during the second half. The latest was in Barrington, Nov 11 (AAD). In recent years CAPE MAY WARBLER has been reported in such small numbers that it was sometimes out-numbered by some rare vagrant warblers. This autumn’s 133 eBird reports totalled 658 birds. The eBird total of 214 in autumn 2015 was in turn seven times than that of 2014. It seems evident that the population is expanding rapidly. Only a handful appeared in the first ten days of August, although Dennis Garratt observed a group of about ten moving through tall trees around his Lr. Sackville home Aug 11; it can be assumed that most thereafter were migrants from north and west. A total of 276 were reported for the second half of August. A major arrival occurred Aug 27 when, after a shift of wind to the north overnight, over 100 were reported on eBird. The 14 on Brier I. that day made it the most numerous warbler seen (JAW); 30+ were found all over BPI (LUB); and 53 on Seal I. were probably only a fraction of those flying over (DMB). Other high half-month totals on eBird were 234 in the first half and 116 the second half of September. Other high day-counts were 43 on Seal I. Aug 28, 45 on BPI Sept 10, and 42 there Sept 22 (ABO). Numbers dropped rapidly in the last week of September, and all 13 in early October were on southwestern headlands or islands. There were a few late sightings: three were spotted after coming in from sea at Green Bay Rd., Lun, Oct 20 (CSS); Greg Stroud photographed his first for the year on Sable I. Oct 31; and the latest was “in the yard” somewhere in Halifax Nov 15 (Conor Dempsey, ph.).
The CERULEAN WARBLER, although not yet listed by US authorities as a species of concern, is declining in its core breeding areas to the west and south of the Maritimes, so the HY female found on BPI Sept 3 (DMB, AAD; photo below) was remarkable. A second immature female was reported seen by Dennis Garratt in a flock of 20 Black-throated Green Warblers at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lr. Sackville, Sept 10, and he also passed on a report of an adult male seen there Oct 4 but provided no other details.
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Although not fulfilling expectations of ‘cerulean’ plumage, this great find on BPI Sept 3 was indeed a wandering CERULEAN WARBLER. It was rated a first-fall (HY) female as it lacks blue tones or dorsal streaking, and is extensively yellowish on breast to upper belly. [Photo by Alix d’Entremont]
The season’s 401 eBird reports of 767 NORTHERN PARULAS (graphed below) came from every county except Victoria, and nearly doubled the total of autumn 2015. Largest numbers were in late August and early September. All those in October were logged by ABO researchers on BPI and Seal I. Peak numbers were registered at the nocturnal acoustic station in Carleton, Yar, Sept 9 (JOK). The latest was with a flock of chickadees at Cape John, Pict, Nov 26 (STV). MAGNOLIA WARBLER is widely distributed and common in most of the province, as confirmed by 443 eBird reports of 909 birds, and from all counties (also graphed below). Their migration is also early, indicated by about 90% of the birds found before mid- September. The season’s highest day total of 15 was recorded on BPI Aug 15 (LUB), and acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar, registered a peak of calls Sept 2. One was found hitching a ride aboard a cruise ship off Yarmouth Sept 29 (Bob Wexler et al). All reports during the first half of October were in Kings, Shelburne and Yarmouth; but interestingly, the latest one was at Fourchu, Rich, Oct 27 (DBM).
Both NORTHERN PARULA and MAGOLIA WARBLER migrate early and in similar numbers, and had largely left the province after September.
Unlike the Cape May Warbler (see above), BAY-BREASTED WARBLER shows no sign of response to the Spruce Budworm increase to the north and west; or if they are responding they are not migrating through Nova Scotia. The 31 eBird reports of 45 birds in 11 counties from Victoria to Yarmouth, were only marginally more than in autumn 2015. The low numbers do not give a clear pattern of migration; following only two in the first half of August, they were about equal in the second half of August (14) and first half of September (16), and decreased only slightly in the second half (11). Acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar, produced fewer calls than in the 2015 season, but peaked Aug 27. The latest were singles on CSI Oct 1 (Mike MacDonald) and BPI Oct 19 (LUB), travelling with Blackpolls, and well described. It is not surprising that BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER is on the move early, as it takes a route across the Gulf of Mexico to overwinter in the Andes from Colombia to Peru. This fall, 49 of the 70 reported on eBird were in August, and 36 of those in the second half. That is a notable increase over the total of 39 in August 2015, and this was also suggested by acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar, where detected calls were double those of 2015. Only 16 reported on eBird for the first half of September, and the second half produced one each on BPI, Brier I., and Big I., Pict. The latest were individuals found along the Saltmarsh Tr., HFX, Oct 7, and in south end Halifax Oct 29 (both by MZE). 59 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
There were 537 eBird reports totalling 2042 YELLOW WARBLERS this season. They are also early migrants, with about 85% recorded in August: 834 in the first and 906 in the second half of the month. Another 220 were noted in the first half of September, but only 69 in the second half, and four reports totalling five birds in the first half of October. Many were on BPI where more than 20 were tallied in nine days between Aug 2 and 14, including 36 found there Aug 8. The peak of nocturnal calls over Carleton, Yar, occurred Aug 27 (JOK). A late one discovered by Steve Vines on the Albion Trail in Stellarton Nov 2 was photographed by a number of observers up to the end of the report period. The Peterson Field Guide to Warblers of North America by Dunn and Garrett indicates that many late birds in the East are probably the northern amnicola, but photos of the Stellarton bird did not clarify its subspecies.
There were 133 eBird reports of 180 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS from ten counties (all s. of Pict-HFX and Col- Cumb). This species winters mainly on the Caribbean slope of Central America and departs early. The 105 in August were nearly equally split between the two halves of the month, and 64 more came in the first half of September. Not surprisingly, only eight were reported for the second half of September, and the only later one was on McNabs I. in Halifax Hbr., Oct 8 (Barbara Haley, KLO, PAO).
Over 75% of the BLACKPOLL WARBLER eBird sightings (graphed below) were from BPI and Seal I., where the ABO researchers continued their studies of its migration. On Seal I. a peak of 82 (mostly flyovers) was registered Aug 27, while on BPI the peak of 78 was Sept 10. Peak numbers over the acoustic monitoring station in Carleton, Yar, were at night Sept 9. Numbers dropped noticeably in the first half of October and greatly in the second half. A late dozen were seen among birds that came in off the sea at Green Bay Rd., Lun, Oct 20 (CSS). None was found after the end of October.
BLACKPOLL WARBLER was recorded on eBird in 14 counties with 378 reports of 1919 individuals, a decrease from the 2364 in 2015. Their semimonthly distribution seemed bimodal, with peaks in the second halves of August and September.
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER was listed from ten mainland counties, but not from CBI, and the 73 eBird reports of 98 individuals were up from the 48 reports of 71 last fall. More than half the reports (27) and individuals (43) were noted through the season by the ABO group on BPI. Two sightings of four individuals were in Kings during the first half of August (JAW). As in 2015, there was no real pattern in the eBird records in the rest of the season, except for slightly more observations in October (44) than September (30). Surprisingly, acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar indicated a peak of migration Aug 14 (JOK). A late bird was noted on Cape Forchu, Yar, Nov 15 (RDE), and an even later female appeared near West Light on Sable I. Nov 20 (Greg Stroud). PALM WARBLER migration peaked in the second half of September when 397 of a season total of about 1200 were noted. This corresponded to peak observations Sept 29 at the Yarmouth acoustic monitoring station (JOK). The graph below details eBird records of the eastern and western subspecies.
In the graph at right, the semi-monthly eBird totals of PALM WARBLERS have been apportioned among the eastern subspecies hypochrysea (‘Yellow Palm’) and the western palmarum, based on the numbers identified as such in the eBird checklists. The first western bird appeared on Seal I. Oct 1 (ABO), and the latest eastern bird was one photographed in Canso Nov 15 (KJM).
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About 55 eBird reports totalling 65 PINE WARBLERS, on par with 2015, included numbers of repeat sightings from well- birded Halifax locations and among the 22 from BPI and the seven singles on Seal I. This largely vagrant warbler was reported from seven mainland counties. The first was photographed by Dennis Garratt at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lr. Sackville, Sept 13, but the next was not until the last day of the month, when one was identified on an NSBS trip at PPP, Halifax. Almost equal numbers were reported in eBird from the second-half of October (22) and first half of November (20). About seven were noted, mostly in HFX Nov 20-30, and no doubt some will be continuing into the winter period. Ronnie d’Entremont reported that one dropped into his Yarmouth yard when he was in a blind, and it then started picking at maple leaves. Nocturnal calls of two were recorded over Carleton, Yar, Sept 6 (JOK).
As usual, the season’s most common warbler was the YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, spotted in every county with 1324 reports, about 300 more than in fall 2015. The total of 10,701 individuals was, however, about 4000 below last fall’s total. This noteworthy difference was also evident in a lack of big counts from Brier I. Peak migration over the acoustic monitoring station in Carleton, Yar, was Sept 29 (JOK). However, peak numbers from eBird were in the first half of October (see graph below), and included about 300 on Seal I. Oct 12 (KJM, MAB).
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER was about an order of magnitude more common than any other warbler species this autumn, and its numbers peaked later. Hundreds remained in November, and doubtless good numbers will overwinter.
A vagrant “AUDUBON’S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER from the far-west was spotted and photographed by Dennis Garratt with a mixed flock high in the trees of Pleasant Hill Cemetery Nov 16. His photo, despite being taken in foggy and rainy weather, shows its distinctly yellow throat and almost featureless head (with eye-ring but no supercilium).
Three vagrant YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS were half the number reported in autumn 2015. The first was found on the Atlantic View Tr. near Three Fathom Harbour, HFX, Oct 9. It was well described by Barbara Haley and was seen by others that day and the next two days, but was not photographed, so the colour of its lores was not discerned. David Bell had even briefer views of a flyover at Seal I. Oct 7, but saw critical features, and its Parula-like flight call probably helped. Liz Voellinger got a “doc” shot of the third at Maybank Park, Dartmouth, Oct 31. PRAIRIE WARBER is among our more frequent vagrants, and discounting replicate reports, I think about 30 were seen, compared to about 40 in 2015. As often is the case, the first was in the southwest of the province, on CSI Aug 9 (MCD, Mike MacDonald). Most were in the second half of September at well-known migrant ‘hotspots’ such as: Pubnico Pt.; CSI; Brier I.; BPI; Seal I.; Sandy Cove Rd. and Pleasant Hill Cemetery in HFX; and Schooner Pond, CBRM. A few individuals were in less usual places: Cape Split, Kings, Sept 15 (JAW, DMC); Big I., Pict, Sept 20 (Robert Lange); and Belleisle Marsh Sept 23 (DMC, JAW). Dianne LeBlanc found the latest at Crystal Crescent Bch., HFX, Nov 17-21.
Ervin Olsen was observing a couple of orioles in a thicket in Barrington, Nov 9, when he found and photographed a very rare TOWNSEND’S WARBLER. (photo below). Alas, others could not relocate the bird; a nearby Sharp-shinned Hawk probably did not help. There has previously been one here in early-summer and about 14 in autumn of this rarely-found far- western vagrant. 61 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
This beautifully photographed TOWNSEND’S WARBLER in Barrington, Nov 9, reveals it as a first- fall male (with retained juv. inner coverts, and lacking a black throat). Young males do appear to occur more often among fall vagrants. [Photo by Ervin Olsen]
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBER was posted in 588 eBird checklists totalling 1656 birds (graph at right), many more than during fall 2015. High day totals during semi-monthly periods were: 21 on Cape Forchu Pen., Yar, Aug 23 (AAD); 18 along Marsh Rd., Digby Neck, Sept 5 (CSA); and 19 at the windmill farm at McLellans Brook, Pict, Sept 19 (KJM); and five or fewer per day on subsequent checklists. The latest were singles on Sable I. Nov 1 that had been present for some time (Greg Stroud), and another at Pubnico Pt. Nov 4 (AAD, RDE).
CANADA WARBLER migrates mostly to northern South America, so it is no surprise that this species leaves us early; the latest was found on BPI Sept 22 (DMB). Although the 30 eBird reports were more than in last fall, the 35 individuals recorded were on par with last year’s number. There were records from ten counties, including an unusual CBI sighting at Cains Pond, Vic, Aug 3 (Louis Warren). Semi-monthly eBird totals include six in the first half and 11 in the second half of August. One was still singing in a boggy area off Otter Rd., Pict, Aug 20 (KJM). A maximal 17 were recorded Sept 1-10, half as many compared with fall 2015, at night over Carleton, Yar, and there was only a modest maximum of four Sept 9 (JOK). WILSON’S WARBLER was reported from 12 counties. Although the 85 eBird reports were 20 more than last fall’s, the total of 103 individuals was only seven more than reported last fall. Acoustic monitoring at Carleton, Yar, detected a very large increase: 70 calls this fall versus only 14 last fall, with a peak of 17 during the night of Sept 2-3. There were only two eBird records for the first half of August, both from CBI, and 16 reports totalling 22 birds in the second half. They increased to a total of 35 in the first half of September, with 22 in the first week. The eBird totals were lower thereafter: 24 in the second half of September, five in the first half and four in the second half of October, and about five in the first half of November. One in Dartmouth Nov 7 (JED) and another along the Wolfville Rail Trail Nov 7-24 (JAW, DMC, BFO) were thought to be of the brighter western subspecies. Other late birds were in Dartmouth Nov 17 (Liz Voellinger) and in south end Halifax, Nov 29 (PAO).
Although there were 67 eBird reports of 68 YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS, many were sighted repeatedly and probably represented about 28 birds; possibly more if the nine reports from BPI Sept 8-22 involved more than one bird. They were found in all mainland counties except Antigonish and Guysborough, and my impression is that there were more than the approximately 22 found in fall 2015. Mark Dennis provided a detailed description of the season’s first, on CSI Aug 16. Ten days later, the ABO group on Seal I. banded a HY female that was recaptured twice and lingered until month’s end. The three September reports were from Hartlen Pt., PPP, Halifax, and Seal I. Reports in the first half of October came from BPI, Seal
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I., Pubnico Pt., and Cape Forchu, Yar. There was a notable increase at the start of the fourth week of October with about ten reported, mostly from traditional Halifax-Dartmouth locations, but also from: BPI; Seal I.; Thomas Rd., Yar; the Lockeport area; and Lunenburg. In the last half of November about four chats continued to be seen and photographed by multiple observers in Halifax-Dartmouth, but others were noted from Middleton (LNE); Liverpool, Queens (JAH); Economy, Col (Edgar Spalding); Albion trail, Stellarton (KJM, FHM); and Dayton, Yar (LNE).
Sparrows to Dickcissel by Bruce Stevens
There has been another complete rearrangement on the official AOU Checklist list of species in this section (along with eBird), based on new information on genetic relationships. For now, the species are treated here in the order given in the latest 2014 NSBS field checklist.
In the past it has been difficult to assess the timing of migration. Now eBird has become a very successful citizen-science project that has greatly improved our ability to summarize bird movements shortly after they occur. The line graphs in this section illustrate the migration timing of some more abundant species of this fall compared with fall 2015. Another valuable indicator of migration can be obtained from weekly summary of nocturnal bird calls over Carleton, Yar, posted by John Kearney on NatureNS and on his website
Clearly there was a pronounced spike in nocturnal call notes during the weekly interval beginning Sept 22. But this was actually largely driven by two discrete events. On the nights of Sept 22-23 and Sept 29-30, 742 and 648 call notes respectively were recorded of all identifiable species in this group.
It should also be noted that use of eBird continues to rise, and along with it, an increasing number of submitted checklists, birding effort, and observations, as graphed below.
The total party hours in all submitted eBird checklists that included birds from this section rose by approximately one-third between fall 2015 and 2016. Thus apparent increases this fall by that amount in the line graphs that follow do not necessarily reflect increased abundance.
As usual, vagrant EASTERN TOWHEES filtered in from elsewhere. They began with an audible pair (the male seen) at Pubnico Pt., Sept 17 (AAD). Seal I. produced the next observations: a female photographed Oct 8 (DMB, KJM) was followed by a HY male banded Oct 15 by ABO, and another male later that day (DBM, KJM), one of which continued until Oct 18 (DBM). Another turned up the next day at The Hawk, CSI (JON) and was photographed Oct 20 (MCD, Mike MacDonald). The other sightings of the season came from further north along the coast: Bayport, Lun, Oct 13-16 (Dave 63 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Collins, ph.); a female in Dartmouth Oct 20 (Daniel Sharp, ph.); another there Nov 3 (Liz Voellinger); a HY male at Blandford, Lun, Nov 9 (Dale Bond, ph.); and an ad. male at Hartlen Pt. Nov 15 (JED, ph.) and found there by others until month’s end. These add up to a total of nine or ten birds, slightly more than last fall’s eight.
Observations of AMERICAN TREE SPARROW began with a single early bird at Fourchu, Rich, Oct 8 (DBM), but they did not show up in numbers until November (graph at right). Through November, the number of this species encountered cannot be explained by the increased effort alone, suggesting they will be more often encountered this winter.
Although many more CHIPPING SPARROWS were reported this fall on eBird (graph at left), the overall migration patterns in the two years were remarkably similar: they became more generally conspicuous through the season, perhaps as they made use of feeders to replenish energy reserves prior to departure, and peak numbers in the middle and second half of October (both years) were greatly reduced by November.
There were several sightings of single CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS in September and October. The first-of-season were seen both at Schooner Pond, CB (Angela Granchelli) and the former Halifax dump (DAC), Sept 1. Four individuals made brief stopovers on Seal I.: Sept 17-18 and Sept 22-29 (ABO, ph.); Oct 8 (KJM); Oct 22 (ABO, ph.); and another was again at the former Halifax dump Oct 20 (Jason Dain). Other individuals were as follows: Sept 29 in Wolfville, Kings (JAW); Oct 1 on Cape Sable, Shel (RDE, AAD); Oct 22 at The Hawk, CSI (CSS); Oct 12-14 in Lr. Sackville (DGA; sev. obs., ph.); Oct 17-22 near Fairview, HFX (PAO); Oct 30 at Cole Harbour, HFX (CHP & KST, ph.), and finally Nov 2 at Pubnico Pt., Yar (AAD, ph.). The total of about 15 individuals was close to last fall’s estimated 14.
October brought several FIELD SPARROWS, beginning with a HY bird Oct 12 on Seal I. (KJM, ph.). An adult and another HY were both banded there Oct 17 (ABO); one of these was found again Oct 20, but two different individuals were seen Oct 24 (ABO), and a total of four different birds were tallied the following day (ABO). Another was present on BPI Oct 16-20 (ABO, ph.). Three birds were recorded on the mainland: the first in Seaforth, HFX, Oct 16 (CHP, KST, ph.) and the latter two included one on Cape Forchu, Yar (LNE) and another in the dunes of Stoney Island Bch., CSI Oct 27 (MCD). The total of about 13 individuals is again a close match to last fall`s estimated 11.
Four VESPER SPARROWS were seen in the fall season, including two probably lingering on their breeding grounds at Greenwood, Kings, Sept 28 (LNE). The other two were seen on Seal I.: the first was found Oct 7 while a group of NSBS birders (KJM et al.) was present along with the usual ABO group, and the other appeared Oct 25 (David Bell, ph.).
Relatively few vagrant LARK SPARROWS were reported throughout the province compared to recent years (e.g., an estimated 24 last fall). The first were two seen Sept 1 at Lingan, CB (Angela Granchelli). Three were seen on CSI: an early
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 64 loner at The Hawk, Sept 6 (RDE); a bird attending a feeder in Lr. Clarks Hbr. (JON & WPN), and another at The Hawk Oct 25 (MCD). The banding crews on Seal I. recorded several birds: the first present Sept 13-15; another Sept 26; a HY bird banded and fitted with a tracking transmitter Oct 8 and present to Oct 12; and a fourth (another HY bird) Oct 9. A few were noted in Halifax: a roadside bird near Malay Falls, Oct 14 (CHP); another in Seaforth, Oct 20 (CHP); one on Shore Rd. in Eastern Passage near Hartlen Pt., Nov 10 (Heather Burns). Finally, individuals were seen on Brier I., Oct 30 (JAW), and at Canso, Nov 25 (KJM & AAD). This totals to about 11 birds overall.
If readers have wondered about the effect of formal bird surveys on data gleaned from the more random sampling by most birders, consider the graph at right. The enormous peak in early September 2015 reflects David Bell’s surveys of the “Ipswich” subspecies on Sable Island Sept 2-9, when he recorded 2300 of them, over half the 4265 Savannah Sparrows posted to eBird from the entire province in September 2015. If we remove those, the pattern of mainland birds is remarkably similar between 2015 and 2016.
One seasonal highlight was the week-long stay of a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW in Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, Oct 26 - Nov 2. As with other top-notch rarities seen in that park in recent years (a Hermit Warbler in December 2008, and a female King Eider in January 2009 to name a couple), it was first seen and identified by Andy Horn, and subsequently seen and photographed by many others. Another’s call notes were recorded during nocturnal migration over Carleton, Yar, Nov 8 (JOK)
Nelson’s Sparrow numbers as usual declined sharply in early fall as they began their southward migration, and more slowly thereafter. Despite increased birding effort, fewer were observed in later fall this year, suggesting either decreased abundance or earlier timing of migration. 65 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Arguably the most notable sparrow this fall, alas for it and for life-listers, was a road-killed SEASIDE SPARROW (photo at right) found by Sylvia Fullerton on the main road next to the tidal marsh in Westport, Brier I., Oct 16. It is one of about 40 recorded in NS, and was diagnosed as the usual northern subspecies maritimus. (Specimen now in NS Museum of Nat. History.)
Although the pattern of FOX SPARROW migration (at left), was qualitatively similar to last year’s, there was a two-fold increase in sightings. This was entirely due to banding efforts on BPI (where it nests) through late October (ABO).
Sightings of SONG SPARROW (graphed at right) were up from last fall, except during two weeks in mid- October. The overall patterns are very similar to last fall’s but with an overall numerical increase proportional to increased birding effort. Although it might seem to tell us little about this species, it is very informative to follow from year to year for two reasons. The first is that the signal is always strong due to both sheer abundance and the apparently clear migration swell in both years. This signal strength means that small differences such as birding effort, weather, etc., will not affect the overall picture. The second reason is that this species is both of Least Concern (SARA) from a conservation standpoint, and a generalist in breeding requirements. As such, its migration picture from year to year should only be affected by large-scale, regional influences that would have to show up clearly through the strong signal, and not by factors such as local habitat loss or food abundance. Lastly, this species is so widely and homogeneously distributed in habitat types and geography that intensive, coordinated sampling of a specific habitat or ecosystem will not skew the year-to- year numbers; and, perhaps most important of all, birders do not actively seek out this species, and so do not bias their sampling efforts.
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As can be seen in the graph at left, LINCOLN’S SPARROW migration is subtle, with very few sightings in August, and no pronounced movement increase until after mid-September, and a rapid decrease by late October. This fall’s large peak in the fourth week of October resulted from a migrant fallout on Seal I., when five birds were tallied Oct 24 and the next day, causing David Bell to note they were “everywhere today”. A dedicated observer in the right place at the right time can have quite a visual impact on the pattern of sightings.
SWAMP SPARROW sightings were reported to eBird at the expected rate, with a noticeable up- tick in overall numbers compared to last fall, commensurate with increased birding effort in 2016.
The migration of WHITE- THROATED SPARROW resembled the previous fall’s pattern, except for a much more pronounced peak in late September and early in October. There is little apparent cause for this increase, so it can be glibly attributed to inter- annual variability, bearing in mind that overall sightings from this section rose this fall due to increased birder effort.
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was relatively numerous and widespread, with approximately 49 birds observed in ten counties between Sept 15 and Nov 19. Of note were two birds attributed to subspecies gambelii: a HY bird banded on Seal I. Oct 8 (David Bell), and a bird observed at Daniels Head, CSI, Oct 12 (MCD).
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DARK-EYED JUNCO numbers were much higher in October and November than in last fall. This effect was widespread, with larger flocks attending feeders earlier than last year in many counties. One bird in a flock of 11 juncos attributed to the Oregon group of subspecies, was seen by Mark Brennan on Seal I. Oct 9 (fide KJM).
Two SCARLET TANAGERS were reported: an immature male in Lr. Sackville Oct 8 (DGA, ph.), and a second-hand report of an individual on the Acadia campus Nov 4 (NSBS Facebook, fide Debbie Wallace).
NORTHERN CARDINAL sightings as in the graph at left generally increase throughout the fall season. As it breeds widely now, the uptick in numbers is more from increased conspicuousness than a true influx, as they transition from being secretive nesters to noisier foraging groups, including at feeders.
Most fall reports of ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK originated from August and September, as they headed for their wintering grounds, but three were found in October: one on Seal I. Oct 7-8 (ABO, KJM), and the latest a female reported at Duncans Cove, HFX, between Oct 25 and Nov 3 (Diane LeBlanc, ph.) and a HY male at a feeder at an Eastern Shore location, Oct. 30 (Marg Hacking, ph.).
Although renowned for fabulous birding, but now threatened with development, the former Halifax dump near Fairview furthered its reputation as the most reliable mainland site in the province (maybe in Canada as a whole, fide DAC) for BLUE GROSBEAK. This fall it produced a less frequent adult male Sept 13 (DAC). A HY or female was briefly heard and seen several days prior by a banding crew on BPI (ABO). An adult female was found foraging with a flock of sparrows Oct 19 at Daniels Head, CSI (RDE), followed by a female or immature seen on Seal I. (ABO). Finally, a late female was seen Nov 3 in Port Latour (Mike MacDonald, MCD, ph.).
Instead of rebounding, there was a dearth of INDIGO BUNTING sightings; they continued their relative scarcity from the previous fall, with only a handful reported to eBird throughout the season. The first was an individual banded Sept 22 on Seal I. (LUB), followed by lone sightings there Sept 26, Oct 7, 8, 15, 23, and 25, some of which were undoubtedly different individuals (ABO). Only a few were reported to eBird from the mainland; a single bird at the old Halifax dump Oct 15 (Liz Voellinger) became two the next day (AMI, TMI & DAC), with intermittent sightings from various observers until Oct 22. An individual was photographed Oct 24 in Lr. Sackville (Simon d’Entremont), and the final sighting was made at PPP on Halloween (AGH et al., ph.).
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DICKCISSEL sightings rose in number for the second straight fall, resulting in too many to list individually (approx. 56). To illustrate this point, the ABO banding crew(s) on Seal I. reported approximately 25 distinct birds from Aug 27 to Oct 25. Yarmouth picked up another couple of sightings Oct 8 (AAD, RDE) to lead all counties. Shelburne produced the next highest total with about 11 birds seen from Aug 1 to Oct 26 (all from BPI, CSI or Cape Sable, var. obs.), and many Halifax birders tallied eight to ten birds between Sept 17 and Oct 15, mostly from greater metro. Birders reported sightings to eBird from five other counties: four to six seen between Oct 1 and Nov 15 in Canso, Guys (KJM et al., CHP, KST, KLO, PAO), and one each from CB (Sept 18, DBM), Queens (Oct 1, CSS), Pict (Nov 17, KJM), and the latest report of the season, Nov 23, from Wolfville, Kings (GFO). Exclusive of these traditionally acquired data, flight call monitoring at Glasgow Head, Guys, produced two nocturnal and 12 diurnal fly-overs from Aug 31 to Sept 30, and is believed to be a conservative estimate of potential (reverse) migrants during that period (JOK, pers. comm.).
Icterids to House Sparrow By Alix d’Entremont
BOBOLINK was found in August at 19 locations, mostly where the second MBBA reported highest breeding densities; that is in the Annapolis Valley and along the Northumberland Strait. An individual on Pubnico Pt. Aug 9 (AAD, DMB), where this species is not known to nest, was perhaps the first detected migrant, possibly a failed breeder departing earlier than most. The next found remote from breeding areas were two on Seal I. Aug 24 (DMB), a date more commensurate with typical first fall migrants. September produced more reports from coastal Atlantic migrant hotspots and fewer from breeding grounds. The season’s latest was a lone bird on Seal I. Oct 25 (DMB).
Reports of large migratory flocks of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD began with an estimated 300 at Maitland, Hants, Aug 1 (CSA), and continued with the largest groupings in the Annapolis Valley and Northumberland Straight areas. Of the eight YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRDS reported (about three times the ten-year average), half were in Yarmouth and Shelburne, and one was even photographed about 150 km from the nearest land at the Northeast Peak of Georges Bank Sept 26 on the fish dragger ‘Acadian Angel’ (Bradley d’Entremont).
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD is one of our more regular fall vagrants from the Great Plains, and this HY male on a fish dragger about 150 km s. of CSI Sept 26 was not unprecedented. [Photo by Bradley d’Entremont]
Twenty-eight RUSTY BLACKBIRDS – a number comparable to those of the past few years – were reported from eleven locations. The highest count was of seven on Sable I. Sep 27 (Greg Stroud) during a period when many other migrants were noted on the island. The first large flock of migrant COMMON GRACKLES was a group of 250 seen at McLeods Crossing, CB, Aug 20 (DBM). Counts of 100 or more continued to be made until the start of November. The largest flock contained an estimated 1000 birds, “mostly if not all” this species, along Hway 104 near Coalburn, Pict, Aug 23 (Fred MacKenzie, KJM). Numbers of BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD reported during fall are quite variable between years, but have been relatively high (about four times the previous 10-year average) during 2015 and 2016. They were reported on eBird from 29 locations totalling 106 individuals, half of them in Yarmouth and Shelburne.
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Reports of ORCHARD ORIOLE came from three locations: a HY female banded on Seal I. Aug 23 (DMB, Siobhan Darlington), and a female at The Hawk, CSI, Oct 8 (Mike MacDonald), which could have been the same female seen at Stoney I. Bch., CSI, three days later (MCD). Continuing last fall’s good numbers of BALTIMORE ORIOLES, this year eBird listed 124 individuals from 76 locations.
Eighty-seven PINE GROSBEAKS were scattered at 39 locations throughout much of the province, except in the southwest where only one was seen along Scotts Rd., Yar, Oct 18 (Mike MacDonald). This year’s irruption was less substantial than that of 2012, but the number of individuals on eBird was still about four-fold the ten-year average. HOUSE FINCH was reported from 13 locations totalling 39 individuals, but some of those in Yarmouth were probably missed. PURPLE FINCH was found throughout the province, with numbers of individuals and locations reported declining with each passing month during the period.
Number of individuals of both crossbill species reported were up five- to six-fold over last autumn’s numbers. Two-hundred- nine RED CROSSBILLS were reported from 42 locations, and 262 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were reported from 36 locations. The earliest COMMON REDPOLL was a flyover near Forbes L., Pict, Nov 9 (KJM), and only 15 more arrived by the end of the reporting season, including one on CSI Oct 25-27. PINE SISKIN numbers were steady at about 90 individuals per month through August and September, and peaked at about 400 during October and then fell to 72 in November.
There were fewer eBird reports of AMERICAN GOLDFINCH with smaller average counts in August compared to the remainder of the period. About 800 EVENING GOSBEAKS were found at 83 locations throughout the province. The most recent fall with comparable numbers was back in 2012. Upon seeing Evening Grosbeaks this fall, many birders throughout the province noted that it had been a while since they had seen these beautiful yellow birds. This year’s exciting numbers are likely the product of an increase in breeding populations in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick due to the increasing Spruce Budworm outbreaks there.
A total of 417 HOUSE SPARROWS were reported from 71 locations; most locations are well known for retaining their share of the diminishing numbers of this introduced bird.
Although the introduced HOUSE SPARROW was once considered an invasive pest, it is now much less frequent in our towns. It is good to be reminded by this image, obtained in Wolfville in early August, how striking the male plumage can be. [Photo by Cliff Sandeson]
List of Contributors Represented by Initials. Names of contributors not listed here are spelled out in the reports.
AAD d’Entremont, Alix D. BFO Forsythe, Bernard DAC Currie, David AGH Horn, Andy G. BID Digout, Billy DBM McCorquodale, David AHM Mills, Anne CHP Pepper, Chris DGA Garratt, Dennis AMI Millard, Angie CPE Peters, Chris DJO Johnston, David AVM Nagy-Macarthur, Avery CSA Sandeson, Cliff DMB Bell, David M. CHK Kendall, Charlie CSS Stevens, Clarence Sr. DMC Cormier, Dominic
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ELM Mills, Eric L. KJM McKenna, Ken PMC McKay, Pat EOL Olsen, Ervin KLO Lowe, Keith RBS Stern, Richard FHM MacKenzie, Fred H. KST Steele, Kate RDE d’Entremont, Ronnie GFO Forsythe, George LNE Neily, Larry PRG Gould, Paul GRW Williams, Graham LUB Berrigan, Lucas RIW Whitman, Rick JAH Hirtle, James MAB Brennan, Mark ROH Hall, Ross JAW Walker, Jake MCD Dennis, Mark SEM Myers, Susann JED Edsall, Jim MZE Zelenietz, Marty SJF Fullerton, Sylvia JLC Churchill, James NAD Dowd, Nancy STV Vines, Steve JOK Kearney, John PAO Matteuci, Paolo TMI Millard, Tony JWW Wolford, Jim PHT Taylor, Phil WPN Neily, Wayne P. KEL Lantz, Kevin PSC Scanlan, Peggy
Nova Scotia’s Second Calliope Hummingbird By Alix d’Entremont
My father, Arthur d'Entremont, photographed a hummingbird at our house in Pubnico, Yar, Oct 21, 2016 (Fig. 1). I was at work at the time, and I set up the feeder when I arrived home to see if it would appear again. It didn’t, so my parents Arthur and Nora are the only people who saw this bird.
Figure 1. Calliope Hummingbird in Middle West Pubnico, Nova Scotia, Canada, Oct 21, 2016. The photos were taken with a ‘point-and-shoot’ through a window on a rainy day. The image at left has been contrast-adjusted and sharpened, but not colour-modified. The one at right is unmodified from the original. The apparent difference in amount of buffy colouration between the two photos is likely a result of the poor conditions for photography. [Photos by Arthur d’Entremont]
I noted the seemingly short tail on the images obtained of the bird (Fig. 2) and asked David Bell and Dominic Cormier for their opinions. They both said that at first look it reminded them of a Calliope Hummingbird, a far-western species.
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Figure 2. This comparison between the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the Calliope Hummingbird at Middle West Pubnico illustrates the differences in proportional lengths of head, body and tail (from apparent end of abdomen). [Photos by: (left) Alix d’Entremont, Aug 26, 2014; (right) Arthur d’Entremont, Oct 21, 2016]
I then posted photos of the bird for comments on the “Advanced Bird ID” Facebook page. Sheri L. Williamson quickly wrote back with this response: “Good call on the tail, Alix. Ruby-throateds often appear quite portly in fall, but this bird’s short tail, proportionally large head, and pale face ID it as a Calliope.” Sheri Williamson is an ornithologist and author of A Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America in the Peterson Field Guide Series. She went on to mention that other supporting ID features are the pale loral spot at the base of the bill (left image on Fig. 1) and what appear to be dark central tail feathers (rectrices, R1) on the bird. I inquired about age/sex and she responded that these hummingbirds are tough to age and sex even in the hand, but that this one was a female-type. Note how the Calliope is very compact, with a short tail and large head. I’ve added arrows to allow easier visualization of the relative size of the body parts. The Calliope is North America’s smallest breeding bird (length of 3.25") and the tail on a perched Calliope does not reach the folded wing tip (Calder and Calder, 1994).
A second-year male Calliope briefly present at a feeder in Lunenburg on Sept 16, 2010 is the only other record in Nova Scotia, so the Pubnico bird is the second for the province. Detail of the 2010 record can be found in NS Birds (2011, Vol. 53, No. 1, p. 33) and a colour image in McLaren 2012 (Plate 66). This bird is a long-distant migrant, and records of accidentals during fall migration and winter are increasingly common in the southeast and south-central US (Calder and Calder, 1994).
I recently discovered through old photos that our house had hosted Nova Scotia’s second Rock Wren back in 2012 (see NS Birds, 2026, Vol. 58, Issue 3, pp. 47-49); now we have had a Calliope Hummingbird, also a second for the province. Too bad I wasn’t able to see the hummingbird, but at least my father did and was able to get identifiable photos through a window with his brand-new point-and-shoot camera.
References:
McLaren, I.A. 2012. All the Birds of Nova Scotia: status & critical identification. Gaspereau Press Ltd., Kentville, N.S.
Calder, W.A. and L. L. Calder. (1994). Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from Birds of North America: https://birdsna.org/Species- Account/bna/species/calhum DOI: 10.2173/bna.13
______
A Gray Flycatcher on Sable Island; First for Nova Scotia By Greg Stroud and Ian McLaren
Introduction and Field Observations The bird was discovered by GS near West Light Nov 11, and was last observed November 20, 2016. A major storm after the latter date may have affected its survival, but no carcass was found. The bird would stay hidden deep in Japanese Knotweed. (Perching low in shrubby cover is said to be typical in some field guides, including Kaufman, 1990). When approached closely it would fly around the old building and was usually hard to re-find, and GS was only able to see it for up to about
Volume 59, Issue 1 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 72 five minutes at a time. It did not associate with other birds in the area that came and went, such as single Orange-crowned, Yellow-rumped, and Black-throated Blue warblers, a Dark-eyed Junco, and a couple of American Goldfinches.
It was obviously an Empidonax flycatcher, and its prominent white eye-ring reminded GS of Least Flycatcher, but its long bill and overall grey plumage did not match the usual short bill and olive- or brownish-tinged plumage of that species. Its tail was frequently in motion; it would hold it level with the back and then move it down quite rapidly and return it up to its level position. It did not seem to be a slow bobbing or dipping motion like a phoebe’s, but rather more a flicking. It would also less often flick the tail from side to side. Because it was obviously an unusual bird this late in the season, an effort was made to obtain as many photographs as possible. One such photo was sent Nov 11 by GS to David Currie, who then sent it to IM; all photos subsequent were sent to David Currie and IM, and some were shared with others. A selection of these images is shown below (Figs. 1 and 2).
Figure 1. Three views of the Empidonax Flycatcher on Sable Island, Nov 11, 2016. [Photos by Greg Stroud]
Figure 2. Three views of the Empidonax Flycatcher on Sable Island, Nov 20, 2016. [Photos by Greg Stroud]
In combination the six images (Figs. 1, 2) of the bird depict an overall greyish flycatcher, very slightly tinged olive-brown on the back, with a grey upper breast contrasting with its paler grey belly, and a distinctly whiter throat and central breast. A narrow whitish band across its forehead seems evident in the head-on image, Fig. 2b, but not in the other images. It has a relatively long and narrow bill, bright yellow lower mandible with a small dark tip, and a short primary extension (defined below). Its tail is evidently missing all the feathers (rectrices 1-6) from its right side, possibly through some traumatic event (most clearly shown in Fig. 1c and 2a), and has a clear white margin on the outer left retrix. There is also a less clear whitish margin on the inner margin of retrix 1 (Fig. 2), which would be covered in a normal individual. It was evidently a Hatch Year (HY) bird with somewhat pointed retrix tips (Fig. 1c, 2a) and retained juvenile secondaries (tertials: s7 and s9), that are paler and browner and with white tips worn off (most clear on Fig. 1a). Despite these impressions matching Gray Flycatcher in field-guide descriptions and the tabulated details in Kaufmann (1990), there was some online dispute about this identification. 73 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
Most proposed Alder, Willow, or “Trail’s” Flycatcher as alternatives, which would certainly be default Empidonax species at this season. Although at least one emarginated primary is visible on two of the images, the folded wing prevents its identification as p6, which is added in western Empidonax species to the emarginated p7-9 sequence found in Alder and Willow Flycatchers.
We next present evidence supporting the Sable I. bird as a vagrant Gray Flycatcher and eliminating the three other relatively long-billed Empidonax species. To do so, we first use ratios of wing and tail measurements from the photographs to eliminate all but one potential alternative Empidonax species. We then illustrate and describe a feature of the bill morphology of the Sable Island bird that has apparently not been recognized in the literature as a definitive distinction of Gray Flycatcher.
Identification from Photographs Using the “Ratio Method” Although early field guides to bird identification stressed voice and breeding habitat for field discrimination of Empidonax flycatchers, most modern guides mention relative primary projections and tail lengths, and especially for Gray Flycatcher, the manner of tail movements (first signaled as unique in Gray Flycatcher by Phillips, 1944). No field guide gives actual measurements of tail and wing lengths, which are well summarized for birds in the hand by Pyle (1996), but are not usable by observers in the field. However, in recent years the evolution of digital photography has led to astonishingly high resolution images, which are now often the sine qua non for broad acceptance of rare vagrants (e.g., by regional bird records committees). Yet the possibility of discriminating ‘difficult’ species or subspecies of birds by relative measurements (i.e. ratios) of parts of wings and tail from suitably posed images has not been much explored. One of us (IM) has used measured ratios from photographs to help confirm examples of vagrant birds in Nova Scotia: Acadian Flycatcher (McLaren, 2010, plate 67); Gray Kingbird (Lauff and McLaren, 2011); Tundra Bean-Goose (McLaren, 2014); and most recently in NS Birds (Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 39-40) to identify the province’s first Pacific-coast Flycatcher. A seemingly promising separation of Empidonax flycatchers by “The Ratio Approach” was promoted by Roland (2009). Unfortunately, Roland does not present measurements (his Table 1) of wing chord (wg) and tail length (tl) as a ratios; he merely states that his “wg–tl statistic creates an impression of how long-winged an Empidonax flycatcher appears”. This does not add to Pyle (1998), who used measurements from study skins to posit visual cues in the field.
Relative lengths of the tail and parts of the folded wing are readily estimated to the nearest 0.5 mm on enlarged computer- screen images of suitably posed birds. This can be done manually with a metric ruler or by measuring applications available on some computers. The parts being measured should appear to be collinear, or nearly so on the photographs. Errors can be produced by perspective (e.g., extreme angle of view in Fig. 1c), but in lateral views, the tail and wings can be drooped or raised somewhat, but not laterally twisted from one another. Then there is generally no issue in obtaining relative lengths of the primary tip from the tip of longest secondaries, illustrated as Primary Extension (here PE) by Kaufman (1990, his Fig. 75) and as “longest p – longest s” by Pyle (1998, his Fig. 10). The distance between the tip of the longest secondary(ies) and its (their) greater covert(s) can be estimated, here termed the Secondary Extension (SE), and should be obtained when the greater coverts are not somehow twisted out of line with or moved closer to their secondaries (as seems to occur when the head is twisted to impact the bend of the folded wing). The Tail Extension (TE) is defined as the distance between the tip of the tail and the tip of the primaries when the wing is held closely along the alongside, and therefore nearly collinear with the axis of the tail. However, all the measurements seem reasonably robust, even in images where the wingtips are dropped below the tail, or when the bird’s body is slightly twisted from the plane of the photograph, as illustrated here by three very different poses of the Sable I. Empidonax (Fig. 3).
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Figure 3. Wing and tail features of the Sable I. Empidonax (contrast increased to clarify the methods of measurement detailed in the text above). The pale tip of the longest (unmoulted?) primary in the middle image is clearer on the original image. [Photos by Greg Stroud]
It remains to compare the measurements of PE/SE and PE/TE of the Sable Island bird with these ratios on suitably posed images of Gray Flycatcher and other possible medium-to-long-billed Empidonax candidates. Among these, the bill lengths of Alder and Willow (or “Traill’s”) flycatchers, mentioned as possible candidates in online discussions of the Sable Island bird, overlap extensively with Gray Flycatcher (Pyle 1998, his Table 3). We can readily eliminate Yellow- bellied and the “Western” flycatchers by their very different plumages, and Least and Hammond’s by their obviously shorter bills (with little overlap, Pyle 1998, his Table 3). Dusky Flycatcher (E. oberholseri) remains as the most similar among the western species to Gray Flycatcher in both plumage and overlapping bill lengths.
Use of internet images of birds is fraught with the possibility of misidentification. Accordingly, we have chosen examples of Gray Flycatcher and other candidate flycatchers photographed during the nesting season, or nearly so, in localities within their breeding ranges, from the curated VIREO archive of bird photographs (
Table 1. Estimated ratios of PE/SE and PE/TE from photographs of all suitably posed Gray Flycatchers in VIREO obtained within the breeding range (by state postal abbreviations) during the nesting season or nearly so (by month).
VIREO no. PE/SE PE/TE State Month b13/20/072 0.58 0.35 AZ March b13/20/0731 0.54 0.35 AZ March b57/21/604 0.44 0.32 WA May f20/120/22 0.55 0.35 CA March f20/150/732 0.63 0.37 CA June I07/41/099 0.46 0.37 TX June S52/13/211 0.44 0.30 CA June S52/13/213 0.49 0.33 CA June S52/40/43 0.47 0.30 CA Oct 1Same individual as above; 2SE shortened by misaligned secondary coverts?
Next we give the two ratios measured from images of individuals of the three other relatively long-billed Empidonax species that might be confused with Gray Flycatcher (Table 2). These images were chosen from VIREO as the ten subjectively ‘best’ images of each species (lateral views similar to those of the Sable I. bird in Fig. 3); the VIREO photo numbers will allow interested readers to check these ratios and choose other VIREO images to measure if they prefer.
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Table 2. Ten estimates of the ratios PE/SE and PE/TE measured on images from VIREO of suitably posed Alder, Willow, and Dusky flycatchers within their breeding ranges (postal codes; listed only for widespread Alder and Willow) during the nesting season (some at nests) or plausibly so (months of April-July), with footnoted comments on some examples.
Alder Flycatcher Willow Flycatcher Dusky Flycatcher VIREO no. PE/SE PE/TE State VIREO no. PE/SE PE/TE State VIREO no. PE/SE PE/TE b13/40/006 0.57 0.41 MN b40/16/042 0.54 0.42 NJ b13/23/089 0.41 0.25 b13/40/0081 0.61 0.41 MN f20/5/433 0.61 0.35 CA b57/16/200 0.57 0.30 b13/40/012 0.54 0.39 MN h23/22/024 0.49 0.29 NY l09/19/084 0.59 0.30 l07/57/001 0.77 0.57 AK l07/48/246 0.50 0.41 MT m40/5/040 0.72 0.38 j07/1/152 0.61 0.40 NY n10/12/037 0.45 0.27 BC f20/5/431 0.57 0.30 m50/1/002 0.69 0.39 NH n10/18/046 0.52 0.33 BC f20/9/263 0.50 0.39 m50/7/001 0.62 0.44 ME s52/13/5062 0.69 0.41 OH l09/19/084 0.59 0.30 s52/13/010 0.61 0.43 MI s70/1/035 0.47 0.32 CA r15/3/045 0.56 0.29 s52/14/003 0.74 0.51 AK s70/1/037 0.51 0.34 CA r15/3/050 0.55 0.34 s52/14/0041 0.72 0.49 AK s70/1/040 0.58 0.35 CA s72/9/0433 0.78 0.54 1Same individual as above 2Matches Alder Flycatcher 3Matches Hammond’s Flycatcher
It is reassuring that the images of the lateral views of Empidonax species used in Rowland’s (2009) account of the “Ratio Approach” all fit within the ranges of the species in Tables 1 and 2. However, three Alder Flycatchers from Alaska have much higher values of PE/SE and PE/TE, presumably from longer primary extensions, and may be a different subspecies alascensis “that has perhaps not yet been adequately evaluated” (Lowther, 1999). Also, one Willow Flycatcher has an anomalous PE/SE suggesting Willow Flycatcher. It and Alder Flycatcher are otherwise only doubtfully distinguishable on some VIREO photos, and it is not known how they were identified in the field. Dusky Flycatcher on the other hand, has relatively short primaries and long tail, and the anomalous individual on Table 2 has a distinctly stubby bill, and its wing-tail measurements also match those of ten suitably posed breeding-season VIREO images of Hammond’s Flycatcher (not tabulated; PE/SE = 0.64-0.83, PE/TE = 0.44-0.57).
It thus appears that the three estimates of PE/SE from photos of the Sable Island Empidonax (Fig. 3: 0.44, 0.49, 0.52) and two estimates of its PE/TE (0.31, 0.37) fit comfortably within the ranges for Gray Flycatcher (Table 1). However, both ratios also overlap with those of Willow and Dusky Flycatcher.
Bill Colour and a Diagnostic Feature of Gray Flycatcher The bill of the Sable Island bird (Figs. 1, 2) exhibited the usual features ascribed to Gray Flycatcher: rather long, with a blackish upper mandible and a dark tipped, bright yellow lower mandible, said to be “golden hued, even chrome-yellowish” in Gray Flycatcher (Gary B. Nunn, email to IM) compared with those of any other Empidonax species. There appear to be no online images supporting some field guide descriptions of it as pinkish, which is perhaps based on some faded museum specimens. Some field guide descriptions and figures depict the dark tip as sharply cut off from the yellow base and as filling the whole width of the lower mandible. This is not true of most online photographic images, which show a wide range in appearance and length of the dark tip, which often doesn’t extend to the edges of the lower mandible (e.g., the Sable I. bird and upper image from California on Fig. 4, below). Furthermore, Dusky Flycatcher can appear in some images to have a generally extensive dark tip quite distinctly cut off from the paler base (e.g. Fig. 4, below).
Although Gray Flycatcher is usually claimed as relatively long-billed in field guides, its length from nares to tip overlaps with most Empidonax species (Pyle, 1998, his table 3). However, gape of the bill of Gray Flycatcher is set particularly far back, nearly to the front of the eye, which adds to the long-billed impression. The gape reaches almost as far back in Dusky Flycatcher (compare images of both on Fig. 4), but without an apparent upward sweep of the yellow gape flange shown by Gray Flycatcher. The Sable Island bird has another bill feature differentiating it from all other Empidonax species: a long and relatively narrow extension of the feathered chin into the lower mandible, not matched by other Empidonax species (lower row of images on Fig. 4). This feature is not found in field guides, which generally depict similar broad and shallow feathered extensions in all species. The sketches of the lower mandible of Gray Flycatcher in Kaufman (1990, his Fig. 76) do show a slightly deeper feathered recess compared with other species, but those in Pyle (1998, his Fig. 144) do not. This unique feature of Gray Flycatcher is, however, known by some experienced western North American birders (pers. comm. from Gary B. Nunn to IM), and should be captured if possible on documenting photographs.
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Figure 4. A collage of images of the bill of: the Sable Island Empidonax, two Gray Flycatchers in California (CA), a vagrant Dusky Flycatcher (measured in hand), and two each of breeding-season Alder and Willow Flycatchers in Nova Scotia (NS). The images have been flipped or rotated to improve comparisons. [Photos by: Sable Island bird, Greg Stroud; two Gray Flycatchers in California, Gary B. Nunn; Dusky Flycatchers Dominic Cormier, Avery Bartels; upper Alder Flycatcher, Brenda Dobson; lower James Hirtle; upper Willow Flycatcher; lower, Christopher Peters]
Discussion and Conclusion Certainly fall and early-winter vagrancy of ‘western’ Empidonax species is not unprecedented in the Maritime Provinces or (including Gray Flycatcher) in northeastern US. Perching low in shrubby cover is said to be typical of the species in some field guides, including Kaufman (1990). Its pattern of tail-flicking (see above under Introduction and Field Observations) was apparently partly contradictory to the usual descriptions. Although the tail clearly moved downward from its ‘resting’ position, then up, this seemed to occur rather rapidly, not phoebe-like as often described. However, a recently posted video of a Gray Flycatcher in Mexico (
Despite some contrary initial online opinions about the identity of the Sable Island Empidonax, we believe that our estimates of wing and tail ratios suggest, and its bill features firmly establish it, as Nova Scotia’s first documented Gray Flycatcher.
We thank Gary Dunn of San Diego for permission to use his photographs and for checking a draft of the MS.
References
Kaufman, Kenn. 1990. A Field Guide to Advanced Birding. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, New York. xiv + 299 pp.
Lauff, R.F., and I. A. McLaren. 2011. A Gray Kingbird in Nova Scotia, and the perils of online identification. Birding XX: 29-33.
Lowther, Peter E. 1999. Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.).: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY; Retrieved from: https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/aldfly. DOI: 10.2173/bna.446
McLaren, I. A. 2014. A Tundra Bean-Goose (Anser serrirostris) in Nova Scotia. N. Am. Birds 67: 565-566.
McLaren, I. A. 2012. All the Birds of Nova Scotia. Gaspereau Press, Kentville, NS, 347 pp.
Phillips, Allan R., 1944. Some differences between the Wright’s and Gray Flycatchers. Auk 61: 293-294.
Pyle, P. 1998. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA. xi + 728 p. Rowland, F. 2009. Identifying Empidonax flycatchers: the ratio approach. Birding 41 (1): 30-38. 77 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
First Report of Sabine’s Gull, Xema sabini, in Nova Scotia, with Notes on Other Species Mentioned by Audubon By Eric Mills
In August of 1833, John James Audubon was on his way back with several companions from a summer of ornithological collecting in “Labrador,” more accurately the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence between about Natashquan and the western entrance of the Strait of Belle Isle (Lewis, 1933). Finding that contrary winds were delaying his chartered schooner from leaving the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Audubon decided to be put ashore near Pictou. This gave him the opportunity, before returning to the United States, of visiting the Rev. Thomas McCulloch (1776-1843) to see his collection of birds which was capturing attention in Britain (for more information on this visit and its context, see Mills, 2013).
Audubon’s brief visit with the McCulloch family was restricted to the afternoon of August 22 and part of the following morning. By the afternoon of the 23rd he was on the coach to Truro, and late that night on the overnight coach from Truro to Dartmouth, en route to Halifax. Arriving at the Dartmouth-Halifax ferry sometime during the day on the 24th, he and his companions embarked for Halifax. Always alert to birds, he briefly recorded his observations of a “Fork-tailed Gull” during the crossing in his Ornithological Biography, the text written to accompany the first printing of the plates of his Birds of America (Audubon 1835, p.561).
On my return from Labrador, I had the pleasure of seeing this interesting little Gull flying over the harbour of Halifax in Nova Scotia. It was in company with our Common American Gull. Although I have not observed it on our eastern shores or farther south on the coast, it is not improbable that it rambles there in winter along with other species, which, like itself, breed far north. Its flight in some measure resembles that of the Common Tern, although it is more decided, and, consequently, more like the smaller species of its own genus. In the course of a voyage from Pictou in Nova Scotia to Hull in England, lately performed by my friend Mr THOMAS McCULLOCH, he saw great numbers of this species when more than a hundred miles off Newfoundland. They flew around the ship in company with an almost equal number of Ross’s Gull.
i Audubon’s “Fork-tailed Gull” (Larus Sabini) is now called Sabine’s (rhymes with “Cabins”) Gull (Xema sabini) and his “Common American Gull” (Larus zonorhynchus) is now named Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis). This was a sight record, not one that Audubon could back up with a specimen, but it is plausible, and the first report of the species in Nova Scotia. Tufts (1986) was only aware of Sabine’s Gull in the province beginning with a report from Cape Sable, Shelburne, by Betty June and Sid Smith in March 1961. Since then it has been reported infrequently from Cabot Strait to southwestern and ii western Nova Scotia. This highly pelagic species is likely under-reported, but is at best a sparse transient.
Tufts (1986, p. 205) states that Ring-billed Gull “was considered rare to uncommon in the nineteenth century” in Nova Scotia. In our time, it has become a regular migrant and over-wintering species, but in 1833 it was almost certainly scarce here. Audubon (1835, pp. 99, 101, 104) saw it regularly as far north as Eastport, Maine, and Grand Manan, New Brunswick, and, during the “Labrador” trip noted breeding colonies on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But he was probably not aware of its status in Nova Scotia and did not comment further on this observation.
What are we to make of Thomas McCulloch’s observations of Sabine’s and Ross’s Gulls seaward of Newfoundland? First, this was not the elder McCulloch, mentioned above, but his son Thomas (1809-1865), who was the main collector and taxidermist of the McCulloch collection in Pictou. Thomas junior and Audubon became great friends from their first meeting in 1833 until Audubon’s death in 1851, and the young McCulloch provided Audubon with specimens and information that are peppered throughout the Ornithological Biography. In November 1834, Thomas McCulloch junior left Pictou bound for Hull, bearing his father’s bird collection for sale in England to help alleviate a financial crisis at Pictou Academy (Mills, 2013, pp. 94-95). It was during the sea crossing that he noted the Sabine’s and Ross’s Gulls mentioned by Audubon. He apparently passed on the information to Audubon when they met in 1834-35 in England, where Audubon was having the Birds of America plates printed, looking for more subscriptions to the series, and writing his Ornithological Biography.
Sabine’s Gulls migrating at sea in autumn in the Northwest Atlantic along the great circle route to the British Isles would not be very surprising, but numbers of Ross’s Gulls certainly would appear to be, even during the late Little Ice Age (extending into the 1870s), when sea temperatures were low and ice extended farther south than it does now. Could the younger McCulloch have mistaken immature Kittiwakes for either species? There is no way to know, although such a glaring mistake by an ornithologist of McCulloch’s ability seems unlikely. Certainly Audubon had great faith in the competence of his
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“young friend” from Pictou as he attests frequently in the final three volumes of the Ornithological Biography. The discovery recently that Ross’s Gulls from the Canadian Arctic winter in the Labrador Sea (Maftei et al., 2015) provides a fascinating new angle to this story. Admittedly, without more evidence, McCulloch’s report of Ross’s Gulls will have to remain intriguing but unsubstantiated. However, before its recent discovery in the Labrador Sea based on geolocator evidence, Audubon’s almost casual report of Sabine’s Gull in Halifax harbour seemed better founded and easier to accept than his friend’s claim to have seen Ross’s Gulls in late autumn along the steamer route to the British Isles.
References
Audubon, J.J. 1835. Ornithological Biography, or, An Account of the Habits of the Birds of the United States of America; Accompanied by Descriptions of the Objects Represented in the Work Entitled The Birds of America, and Interspersed with Delineations of American Scenery and Manners Vol. III. Edinburgh: Adam Black
Davis, S.E., M. Maftei and M.L. Mallory. 2016. Migratory connectivity at high latitudes: Sabine’s Gulls (Xema sabini) from a colony in the Canadian High Arctic migrate to different oceans. PLosONE 11 (12): e0166043.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0166043.
Lewis, H.F. 1933. Some Canadian Audubonia. Canadian Field-Naturalist 47 (9): 162-172.
Maftei, M., S.E.Davis and M.L. Mallory. 2015. Confirmation of a wintering ground of Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea in the northern Labrador Sea. Ibis 157 (3): 642-647.
Mills, E.L. 2013. “Attractive to strangers and instructive to students.” The Thomas McCullochs’ 19th century bird collection in Dalhousie College. Scientia Canadensis 36 (2): 88-108.
Tufts, R.W. 1986. Birds of Nova Scotia. Third Edition. Halifax, NS: Nimbus Publishing & The Nova Scotia Museum.
i Sabine’s Gull, now Xema sabini (Sabine), was named Larus Sabini for Captain Edward Sabine (1788-1883) of the Royal Artillery by his brother Joseph in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London for 1819. Edward Sabine had collected the first specimen on July 25, 1818 along the west coast of Greenland during John Ross’s expedition in search of the Northwest Passage. ii The main wintering grounds of this species are believed to be off the w. coast of South America in the Peru Current and off s.w. Africa in the Benguela Current. Recently, Davis et al. 2016 have shown, using geolocators, that some breeding Sabine’s Gulls from a colony in the central Canadian High Arctic go to wintering grounds in the SE Pacific, while others go the SE Atlantic. In one case, the two individuals of a breeding pair went to different oceans to winter.
79 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 59, Issue 1
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