· . ; -: .. : .' ':' .' .'. C: 0 : N T " N E.N TAL A N A L Y SIS The Spring Migration March I-May 31, 1986 NORTHEASTERN MARITIME REGION Bruce Mactavish he spring of 1986 might best be described as routine. T There were no strong opinions in favor of it being a OW' 01 very dull or very exciting season. Migration went fairly IT. UWIEHCI well on s~hedule with few extremely early or late dates. March was characterized by unusually warm tempera­ tures in the south with a remarkable 70°F recorded on March 26 in Rhode Island and 77°F on March 30 in Boston, Massachusetts. This warm tropical air mass resulted in the appearances of several over-anxious migrants including an amazing four Eastern Kingbirds. April was cloudy and damp with little favorable weather for early overshoots, so characteristic of the Region. May started off cool and cloudy with migrating warblers slightly behind schedule, especially in Nova Scotia. A brief period of warm southerly winds May 5-6 brought a good ATlANTIC wave of warblers into s. New England but it was not until mid-month that the warm weather hit Nova Scotia and c , .......,...,."., ....... 0.,.' II. OC EA N Newfoundland to allow the dammed up warblers to flood mto their breeding grounds. May ended dry and warm .-"",'-.-.~-_I""".""r4 across the Region. As a first time Regional Editor, I am now aware of the great amount of dme and effort required to put a seasonal report together. The greatest factor working against the 442 Amencan Birds, Fall 1986 Regional EdItor is hme The new hghtened deadhnes allow WIth only one preVIOUS record, had one mland at Sussex, Apnl for no fooling around. This IS fine, a week or two IS enough 11 and two at Samt John for several days around Apnl16 (fide hme to write the report if you have the material to do it BD) and Nova Scotia had its 5th record when one showed up WIth. Here lies a serious problem. at Cranberry Pt., May 30 (fide lAM). Many contributors are not sending their reports to the WATERFOWL - Tundra Swans were a single at Wood­ Regional Editors fast enough. In order for a Regional Editor bridge, Conn., March 15-28 (fide FM); five on March 17, Scar­ to meet his or her deadline he must have all reports by the borough Marsh and one May 6-10, Mt. Desert Is., Maine (fide 3rd week after the end of the reporting period at the latest. WT) and one, March 30-April2 at Bloomfield, New BrunswIck That means contributors should have their reports in the (A. Francis). A tired Greater White-fronted Goose of the mail within 10 days after the end of the reporting period. Greenland race rested at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Newfoundland, st. Pierre et Miquelon and Nova Scotia and was well photographed on May 8 (Bruce Bradbury). It was are to be commended for sending complete reports on time. about the 6th record for the province. Snow Geese were not I received only partial information from all other areas and reported in the high numbers of last spring, but 3026 were much of it was very late. reported over w. Massachusetts, March 20-April13 (fide SK) and 12 in s. New Brunswick (fide BD). The Barnacle Goose at ABBREVIATION - S.P.M. = St. Pierre et Miquelon. Phippsburg, Maine, March 16-30 was quite possibly of natural origin (fide WT) but the Bar-headed Goose at E. Greenwich, Conn., March 31 was certainly of aviary origin. LOONS, GREBES - The only count of loons available from Pt Judith, R.I., was of 33 Red-throated Loons flying east on There were four "Eurasian" Green-winged Teal in Massa­ March 29 (RLF); however 525 were migrating past Nantucket chusetts and one in Nova Scotia. Mallards continue to make Is, Mass., on March 17 OB). A pair was in courtship display inroads to Atlantic Canada. A female Mallard was seen cop­ on S.P.M., May 5 where a few pairs breed (RE). The highest ulating with a male Am. Black Duck in St. John's, Newfound­ land, where the species is still a rarity and not known to breed concentration of Common Loons reported was 57, Jamestown, R I., on May 11 (Me DLE). (BM). There were four Eur. Wigeons in Connecticut (DV), a late one at S. Monomoy, Mass., May 29 (BN), and singles from Horned Grebes were said to be "plentiful" in eastern Maine during late April (WT) , but were fewer than usual in Nova New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A Lesser Scaup at St. Mary's, Newfoundland, on May 31, Scotia with 40, March 23 at Blanche being the largest concen­ tration reported (fide CRKA). Red-necked Grebes were in low provided one of the few spring records for this rare species in the province (BM). Late King Eiders were singles at N. Scituate numbers on Cape Cod and S.P.M. with maximum counts of 35 (BN), and 153 (RE) respectively. In Nova Scotia, a count of and S. Monomoy, May 17 and Nahant, Mass., May 28-31 (fide RHS). A Common Eider was unexpected inland at Turner's 160+ at Cow Bay, May 1 was a good count (fide CRKA). A Falls, Mass. on April 21-29 (fide SK). Thirty-two Harlequin Western Grebe was at Winthrop, Mass., March 27-April 6 (Me RHS). Ducks were at their s. New England stronghold, Sachuest Pt , R.I., on March 15 (fide DE). Late Harlequins were five, May 25 at Schoodic Pt., Maine (Bruce Hallet), and two, May 16-31 TUBENOSES THROUGH IBISES - Northern Fulmars at Nahant, Mass.(L. Pivacek). The 30,000 Oldsquaw at Nan­ were reported by fishermen to be in large numbers off tucket March 15 were not unexpected OB). There were no Chatham, Mass. (fide BN) and 150-250, May 15 at Cox's Ledge, April reports from Pt. Judith, R.I., when large numbers of sco­ R I., was the highest count ever from there (DF). Farther north ters are known to migrate past there; however 750 Black, 200 at S.P.M. a count of 200 on April 16 was considered unusual Surf and 100 White-winged scoters flew east on March 29 (RLF) (RE). One hundred Sooty Shearwaters had reached Nantucket Nova Scotia had 10 reports of Black Scoter totaling 900 indI­ Sound by May 30 (RH). An early Manx Shearwater was at Pt. viduals (Me CRKA). Judith, R.I., March 29 (RLF) and two at S.P.M., May 7 were the earliest ever there (MD). RAPTORS - The only Black Vulture was a northern one An impressive count of 400 Great Cormorants was made at found injured along the side of the road at Whiting, Maine, on Sakonnet Pt., R.I., on March 9 (DE). The conflict between the March 25 (fide CD). Turkey Vultures drew the comment rapidly increasing Double-crested Cormorant and sport fish­ "everywhere" from e. Massachusetts (RHS) and e. Maine (WT) ermen continues to grow. A proposal by the Prince Edward Six in Nova Scotia was a good number for spring (fide lAM). Island Fish and Wildlife Division to declare an open season on Having three American Swallow-tailed Kites in the ReglOn Double-crested Cormorants was defeated by quick action on was remarkable! A very early one was photographed at the part of the P.E.I. Natural History Society. Instead, only Barnstable, Mass., on March 15 (G. Martin, R. Everett); another "nuisance" individuals that feed on trout in freshwater ponds (1) was not far away at Chatham, May 19 (R. Hardy). and one WIll be shot (fide BD)! was well documented at Monhegan I., Maine, May 19-25 (Tom Herons, big and conspicuous, are the easiest-to-detect va­ Martin et a1.) for a first state record. A well described ad. MIS­ grants in the northern parts of the Region. Numbers of vagrant sissippi Kite was at Truro, Mass., on May 6 (RH, BN). herons were low to average. New Brunswick had one Great April 20 was a big hawk flight day in Massachusetts WIth Egret, three Snowy Egrets, one Little Blue Heron and a Tri­ Granville setting four single day records, including 750 Os­ colored Heron (fide BD); Nova Scotia, four Great Egrets, four preys, 63 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 1104 Broad-winged Hawks Snowy Egrets, one Cattle Egret, one Little Blue Heron, and (fide SK). On the same day there were 73 Broad-wingeds at three Glossy Ibis (fide lAM); Newfoundland, two Great Blue Mt. Wachusetts and 63 at Mt. Watatic, Mass. (fide LET). An Herons, one Snowy Egret and one Little Blue Heron; and S.P.M., adult Red-shouldered Hawk at Canso, N.S., on May 15 was far one Great Blue Heron and one Glossy Ibis. Unusual Yellow­ east in a province where it has always been rare (fide lAM) crowned Night-Herons were at Peabody, Mass., May 6 for a Three Golden Eagles were reported from Massachusetts m first local record (RSH); one well inland at Pittsfield, Mass., March (fide RHS) and one was at Scituate Res., R.I., May 6 where a pair apparently nested last year (T. Tyning) and one (Me DLE). at Isles of Shoals, Maine (DWH). Other Tricolored Heron reports Even without May reports from e. Massachusetts, some 25 were: three, Rhode Island; eight, Massachusetts; and one, Peregrine Falcons were seen across the Region. Single Gyrfal­ Maine. cons were reported from Isle au Haut, Maine, March 9 (fide About 220 Glossy Ibis were reported from coastal Massa­ WT) and St.