This update covers October 14th through November 2nd and is to catch us up to the current week!
The last three weeks have been quite excellent in diversity, but slow on overall numbers. We got our first big pushes of scoters, but flocks of scoters have yet to become a consistent presence at the Seawatch this year. Our first push of scoters was on October 18th, with nearly 4000, which was then dwarfed on the 19th with a nice total of 23,000 scoters. The 21st, 22nd, and the 28th all boasted 10,000+ scoter days. Not to be outdone, the Double-crested Cormorants also moved in large numbers, with two 11,000+ bird days and many thousands on most other days during this period.
Some notable non-seabirds include the first Pine Siskin of the season, a Belted Kingfisher, a Marsh Wren foraging in the jetty, a Saltmarsh Sparrow calling in the dunes, the first Ipswich Sparrow of the season, the first Purple Sandpipers to stay around on the jetty, the first Snow Bunting of the season, several American Pipits, and a very confiding Dickcissel with the House Sparrow flock in the dunes.
Marsh Wren foraging in the jetty.
A Dickcissel that stayed for several days with a flock of House Sparrows in the dunes behind the shack.
Rarities during this timeframe include: a northbound Manx Shearwater, eight Black-legged Kittiwake (four in a single day), one shearwater sp., American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, two Brown Booby, Ross’s Goose, and Franklin’s Gull.
A Brown Booby that spent over an hour feeding off of the Seawatch on October 31st.
Franklin’s Gull (upper left); note smaller size, small head and bill, black partial hood, and bold white eye arcs.
The cold weather is on the horizon and a change in our daily species is imminent. There are plenty more scoter on the way, with our peak days still ahead. Stay tuned!
Check out our totals here: https://www.trektellen.org/site/totals/1747/2019
David
