Morning Report
7:00AM – 11:00AM
Weather: Partly Sunny; winds south @ Beaufort 3; seas unsettled; visibility generally 10 to 20 km
Observers: Todd Watts, Wendy Smith
Continuous counting recorded in 15 minute blocks (the standard protocol is 15 minutes of observations followed by 15 minutes of rest)
Lots of small groups of scoters this morning. Flight paths were all over the place. Eastbound scoter totals: 3164 Black, 421 Surf, 1249 dark-winged, 420 White-winged. The Common Eider movement observed yesterday afternoon continued this morning (1249 eastbound). Species diversity was high.
Parked birds appeared to be very few, likely the result of significant wave action and lots of eastward movement. That said, spotting, tracking, identifying and counting the numerous small groups of migrants left relatively little time to locate parked birds. No sandpipers seen today.
Seabird counts:
Eastbound 3473, Westbound 78 (standard count periods);
Eastbound 4567, Westbound 59 (rest/break periods)
Species observed over the bay: Common Eider, Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters, Common, Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser, Brant, Harlequin, American Black, Wood and Long-tailed Ducks, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Common and Red-throated Loon, Great Cormorant, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Common and Thick-billed Murre, American Herring, Great Black-backed, and Ring-billed Gulls, Northern Gannet
Parked birds: 21 Common Eider, 163 Black Scoter, 3 White-winged Scoter, 2 Harlequin Duck, 2 Common Loon, 1 Red-throated Loon, 4 Black Guillemot, 5 Razorbill
Song Sparrows consumed seed in front of the building. No birds of prey were observed.
The woods and fields were not explored.
The NB Wildlife Trust Fund and NB Environmental Trust Fund help support this project.
Todd Watts
Official Counter
Point Lepreau Bird Observatory
Saint John Naturalists’ Club
Afternoon Report
From Noon to 4:00 PM
Weather: Cloudy with fog to variable with fog ,Beaufort ( Bf) 3 to 4,Winds South West changing to South , 8 Deg Celsius and moderate seas Visibility 10 km . Tide Flooding
Observers: Paul Martin, Dana Sandercock, Patricia Nancekivell, and Bob Gamble
During Counts:
Eastbound: 1203 birds Westbound: 53 Birds
Rest Period Counts
Eastbound 27 birds Westbound 72 Birds
Total birds seen East 1481 West 125
Species observed over the bay:
Common Eider, Black Scoter, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck,Common Loon, Red- throated Loon Black Guillemot, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Brant Geese, Great Cormorant, Northern Gannet, Black Guillemot, Razorbills, and Common Murre.
5 Song Sparrow and a Northern Flicker by the seed, 3 crows , an American Kestrel, Male Northern Harrier and a seal were seen.
The main species moving today was Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Black Scoter, and Surf Scoter
This project is supported with funds provided through the NB Wildlife Trust Fund and the NB Environmental Trust Fund
Paul Martin
Official Counter
Point Lepreau Bird Observatory