PLBO Reports: Tuesday April 21st (Morning & Afternoon)

Morning Report

6:45AM – 10:45AM

Weather: Sunny; winds north @ Beaufort 2; relatively calm seas; visibility 38 km

Observers: Todd Watts, David Hey, Nancy and John Middleton

Continuous counting recorded in 15 minute blocks (the standard protocol is 15 minutes of observations followed by 15 minutes of rest)  

Light movements today. A fairly equal number of Blacks and Surfs were observed. White-wings were few. Very few birds parked despite calm seas. 

Seabird counts:
Eastbound 952, Westbound 63  (standard count periods);
Eastbound 666, Westbound 49 (rest/break periods)

Species observed over the bay: Common Eider, Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Canada Goose, Brant, Harlequin and Long-tailed Duck, Common and Red-throated Loon, Great and Double-crested Cormorant, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, American Herring, Great Black-backed and Ring-billed Gulls, Northern Gannet, Northern Flicker (appearing to have moved in from Grand Manan)

Parked birds: 1 Common Eider, 11 Black Scoter, 45 Surf Scoter, 3 Harlequin Duck, 1 Common Loon, 2 Black Guillemot, 8 Razorbill, 1 Great Cormorant

Song and Savannah Sparrows consumed seed in front of the building. One or two Merlins were observed hunting at the point, capturing at least one songbird as it approached the mainland. 

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: Clear, Beaufort (Bf) 2 to 3, Winds South, 8 to 6 Deg Celsius and seas calm to moderate .    Visibility 38 km, Tide flooding, High tide 3:45pm.

Observers: Paul Martin

During Counts:
Eastbound: 294 birds
Westbound: 20Birds

Rest Period Counts
Eastbound 46 birds
Westbound 1 Birds

Total birds seen East 340 West 21

Harlequin Ducks © Paul Martin

Species observed over the bay:
Common Eider, Black Scoter, Surf Scoter,  Red-breasted Merganser,  Long-tailed Duck,Common Loon, Red Throated Loon   Black Guillemot,  Ring-billed Gull,  American Herring Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Razorbills, Harlequin Duck,Northern Gannet, Brants, and Purple Sandpiper.

Parked; Common Eider (4), Black Guillemot (2), Razorbills (3), Harlequin Duck (7), Common Loon (2), Double- Crested Cormorant (1) Black Scoter (7), Surf Scoter (110), Red-breasted Merganser (2), Brant (70) Purple Sandpiper (9) and Dark-winged Scoter (37)

2 Song Sparrow  4 Savannah Sparrow, at seed.
It was a pretty quiet day, most birds stayed parked and floated through the area, there was a large raft of Brants that stayed in the bay West of the observatory.

Common Loon © Paul Martin

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

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