6:30AM – 10:30AM
Weather: Sunny; wind south @ Beaufort 3 backing to Bf 2; choppy seas with numerous whitecaps; visibility 15-20 km
Observers: Todd Watts, Madelyn Talpt, Amanda Giovinazzo
Continuous counting recorded in 15 minute blocks (the standard protocol is 15 minutes of observations followed by 15 minutes of rest)
Sporadic activity. Flock sizes were highly variable. The three largest streams contained between four and five hundred birds. Each of these groups raced around the corner. Black Scoters outnumbered Surfs. Northern Gannets were observed regularly. Razorbills and murre were observed throughout the session. Close flocks of migrants continued to move in from the west as the observatory was being closed up around 11:30AM.
Seabird counts:
Eastbound 2289 Westbound 58 (standard count periods);
Eastbound 1483 Westbound 71 (rest/break periods)
Species observed over the bay: Common Eider, Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Canada Goose, Brant, Harlequin, American Black and Long-tailed Duck, Green-winged Teal, Common and Red-throated Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Common Murre, American Herring, Great Black-backed, and Ring-billed Gulls, Northern Gannet, Osprey
Parked birds: 10 Black Scoter, 136 Surf Scoter, 2 American Black Duck, 2 Common Loon, 2 Red-throated Loon, 1 Black Guillemot, 10 Razorbill, 4 Common Murre, 1 Double-crested Cormorant
Two Song Sparrows consumed seed in front of the building. Tree Swallows nesting in the observatory box were present.
A Merlin was observed heading over the bay in search of prey. The Osprey observed over the bay appeared to be migrating via Grand Manan.
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