Morning Report
6:30AM – 10:30AM
Weather: Sunny; wind west @ Beaufort 5 shifting to southwest while backing of slightly; choppy seas with numerous whitecaps; visibility 38km
Observers: Todd Watts, Ian Stead
Continuous counting recorded in 15 minute blocks (the standard protocol is 15 minutes of observations followed by 15 minutes of rest)
Light activity increasing during the second and third hours before dropping off during the fourth. Black Scoter appeared to outnumber Surfs for the first time in a week or so. First-spring scoters are increasing, which is expected. Parked birds were few. However, a raft of one hundred Blacks was observed. Rafts of this relatively small to moderate size have been few and far between this season.
Seabird counts:
Eastbound 833 Westbound 31 (standard count periods);
Eastbound 755 Westbound 38 (rest/break periods)
Species observed over the bay: Common Eider, Black, Surf, and White-winged Scoters, Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser, Brant, Harlequin and Long-tailed Duck, Greater Scaup, Common and Red-throated Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Guillemot, Razorbill, Common Murre, American Herring, Great Black-backed, and Ring-billed Gulls, Northern Gannet
Parked birds: 5 Common Eider, 100 Black Scoter, 6 Surf Scoter, 1 Black Guillemot, 7 Razorbill, 2 Common Murre
Two or three Song Sparrows consumed seed in front of the building. Tree Swallows nesting in the observatory box continue.
A Peregrine Falcon, as well as a first-spring Bald Eagle and an adult Bald Eagle 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