Grand Manan Birds

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Date:    Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:44:26 -0300
From:    Roger Burrows NBNature listserv
Subject: Ingalls Head & White Head birds, inc. ARCTIC/PACIFIC LOON, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER & LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

June 19

Ingalls Head    07:30-08:15
Great & 4 Double-crested Cormorants, 71 Common Eiders, inc. 36 small
ducklings by the ferry terminal, singing Red-eyed Vireo, Barn Swallow nest
(NB Power building entrance)

White Head ferry    08:15-08:45
Great & 20 Double-crested Cormorants, 27 Common Eiders, 5 immature Bald
Eagles, 2 Black Guillemots

White Head Village & Long Point Road    08:45-09:30
3 Green-winged Teals, 76 Common Eiders, inc. 50 small ducklings, immature
Bald Eagle, Boreal Chickadee, singing Winter Wren, 5 wood-warblers

White Head Marsh    09:30-10:15
adult SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (either very late in spring or very early in fall,
or maybe prospecting for a nest site?)

White Head ferry    10:30-11:00
immature ARCTIC/PACIFIC LOON (seen close to Ingalls Head at a range of 40
ft; smaller than Common loon with less bulky bill; very pale gray head with
prominent dark eye and indistinct dark line through eye; slightly darker on
crown & nape but not great contrast; whitish throat; pale gray underparts;
dark brown unspeckled back with darker primaries; thought to be an Arctic by
build and heavier bill).  It is worth noting that a Pacific? Loon has been
seen between Ingalls Head, White Head & Kent Island from 2006 on...the fact
that all observations have been of non-breeding plumaged birds suggests that
juveniles from nests not too far distant are involved, perhaps indicating
Arctic rather than Pacific Loon.  I will try and get a photograph, but I am
using slide film and won't get a slide until at least August.   Perhaps
Durlan Ingersoll will get a look at the bird in the next while.  Great & 14
Double-crested Cormorants, 31 Common Eiders, adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
(on the lobster pound bucket posts at White Head.

Roger Burrows
Ingalls Head
Grand Manan

Image of Lesser Black-backed Gull from wikipedia.com