Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

Summer – June 21 to September 22 , 2008

(October 2008).

The number in brackets indicates the minimum number of individuals seen during the period.

Double-crested Cormorant (5) - between June 26 and September 9, 5 first year birds seen on the north and south beaches.

Least Bittern (1) - August 15 & 18, 1 adult at the Lily Pond near West Light. The bird was first seen after a night of 47 mm of rain and 50 knot winds.

Yellow-crowned Night-heron (1) - August 10, 1 juvenile on dunes west of West Light.

Little Blue Heron (1) - August 9, 1 adult in nonbreeding plumage at the west ponds.

Green-winged Teal (>20) - the first birds sighted were 6 at the west ponds on July 29, and between August 30 and September 20 there were >20 at the ponds.

Blue-winged Teal (2) - September 5, 2 at the west ponds.

Merlin (3) - September 17, 2 together at No3; September 20, 3 chasing each other about near the Station.

Black-bellied Plover (>20) - August 11, >20 on the beach of west spit (as usual, common but no count).

American Golden Plover (>45) - between August 17 and September 17, >45 inland near various ponds (common, but no count).

Killdeer (1) - September 5, 1 near West Light.

Willet (1) - September 17, 1 at a freshwater pond near No3.

Greater Yellowlegs (1) - first sighting on July 13 at the west ponds.

Lesser Yellowlegs (1) - first sighting on June 26 at the west ponds.

Solitary Sandpiper (4) - August 12, 3 at No2 pond; August 18, 4 at ponds between West Light and the Station.

Whimbrel (>28) - between July 3 and September 9, >28 seen in inland fields and on the beach.

Ruddy Turnstone (>10) - first sightings were of 2 on north beach July 25; August 11, >10 on the west spit.

Sanderling (>50) - July 25, >50 in one flock in the west ponds washover, south beach.

Pectoral Sandpiper (5) - between August 2 and September 17, 5 birds seen at ponds between West Light and No3.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (2) - September 9, 2 in sand flat at Steeple Dune.

Ruff (1) - June 26 to July 2, 1 male feeding at the west ponds.

Short-billed Dowitcher (>35) - July 14, a group of 16 feeding at the north side of the west ponds; August 10, >35 in the same area.

Common Snipe (1) - August 31, 1 near Acadian Pond (West Light).

Laughing Gull (1) - July 3, 1 adult on south beach; July 14, 1 adult at the west ponds.

White-winged Dove (1) - September 11-13, 1 near West Light.

Belted Kingfisher (1) - September 12 & 22, 1 male at the west ponds.

Western Kingbird (1) - September 22, 1 west of West Light.

Eastern Kingbird (1) - September 17-18, 1 west of West Light.

Tree Swallow (>11) - August 31, >11 at the west ponds; September 6, 5 west of West Light.

Bank Swallow (1) - August 27, 1 west of West Light; August 31, 1 at the west ponds.

Barn Swallow (6) - August 20, 6 at West Light.

Water Pipit (1) - September 19, 1 at the west ponds.

Cedar Waxwing (>40) - August 22, 2 (adult and juvenile) near West Light; September 13, >40 at the Station.

Magnolia Warbler (1) - September 13, 1 near West Light.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (2) - September 19, 2 at the Station.

Black-&-White Warbler (3) - from August 31 to September 22, 3 in the West Light and Station areas.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (1) - September 12, 1 male at the Station.

Palm Warbler (3) - September 13-19, 1 to 3 birds in the West Light and Station areas.

Yellow Warbler (>5) - from August 2 to September 13, >5 individuals between West Light and the Station (likely more numerous).

Wilson’s Warbler (1) - September 12, 1 male near the Station.

Hooded Warbler (1) - September 1, 1 female near the west ponds.

Northern Waterthrush (>6) - between July 25 and September 17, >6 birds seen at various ponds between West Light and No3.

Redstart  (3) - August 18, 1 at West Light; August 31, 3 at West Light.

White-throated Sparrow  (3) - September 19, 3 at West Light & the Station.

Junco (5) - September 23-24, 5 at the Station.

Bobolink (6) - between September 4 and 16, 6 sighted in various vegetated dune locations (probably more numerous).

Yellow-headed Blackbird (1) - September 20, 1 female at the west ponds.

Northern Oriole (5) - September 3, 1 near West Light; September 10, 5 near West Light.

Pine Siskin (1) - July 14, 1 west of West Light.