Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island,

December 23, 2002 to March 15, 2003.

(June 2003)

Weather during the winter of 2002-2003 was relatively severe in Atlantic Canada. On Sable Island, unusually difficult beach and weather conditions restricted travel and there were few opportunities to observe numbers and species of birds on the island during December through March. It was clear, however, that there were low numbers of the bird species usually common on the island in winter, such as Sanderlings and Snow Buntings, and few of the overwintering Ipswich Sparrows survived. Even the resident Starlings were greatly diminished in number by the time springtime crept across the island.

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

Pied-billed Grebe (1) - December 30, 1 at West Pond.

Canada Goose (5) - between December 24 and January 17, 5 at West Pond.

Greater Scaup (4) - December 23, 4 at West Pond.

Red-breasted Merganser (>30) - March 1, >30 in one group on the water off the south beach.

Sanderling (>65) - February 1, >60 on the south beach; March 5, >65 on the south beach.

Common Snipe (1) - December 30, 1 at West Pond.

Iceland Gull (>125) - December 23, >50 on the south beach; February 25, >125 adults and immatures on the south beach.

Glaucous Gull (1) - February 22 and March 13, 1 immature on the north beach. These gulls were probably more numerous amongst the mixed flocks of Iceland, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls on the beach.

Crow (5) - December 23 to January 20, 5 in area between West Light and the Station. During the winter the crows disappeared, one by one, until February 22 when a single individual remained. The lone bird was last seen on February 28.

Horned Lark (3) - during January 5-30, 2-3 feeding in driftline on the north beach near the west end of the island.

Water Pipit (1) - between December 23-31, 1 at West Pond.

Bohemian Waxwing (7) - December 24, 6 adults near the Station; February 9, 1 adult near the Station.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (5) - December 26, 5 near the Station.

Song Sparrow (1) - throughout January 18 to March 14, 1 at the Station.

Snow Bunting (20+) - during January 25 to March 14, at least 20 near the Station and on the north beach.

Common Redpoll (1) - March 1-14, 1 at the Station.