Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

April 1 to May 13, and May 30 to July 31, 2005

(August 2005).

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

Tri-colored Heron (1) – July 23, 1 adult at the west ponds.

Great Egret (1) – July 12, 1 at the west ponds.

Great Blue Heron (2) – April 1-2, 1 at the west ponds, and 1 found recently dead on the south beach.

Double-crested Cormorant (19) – May 31, two groups (3 and 16 birds) flying west along the north beach.

Canada Goose (3) – April 15, 2 at the west ponds; July 4-8, 1 small bird at the west ponds, and between July 9 & 26, several sightings of a similarly small individual at ponds near No3 (probably the same).

Blue-winged Teal (3) – between April 22 and May 11, sightings of 3 (2 males, 1 female) near No3.

Green-winged Teal (8) – between April 11-30, 8 (4 males, 4 females) at the west ponds and No3.

Ring-necked Duck (4) – April 18, 2 males at the west ponds; June 22, 2 (male & female) at the west ponds.

Willet (3) – June 3, 2 fly west along the south beach; June 11, 1 on the east spit.

Greater Yellowlegs (>15) – between April 27 and June 7, sightings of 1-2 at the west ponds and No3; July 24, 1 at the west ponds, and July 28, 8 fly west along the south beach near No3.

Lesser Yellowlegs (2) – July 24, 2 at the west ponds.

Spotted Sandpiper (6) – May 30, 3 on the south beach near the west ponds. During June through July, at least 10 pairs nesting, and in late July numerous juveniles seen near various ponds.

Whimbrel (>15) – July 3, 8 at Steeple Dune; July 8, 5 near West Light; and August 12, 12 fly east of No3.

Ruddy Turnstone (15) – April 20, 1 at the west ponds; May 3, 1 on the west spit; June 17, 1 on south beach near No3; and July 31, 12 on the west spit.

Red Knot (1) – July 22, 1 with Sanderlings on the south beach.

Sanderling (>300) – April 2, >100; April 22-23, >250; and July 22, >60 - all in same location, on the south beach west of No3.

Short-billed Dowitcher (25) – July 3, 1 at the west ponds; July 30, 25 at the west ponds.

Pectoral Sandpiper (1) – July 27-28, 1 at the west ponds.

Common Snipe (1) – April 26, 1 on south beach, west spit.

Black-headed Gull (1) – between June 6 and July 23, five sightings of 1 (first summer) in the west ponds area.

Laughing Gull (3) – from May 30 through July 31, 2 adults (a nesting pair) near the west ponds. Also several sightings of 1 first summer  bird in same area during June.

Iceland Gull (>50) – May 11, >50 adults and immatures on the east spit; June 5, 1 immature at the west ponds.

Glaucous Gull (1) – during April through mid-July, 1 immature at the west tip.

Black Tern (1) – July 8-29, numerous sightings of 1 at the west ponds.

American Kestrel (2) – April 19, 1 female near West Light; April 21, 1 male at the west ponds; and May 2, 1 west of West Light.

Peregrine (1) – May 2-3, 1 between West Light and Station.

Common Nighthawk (1) – June 15, 1 feeding near pond in No3 area.

Belted Kingfisher (1) – April 26-28, 1 female in the west ponds area; May 3, 1 near the Station.

Northern Flicker (2) – April 18, 1 near West Light; April 20, 2 at the west ponds; and April 26, 1 at West Light.

Olive-sided Flycatcher (1) – June 12, 1 near the Station.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (5) – June 12, 1 west of West Light; June 14, 2 west of West Light, and 3 along the ponds road; and June 17, 1 west of West Light.

Western Kingbird (1) – May 2-3, 1 on the north beach west of No3.

Eastern Kingbird (4) – May 31 to June 3, 3 near the Station; July 15, 1 at the Station.

Purple Martin (1) – April 22, 1 female at West Light.

Bank Swallow (1) – June 10, 1 near Bartonia Pond.

Cliff Swallow (1) – April 23, 1 near the Station.

Tree Swallow (9) – June 2, 9 between West Light and No3.

Barn Swallow (>21) – April 24, 1 at the west ponds; May 6, >20 at the west ponds; and between June 1 and July 3, sightings of single birds at various locations.

Red-breasted Nuthatch (1) – June 15-26, four sightings of 1 west of West Light.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (>5) – April 18 to May 30, sightings of  1 to 2 between West Light and the Station, and on the west spit (probably >5 individuals).

Veery (1) – May 3, 1 at Station.

Grey-cheeked Thrush (2) – April 30 and May 3, 2 at East Light.

Swainson’s Thrush (2) – May 30-31, 1 on the west spit, and 1 near West Light; June 2-4, 1 west of West Light.

Hermit Thrush (3) – April 20, 1 at West Light; May 3, 1 at East Light; June 2, 1 west of West Light.

American Robin (12) – April 6, 1 at the Station; April 22, 1 west of West Light, 9 at the Station; May 1-3, 1 at East Light; and June 2-3, 1 at the Station.

Catbird (5) – May 1-3, 1 near West Light, and 1 at East Light; May 31, 1 on the west spit, 3 between West Light and the Station; June 3, 1 at East Light.

Northern Mockingbird (1) – April 2-27, 1 near the Station.

Brown Thrasher (1) – June 2, 1 west of West Light.

Cedar Waxwing (>100) – May 30, one flock of >100 near the Station.

Tennessee Warbler (1) – June 27, 1 male west of West Light.

Magnolia Warbler (2) – June 2-15, sightings of 2 west of West Light.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (4) – April 26, 1 male in breeding plumage at West Light; June 7, 3 along the ponds road.

Black-&-White Warbler (1) – May 30-31, 1 female near the Station.

Black-throated Green Warbler (1) – June 16, 1 female along the ponds road.

Blackpoll Warbler (5) – May 31 to June 15, 5 males and females sighted in West Light to No3 area.

Palm Warbler (2) – April 18-22, 2 between West Light and the Station.

Yellow Warbler (3) – May 30, 1 male along the ponds road; June 2, 1 female west of West Light; July 26 and August 1, 1 near West Light.

Mourning Warbler (2) – June 10, 1 female west of West Light; June 12, 1 male near the Station.

Common Yellowthroat (2) – June 9, 1 male at the Station; June 24-25, 1 female west of West Light.

American Redstart (4) – April 27, 1 female at East Light; June 13, 2 females at West Light; and June 14, 1 first spring male west of West Light.

Wilson’s Warbler (1) – June 4, 1 male near the Station.

Northern Waterthrush (4) – April 28, 1 east of the Station, and May 5, a different individual near No3; June 5, 2 along the ponds road; and on June 15, 1 west of West Light.

American Tree Sparrow (1) – May 1, 1 near the Station.

Chipping Sparrow (1) – April 22, 1 near the Station.

Fox Sparrow (3) – April 1-3, 1 at the Station; April 18, 2 west of West Light; and May 11, 1 on the north beach near East Light.

Song Sparrow (1) – April 1-13, several sightings of 1 between West Light and the Station.

Lincoln’s Sparrow (1) – May 31, 1 near West Light.

Swamp Sparrow (5) – May 30 to June 4, 5 sighted near West Light and the Station.

Junco (>10) – between April 1 and May 12, >10 seen between West Light and the Station.

White-throated Sparrow (17) – April 20 to May 30, 17 sighted near West Light and the Station.

White-crowned Sparrow (3) – May 31 to June 18, 3 sighted near West Light and the Station.

Snow Bunting (>20) – April 11-22, >20 on beach and dunes in the general area of West Light and the Station.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1) – June 2, 1 female near the Station.

Indigo Bunting (2) – April 26 to May 1, 1 breeding male at the Station. On April 30, fresh remains of a female or winter male found at East Light (possibly killed by a falcon).

Common Grackle (4) – April 7-9, 1 female at the Station; April 17, 1 male at the Station; April 27, 1 at East Light; and June 14, 1 west of West Light.

Rusty Blackbird (1) – April 27, 1 male on dunes east of East Light.

Brown-headed Cowbird (1) – April 21 and 23, 1 at the west ponds.

Baltimore Oriole (1) – June 2, 1 male at the Station.

Purple Finch (3) – between April 24 and May 9, at least 3 females sighted at West Light and East Light.

Pine Siskin (9) – May 6, through June, to July 20, up to 9 sighted feeding near West Light and the Station.

American Goldfinch (1) – June 7, 1 female west of West Light

Common Redpoll (1) – May 5, 1 west of West Light.