Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

December 20, 2003 to January 15, 2004; and February 7 to March 30, 2004.

(April 2004).

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

Northern Gannet (>20) - December 21, 1 adult flying west along the north beach; March 26, >20 adults feeding off the east tip.

Double-crested Cormorant (1) - December 23, 1 (1st year) on the beach amongst the grey seals.

Canada Goose (35) - March 12, 7 at the west ponds; March 16, 35 at the west ponds.

Snow Goose (1) - December 21-23, 1 at the west ponds.

Greater Scaup (>9) - December 23, 9 at the freshwater ponds; January 8, at least 8 at the west ponds; March 15, 3 (1 male and 2 females) at the west ponds.

Lesser Scaup (2) - December 23 & January 8, 2 (with the Greater Scaups) at the west ponds.

Surf Scoter (1) - December 23, 1 male at the No3 pond.

Red-breasted Merganser (>40) - February 24, >20 at No3 pond; March 17, >40 in one group at the west ponds.

Peregrine (1) - January 12, 1 near No3.

American Coot (8) - December 20 to January 8, 8 in one group feeding at the west ponds.

Killdeer (1) - December 21, 1 on the south beach near West Light; January 7 & 12, 1 on the ponds road.

Black-bellied Plover (1) - December 23 to January 12, multiple sightings of 1 on the south beach south of the Station.

Sanderling (>450) - December 29, >200 on the south beach; January 3, >450 on the south beach; and March 5, >100 on the east spit.

Ruddy Turnstone (4) - December 21-22, 2 on the west spit and 2 on the east tip; January 3, 1 on the east tip.

Iceland Gull (>240) - January 13, >150 on the west spit; March 25-27, >240 on the south beach and the spits.

Glaucous Gull (3) - December 22, 1 on the east tip; March 10-26, 3 at No3 and on the beach.

Black-legged Kittiwake (>1000) - December 21, >1000 flying west along the north side of the island (in ones, twos and groups of up to 25 individuals); January 2, >15 adults flying west along the north side of the west spit; March 5, >30 flying east along the south side of the east spit.

Mourning Dove (1) - March 10, 1 near East Light; March 12-24, 1 near the Station.

Crow (1) - January 9-13, 1 near the Station.

Horned Lark (2) - February 9, 2 on the south beach; March 10, 1 on the south beach.

American Robin (8) - January 9-10, 1; March 3, 1; and March 16, 7. All sightings at the Station.

Bohemian Waxwing (>14) - December 29-30, 1 in eastern heathland, and 14 at the Station; January 12 to March 16, occasional sightings of 1 to 8 individuals.

Starling (9) - January 6 & March 3, 9 near West Light.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (1) - on December 30 & February 10, 1 at the Station.

Palm Warbler (5) - December 21-26 5 at the Station; on January 3 & 13, 1 at the Station.

Song Sparrow (2) - December 20 to February 24, 1 at the Station; March 15-21, 1 west of West Light.

Junco (2) - during March 18-23, occasional sightings of at least 2 individuals between the Station and West Light.

Snow Bunting (>320) - December 21, >320 on the south side of the west spit; January 13, estimated >200 on the west spit; March 12, >15 near West Light.

Eastern Meadowlark (1) - December 30, 1 in heath east of the Station.

Purple Finch (1) - December 23-30, 1 male west of West Light; January 3-13, 1 male in the West Light and Station areas.

White-winged Crossbill (4) - January 3, 2 females west of West Light; January 13, 4 (1 male and 3 females) at the Station; February 10, 3 (2 males and 1 female) near the Station.

Common Redpoll (>50) - between December 29 and February 24, one flock of >50 feeding on dunes on the western quarter of the island; March 12, >15 near the Station.