Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

December 17, 2004 to January 19, 2005, and March 3-31, 2005

(April 2005).

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

Great Blue Heron (1) – March 18-31, several sightings of one at the west ponds. 

Northern Gannet (>20) – March 28, >20 adults feeding and flying east along the north side.

Black Duck (40) – January 6, one group of 40 at the west ponds.

Mallard (6) – January 6, 4 males and 2 females with the Black Ducks at the west ponds.

Northern Pintail (2) – January 8, a male and a female together at the west ponds.

Red-breasted Merganser (15) – March 18, 15 at ponds between West Light and No.3.

Bald Eagle (1) – March 10, 1 immature (probably 2nd year) feeding on a Thick-billed Murre corpse, on the north beach, east of East Light. An immature was seen in mid-January, near East Light, by D. Boness – probably the same bird.

American Kestrel (1) – December 26 & January 9, 1 male sighted between West Light and the Station.

American Coot (1) – January 8, 1 at the west ponds.

Killdeer (4) – March 9, 2 near the Station. One of these birds was unusually coloured: all parts that should have been white (underparts, face and neck markings etc) were distinctly and uniformly orange-pink. March 10, 2 (both normally coloured) feeding in the Station yard; and March 18-19, several sightings on south beach and near East Light.

Black-bellied Plover (1) – December 12 to January 8, 1 on the south beach, south of the west ponds - in the same location as the single individual seen in December-January last year.

Purple Sandpiper (1) – January 6-15, several sightings of 1 on the south beach near Lake Wallace.

Ruddy Turnstone (1) – December 20, 1 on the south beach of the west spit.

Sanderling (>200) – between December 18 & 22, >200 on the south beach; between March 7 & 28, >100 on the north and south beaches.

Iceland Gull (>400) – March 21, >250 adults & immatures on the west spit; on March 24, >150 adults & immatures on the east spit.

Glaucous Gull (6) – March 5-22, 6 adults & immatures on the north and south beaches (but probably more numerous).

Common Crow (1) – March 26 & 28, 1 feeding on seal carcass on the beach.

American Robin (1) – December 17 & 30, and January 6, 1 sighted between West Light and the Station.

Catbird (2) – December 31 to January 19, 2 at the Station.

Northern Mockingbird (1) – December 20 to January 16, and March 9-27, 1 at/near the Station. Probably the same individual

Starling (>20) – December 31 to March 5, numerous sightings of one flock of >20, between Old Main and the Station.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (>40) – December 20-23, >40 near the Station; January 12-19, >15 at the Station.

Common Yellowthroat (1) – January 9, 1 (female, or immature male) west of West Light. On that date there was roughly 100% snow cover.

Fox Sparrow (2) – March 24-31, 1 to 2 sighted between West Light and the Station.

Song Sparrow (5) – March 24-27, 2 to 5 sighted between West Light and the east tip.

Junco (3) – March 23-25, 1 to 3 sighted between West Light and the Station.

Snow Bunting (>30) – January 18, one flock of >30 near East Light; March 7-28, flocks of 5 to >25 sighted at various locations.

Pine Grosbeak (1) – January 8, 1 very recently dead found near West Light.

Common Redpoll (5) – December 18, 5 near East Light; January 14 & March 7, 1 near the Station.