Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

Spring – March 21  to June 20, 2008

(October 2008).

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

Northern Gannet (2) - first sighting was 1 adult flying east along the south beach on March 31; the latest seen was 1 adult feeding off the west tip on June 26.

Great Cormorant (1) - April 8-9, 1 adult in breeding plumage in the West Light area (later found dead in the same location).

Double-crested Cormorant (>12) - May 31, 3 on the south beach east of No3; June 13, a group of 9 adults and first year birds flying west along the north beach; and June 17, 1 first year bird at a freshwater pond near No3.

Great Blue Heron (1) - June 2, 1 at a freshwater pond east of Wallace.

Canada Goose (18) - March 24, 10 flying west over No2 and 6 at Starpool; April 21, 2 on a dune west of West Light; and April 22, 3 at freshwater ponds.

Kestrel (2) - March 27, 1 west of West Light; April 23, 1 at West Light.

Black-bellied Plover (2) - June 3, 2 on the south beach of east spit.

Killdeer (1) - April 5, 1 near No3.

Willet (3) - June 3, 1 on the north beach near Steeple dune; June 17, 3 at Calopo Pond; and June 26, 2 at the west ponds.

Sanderling (>200) - March 12, >200 on the east spit; April 7, >100 on south beach near Wallace.

Common Snipe (1) - April 9, 1 at small freshwater pool in Mob Heath.

American Woodcock (2) - April 5-6, 1 west of West Light; June 16, 1 grounded in thick vegetation cover and under attack by a mob of >200 terns south of the Station (numerous bleeding wounds on head and back, left eye missing, died within hours).

Mourning Dove (3) - March 23 1 at the Station; March 26, 2 at the Station; and April 23, 1 west of West Light.

Short-eared Owl (1) - April 23, 1 near the west ponds.

Belted Kingfisher (1) - April 18, 1 male at the west ponds.

Olive-sided Flycatcher (1) - June 9, 1 west of West Light (later found dead).

Eastern Wood-peewee (1) - June 3-11, 1 at the Station.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (2) - June 11, 2 near the Station.

Eastern Phoebe (1) - April 4, 1 on the north beach near the Station, and numerous sightings of 1 bird at the Station between April 5 & 11.

Eastern Kingbird (1) - May 30 to June 1, 1 at the Station.

Purple Martin (1) - April 15, 1 female (or first spring male) near the Station.

Barn Swallow (4) - April 15, 1 near the Station; and June 9, 3 at the Station.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3) - April 23, 3 at West Light and the Station.

Hermit Thrush (1) - April 12, 1 at the Station.

American Robin (5) - April 4, 1 at West Light and 4 at the Station.

Cedar Waxwing (>25) - May 25 to June 3, >25 at the Station; and June 14, 5 at the Station.

Northern Parula (1) - June 9, 1 male near Pine Tree Pond.

Magnolia Warbler (1) - June 11, 1 at the Station; and June 16-17, 1 west of West Light.

Black-throated Green Warbler (1) - June 12, 1 on the south beach of the west spit.

Blackpoll Warbler (1) - May 31 to June 2, 1 female west of West Light.

Palm Warbler (1) - April 23, 1 at West Light.

Yellow Warbler (2) - between June 9 & 16, 2 in the West Light area.

Northern Waterthrush (1) - May 29, 1 at the Station.

Common Yellowthroat (1) - June 20, 1 west of West Light.

Redstart (2) - between June 10 and 17, 2 within a few km of the Station.

Fox Sparrow (3) - March 29 to April 5, 1 at the Station; April 8, 2 at the Station; and April 10, 1 at East Light.

Lincoln’s Sparrow (1) - June 10, 1 west of West Light.

Song Sparrow (10) - March 28-31, 1 west of West Light (snowing); April 5, 4 west of West Light and 5 at the Station; and 1 or more sighted every day until April 18.

White-throated Sparrow (3) - April 23-29, 3 in the West Light and Station areas.

White-crowned Sparrow (2) - June 2, 1 on the west spit and 1 near West Light.

Junco (15) - March 24, 1 at the Station and 1 at East Light; April 5, 4 near West Light and 10 at the Station; and June 3, 1 west of West Light.

Snow Bunting (4) - April 4, 3 west of West Light; April 30, 1 near No2.

Indigo Bunting (1) - April 30 to May 1, 1 first spring male at the Station.

Common Grackle (1) - June 15, 1 west of West Light.

Brown-headed Cowbird (2) - April 11, 1 male near the Station; April 21, 2 males feeding around horses’ feet near West Light; and May 29, 1 male with horses near West Light.

Pine Siskin (1) - June 13, 1 west of West Light.