Selected Bird Sightings at Sable Island

Spring – March 21,2009 to June 21, 2009

(September 2009).

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

Great Blue Heron (2) - April 18 & 29, 1 near Gull Pond; June 9, 1 at the west ponds.

Great Egret (1) - April 25 to May 25, six sightings of 1 in breeding plumage at various ponds.

Double-crested Cormorant (>30) - April 25 to June 7, >30 individuals (mostly first year) on the beach and at ponds.

Canada Goose (9) - between April 29 & June 9, at least 9 individuals at the west ponds.

Green-winged Teal (11) - April 18, 4 (male & females) at Gull Pond, and April 29 & May 4, 11 (males & females) at the west ponds.

Blue-winged Teal (2) - June 5, 2 (male & female) at the west ponds.

Ring-necked Duck (1) - April 29, 1 male at Calopogon Pond.

Wilson’s Plover (1) – May 7, 1 on the south beach. 

Killdeer (1) - April 18, 1 at Gull Pond.

Whimbrel (1) - April 25 & May 3, 1 race phaeopus on the north beach.

Greater Yellowlegs (2) - first sighting of 2 at the west ponds on April 29.

Sanderling (>350) – April 9, >350 on the south beach, and May 5, >40 on the east spit.

Iceland Gull (>40) – May 5, >40 on the east spit.

Glaucous Gull (1) - April 7, 1 second winter on the north beach of west spit.

Peregrine (1) - between April 9 & May 4, sightings of 1 bird from West Light to the east spit - on April 14, 1 feeding on freshly killed Iceland Gull.

Kestrel (2) - May 7, 1 at East Light, and May 27, 1 male near West Light.

Snowy Owl (1) - April 20 to May 10, 1 near West Light.

Boreal Owl (1) – April 7, 1 found recently dead at the Station.

Northern Flicker ( 2) - April 16 to May 4, 2 near West Light.

Catbird (5) - May 11 to June 7, numerous sightings of at least 5 individuals between West and East Lights - 2 birds frequently sighted near the Station.

Brown Thrasher (1) - May 11-15, 1 west of West Light.

Hermit Thrush (2) - April 17 & 19, 1 at the Station; May 1, 1 at East Light; and May 4, 1 at the Station.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (3) - April 29 to May 13, 3 birds sighted between West and East Lights.

Water Pipit (1) - April 30 to May 19, several sightings of 1 near the west ponds.

European Starling (1) - April 9 & 12, 1 at the Station.

Cedar Waxwing (>45) - May 16, 1 at the Station, with 15 to >45 birds during early June; June 16, 8 at the Station.

American Robin (4) - April 10, 3 at the Station, with occasional sightings during April and May of 1-2 birds between the west spit and the Station; June 9, 1 at the Station.

Barn Swallow (>15) - between April 19 & June 8, >15 birds between West Light and Wallace Lake.

Purple Martin (3) - April 6, 1 at the Station; May 10, 1 feeding near West Light; May 27, 2 at the Station; and June 6, 1 at West Light - all “female type” with collar.

Eastern Wood-peewee (1) - May 22, 1 at the Station, and May 23, 1 west of West Light.

Olive-sided Flycatcher (1) - June 7-8, 1 west of West Light.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (2) – June 8, 1 at the Station; June 9, 2 west of West Light.

Northern Parula (3) – between May 3 & 15, 1 male and 2 females at West Light and the Station.

Black-throated Green Warbler (1) - May 27, 1 male at the Station.

Blackpoll Warbler (2) – May 20, 1 male at the Station; May 25, 1 male west of West Light; June 5, 1 female at the Station.

Bay-breasted Warbler (2) - between May 23 & 26, 2 males sighted at various locations from West Light to the Station.

Palm Warbler (3) - between May 4 & 23, 3 individuals sighted near West Light.

Yellow-throated Warbler (1) - May 27, 1 on the south beach of west spit.

Black-&-White Warbler (3) - May 15, 1 west of West Light; May 27, 1 male at the Station; and June 10, 1 female west of West Light.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (1) - June 8, 1 male at the Station.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (4) - April 26, 2 near the Station; May 25, 1 male near the Station; June 8, 1 west of West Light.

Magnolia Warbler (2) - May 21, 1 male on Steeple Dune; May 26, 1 male west of West Light and 1 male recently dead at the Station.

Ovenbird (2) - May 13 and June 1, 1 at the Station.

Northern Waterthrush (2) - May 24 and June 4, 1 west of West Light.

Wilson’s Warbler (1) - June 13, 1 west of West Light.

Common Yellowthroat (1) - May 23, 1 male near wind turbines.

Mourning Warbler (1) - June 8, 1 male at the Station.

Eastern Towhee (1) – May 12-15, 1 female near West Light.

Snow Bunting (1) - April 11, 1 male near West Light - extensive black on the right side breast (not on left side).

White-throated Sparrow (>24) - between April 25 and May 4, >24 individuals sighted at various locations, on dunes and near structures.

White-crowned Sparrow (2) - May 4, 1 west of West Light; May 7, 2 west of West Light.

Song Sparrow (3) - April 10, 2 west of West Light, and numerous sightings during mid-April; April 20, 2 west of West Light, 1 at the Station.

Savannah Sparrow (2) - May 13, 1 very dark bird on a north dune of the west spit; May 20, 1 west of West Light.

Fox Sparrow (1) - April 25, 1 at East Light; April 30, 1 at the Station.

Lincoln’s Sparrow (1) - May 13, 1 at the Station.

Junco (4) - April 10, 1 on west spit and 2 at the Station; April 30, 1 west of West Light and 3 at the Station; May 4, 3 at the Station.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (3) - May 3-6, 2 (male & female) at the Station; June 3, 1 female at the Station.

Indigo Bunting (1) – May 23, 1 male at the Station.

Common Grackle (3) - April 10-11, 2 at the Station; April 26-27 & May 24-25, 1 at the Station.

Red-winged Blackbird (1) - June 3, 1 female at the Station.

Brown-headed Cowbird (1) - April 15, 1 male west at West Light; and April 18-21, 1 at the Station.

American Goldfinch (3) - May 20, 1 male west of West Light; May 27, 1 female at the Station; and June 10, 1 male at the Station.

Purple Finch (2) - April 27-29, 1 female at the Station; May 1 & 3, 1 female at East Light; and May 6 & 13, 1 female west of West Light.

Pine Siskin (1) - May 15, 1 at the Station, and May 19, 1 west of West Light