Sable Island Birds:

Transients 2  

(November 2002)

In 1981, Ian McLaren wrote: "Sable Island is certainly one of the best localities in eastern North America for the occurrence of vagrant species".   Interesting sightings include birds well out of their normal range or season, some of which arrive with tropical storms and hurricanes.   Following Tropical Storm Bonnie (August 1998) a number of `southern' birds were scattered about the island - including a Glossy Ibis which stayed for several weeks, feeding at the freshwater ponds.   One of the most interesting vagrants was a Black-tailed Gull seen during the summers of 1997 through 1999.   Although the normal breeding range for this Asiatic species is the northern coasts and islands of the Sea of Japan bordering eastern Siberia, China and both islands of Japan, the Black-tailed Gull is a rare but increasingly frequent visitor to North America.

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