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Al: Further to Hans Toom's thoughtful note and URL on N. Wheatears, it's interesting to note that this year's invasion and its cause were anticipated in a message to NFBirds on August 30, when the first one was reported (although an even earlier sighting on the island of NF came to light later). "Bruce Mactavish reports an immature NORTHERN WHEATEAR aboard the seismic ship he is curently inhabiting -- about 400 km NE of St. John's. There have been intense north winds out there the past few days, and the wheatear (as well as yesterday's Common Ringed Plover at Bear Cove) may have been swept towards us in that system. Soooo ... a BIG heads up!! Be on the lookout for other Greenland breeding birds, like White Wagtails and such fantastic creatures!! Jared" [Clarke] Perhaps our "fantastic creature," the Redwing, was also part of that pattern - they breed commonly in Iceland and a few in southernmost Greenland. As noted by Hans, NE rather than N winds would be most likely to deflect birds (including Redwings and wheatears) to NS, especially those outbound from Iceland. But banded Greenland wheatears have turned up in W. Europe, so it seems that at least some do fly to NW Africa via Europe. Cheers, Ian
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