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New Brunswick birders are excited over the first
photographically documented sighting of a Cory's Shearwater in
provincial waters (there are reports of four earlier sightings). The
account of other seabird numbers is interesting, and I wonder what a
trip out from Brier Island these days might find?
Cheers,
Patricia L Chalmers
Halifax
______________________________________________
Subject: July 6th Pelagic Birding Off Grand Manan
From: Jim Wilson <jgw AT NBNET.NB.CA>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 20:43:03 -0300
Durlan Ingersoll's observations of a Cory's Shearwater in the waters near
the Prong, east of White Head Island on June 30th, combined with another
Cory's photographed at Machias Seal Island the next day, caused many keen
birders to consider a trip to Grand Manan on July 6th. Captain Peter Wilcox
was going back to the same waters at the Prong for whale watching and
although the chance of seeing a Cory's was rather slim, it was better than
while sitting at home.
Nearly 20 keen birders were on board the "Day's Catch" sailed it out of Seal
Cove at 1:30 PM on a calm sea on Tuesday. We returned shortly before 6:30 to
enable a number of participants to catch the last ferry of the day to the
mainland, at 7 PM.
We had a great day, that included a brief but good look at a CORY'S
SHEARWATER (for many but sadly, not everyone), and as Stu Tingley mentioned
in an earlier posting, we saw "a total of 7 species of tubenoses". These
included Greater, Sooty, Manx and Cory's Shearwaters, Northern Fulmar, and
Leach's and Wilson's Storm-Petrels. I'm pretty certain this is the first
time NB birders have ever come up with seven tube-nosed pelagic birds on one
day.
It's very difficult to estimate total numbers of seabirds seen on a trip
such as this, as there is 360 degrees of visibility, we used "chum" (scraps
of herring) to entice the birds to follow the boat, and we covered a lot of
distance. But a preliminary estimate by Stu, Durlan and me looks like the
following:
Common Loon = 1
Northern Fulmar =3-4
Manx Shearwater = 3-5
Greater Shearwater = 1,000-1,500
Sooty Shearwater = 200
Cory's Shearwater = 1
Wilson's Storm-Petrel = 500-700
Leach's Storm-Petrel = 150-200
Northern Gannet = 75-100
Red-necked Phalarope = 4-5
Common Tern = 2-3
Razorbill = 150-200
Common Murre = 50+
Black Guillemot = many
Atlantic Puffin = 10
We also saw a number of HUMPBACKED WHALES (5-6?) that are apparently regular
in that area at the moment.
I want to say "thanks" again to Durlan on behalf of all the group. Although
we would undoubtedly have identified the Cory's at some point as it flew
past, he spotted it first and thus called attention to the bird, enabling
others to see it as well as possible and adding a degree of confirmation to
the sighting. Cory's is not noted to follow vessels and seems to mind its
own business, unlike our three other shearwater species that often aggregate
into flocks or loose groups.
Yet another interesting day on the wonderful Bay of Fundy!
Jim Wilson
Subject: Re: Photos of Grand Manan CORY'S SHEARWATER from Durlan Ingersoll
From: Roger Burrows <rtburrows AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 14:35:11 -0300
Hi Jim,
No, the four Cory's were seen on separate occasions and three were on
Elderhostels with Laurie Murison also aboard. Only one came as close as
those photographed, but all were seen well enough to be positively
identified. Cory's Shearwaters have a distinctive flight and the pale bill
is usually visible, even at a distance. Late June to late July seems to be
the optimal time to look...that's when there is most food in the water in
the Bay of Fundy.
Roger
On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 9:59 AM, Jim Wilson wrote:
> Hi Roger,
>
> Thanks for your note. Four Cory's in the Grand Manan area is quite amazing.
>
> As you know, Cory's Shearwater is a warm water specialist that normally
> sticks close to the Gulf Stream and is very unusual in bodies of cold water
> such as the Bay of Fundy.
>
> I'm curious - were the four together? Could there have been a chance of
> misidentification?
>
> I guess I ask this because of the hundreds of pelagic birding hours put in
> by so many other birders in the Bay (including folks on the water virtually
> every day all summer) over so many years, with so few Cory's records.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim
NatureNB guidelines http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbe.html
Foire aux questions de NatureNB http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbf.html
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<x-tab> </x-tab>New
Brunswick birders are excited over the first photographically documented
sighting of a Cory's Shearwater in provincial waters (there are reports
of four earlier sightings). The account of other seabird numbers is
interesting, and I wonder what a trip out from Brier Island these days
might find?<br><br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Cheers,<br>
<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Patricia L
Chalmers<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Halifax<br>
<br>
<br>
______________________________________________<br>
<b><a name="1278632728"></a>Subject: July 6th Pelagic Birding Off Grand
<a name="1278632728"></a>Manan<br>
</b>From: Jim Wilson <jgw AT NBNET.NB.CA><br>
Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 20:43:03 -0300<br><br>
<pre>Durlan Ingersoll's observations of a Cory's Shearwater in the waters
near
the Prong, east of White Head Island on June 30th, combined with another
Cory's photographed at Machias Seal Island the next day, caused many
keen
birders to consider a trip to Grand Manan on July 6th. Captain Peter
Wilcox
was going back to the same waters at the Prong for whale watching and
although the chance of seeing a Cory's was rather slim, it was better
than
while sitting at home.
Nearly 20 keen birders were on board the "Day's Catch" sailed
it out of Seal
Cove at 1:30 PM on a calm sea on Tuesday. We returned shortly before 6:30
to
enable a number of participants to catch the last ferry of the day to
the
mainland, at 7 PM.
We had a great day, that included a brief but good look at a CORY'S
SHEARWATER (for many but sadly, not everyone), and as Stu Tingley
mentioned
in an earlier posting, we saw "a total of 7 species of
tubenoses". These
included Greater, Sooty, Manx and Cory's Shearwaters, Northern Fulmar,
and
Leach's and Wilson's Storm-Petrels. I'm pretty certain this is the first
time NB birders have ever come up with seven tube-nosed pelagic birds on
one
day.
It's very difficult to estimate total numbers of seabirds seen on a trip
such as this, as there is 360 degrees of visibility, we used
"chum" (scraps
of herring) to entice the birds to follow the boat, and we covered a lot
of
distance. But a preliminary estimate by Stu, Durlan and me looks like
the
following:
Common Loon = 1
Northern Fulmar =3-4
Manx Shearwater = 3-5
Greater Shearwater = 1,000-1,500
Sooty Shearwater = 200
Cory's Shearwater = 1
Wilson's Storm-Petrel = 500-700
Leach's Storm-Petrel = 150-200
Northern Gannet = 75-100
Red-necked Phalarope = 4-5
Common Tern = 2-3
Razorbill = 150-200
Common Murre = 50+
Black Guillemot = many
Atlantic Puffin = 10
We also saw a number of HUMPBACKED WHALES (5-6?) that are apparently
regular
in that area at the moment.
I want to say "thanks" again to Durlan on behalf of all the
group. Although
we would undoubtedly have identified the Cory's at some point as it flew
past, he spotted it first and thus called attention to the bird,
enabling
others to see it as well as possible and adding a degree of confirmation
to
the sighting. Cory's is not noted to follow vessels and seems to mind
its
own business, unlike our three other shearwater species that often
aggregate
into flocks or loose groups.
Yet another interesting day on the wonderful Bay of Fundy!
Jim Wilson
</pre><b><a name="1278178639"></a>Subject: Re: Photos of Grand Manan
CORY'S SHEARWATER from Durlan <a name="1278178639"></a>Ingersoll<br>
</b>From: Roger Burrows <rtburrows AT GMAIL.COM><br>
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 2010 14:35:11 -0300<br><br>
<pre>Hi Jim,
No, the four Cory's were seen on separate occasions and three were on
Elderhostels with Laurie Murison also aboard. Only one came
as close as
those photographed, but all were seen well enough to be positively
identified. Cory's Shearwaters have a distinctive flight and
the pale bill
is usually visible, even at a distance. Late June to late
July seems to be
the optimal time to look...that's when there is most food in the water
in
the Bay of Fundy.
Roger
On Sat, Jul 3, 2010 at 9:59 AM, Jim Wilson wrote:
> Hi Roger,
>
> Thanks for your note. Four Cory's in the Grand Manan area is quite
amazing.
>
> As you know, Cory's Shearwater is a warm water specialist that
normally
> sticks close to the Gulf Stream and is very unusual in bodies of
cold water
> such as the Bay of Fundy.
>
> I'm curious - were the four together? Could there have been a chance
of
> misidentification?
>
> I guess I ask this because of the hundreds of pelagic birding hours
put in
> by so many other birders in the Bay (including folks on the water
virtually
> every day all summer) over so many years, with so few Cory's
records.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim
NatureNB guidelines
<a href="http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbe.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbe.html
</a>Foire aux questions de NatureNB
<a href="http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbf.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/maryspt/nnbf.html
</a></body>
</html>
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