Sabine's Gull - A Rare Gull For New Brunswick

                                        Sabine's Gull Juvenile   [Photo by Marbeth Wilson]

 In late September a rare gull was seen at Cap Pelé. The east coast of New Brunswick is heavily birded in the fall because migration and fall storms often bring us a variety of rare birds.  The Sabine's gull was one such species.

The Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) is a tern-like gull.  It is a high latitude holarctic pelagic species which occurs rarely inland.  It is listed as a casual spring migrant to New Brunswick and rare in fall.  Most reports have come from the Grand Manan area with fewer along the east coast.  Our first record was from Indian Island, Passamaquoddy Bay in 1878.  We have reports from 1966, 1972 and 1998.  There was a pair of adults at Carleton Park, Fredericton, on 23 August 2004.  We don't see this species every year but sightings are more frequent now, perhaps because we have many more knowledgeable birders in the field.  The individual in this report was seen and photographed on 24 and 25 September, 2022.

The taxonomy of the Sabine's Gull is in debate.  Although mostly placed in the 'Xema' genus, some place it in 'Larus'.  The species seems to fall somewhere between gulls and terns although it is classified as a gull.  Some list it as having 4 sub-species, others place it as monotypic (in one species).  

                                    Sabine's Gull in Breeding Plumage  [photo of unknown source]

The Sabine's Gull is 32 to 35.5 cm long and is striking in appearance.  Both genders are similar.  It is small and elegant and is a two-cycle hooded gull.  Its bill is small and slender and is black with a yellow tip in breeding plumage, black otherwise.  Its tail is moderately forked and when the bird is at rest the tail tip falls between P7 and P8 (slightly shorter than the wing projection).  The Sabine's Gull has a remarkable and striking wing pattern.  The leading edge of the upper wing surface is gray on the inner half and black on the outer half.  Between these two patches is a large white triangle witch extends to most of the trailing edge.  The underwing surface is whitish with black outer primaries.  When a bird with wings with this pattern flies it makes a remarkable flashing motion.  If you have seen it, you would not forget it.  See photo below.  In breeding plumage there is a black hood and black legs.  Juveniles are dark scaly brown on the back, nape and wings.

                                        Sabine's Gull Juvenile   [Mitch Doucet Photo]

Sabine's Gulls breed on the tundra in the far north.  Their breeding grounds include Canada's arctic islands, the shorelines of Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska, Greenland, Spitzbergen and northern Siberia.  Outside the breeding season the species is mainly pelagic.  They migrate south along North America's west coast to winter off Mexico and South America where they winter in the Humboldt Current off Peru and Northern Chile.  The eastern race migrates south along North America's east coast and heads over the Atlantic Ocean after they leave Atlantic Canada.  Some winter in South Africa but it is not well known where others spend the winter.  

Sabine's Gulls nest in a scrape in the tundra lined with grasses.  One to three olive buff eggs are laid and incubated 23 to 26 days by both adults.  The diet of this species includes fish and marine invertebrates.  They feed by wading and pick up food from edges of pools.  They also swim in circles in order to stir up food like phalaropes.  They also run over mud flats and scoop up stranded fish.  

The Sabine's Gull is unique in appearance and behaviour.  It is the only member of its genus, 'Xema'.  It is like no other gull and resembles both terns and gulls.  As you can guess, it was named after a person, Sir Edward Sabine whose brother, Joseph, gave him the honour.  Sir Edward (1788-1883) was an Irish astronomer, geophysicist, ornithologist and explorer.  He must have found a few Sabine's Gulls in his travels.  

Gulls are very interesting birds to study.  They are so varied in appearance that they often fall into the realm of advanced birding.  Never-the-less, they are very interesting and worth more careful study.  If you ever find a Sabine's Gull, be sure to report it because it would be noteworthy.   

Prairie Warbler

                                                    Prairie Warbler    [Jim Carroll Photo]

The Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) is a rare fall visitor to New Brunswick and a bit more casual in spring.  Most appear in coastal areas, mainly in the south.  The first confirmed record was from Machias Seal Island in 1951.  Today it is an annual visitor to Grand Manan Island.  Individuals have been seen along the coast as far north as Miscou Island.  It is rare to find it inland. This year there have been sightings of Prairie Warblers in at least 2 different places.  The photos in this post are of a sighting in the Lorneville area, St. John County, on September 9.  

                                                 Prairie Warbler    [Jim Carroll Photo]

The normal summer range of the Prairie Warbler is southern Ontario and central New England south to Oklahoma, the Gulf Coast, and Florida.  It winters in southern Florida and in the tropics.  Its preferred habitat is mixed pine-oak barrens, old pastures and scattered open scrub land.  It also inhabitants mangrove swamps.  Its name is a misnomer because it is not often found on the prairies.  

The Prairie Warbler is a small warbler that wags its tail, much like its close relative, the Palm Warbler.  It has a distinctive facial pattern as seen above.  Note the yellow supercilium (line over the eye), dark eyeline, yellow crescent below the eye which is bordered by a black line.  The upper parts are olive with reddish spots on the back.  The under parts are bright yellow, a little paler yellow under the tail.  There are bold black streaks on the sides which can become black spots on the sides of the throat.  These contrast boldly with the bright yellow.  Noting that and the distinctive facial pattern makes the identification of this species easy.  The two wing bars are yellow, sometimes whitish.  Females and non-breeding males are paler versions of the spring males.  The less distinct facial pattern and some white around the eye would indicate the individual in the photo is an immature male or a female.

                                                Prairie Warbler   [Jim Carroll Photo]

Although the Prairie Warbler is relatively easy to identify, you might have to rule out Pine Warbler or the Magnolia Warbler.  The Pine Warbler shows no black on the head and the immature Magnolia Warbler has a yellow rump and a complete white eyering.  The voice of the Prairie Warbler is distinctive.  I remember the first time I heard it.  I knew immediately what the bird was even though I did not see it at first.  The song is buzzy, and a long series of zee, zee, zee which rises in pitch to the end. 

The Prairie Warbler builds its nest usually low in a bush or small tree.  The nest is made of grass and leaves and lined with hair and feathers.  Four or five white eggs with brown spots are incubated for 11 to 14 days by the female.  Prairie Warblers eat mainly insects which they catch by gleaning foliage, or catching them in mid-air by hovering.  They will also feed on the ground.  Female Prairie Warblers usually eat the shells of their eggs after hatching.

The population numbers of this species are declining.  The main reasons are habitat loss and nest parasitism by cowbirds.  The species was assigned 'vulnerable status' in Canada in 1985.  That designation was later removed, in 1999.  The Prairie Warbler was one of the early described species, being first described in 1809 by a French ornithologist, Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot.  

                                                       Prairie Warbler   [Jim Carroll Photo]

Tricolored Heron

                                                    Tricolored Heron [Jim Carroll Photo]

 The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) is a small-to-medium sized heron of the Americas.  It lives in coastal habitats in the Atlantic region from northeastern US south through the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean to northern South America as far south as Brazil.  In the west it ranges from Peru to California. As a vagrant it strays in the west as far north as Oregon and in southern Canada from Manitoba to Newfoundland.  Its population is reasonably stable, having been less affected by the millinery trade in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  The Florida population, however, shows recent declines probably due to habitat loss.

                                                                        Tricolored Heron

The Tricolored Heron has a long slender neck and the bill is noticeably long and thin.  The genders are similar and one wonders which 3 colours gave it its name.  It has a slate gray head, neck, back, wings and tail.  The back is often covered with purplish maroon long scapular feathers.  The rump is white as is the throat and underparts with the white extending in a thin strip from the throat to the belly.  The eyes are brown, the lores yellow and the bill is yellow.  The legs and feet are yellowish gray.  So, what 3 colours give it its name - the slate gray, the purplish maroon scapular feathers and the white?  In some birds with the yellow bill and lores, the yellow extends down the neck a bit.  So, it might be the slate gray, the white and the yellow.  

In breeding plumage the eyes turn red, long white occipital plumes appear as do purplish plumes on the neck.  The chin, scapulars, and throat turn rufous and a turquoise colour appears on the lores and bill base.  The feet and legs can also turn pinkish.  Given that rainbow of colours, now what is the origin of the name?  We may never know!

                                     Tricolored Heron Showing Purplish Plumes  [Jim Carroll Photo]

The Tricolored Heron is about 66 cm in length with a wing span of 91 cm.  For contrast, the Great Blue Heron is 117 cm in length with a wing span of 183 cm.  The photo below shows the difference but it is somewhat misleading because of the Great Blue Heron is closer to the camera and the Tricolored Heron is crouched down while the Great Blue is fully upright.  Notice the length of the bill in the Tricolored.

                            Tricolored Heron with Great Blue Heron    [Jim Carroll Photo]

We often have vagrant herons and egrets visit us here in New Brunswick in spring and summer.  This year we had many Great Egrets.  At one time there were 6 at Saints Rest Marsh in Saint John.  That is where the Tricolored Heron was found this summer.  It probably came north on the same weather system that brought the egrets.  It was at the marsh for at least 3 weeks and may still be there.  We saw it on September 17.  

The Tricolored Heron is quite unique and not easily mistaken for another species.  It is the only dark coloured heron with a white belly.  A new birder would have to consider whether it might be a Green Heron but a Green Heron is much smaller and does not have that long thin neck and white belly.  A dark morph Little Blue Heron might also have to be considered but it does not have the white on it.  The Reddish Egret dark morph which has never been seen here (as far as I know) might also be considered but it has no white on it either.  

                                                                    Tricolored Heron

The Tricolored Heron spends most of its time feeding in water and it is not afraid to wade deeply.  It feeds mainly on fish but will also take amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.  It is very active as it feeds, often running after fish with its wings raised.  I have actually enjoyed watching them feed in South Carolina.  This species is a colonial breeder often on islands usually with other herons and egrets.  A platform nest is built of stems and twigs and lined with grass.  Three or four light blue green eggs are laid and incubated by both adults for 21 days.  

Although the voice of this species can be a croak or squawk like other herons it often is a soft, nasal moan.  Being relatively abundant in the Deep South, it is an easy bird to observe.  It was formerly called the 'Louisiana Heron'.  When I first started birding I often wondered what bird a Louisiana Heron was because it was renamed in all my bird books.  With the many I have seen, I have never seen more than one or two together.  They are much more solitary than egrets or Great Blue Herons.  Their feeding antics of chasing fish and flapping around are sometimes described by some as 'ballet dancing'.  Tricolored Herons are obviously smart birds.  They often follow Double-crested Cormorants or Pied-billed Grebes and scoop up the fish that they stir up.  

Can You Identify This Hawk?

On August 24 and 25, around 9:00 AM a hawk was seen perched on a dead tree near the river behind our house in Fredericton. It remained there for a considerable time, up to 40 minutes. The unusual thing was that it was wet, preening and continuously fluffed its feathers or sat with its wings and tail spread out, presumably to dry. It must have bathed in the nearby river and was using that perch to self-care. The only time it sat in normal position with normal contour was a few seconds on the second day before it flew. That made it difficult to identify. Let's see what you can do with identifying this hawk. Here are the identifying features: its shape was rounded (or it appeared so, the size was that of a small buteo, crow-sized or slightly larger). Its breast showed vertical stripes. The tail was boldly striped showing white at the tip and alternate white and dark even stripes. The head, upper breast and upper back were a rufous brown colour. The back was dark brown or gray with many large white spots. The tail appeared (at first) to be average length. The photos above show the notable features. At first I thought it must be a Red-shouldered Hawk. The size and shape were right. The tail looked right. The spots on the back were right (in my experience). I tentatively decided it might be a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk. It gave me plenty of time to take many photos (at a distance of 60 metres) using my super-zoom camera. Studying the photos with friends gave me a different perspective. We went over the individual features carefully. The size was right for a Red-shouldered Hawk or a Cooper's Hawk. The vertical stripes on the breast were bold and tear-drop shaped. That would indicate a Cooper's Hawk. The feet and legs were yellow which did not give any clues. The rufous colour on the head, upper breast and upper back made me think of Red-shouldered although we didn't see any red on the shoulder. The tail showed white stripes on the ventral aspect and gray stripes on the dorsal aspect. That would indicate Cooper's. The white spots on the back definitely pointed to Red-shouldered to me because I had seen them on Red-shouldered before but never on an Accipiter. It was difficult to tell what hawk we were looking at with it fluffed up and in abnormal position.

Hawk Showing Tear-drop Striping on Breast

Hawk Showing White Patches on Back In one poor picture from the first day the tail appeared long. See below.

It was time for an expert to examine the photos. We sent a batch off and later it was determined that the hawk was a Cooper's Hawk. That confirmed most of the field marks. But what about the shape and the white spots on the back? The second day's visit gave the opportunity for many more photos. That confirmed many white patches on the back and wings. Only at the last few seconds before the bird took off did it sit in a normal position and shape. See below for two views of the tail, dorsal and ventral.

That short view of the bird, as it finished its preening and took off, confirmed that identification. Its shape and size were definitely that of a Cooper's Hawk. The tail was long and rounded on the tip characteristic of a Cooper's. The breast striping confirmed it as a juvenile Cooper's Hawk. That was a difficult identification but an enjoyable puzzle. The whole problem was that the bird never until the last few seconds on two separate visits, sat in a normal postion. The long sleek appearance of a Cooper's Hawk was not evident. What about the white patches on the back and wings? That really fooled me. I have never seen that beforre on an Accipiter. According to the expert, some Accipiters have spots on their backs. I checked 100s of images and Sharp-shinneds, Cooper's and Northern Goshawks and all three species can have white spots on their backs, although that feature appears to be uncommon. Also, what is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk doing here in August? According to the literature, Cooper's Hawks breeding range extends into Maine (Sibley's) or southern New Brunswick (National Geographic). In 'Birds of New Brunswick: An Annotated List' it says the species is a rare summer resident and that there have been a few nesting records. Peterson Field Guide, 'Hawks of North America' shows a breeding range in southern and south-western NB. So, what I learned is that nesting Cooper's Hawks are unusual breeders in NB but they do exist. What we were looking at was a juvenile probably from one of those rare nesting pairs here. What a privilege to have enjoyed this hawk! Note: the absence of formatting in this post is due to problems with the blog software.

Swallows Soon to Migrate South

                                                 Swallows Lining Up On Utility Wires

On August 1,  I was surprised and excited to see swallows lining up on the utility wires in the Scotch Settlement, York County, area.  I haven't seen this behaviour in many years and I was very happy to witness it this year.  There were about 100 birds of 3 species (Cliff Swallows, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows) cavorting around and vying for what appeared to be preferred positions along the wires.  They were actively flying to and from the wires and going afield only to return quickly.  

                                            Swallows on the Wires in Pre-Migration Gathering

There was obviously much excitement among the birds.  It did not seem to matter which species lined up closely to which.  They appeared to all be getting ready for something exciting.  At one point an American Bittern flew across the road and a few swallows took after it and either chased or accompanied it across the field and out of their gathering place.  That looked like a squadron of jet fighters escorting an enemy plane out of protected air space.

Late July through September is the preferred time of departure of 'our' swallows.  Cliff Swallows depart after the nestlings fledge which has happened in that area.  Their departure is listed as early August through early September.  Barn Swallows depart from late July onwards with the migration departure peaking from late August to early September.  Tree Swallows depart a bit later with most leaving in September.  Cliff Swallows migrate to southern Brazil and south-central Argentina.  Barn Swallows go mostly to South America as far south as central Chile and northern Argentina.  Tree Swallows migrate to the southern US, Central America and the Caribbean.  Looking at their destinations, you can see why the Cliff and Barn Swallows leave earlier than the Tree Swallows.  They have much farther to go!

Migration is an amazing and interesting phenomenon.  I am thankful these swallows come to New Brunswick to breed, raise their young and enjoy the habitat our ecosystem provides.  Our declining insect populations is a concern.  There is increased mortality in young swallows partly because of shrinking food supplies, the insect population.  We must protect the nesting sites of these birds and encourage them to spend their short summers with us.  We also must follow regulations against pesticides and pollution in order to protect the swallows and other inhabitants of our environment (including ourselves).

 

Black-necked Stilt Seen in New Brunswick

                                                                   Black-necked Stilt

On Friday, 5 August 2022, an Ontario birder who summers in New Brunswick was checking for shorebirds along the shoreline of the St. John River between the bridges in Hartland, NB.  We are fortunate this woman was familiar with shorebirds and recognized that what she saw through her binoculars was a rare species for New Brunswick, a Black-necked Stilt.  She also knew how to alert others by contacting a local birder who posted it to online discussion groups.  That began a magical day for birding for a handful of New Brunswick birders. 

It is unknown when the bird arrived in Hartland and from where it came.  It undoubtedly is a vagrant which migrated up (or down?) the St. John River.  It is a male adult and is probably dispersing from the breeding area before returning south for the winter.  Just how far are we referring to here?  Well, the Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) normally summers in southern Florida, the coastlines of Georgia and North and South Carolina, the mid-western and western states and southern Alberta and Saskatchewan.  They winter in California, the Gulf coast and southern Florida south to the tropics. So this bird is far from the normal movements of this species.  

And how rare is it in New Brunswick?  We have had 4 recorded occurrences since records have been kept: 1862, 1880, 1982, 2000.  Nova Scotia has had a few records as well.  The 1862 and 1880 records were confirmed because the birds were 'collected' (shot and sent to the museum for mounting).  Unfortunately that is what they did in those days.  The 1982 and 2000 records are listed as 'unconfirmed' which actually means that no specimen was collected and no photos were taken.  But, today we are a photographic generation and there are lots of photos of this visitor, I would guess well over 1000 were taken that day.  All the photos in this blog post were taken by me.

Hartland is a very picturesque place.  We wandered around along the shoreline which was mowed grass in most cases  checking for the bird from both sides of the river.  We crossed the historic covered bridge to move from one side to the other.  The bird was feeding along the shoreline of the river and the island located there.  The shoreline was composed of rounded rocks of various sizes with a bit of sand.  On the east side a brook flows into the river bringing cold water and rich aquatic food. This made good feeding for the Black-necked Stilt and the 2 Lesser Yellowlegs which it was keeping company with some of the time.  Viewing and locating the bird was difficult because we were looking into the sun for a good part of the time.  As bright and beautiful as the bird is, it was well camouflaged with the bright sunlight reflecting off the water and the black of the wet rocks.  The difficulty of seeing this bird was a surprise to me.  Even though it is a rather large shorebird, 33 cm long with very long legs, it still was difficult to see.  One could pick it up only when it was moving or silhouetted against the bright water.

Please see a previous post on this blog for information on the life history of the Black-necked Stilt; 'Black-necked Stilt - Nemesis Bird', June 4, 2022.  

                                                                    Black-necked Stilt

                                                                        Black-necked Stilt 

                                        Black-necked Stilt Showing the Very Long Legs

This species was my 'nemesis bird', meaning I have been trying to see it for at least 30 years.  I was just never in the right place at the right time while out west or in the south.  I have chased around flocks of American Avocets which it sometimes flocks with but with no success.  I had missed the 2000 bird from Jacquet River by 15 minutes.  But on that special Friday luck was with me.  I had many good looks at the bird and was able to photograph it from a safe distance with no disturbance to the bird at all.  It was fun to share the excitement with the group of NB birders for which it was also a 'life bird'.  For me it was the 351st avian species seen in NB over my lifetime!

                                          Black-necked Stilt Feeding Along Shoreline

                                            Black-necked Stilt Picking Insects off Mud

Black-necked Stilt Feeding From Rocks
 

What did I notice about this bird?  First, it is a beautiful shorebird.  The black and white plumage pattern is striking.  And probably the most striking feature is those impossibly long legs!  They are bright pink (or sometimes red) and the feet are small.  The literature tells us they are partly webbed enabling the bird to be able to swim although it rarely does.  The black bill is very fine and dagger-like and about 6 to 7 cm long.  The black crown which runs down the back of the neck is offset by the white on the forehead, throat and ventral neck and especially by the white eyebrow patch.  In spite of the long legs, the bird is very agile.  When it flies the legs are extended straight out behind.  It obviously can fly very well given the distance it has come!  In summary, a very striking bird and so exciting to see.

We were able to compare it to the two Lesser Yellowlegs it was hanging out with.  See the photos below.  The Black-necked Stilt looks larger in the photos in comparison because it was closer to the camera.  Note, the Lesser Yellowlegs are 27 cm long compared to the stilt which is 36 cm long.  This measurement is taken from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail and does not include the long legs.  The stilt's body is actually quite small.

                                                Black-necked Stilt and Lesser Yellowlegs

    Black-necked Stilt and Lesser Yellowlegs

The literature tells us that the Black-necked Stilt is considerably vocal.  Unfortunately we did not here its 'kek, kek, kek'.  It was far enough away that we might have missed it.

Many thanks to the NB birders and to our ON visitor for making it possible for many of us to see and learn about this species.  Unfortunately the bird was seen only that one day.  We hope it won't be another 20-plus years before we see one again.

Local Church Protects Cliff Swallows

                                                               Cliff Swallow Nests on Church

 For some reason the Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) like to build their nests on the Scotch Settlement Church, York County.  And what is even worse for the parishioners is that they much prefer to build them over the main entrance!  Every year that creates a problem for people entering and leaving the building.  This year there are about 12 nests, all built over the entrance.  Some nests are singles, some doubles and some triples.  That makes a lot of activity, birds coming and going to feed hungry chicks.  

The nest-building this year is very robust.  There is a constant chorus of chirps and warbles as adults are coming and going and young are fed or letting it known that they are hungry.  The birds do not seem to be inhibited by the people of the church.  

                                             Cliff Swallow Adult About to Leave Nest

                                                Cliff Swallow Dropping Fecal Matter From Nest

The people of the church, however, do have a problem with the birds, or rather, their droppings.  As the nests became occupied in the spring the problem soon became evident.  Bird droppings began to appear on the carpeted steps to the church and the people had to quickly duck as they entered or left the building. An earlier attempt to dissuade the birds from building in that location, the hanging of CDs in the preferred areas, had failed.  The birds just built right among the CDS, even incorporating some of them into the mud of the nests.  

So, what to do?  The church people used a simple solution.  They turned the top step on its side in order to prevent the buildup of fecal matter on the carpet.  Then they roped off the front steps and asked the church goers to enter and leave by another door!  Bravo to the Scotch Settlement Church for putting the well-being of the birds ahead of their convenience!  After all, the birds are God's creatures too.  See below for how they altered their front door.

                                 Front Door of Scotch Settlement Church - Temporary Arrangement

 The bird enthusiasts and environmentalists in the area are happy.  Many thanks to the people of the Scotch Settlement Church for putting their concerns for the birds into action.  They have set a good example of care for the environment and its creatures.  

                                                    Scotch Settlement Church, York County