BOHA Waterbird Monitoring Update, 7/6/09

Great Cormorant, Graves, CLT, 7.6.09.

Things are definitely winding down for the season.  On Monday, we conducted a round of boat-based surveys in the Outer Islands, though many of the eider chicks and their Moms may have already headed for the mainland coast where sightings have been increasing for the last couple of weeks.  We observed a total of 492 female eiders, 34 chicks, and 78 juvenile males.  No breeding males were seen.  Several of the chicks we saw were very similar in size and coloring to adult females, so it is quite possible that full grown chicks are included in the female numbers, which seem very high.

The REAL highlight of Monday’s trip was a flock of over 100 Wilson’s Storm Petrels foraging throughout the Harbor Islands from Rainsford to Graves (I didn’t get any pictures, but this site has some great ones: http://neseabirds.com/Stormpwsp.htm).  Three Great Cormorants were still hanging out on Graves (literally – see photo above), where we also spotted a harbor seal.  And several Great Blue Herons have returned to the coast from their inland breeding sites – another indication that the breeding season is coming to an end. 

We observed at least 6 adult American Oystercatchers on Calf, but saw no chicks. No oystercatchers were seen on the landing beaches of Middle, Outer, or Great Brewster where they had been previously incubating.  Several Spotted Sandpipers and a single Red-breasted Merganser were also observed.    A trip around Rainsford on the way back in turned up 2 adult oystercatchers and a fully fledged chick on the east end of the island, as well as lots of campers and picnickers.  Seven Least Terns were flying around the nesting beach on Rainsford, some carrying food, so we’ll check back on that site next week.

Enjoy the sunshine this weekend – we’ve earned it!  -Carol

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