Snowy Owl, Sachuest Point NWR, RI, February 2012

The 2011-2012 winter has been a big one for Snowy Owls – the biggest one in New England in a long time.  So this winter would be my best chance yet to try to get Snowy Owl in my last 3 New England states – Maine (which I got in Dec. 2011), RI, and VT.  Sachuest Point NWR has traditionally been one of the best locations for Snowy Owl in RI, so it wasn’t too surprising when one was reported there during much of the winter, at a spot called Island Rocks.  Although the bird is likely there all the time, it can easily roost out of view on the far side of the islands, so some luck is needed.

My first visit there was unsuccessful – though the bird was seen there later in the day.  On my second trip, I arrived in the early morning and started to scan the rocky islands with my binocs.  I quickly saw a white bump on top of one of the islands.  Even with a 50x scope view, it was little more than a bump, but very likely the owl.  But within a few seconds of viewing, there was some movement and the bird turned its head toward me – a positive ID for a Snowy Owl.  A phonescoped photo is attached with the scope at 30X – you'll need to zoom in to see much of anything.

My Snowy Owl statebird map is below.  Pretty spotty coverage for this northern irruptive, but now 5 of 6 New England states.  Now I just need to see one in VT - which is most likely in the northwest corner of the state.

Lazuli Bunting – Wellfleet, MA, February 2012

My first MA statebird for 2012 was an immature male Lazuli Bunting that was spotted at the feeders at the Massachusetts Audubon Wellfleet Sanctuary.  This 3^rd MA state record was certainly worth the nearly 5-hour round-trip drive.  The bird was feeding under the feeder when I arrived, with viewing from inside the warmth of the sanctuary building.  After several recent misses I guess I was due for an easy one.  A couple phone-scoped photos taken through the sanctuary windows are posted below.

My statebird map for Lazuli Bunting is below.  Lazuli is a pretty easy statebird out west in its regular range, and now MA is my second state where I've seen this species as a vagrant.

Kittiwake and Pacific Loon, Block Island, RI, February 2012

I call the Block Island ferry ride a “poor man’s pelagic”.  Although just an hour each direction, it covers quite a bit of open ocean between Galilee and Block Island, and certainly gives you the potential to see some species not likely encountered from shore.  I’ve ridden the ferry twice so far, once in summer and once in fall, with some very good results.  So with several recent ferry reports of significant numbers of alcids (4 species) and kittiwakes, I decided to make my first winter trek on the ferry.  Given the limited ferry schedule in winter, I’d have about 2 ½ hours on the island before heading back on the next ferry.  This would give enough time to bird Great Salt Pond and Sachem Pond, with the help of a taxi of course.

With my statebirding buddy Denny Abbott, we first headed to Sachuest Point NWR to try for a Snowy Owl that has been reported there for some time.  We only had an hour there before having to head to the ferry, and unfortunately it was not visible during that time.  (It was reported there later in the day.)  Then over to Galilee to catch the ferry.  Weather was very cooperative – mostly cloudy with limited sun shining on the water, light breezes, temps in the 40s, and at most 1-2 feet seas.  Birds were rather limited though, and not very cooperative for the most part.  We had 2 large alcids on the water that dove before we could get close views, 1 Razorbill, and 4 Common Murres on the water that allowed for better views before diving.  At one point there was a fair amount of bird activity which included 6 Black-Legged Kittiwakes (new statebird), Bonaparte’s Gulls, and diving Gannets.  When we arrived into the Block Island marina Denny found a Peregrine Falcon on the channel marker at the end of the jetty.

Once on the island we got a taxi to take us to Sachem Pond, which although had a lot of ducks, had nothing out of the ordinary.  So we called the taxi to come get us and take us to Great Salt Pond.  After some scanning I picked out a distant Loon of interest – 3/4 the size of a Common, paler neck, rounded head, horizontal bill, smaller head/neck/bill than a Common.  Denny got on the bird and agreed that we had a Pacific Loon – likely a first year bird (another statebird). 

Then back on the ferry to Galilee where birding was again rather slow – 2 Razorbills, 4 Common Murres, and 13 kittiwakes.  Much better views of the Murres this time, including seeing the dark brown coloration instead of black of the Razorbill.  Though a stiff northerly wind made for a much lower wind chill than the trip to the Island.

I’ve inserted my statebird maps for both the Kittiwake and the Common Murre.  Both maps are similar – seen both species in most of the Pacific Coast states, and several New England States.  And I’ve seen both as accidentals in a few states – Kittiwake in IN and Pacific Loon in UT, CO, and MD.  And of course in the New England states it is very rare, though annual.