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.