Avalon Seawatch - October 1, 2011

The first day of October was met at the Seawatch by a refreshing northwest breeze and plenty of birds. Highlights included almost 2,400 Double-crested Cormorants, 198 Northern Pintails, the season's first Red-throated Loon, and a great evening heron flight that included 26 Tricolored and 14 Little Blue Herons.

Other bird highlights included 2 southbound Hudsonian Godwits and one southbound American Golden-Plover, a Connecticut Warbler that flew in off the ocean, 112 migrant American Oystercatchers, and a nice hawk flight that was punctuated by at least 50 Osprey during the course of the day.

Also of note were the 258 Monarchs that drifted south past the Seawatch today...about time!

[A staple of the Seawatch and the most numerous early-season migrant, Double-crested Cormorants were recorded during every hour on Saturday, often in flocks of 100+ individuals. Photo by Sam Galick; click to enlarge.]

The day's tally follows:

Canada Goose - 12
Blue-winged Teal - 3
Northern Pintail - 198
Green-winged Teal - 10
Black Scoter - 11
dark-winged Scoter - 30
Red-throated Loon - 1
Common Loon - 9
Northern Gannet - 11
Brown Pelican - 4
Double-crested Cormorant - 2,394
Great Blue Heron - 91
Great Egret - 12
Snowy Egret - 82
Little Blue Heron - 14
Tricolored Heron - 26
Glossy Ibis - 54
Laughing Gull - 407
Ring-billed Gull - 1
Herring Gull - 33
Great Black-backed Gull - 41
Forster's Tern - 115
Royal Tern - 10

(Total = 3,569)