PEEPS

Pterodroma petrel- Washington

Another remarkable find on a pelagic trip, this one with Westport Seabirds, was the discovery of a pterodroma petrel in the pelagic waters off Westport, Washington, on 27 September. Currently thought to be a Hawaiian Petrel, Pterodroma sandwichensis, there are nice photographs of the bird at http://www.pbase.com/hoodedcrow/hawaiianpetrel. Because of the very close similarity to Galapagos Petrel, P. phaeopygia, and probably because there isn't currently a specimen to examine from a bird in the ABA Area, the ABA Checklist Committee lists this taxon as Galapagos/Hawaiian Petrel. Regardless of species, it is a Code 5 bird with very few records from the ABA Area. Hawaiian Petrel is endemic to the larger of the Hawaiian Islands. When in flight, Hawaiian Petrel is one of the large black-and-white pterodromas with a longer tail than the other look-alike pterodromas. Quoting from Albatrosses,Petrels, Shearwaters of the World by Onley and Scofield, "Hawaiian (Petrel) is longer-bodied, heavier, and has shorter, but wider wings, shorter, but deeper bill, and entirely white forehead, while Galapagos usually has a dark-speckled forehead, although a few are all-white."

Volume 1 of Handbook of the Birds of the World calls the two species together, Dark-rumped Petrel, P. phaeopygia, saying there are only 400-600 pairs of breeding birds of the taxon called Hawaiian Petrel. If the population is still this low, the species' largest breeding population at Haleakala Crater, Maui, Hawaii, is still raided by mongooses, cats and rats, casuing a 70 percent breeding failure. Intensive trapping of these predators has recently improved the breeding survival rates there. Similar decline rates have been recorded in the Galapagos population. Great bird!

Trindade Petrel - North Carolina

Brian Patteson reports that a Trindade (Herald's in the ABA Checklist) Petrel, Pterodroma arminjoniana, was seen close to his boat, Stormy Petrel II, and photographed by Jeff Pippen (http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/birds/heraldpetrel.htm) on 21 September off Hatteras, North Carolina.  Trindade Petrel is a rare but regular visitor to the waters off Hatteras.

Trindade Petrel is one of six large subtropical Pterodroma petrels posing identification challenges. Trindade and Herald Petrels are very similar in appearance and both are polymorphic with dark-, white-, and intermediate-belly colors. Trindade Petrel breeds on Round Island in the Indian Ocean and on Trindade Island and Martin Vaz Rocks in the South Atlantic.  They have been recorded from May-late September off North Carolina.

The species (called Herald Petrel) was first recorded in the ABA Area in Tompkins Co., New York on 22 August 1933.  Of considerable taxonomic debate, many authors consider Herald Petrel, Pterodroma heraldica, to be a species that breeds on islands in the Coral Sea, New Caledonia, Samoa, Marquesas Islands, Easter Islands, Pitcairn's Islands, and others.  Unlike Trindade, Herald's Petrel is thought to undergo post-breeding dispersal to 30 degrees south, but there are a few records of vagrancy to the Hawaiian Islands and other spots north of the equator.

The taxonomy of pelagic birds is complex and still the subject of great controversy. The information above comes from Albatrosses, Petrels & Shearwaters of the World by Onley and Scofield. 

Wandering Albatross - Oregon

On 13 September a  Perpetua Bank pelagic trip came upon a large albatross, larger than Short-tailed Albatross, one of the subspecies (species?) of Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans.  If accepted, the record would become only the second for North America.

The excitement of the discovery is summarized here as Tim Shelmerdine first shouted "Short-tailed Albatross" followed by another shout by Greg Gillson explaining why it was not that species.

www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OBOL.html#1221798648

A number of photographs have been posted including one here: http://home.pacifier.com/~neawanna/temp/IMG_7001crop.JPG

Wandering Albatross is a complex polytypic species with as many as seven subspecies being recognized (five in Clements) and five of the subspecies are considered "good" species by some authors. Wandering is one of the Great Albatrosses of the southern oceans.  Alavaro Jaramillo suggests that the photographs of the Oregon bird is most likely that of an "Antipodean Albatross", D.e.antipodensis, sometimes considered one of the two "New Zealand Albatrosses", Gibson's, D.e. gibsoni, and Antipodean. The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World, Sixth Edition, the checklist used by the ABA for listing purposes, currently only recognizes one species, Wandering Albatross.

Regardless of name, Wandering Albatrosses are massive birds, with narrow, long wings, and large pale bills. Even the smallest representatives of the Albatross Group are larger than all other albatrosses, making the group relatively easy to identify. Although easy to separate from all the smaller albatrosses, very close examination of the bill is necessary to separate Wandering Albatrosses to "subspecies."

Siberian Accentor - Gambell, Alaska

Gambell Update - 15 September

Paul Lehman reports that after eight straight days of strong north winds, the 15th was calm.  The most interesting bird seen was a Siberian Accentor, Prunella montanella, now seen annually in the fall at Gambell. Siberian Accentor is a member of a small family, Prunellidae, with only Siberian Accentor being represented from North America. There are only 13 species in this Eurasian Family.  A good likeness of Siberian Accentor can be seen on page 368 of National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition.

Paul also reports that Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are trickling through.  In addition, on 14 September, 127 Ancient Murrelets, by far the largest number reported here, passed by the point, most or all being post-breeding dispersers from the Aleutian Island region. 

On Adak, in the Aleutians, comes a report from Paul and from George West saying the "town" has run out of money and there are no airline flights planned, at least for the fall.  Watch for the October issue of Winging It, where an Adak chapter of the revised ABA Birdfinding Guide to Alaska will be featured. 

Apparent Solitary Snipe - St. Paul Island, AK

On 10 September a snipe thought to be Solitary Snipe, Gallinago solitaria, an Asian species, was flushed and then photographed at Hutchinson Hill, on Saint Paul Island. The japonica subspecies winters in Japan, Korea, and eastern China.

Gavin Bieber describes the bird as "a large, dark and pot-bellied snipe." Other comments from Gavin describe the snipe as follows: "The bird is very large, and incredibly pot-bellied. My impression when I flushed it was, literally instantly, was of a woodcock or giant snipe. It flew without calling, low for (a snipe) and for short distances, with a relatively slow and direct path. The reddish tones to the back, thin back braces, evenly wide dark eyestripe (Latham's in most photos seems to have a wider stripe behind the eye and bolder facial pattern), and very dark and dusky tone overall all pointed us to Solitary Snipe. If the pics that we have found online and the books that we have here are correct, the facial pattern appears to be diagnostic."

Gavin also said "The large size, relatively rufous and gray unpatterned back, light white mantle lines, dark chest, long bill, continuous dark stripe of even width through the eye, poorly demarked facial stripes and heavy flight are all good matches for Solitary Snipe. Comments on the pics would be appreciated as the similar Latham's (Japanese) Snipe. Gallinago hardwickii, needs to be considered as well.

Two photographs of the bird can be seen here: http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery10 .  If accepted, Solitary Snipe would become a 1st North American record.

Variegated Flycatcher - Washington

After leading a birding trip for Blue Mountain Audubon Society to the west end of Walla Walla County, WA, on 6 September, MerryLynn and Mike Denny headed to Windust Park. And it was there that the birding became interesting.  A tropical flycatcher species was photographed and after much discussion, the correct identity, Variegated Flycatcher, was reached.  Excellent photographs of a very cooperative bird were taken and one series taken by Ron & Carole Louderback can be viewed at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/loud_pics.

Variegated Flycatcher, Empidonomus varius, is a tropical South American species and the nominate subspecies, varius, is a long-distant migrant. You can see the field marks used to separate Variegated from Piratic Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, and Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher on Plate 207, page 430, in Birds of South American, An Identification Guide, Volume 2, by Restall, Rodner, and Lentino.

The first North American record of this species was one photographed at Biddeford Pool, Maine, 5 to 11 November 1977, Abbott & Finch 1978, American Birds 32:161-163.

Gambell - 5 September - Pechora Pipit and (Siberian) Stonechat

Paul Lehman reports that both a PECHORA PIPIT and a (SIBERIAN) STONECHAT were located on Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.  In addition, another Dusky Warbler was found on the 4th, making a total of four different individuals of that species seen this week.  Pechora Pipit, Anthus gustavi, ABA Code 4, but annual in the fall at Gambell since 2003, was found in the circular boneyard.

The big news was the discovery of (Siberian) Stonechat, Saxicola maurus, ABA Code 4.  With the publication of 6th edition of Clements Checklist, Saxicola torquatus, previously Stonechat, is called African Stonechat, and the species from eastern Siberia, eastern Russia, the mountains of eastern Turkey to Transcaucasia and Iran is now called Siberian Stonechat. 

However, the species currently being seen at Gambell is still listed by the A.O.U. Check-list Committee and the ABA Checklist Committee as Stonechat, Saxicola torquatus.  The new Clements list places (Siberian) Stonechat with the Old World Flycatchers, the Muscicapidae, but on the ABA Checklist, the species is listed with the Thrushes or Turdidae.  Hopefully, one day soon this taxonomic confusion will be resolved.  A good likeness of the bird can be found on page 352 of National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition.

The first North American record of (Siberian) Stonechat was found, not in Alaska, but at Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick on 1 October 1983 where it was photographed (American Birds 40:16-17).

Gambell Trifecta - 3 September

Paul Lehman reports that 3 September was a very good day at Gambell by his standards.  By my standards, it was a most excellent day to be there.

Gambell and North America's 7th record of WILLOW WARBLER, Phylloscopus trochilus, ABA Code 5, was seen by all birders and was moving about by Gambell's famous boneyard.  A photograph of this bird, photographed by Alan Schmierer and can be seen at: www.flickr.com/photos/sloalan/sets.

The second bird, another Old World Warbler, DUSKY WARBLER, Phylloscopus fuscatus, ABA Code 4, was found in the afternoon in the far boneyard, and was also viewed by all present. 

To complete the trifecta, the Emberizid, LITTLE BUNTING, Emberiza pusilla, ABA Code 4, was seen briefly by a few people near the lower mountain slope.

The previously reported Brown Shrike, Lanius cristata, is still being seen and photographed. 

A not very common Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago, ABA Code 3, was flushed and seen well in flight a few times, only the third fall Gambell record and is comparable to the recorded occurrences of Wilson's Snipe there.

In addition, 19 Red-throated Pipits and several Bluethroats and Gray-cheeked Thrushes have been seen on the 3rd.

All of the above rarities can be viewed in National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The Sylviidae, or Old World Warblers, are notoriously drab, and the leaf-warblers or Phylloscopus are difficult to identify, even in the hand.  Dusky Warbler is a common summer migrant from east Asia, southern Siberia, Mongolia and northeast and central China.  Radde's Warbler, P. schwarzi, is almost identical and great care needs to be taken to separate the two species. For further information on leaf-warblers try Warblers of Europe, Asia and North Africa by Kevin Baker. 

An amazing source for serious birders is Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 11.  The introduction to the Old World Warblers, NOT counting the plates, contains 82, 9"x11" pages of text and photographs on the natural history of these birds.

Brown Shrike - Gambell, Alaska

Paul Lehman's update for 2 September

Brown Shrike -  The Asian rarity, Brown Shrike, made an appearance and all 30 birders in town eventually caught up with the bird, found by Paul Lehman.

Other birding news from Gambell.

Emperor Goose - 980 - largest one-day flight ever recorded by Paul
Spectacled Eider - 2

Kittlitz's Murrelet - 1 - only one or two seen per year
Ancient Murrelet  - 3
Crested Auklet - a one-day count of 550,000
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - 30
an apparent adult smithsonianus Herring Gull - a.k.a. American Herring Gull (one of five seen for the season)
Bluethroat - several additional seen

Alaska Mainland Species seen on Gambell

Wilson's Warbler
"Red" Fox Sparrow
"Sooty" Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow

Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus, ABA Code 4, has spring and fall records from Gambell in 1977, Shemya in 1978, Attu in 1984, Anchorage in 1983, Sitka in 1999, and fall and spring records from California, and a late fall record from Nova Scotia. Good depictions of this species can be seen in National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition, page 313.  Lanio is from the Latin, to butcher or pull apart, and cristatus means crested. There are 30 species of shrike currently recognized worldwide in the Laniidae.  Brown Shrike is an eastern Palearctic species, breeding from middle Irtysh and Tomsk, east to Japan, and China. Almost all of the populations (four subspecies recognized by Clements) are migratory and they winter in Southeast Asia, southern China, and on the Indian subcontinent.