Date: Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:28:25 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Marshall Iliff Subject: Species to consider in Hurricane Isabel MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Birders, These are some birds to watch for during the hurricane. TROPICAL TERNS -- Sooty Tern is the quintessential storm-blown vagrant. They can turn up anywhere in the storm's path, but typically move out immediately, often in flocks flying low to the water along the shore or rivers, or overhead. Sam Dyke saw more than 80 over Salisbury in Sep 1960. Both adults and juveniles, which are all sooty-blackish, are expected. Bridled Tern is vastly rarer in these storms, and unlikely to be blown far inland. Since Sooty is so expected, good documentation will be needed to prove a Bridled Tern. Focus on the presence or absence of a white collar, and also (if poossible) pay attention to the back color, head pattern, and underwing pattern. Brown Noddy has occured 5-6 times as a hurricane bird on the East Coast north of North Carolina. However, equally many records have involved juvenile Sooty Terns identified as noddies. To identify a Noddy in this storm, one would have to observe field marks that eliminate juvenile Sooty Tern, specifically including the wedge-shaped tail, white cap to some extent, brown rather than blackish plumage, lack of white spotting in plumage, and LACK OF WHITE UNDERWING COVERTS. PTERODROMA and SHEARWATERS -- Black-capped Petrel is by far the most likely tubenose to be found. It has occurred inalnd in almost every significant Hurricane to go inland along the East Coast. Shearwaters by comparison are much less likely, but are displaced as well. There are 5 records for Herald Petrels in eastern hurricanes, and at least 2 for Fea's. Bermuda Petrel could occur as well. Study up on the field marks for these birds and if you are at all unsure of the ID, leave your birds simply as Pterodroma sp. or tubenose sp. Among shearwaters, Fran displaced Cory's and Audubon's to Kerr Reservoir and Cory's to Pennsylvania, while lesser storms since have displaced Greater (to Pennsylvania) and Manx (to coastal Delaware and Maryland). Any of these species could occur inland, but Cory's seems most likely. One should not assume that small black-and-white shearwaters are Audubon's. STORM-PETRELS -- Leach's is the most likely species to be displaced inalnd, and has occurred far inland in hurricanes, and in huge numbers in some storms. Wilson's may be the least likely to be displaced, probably because their much smaller size and smaller wing area allows them to avoid long-distance displacement. Band-rumped Storm-Petrel has been displaced far inalnd (to Pennsylvania, Tennessee) in such storms, but is rare of North Carolina by mid-September. I'd be surprised by Band-rumped reports, but nonetheless, it is possible and must be carefully separated from both Leach's and Wilson's. Exact details of rump pattern and upperwing pattern will be essential for those not familiar with the flight styles of these species. Be aware that White-faced Storm-Petrel has occurred in several storms and may even be more likely than Wilson's Storm-Petrel! [Any claim of Wilson's Storm-Petrel would need very good documentation...] JAEGERS -- Any jaeger is possible, and the identification will of course need to be proven by plumage details as well as size and shape. Skuas have not (yet) occurred well inland during hurricanes (there may be a NC report though...) TROPICBIRDS -- This past year was excellent for Red-billed Tropicbird off NC, but poor for White-tailed. Both have occurred in September/October hurricanes, and could occur anywhere in Maryland (for a first state record). The exact pattern of the black in the wing wouldneed to be described to establish the identification, since young Red-billeds can have yellow bills and young White-taileds can have barred backs. Note though that ALL White-taields have white primary coverts, and all Red-billeds have black primary coverts. FRIGATEBIRDS -- Frigatebirds could be found on the day of the storm, or, especially, the day before it. Note that the MD/DC Records Committee typically does not accept frigatebirds as Magnificent unless the identification is well-established. For white-headed birds, note details of underwing pattern, throat pattern, and head pattern to eliminate the very similar Great and Lesser Frigatebirds (male Great can be told from male Magnificent only by upperwing pattern and other subtle details). GULLS -- Sabine's Gull is very likely to be found, and these may be grounded overland migrants as well as displaced pelagic migrants. OTHERS -- Both phalaropes are likely. Numerous other shorebirds are likely to be found, probably as overland migrants are grounded by the rain from the storm, and in inalnd areas this may provide exciting birding. Laughing Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and any species of tern on the Maryland list could very well occur anywhere (Least Tern is least likely on this date). Sandwich and Royal terns should be watched for in particular, as well as Black Skimmer. Brown Pelican could stray inland. Yellow-nosed Albatross occurred well inland on the Hudson River once! Be ready for other surprises too -- flamingos and swifts have occurred far from range in the context of hurricanes. DOCUMENTATION -- A final word...please document your sightings of rarities. A very successful day at Rocky Gap could produce double-digit numbers of writeups, but it is only through these efforts that we can continue to understand the status of different birds in these storms (e.g., how common is Bridled Tern? Is Leach's really more common than Wilson's Storm-Petrel? What storms produce more Black-capped Petrels?). A review of the MD/DC Records Committee review list would encourage documentation for the following: FIRST STATE RECORDS -- Herald, Fea's or Bermuda Petrels, either Tropicbird DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR ANY SIGHTING -- Black-capped Petrel, Band-rumped and White-faced Storm-Petrels, any frigatebird, Long-tailed Jaeger, Sabine's Gull, Sooty Tern DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED ON CHESAPEAKE BAY or INLAND -- Any shearwater or storm-petrel (except Wilson's), South Polar Skua, Roseate Tern, Bridled Tern DOCUMENTATION REQUIRES in the PIEDMONT and WESTERN MD -- Brown Pelican, Pomarine and Parasitic jaegers, Gull-billed, Royal, Least, and Sandwich Terns, Black Skimmer DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED in WESTERN MARYLAND ONLY -- Laughing Gull, Whimbrel, Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits, Red Phalarope, Great Black-backed Gull Good birding, Marshall Iliff *********************** Marshall Iliff miliff@aol.com Costa Mesa, CA ************************ ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================