Checklist S155406109

Observations

1. Greater Scaup

   Number observed:  4

2. Common Eider

   Number observed:  60

3. Surf Scoter

   Number observed:  3

4. White-winged Scoter

   Number observed:  2

5. Black Scoter

   Number observed:  40

6. Long-tailed Duck

   Number observed:  6

7. Bufflehead

   Number observed:  1

8. Red-breasted Merganser

   Number observed:  80

9. Sanderling

   Number observed:  30

10. Razorbill

    Number observed:  75

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11. Bonaparte's Gull

    Number observed:  42

12. Ring-billed Gull

    Number observed:  26

13. American Herring Gull

    Number observed:  50

14. Great Black-backed Gull

    Number observed:  8

15. Horned Grebe

    Number observed:  5

16. Red-necked Grebe

    Number observed:  1

17. Red-throated Loon

    Number observed:  4

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18. Pacific Loon

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    Size of body and bill intermediate between Red-throated Loon and Common Loon. Clean white throat without indentation typical of Common Loon. Thin dark chinstrap. Seen floating in bay east of the rock jetty.

19. Common Loon

    Number observed:  3

20. Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater

    Number observed:  1

    Details

    Medium-sized dark brown Shearwater with thin dark bill (which rules out petrels and fulmar), initially presumed to be Sooty Shearwater. a normal fall migrant though October. White patches present in underwing restricted to the outer half of the wing, seemed less than usual for Sooty. After reviewing my low quality photos of the bird in flight I believe this could be Short-tailed Shearwater based on small, thin bill, steep forehead, low contrast and smaller size of white patch in underwing, and thin, crooked shape of wings. First observed flying westbound close to shore at about 12:03 PM. Observed also by Mary Jo (last name?). Later a medium-sized dark Shearwater crossed the parking lot further from shore heading east, and then circled back at least once. Presumably the same bird (seen also by Alf Wilson). The bird may.be hanging around. Whether Short-tailed or Sooty, this Shearwater is a vagrant and not expected in Massachusetts waters in late November. EBird has eastern North America records for Short-tailed Shearwater from July 2000 in Gulf of Mexico near Tampa and November 2023 in Lake Ontario. I’ve heard rumors of a Short-tailed Shearwater in Maine in recent history. Melting ice on the Arctic Ocean could lead to more exchange of birds between the northern oceans. I've had experience with both species but do not consider myself an expert. Hopefully experts can determine the species from my low-quality photos which have been cropped but otherwise not modified

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21. Northern Gannet

    Number observed:  25

22. Great Blue Heron

    Number observed:  1

23. Belted Kingfisher

    Number observed:  1

24. Song Sparrow

    Number observed:  1