ATLANTIC PROVINCES & ST. PIERRE ET MIQUELON 
f " A There were two weather-related events— beginning 4 Apr and 8 Apr— that deserve special mention here, though 
#'l they are treated in greater detail in an article in this issue. These will be labeled Fallout #1 and Fallout #2 (Tables 2, 
3). A later arrival of Neotropical migrants in the 3rd week of Apr was not so spectacular, in that many of these species are ar- 
riving at the n. edge of breeding range during this period, but the species composition and numbers were significant for the 
Region (Table 4), as they were for New England, which had many similar records during these events. 
On nights preceding both early Apr fallouts, there were deep and extensive low-pressure systems in e. U. America, both 
producing westerlies in the Caribbean Region and strong southwesterly airflow off the East Coast. Any bird setting out in ear- 
ly evening from the se, U.S.A. or farther south could have been propelled far over the ocean, with no favorable tailwind back 
to the Atlantic Coast s. of the Northeast and Atlantic Canada. Sot there were distinct differences in the meteorological pat- 
terns underlying the two fallouts. On 2 Apr, birds attempting to cross the Gulf of Mexico toward the se. U.S.A. would have been 
aided by tailwinds. On 6 Apr, headwinds might have discouraged departure by birds in Mexico or the w. Caribbean, whereas 
those setting out from South America or the e. Caribbean could later have been forced to make art even wider excursion and 
a longer flight over the ocean beyond their intended points of landfall 
Falteut #1. During mid-to-late afternoon of 4 Apr, several unexpected Neotropical migrants — a Yellow-throated War- 
bler, a Worm-eating Warbler, and 2 Indigo Buntings— were discovered in Nova Scotia and reported by the few observers ac- 
tive on a day with fog, bouts of rain, and strong southerly and southeasterly winds. The reports encouraged more searching 
the next day, with 5 more indigo Buntings, a Hooded Warbler, a Summer Tanager, an Eastern Kingbird, and 2 Purple Martins 
discovered. During the next two days, there were four new discoveries, including a recently dead Kentucky Warbler. Equal 
numbers ofthese early migrants were discovered in both Nova Scotia (18 individuals, nine species) and elsewhere in the Re- 
gion and from Maine to New York (predominantly Indigo Bunting). 
Fallout #2. Beginning 8 Apr and through the next day, a new wave of early migrants and vagrants was detected both in 
Nova Scotia (14 birds, including 8 Summer Tarsagers) and elsewhere in the Region (a Summer Tanager and Blue Grosbeak 
reached Newfoundland, both the earliest ofthese rare vagrants ever recorded there). 
The birds involved in these fallouts had dearly been displaced from areas well s. of Nova Scotia. Almost all are trans-Gulf 
and/or Caribbean migrants (a Swaiiow-tailed Kite and a Loggerhead Shrike, both found 10 Apr in Nova Scotia, might not have 
been part of Fallout #2). 
Although more unusually early migrants and vagrants were found in the Region after mid-Apr (especially beginning 22- 
23 Apr) in Nova Scotia, others had lingered from early Apr (notably Indigo Buntings, tanagers, and grosbeaks at feeders), 
making later arrival patterns less dear. The very early date for the Eastern Kingbird, 5 Apr on C.S.I. (MN), indicated that it was 
a participant in Fallout #1. Likewise, of the four reports of Purple Martin totaling 6 birds across Nova Scotia in Apr, 4 were dis- 
covered very early, 5-6 Apr, thus likely part of Fallout #1. Sadly, there was no sign this spring that Purple Martins were at- 
tempting to re-estabiish colonies in the province. 
with only two credible reports this spring: on 
St. Pierre 26-27 May (ph. JD), the 5th local 
record, and a window-stunned bird at the 
Kouchibouguac N.P. headquarters, NB 27 
May (Denis Doucet). There were two winter- 
ing Varied Thrushes that remained into 
spring: the female in Kings, NS was last seen 
14 Mar, while the male at North Cardigan, 
PEI (just the 2nd provincial record) was last 
reported 31 May. There were 6 Brown Thrash- 
ers reported in New Brunswick from late Apr 
through late May, while Nova Scotia had 5 
birds in May, as well as an unusually early ar- 
rival 5 Apr, at Hartlen Pt. (MK). A far-flung 
Northern Mockingbird reached St. Pierre 23 
May (PA). 
WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES 
An Orange-crowned Warbler wintered in Hal- 
ifax, NS; more remarkably, one at East Pt., PEI 
27 May (DSe, DO) was but the 11th provin- 
cial record. Five Orange-crowneds were noted 
in New Brunswick in May. A Pine Warbler 
survived the winter at Pt. Pleasant Park, Hal- 
ifax, NS. A rare spring Prairie Warbler 
(singing!) was at Riverside-Albert, NB 9 May 
(Gilles Belliveau et al). On the heels of Prince 
Edward I.’s 3rd and 4th Summer Tanager 
records (Table 4), another bird, a male, ap- 
peared 23-23 May in Charlottetown, PEI 
(Cindy MacMaster), in the same locale where 
the province’s first Summer Tanager appeared 
in 1993. After the Apr influx, there was but 
one Summer Tanager in Nova Scotia in May. 
There were 6 Eastern Towhees in May (an 
average total), one in Nova Scotia, the rest in 
New Brunswick. A Clay-colored Sparrow 
wintered at a Canso, NS feeder (TK). Field 
Sparrow reports from late Apr through May 
numbered eight, split equally between Nova 
Scotia and New Brunswick. Two different 
Lark Sparrows discovered in Nova Scotia in 
Mar had likely wintered nearby. A Grasshop- 
per Sparrow on Machias Seal I., NB 25 May 
(RE) was a rare spring find. Lome Slaney, in a 
determined effort to count Snow Buntings in 
the Labrador City, NL area 22 Apr, following 
heavy snows, tallied 781 birds. A male Indigo 
Bunting at Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NF 17- 
18 May was very far afield and may represent 
a first local record (Carol Ann Wilcox). 
A large grackle reported by multiple birders 
(“four different parties”) on C.S.I. 21-23 May 
was noted first at a local feeder, then in a near- 
by salt marsh. Details were posted on a local 
listserv by Clarence Stevens, Jr. Later, at a 
feeder in nearby Barrington Passage 25 May, 
another large grackle was reported (presum- 
ably the same bird), and a poor photograph 
was secured. Some are satisfied that the bird in 
question was a Boat-tailed Grackle, which 
would be a provincial (and Regional) first. 
The bird was described as having dark eyes, 
whereas the expected Boat-tailed Grackle sub- 
species torreyi has yellow eyes. The record 
awaits review by the Nova Scotia Birds 
Records Committee. In what was an average 
spring, 10+ Orchard Orioles were noted across 
Nova Scotia in May, with 8 in New Branswick. 
Baltimore Orioles are scarce on Prince Edward 
I., so it was gratifying that a pair returned to 
Cornwall for the 4th straight year (Sharon 
Clark). A male Yellow-headed Blackbird took 
up residence at the Bell Street Marsh, Monc- 
ton, NB 10-31 May (Janet Cormier et al.). Fol- 
lowing this winter’s modest redpoll incursion, 
there were still sightings through mid-May, 
among which were 4 Hoary Redpolls in New 
Brunswick and 2 in Nova Scotia. The decline 
in House Sparrow numbers across the Region 
is real, though there has been no systematic 
census. But on well-watched Brier L, NS, for 
example, there are but two pairs left (EM), 
and others report other local declines. 
Contributors (subregional editors in bold- 
face, for Nova Scotia unless otherwise noted): 
Fredmc & Patricia Allen-Mahe (FPA), John 
Belbin, Lucas Berrigan, Patrick Boez, David 
Christie, Merv Cormier, Brian Dalzell (New 
Brunswick and Labrador), Robert Doiron, 
Elizabeth Doull, Ralph Eldridge, Roger 
Etcheberry (St. Pierre et Miquelon), Sylvia 
Fullerton, Patrick Hacala, Ulli Hoger, Durian 
Ingersoll, Laurent Jackman, John Joy Tom 
Kavanaugh, Mike King, Ken Knowles, Zoe 
Lucas, Bruce Mactavish (BMt, Newfound- 
land), Dan McAskill, Ken McKenna, Ian 
McLaren, Eric Mills, Susann Myers, Murray 
Newell, John Nickerson, Dwaine Oakley, Gor- 
don Parsons, Dorothy Poole, David Seeler 
(DSe; for PEI), Dave Shepherd (DSh), Hans 
Toom, Jim Wilson. 1$ 
Blake Maybank, 144 Bayview Drive 
White's Lake, Nova Scotia B3T 1Z1 
(maybank@ns.sympatico.ca) 
388 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
