NEW ENGLAND 
This juvenile White Ibis made itself at home among the Bullhead Lilies of Fourteen 
Acre Pond, Norwalk, Fairfield County, Connecticut from 19 (here 21) August through 
13 September 2008. Photograph by Bruce Finnan. 
long run of the wintering bird there at 13 
years. There was a good nor’easter flight of 
Northern Fulmars at A.P. 28 Oct, with 390 
passing (RH). Unprecedented numbers of 
Cory’s Shearwaters in the Gulf of Maine in- 
cluded counts of 17 on the New Hampshire 
part of Jeffrey’s Ledge 9 Aug (tD. Donsker, DA, 
M. Resell) and 35 at the n. end of Jeffrey’s 
Ledge in Maine waters 11 Sep (DA); the maxi- 
mum of 475 on Stellwagen Bank came 11 Aug 
(m.ob.), and the last were 2 seen from Race Pt. 
28 Nov (Gd'E et al). There was also a late 
Sooty Shearwater at Race Pt. the same day 
(Gd’E et al.). Eour Audubon’s Shearwaters 
were seen at Veatch Canyon 23 Aug (RH et 
al.). Single American White Pelicans were seen 
at Barrington, Bristol, RI and Swansea, Bristol, 
MA 18 Sep (B. Lombard); at Ninigret Pond, 
Charlestown, Washington, RI 4 Oct (fide CR); 
and at Stamford, Fairfield, CT 11 Oct (P. 
Dugan). The best count of American Bittern 
was of 5 at Fort Hill, Eastham, MA 26 Nov Q. 
Trimble et al.) — a “roadside rest effect” benefit 
of the Mountain Bluebird found there. Least 
Bittern continues very scarce, with 6 reported 
13 Aug-16 Sep in Rhode Island and Massa- 
chusetts. A Great Egret was very late in 'Ver- 
mont’s Champlain Valley at Ferrisburgh, Addi- 
son 29-30 Nov (M. Kim, G. Askew). Only one 
Tricolored Heron was reported, on the rather 
late date of 12 Oct at Plum 1. (T. Wetmore). A 
long-staying young White Ibis was at Fourteen 
Acre Pond, Norwalk, Fairfield, CT 19 Aug-13 
Sep (L. Flynn et al, ph. B. Finnan). Glossy Ibis 
straying far inland to w. Vermont were 2 at 
Danby Pond, Danby, Rutland 23 Aug (N. 
Brown) and another at Shoreham, Addison 14- 
16 Sep (N. Brown, CP). 
RAPTORS THROUGH CRANES 
Black Vultures are established, although local, 
now in s. New England, and they were re- 
ported from all three n. New 
England states this autumn: 
one along 1-295 between 
Freeport and Brunswick, 
Cumberland, ME 6 Oct Q- 
Briggs); one in Brattleboro, 
Windham, VT 14 Oct (fide 
VC.E.); 2 in n. Vermont at 
Bristol, Addison 24-28 Oct 
(B. Pfeiffer et al., tTGM); 
one in Nashua, Flills- 
borough, NH 25 Oct (C. 
Sheridan); and one over 
Greens 1. near Vinalhaven, 
Knox, ME 19 Nov (fide 
M.A.B.A.). Mississippi Kite 
reports were all related to 
the unprecedented nestings 
in New England this sum- 
mer. There were two nests in Newmarket, 
Rockingham, NH, the hrst found during sum- 
mer and the other found about 2.6 km away, 
with one young about to fledge, 3 Sep (ph. D. 
Stahre); the high count for the season was 6, 
including fledged juvs., on 7 Sep (S&JM), and 
the last report was 9 Sep (MS). In Connecti- 
cut, the nesting pair in Simsbury, Flartford was 
seen with their single fledgling until 17 Sep (J. 
Weeks et al). Broad-winged Hawks peaked in 
mid-Sep; as usual, the Champlain Valley main 
flight was distinct from the 
flight in e. New England, 
with 1247 at Mt. Philo, 
Charlotte 10 Sep (M. Cos- 
grove, TGM et al). To the 
east, the peak was 16-18 
Sep, with the largest num- 
bers seen on the last date, 
including 5132 at Mt. 
Watatic, Worcester, MA (T. 
Pirro) and 13,025 at Quak- 
er Ridge, Greenwich, Fair- 
field, CT (B. Bielfelt et al). 
The lone Swainson’s Hawk 
of the season was a dark 
morph at Quaker Ridge 19 
Sep (R. MacLean). Golden 
Eagle numbers were very 
good, with 47 total from 17 
Aug+, including a maxi- 
mum of 6 over Quaker 
Ridge 30 Oct (B. Bielfelt et 
al). A dark Gyrfalcon was reported from 
Plum I. 27 Nov (ID. Chickering). 
King Rails were reported from their Re- 
gional breeding outpost on Plum 1. until 19 
Aug (m.ob.). Common Moorhens still nest 
widely in the Champlain Valley, and the sea- 
sonal high count came from there with a fam- 
ily group of 6 at D.C.W.M.A. 11 Sep at 
least 6 were reported from four of the hve oth- 
er states, including a late one at W. Barnstable, 
Barnstable, MA 29 Nov (K. Miller). As Sand- 
hill Cranes shift from rare visitors in the Re- 
gion to scarce breeders, autumn reports con- 
tinue to increase. Vermont's nesting pair and 
2 fledged colts were seen until 30 Oct on their 
Bristol territory (m.ob.); two pairs nested 
near Messalonskee L., Kennebec, ME, and sev- 
eral others were observed in Maine, including 
4 in Aroostook well n. of the known local nest- 
ing population (BS). Only one was found in 
Massachusetts, on Nantucket 1. 3 Sep (ER et 
al), and at least 8 were seen in Connecticut, 
including 4 migrants at Wilton, Fairfield 8 
Oct (L. Tiller). 
SHOREBIRDS 
Shorebird migration this season was largely 
unremarkable, as it lacked many rarities or 
unusual numbers and had no inland bonan- 
zas via drought, fallout, or drainage of any in- 
land lakes or impoundments. By far the best 
shorebird of the season and one of the sea- 
son’s top birds was the Region’s first European 
Golden-Plover, an ad. that kept company 
with 2 juv. American Golden-Plovers at Scar- 
borough Marsh, Cumberland, ME 9-11 Oct. It 
was well photographed both in comparison to 
the American Golden-Plovers and in flight, 
showing the diagnostic white underwing 
(p.a., R. Lambert, ph. L. Brinker, ph. DL, PV 
et al). Two Black-necked Stilts were found in 
Eastham, MA 30 Sep (M. & D. Rupp). Amer- 
ican Avocets were all singles: in Rhode Island 
at Charlestown Breachway 19-21 Aug (DF et 
al.) and at Sachuest Pt., Middletown, Newport 
21 Sep (m.ob.), and in Maine at Popham 
Beach, Phippsburg, Sagadahoc 8-12 Sep 
(m.ob.). A late Spotted Sandpiper was report- 
A species long anticipated in New England, given the large spring flights of the 
species to Newfoundland, this European Golden-Plover kept company with two 
American Golden-Plovers at Scarborough Marsh, Cumberland County, Maine 9 
through 11 (here) October 2008. Photograph by Derek Lovitch. 
44 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
