NEW ENGLAND 
Twenty Arctic Terns were still migrating at 
Tuckernuck I. 19 Jun (RV) and 132 portlandi- 
ca (i.e., second-cycle) individuals were at 
Provincetown 23 Jun (RH). A mixed pair of 
Roseate and Common Terns and another 
mixed pair, of Arctic and Common Terns, 
were observed at Stratton I. this summer (fide 
P.RS.I.N.). In addition to six Caspian Tern and 
four Royal Tern reports Regionwide, there was 
a Sandwich Tern at the Charlestown Breach- 
way 25 Jul (M. Tasagarakis et al.,Jide RF), Five 
pairs of nesting Black Skimmers failed due to 
over-wash problems at Minimoy 1. off S. 
Monomoy 1., and another late nesting attempt 
at Plymouth Beach failed for the 2nd year in a 
row when the day-old chicks were predated in 
early Aug (B.O.)- 
Six skuas believed to be South Polar Skuas 
and 7 Pomarine Jaegers were tallied at Tuck- 
ernuck I. 19 Jun (RV), along with large num- 
bers of other storm-driven seabirds, and an- 
other apparent South Polar Skua was seen at 
Andrews Pt. 21 Jun (RH, JT). Twenty-two 
Parasitic Jaegers were present at Race Pt. 26 
Jun, and the following day, 5 Long-tailed 
Jaegers were noted at the same location (BN). 
At least one ad. Long-tailed was also seen at 
Race Pt. 7 Jul (RH), and an ad. and a subad. 
were seen and photographed off the Isles of 
Shoals 4 Jul (fide TV, m.ob.). All four previous 
New Hampshire Long-tailed Jaeger records 
occurred on inland lakes. The seasonal total 
of 12 Long-tailed Jaegers far exceeds any in 
the Region in recent summers. 
Ten Common Murres and 4 Razorbills at 
Andrew’s Pt. 21 Jun (RH) were remarkable for 
the season, but far less expected was the dis- 
covery of a Common Murre nest at Matinicus 
Rock, Knox, ME 26 Jun (M. Cunha et ah). 
This nesting, the hrst in Atlantic waters s. of 
the Canadian border since 1883, was de- 
scribed as the culmination of a 17-year effort 
using decoys, mirrors, and sound recordings 
{fide P.RS.I.N.). Additionally, a total of 386 
nesting Razorbills at Matinicus Rock repre- 
sented a 13% increase over last season’s total, 
and the numbers of breeding Atlantic Puffins 
at Egg Rock and Seal Island N.W.R. were the 
highest in modern historical times {fide 
P.RS.I.N.), all suggesting that life in “Alcid 
Land” was rosy in the Region this summer. 
DOVES THROUGH THRUSHES 
A White-winged Dove at Belfast, Waldo, ME 
25 Jun {fide M.A.S.) was the season’s only re- 
port. Unusually late was a Snowy Owl at 
Boston’s Logan International Airport 12 Jun 
(N. Smith). Another Snowy captured at the 
Isles of Shoals, NH and later released at Strat- 
ford, Coos, NH 25 Jun {fide TV) was thought 
to account for one sighted at Lancaster, Coos. 
NH 10 Jul (S. Stoddard, fide TV). Of geo- 
graphical and ecological interest were 8 East- 
ern Screech-Owls at Naushon 1., Dukes, MA 
16 Jun (SP et ah), a location where the species 
was unrecorded during the first Massachusetts 
Breeding Bird Atlas conducted in the 1970s. 
The only Red-headed Woodpeckers report- 
ed were singles in Connecticut at Norwalk, 
Fairfield 24 Jun (J. Bear, fide GH) and Middle- 
bury. New Haven 17 Jul+ (GH). A total of 58 
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers tallied during a 
breeding bird census at the Little River LB. A. 
in s. Hampden, MA 7 Jun (A.B.C.) indicates 
just how numerous this species is in appropri- 
ate upland northern hardwood forest. Unex- 
pected were single appearances of Scissor- 
tailed Flycatchers at Easton, Faiifield, CT 21- 
23 Jun (P. Davenport, ^cie GH) and Richmond, 
Washington, RI 29 Jun (B. Whitehouse, fide 
JF). A pair of White-eyed Vireos at Biddeford 
Pool, York through at least mid-Jun (m.ob., 
fide LS) was intriguing, as the species has nev- 
er been confirmed as a breeder in Maine. An 
example of the impact of Jun rainy weather on 
Purple Martins was the loss of nine nests out 
of 35 at a colony in Lakeville, Plymouth, MA 
(D. Egger). A colony of 110+ Cliff Swallow 
nests in Adams, Berkshire, MA 5 Jul (ML) has 
to be one of the largest in the state. 
Carolina Wrens produced 3 young at 
Grand Isle, VT 23 Jul (DH), a 2nd brood; this 
location lies close to the n. edge of the species’ 
breeding range in New England. Two Sedge 
Wrens in Connecticut {fide GH) and one in 
Massachusetts (B.O.) gave no indication of 
nesting. In se. Massachusetts, only 15 pairs of 
Eastern Bluebirds occupied 118 nest-boxes, 
and 29 nesting attempts resulted in eight fail- 
ures, mainly a result of wet weather QM)- A 
Swainson’s Thrush at Medford, Middlesex, MA 
14 Jun (R. LaFontaine, Jide B.O.) was a late 
migrant, and a Northern Mockingbird at St. 
Agatha, Aroostook, ME from May until 20 Jun 
{fide BS) was rare so far north. 
WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES 
Very local in Maine, 2 Blue-winged Warblers 
at Falmouth, Cumberland 5 Jun-earlyJul (DL 
et al.) could not be confirmed nesting this 
season, but 3 Lawrence’s Warblers at Nashua, 
Hillsborough, NH 17 Jun (C. Sheridan, fide 
TV) clearly highlight the plight of Golden- 
winged Warblers in New England. Three 
Northern Parulas at Naushon 1. 15-16 Jun 
(PT et al.) were at one of very few remaining 
Massachusetts breeding sites for this state 
threatened species. A Yellow-throated War- 
bler at Patchaug S.E, Voluntown, New London, 
CT 27 Jun (R. Jones, fide GH) was present in 
the same area where one lingered in 2008. In 
Massachusetts, a single Kentucky Warhler 
and 3 Hooded Warblers reported in early Jun 
gave no indication of breeding (B.O.) 
Single early Jun reports of Summer Tan- 
agers in Connecticut and Massachusetts were 
significantly outclassed by an out-of-range 
and most unseasonable male Western Tanager 
at Branford, New Haven, CT 14 Jul (ph. D. 
Lorello, Jtde GH). Although concerns over de- 
clines in shrubland birds are unequivocal, a 
count of 145+ Eastern Towhees during a 
breeding bird atlas blitz at Nashon 1. 15-17 Jul 
(SP et al.) gives new meaning to the notion, 
“Build it, and they will come.” In the pastoral 
and relatively undisturbed thickets and wood- 
lands on this seven-mile-long island, towhees 
virtually swarm. Single Clay-colored Sparrows 
appeared at Newington, Rockingham, NH 5 
Jun (B. Griffith, fide TV) and Presque Isle, 
Aroostook, ME 8-17 Jun Q- Johnston, ph. BS). 
Five Clay-coloreds, including one feeding 
young at M.M.R. (PT) and 2 on territory at the 
Kennebunk Plains, York, ME in early Jun (DL, 
m.ob., fide LS), provided evidence of the con- 
tinued colonization of New England by this 
Great Plains sparrow. Other notable ember- 
izids included a Lark Bunting at Kennebunk, 
York, ME 9-10 Jun (ph. DL, LS), the very rare 
Regional appearance of a Henslow’s Sparrow 
at Montague, Franklin, MA 27 Jun-8 Jul (M. 
Fairbrother, ph. m.ob., Jidc B.O.), and 5 terri- 
torial Fox Sparrows at Debouille, Aroostook, 
ME {fide BS). Errant Painted Buntings ap- 
peared in early Jun at Portsmouth, Rocking- 
ham, NH {fide TV) and Mystic, New London, 
CT 20 Jun (M. Jones, Jidc GH). Nearly as out 
of place was a female Yellow-headed Blackbird 
at Rockport, Essex, MA 12-13 Jun {fide B.O.). 
Interestingly, recorded call notes of 40 Red 
Crossbills at Sandwich, Carroll, NH (R. Ridge- 
ly, M. Young, fide TV) were thought to contain 
at least four different call “types.” Nesting 
Pine Siskins were confirmed in a number of s. 
New England localities in the aftermath of last 
winter’s massive invasion {fide B.O.), and 
Rhode Island attained its first-ever breeding 
record {fide RE). Arguably the most unexpect- 
ed passerine of the period was a male Lesser 
Goldfinch at Clifton, Penobscot 1 Jul (ph. J. 
Zievis, fide BS), amazingly Maine’s 2nd record. 
Corrigendum: A Red-headed Woodpecker 
observed by Lauren Harter and David Vander 
Pluym on Brothers I., ME {North American 
Birds 62: 536) and listed as a breeding record 
should have been noted as a single bird pres- 
ent for about an hour. 
Subregional editors (boldface), contributors 
(italics), and cited observers: Allen Bird 
Club, Jim Beny, Bird Observer (B.O.), Brook- 
line Bird Club, Ian Davies, Rachel Farrell 
572 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
