Commentary on the
November 1999 Census

The totals for our November census were the highest we've ever seen. The warm and relatively storm-free November probably slowed the movement of birds southward, and the ideal weather conditions (i.e., clear, calm, mild) on the day of the count allowed for optimal observations.

Loons (mainly red-throated) and grebes (mainly horned) were at the highest level reported in the 16 November counts. The previous high for both species was 1998. Is there a trend or is it just the mild Novembers in 1998 and 1999?

Cormorant numbers were the highest since 1980. While the counts were high throughout the harbor, the ideal viewing conditions allowed for spotting far off birds on Shag Rocks from Hull, as well as those on Great Brewster and Logan Airport from Deer Island. We had noted a decrease in Great Cormorants over the past two decades. Since Greats tend to be further offshore than the Double-cresteds, the birds seen on the outer islands (reported as cormorant species) may indicate that the numbers of Greats are stabilizing or even increasing.

Canada Geese and Mute Swans continue to increase, whereas 1999 was an average year for Mallard and Brant. For the fourth year in a row American Black Ducks are down. There appears to be a downward trend over the past 20 years, but the particularly low numbers of late suggest something out of the ordinary may be happening.

On a positive note, Greater Scaup numbers are up for the second year in a row. Over the past 15 to 20 years many observers have noted a fairly widespread decline of wintering scaup in the northeast. While the numbers seen in 1998 and 1999 are still low compared to the anecdotal accounts of thousands in Quincy Bay in the 1970s, the increases are nevertheless heartening.

Common Eider were seen in good numbers but were not as widespread as in the past few years. Most birds were seen along the Winthrop and Hull coasts with far off flocks seen near some of the outer harbor islands. Scoters were seen in large numbers again off the Revere and Winthrop coasts. Our four highest scoter counts have come since 1995.

Common Goldeneye were at average numbers while Bufflehead and Red-breasted Mergansers were at above average numbers. About 55% of the Bufflehead were seen in the shallow waters around Hingham and Hull. Large flocks of mergansers were seen off the JFK Library in Dorchester and off Deer Island. Late in the afternoon hundreds of mergansers streamed past the Deer Island light and settled down on the ocean side of Deer Island to join the large flock there.

Great Blue Herons and Sanderlings were seen in good numbers, but Oldsquaw and Black-bellied Plovers were lower than average. Purple Sandpipers were reported in the best numbers since 1980. Several observers had noted that their numbers had been consistently low for some time. However, Dunlin numbers remain disappointing. The large numbers seen consistently in the 1980s and early 1990s have been seen in only one of the last 7 counts.

Bonapartes Gull numbers were slightly below average, but Harbor Seals were way above average. 26 of the 53 seal sightings were probably a result of the ideal conditions and the lower tide in the afternoon. They were seen from Deer Island, hauled out on spits around Great Brewster.

The number of species seen was 37, above the TASL average of 34. The total number of birds counted was 24,583, 70 birds short of last year's November high.

Maury Hall
TASL data compiler

2 Peregrine Falcons, 6 Red-tailed Hawks, a few miscellaneous diurnal raptors, and a Snowy Owl off Deer Island rounded off the day well! —SZ