PROTHONOTARY WARBLER !!

As starts to the season go, things dont get much better than what has happened over the last couple of weeks. Last week's, Cape May and Chestnut-sided Warbler were unbelievable topped by something even better- a first for the Western Palearctic, and top of the dream wish list; Prothonotary Warbler found by Jean-Pierre Jordan.

This is now the 25th species of american wood warbler recorded on Corvo (only Palm and Cerulean on the WP list have not recorded on the island). This is the third first for the WP american wood warbler following Yellow-throated Warbler and Prairie Warbler. A hybrid Golden-winged x Blue-winged 'Brewster's Warbler' was also a first for the WP.

 First-winter female Prothonotary Warbler (Paul French), above and below

  

Ovenbird (Paul French) 

Daily Logs:
29th September: Northern Waterthrush (Lower Lapa),
1st October: Northern Waterthrush (Upper Lapa)
2nd October: 2 Black-and-white Warbler (Cantinho)
4th October: 1 Prothonotary Warbler,  (Cantinho), 1 Bobolink (middle fields), 1 White-rumped Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin (Airfield),
5th October: 1 Prothonotary Warbler, 2 Black-and-white Warbler, 3 Red-eyed Vireo (Cantinho, Fojo and De Ponte)
6th October: 1 Ovenbird (Fojo), 3 Red-eyed Vireo (2 Fojo, 1 Poco d'Agua), 2 Black-and-white Warbler (Cantinho)

Welcome to Corvo 2019

Corvo 2019 got off to a dramatic start with top Corvo rarity finders, Peter Stronach and Bob Swann arriving on the island for a tactical late September trip.  They arrived on Monday 23rd and by the end of the week had found two firsts for the Azores, both American wood warblers; Chestnut-sided and Cape May Warbler. 24 species of American Wood Warbler have now been recorded on Corvo. The only other wood warbler species on the Western Palearctic list (not been recorded on Corvo ) are Cerulean and Palm (via Netfugl) 

Chestnut-sided Warbler. The second record for Azores and the fifth for the Western Palearctic. (Photo: Peter Stronach) 

First-winter male Cape May Warbler. The first record for the Azores and the third for the Western Palearctic.  (Photo: Peter Stronach) 

The week ahead. Hurricane Lorenzo is set to arrive on the Azores this week before heading towards UK. The weather system is arriving from the south (not necessarily the best direction for american vagrants) but as it moves north it will drag a westerly airflow across the Atlantic to the Azores. 

Daily Logs: 

23rd September

3 Red-eyed Vireo (2 Lighthouse Valley, 1 De Ponte), 1 Sand/Bank Martin, 2 Barn Swallow ssp

24th September
1 Black-and-white Warbler , 1 Red-eyed Vireo, 1 Barn Swallow ssp (Upper Lighthouse Valley), 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 1 Canada Warbler, 2-3 Red-eyed Vireo (Fojo)
25th September
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 1 Canada Warbler (Fojo), 2 Red-eyed Vireo (Lapa)
26th September
1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Blue-winged Teal, 3 Glossy Ibis, 1 Wheatear, 22 Mallard/Black Duck hybrid (Caldera), 2 Red-eyed Vireo (Do Vinte and Fojo)
27th September
1 Cape May Warbler (Upper Poco do Agua), 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler (Fojo)
28th September
1 Black-and-white Warbler, 3 Red-eyed Vireo (Pico)

For news from all the Azores islands: Aves dos Acores

Corvo 2018 – Another bonanza autumn on the Rock!

I managed to compile a summary of observations and a few descriptive stats for the past autumnal season on Corvo.

A summary table of all individual records is presented below. The table focuses on species/individuals of Nearctic origin. In addition to those records, quite an impressive tally of Palearctic species were also reported, including some incredible records such as a Red-breasted Flycatcher and multiple Yellow-browed Warblers…

This year, an estimated 100+ birders visited this tiny island from mid-September to early November. The first Nearctic waterbird species was found on 12/09 (White-rumped Sandpiper) and the last one on 03/11 (American Bittern), while for Nearctic landbirds the season was less protracted with the first species found on 04/10 (Northern Harrier) and last on 24/10 (Magnolia Warbler).

Overall, no less than 29 American landbird species were reported, with a total estimated 102 different individuals. Thus, in terms of species richness, 2018 was as good as 2017 – and together those are the best two years ever experienced on Corvo! In addition, 13 American Waterbird species were found during the autumn, with a total estimated 30 different individuals, which sets 2018 as an average year for waterbirds.

As can be seen from the two graphs below, most Nearctic landbird rarities were produced over the week 16-23 October. That week will probably remain in everyone’s memory (at least for those lucky birders present on the island!), particularly 16-17 October with 31 and 37 landbird individuals reported respectively, of which 22 and 20 were new findings for the day.

Daily totals of Nearctic individuals reported on Corvo (daily totals include both new birds for the day and birds found on a previous day and still present)

Cumulative plot of Nearctic landbird individuals discovered on Corvo, 4-29 October 2018 (n = 102 records)

Quality was also at the rendez-vous this year with a long list of extremely rare records for the Western Palearctic (WP): Blue Grosbeak (1st WP record); Eastern Wood Pewee (3rd WP record); Bay-breasted Warbler (3rd WP record); Wilson's Warbler (4th WP record; first for Azores); White-eyed Vireo (4th WP record); Lincoln's Sparrow (5th WP record); Wood Thrush (5th WP record); Yellow-throated Vireo (8th WP record), etc.

White-eyed Vireo, 4th WP record (all 4 records are from Corvo), 20 October 2018 (David Monticelli)

A more complete account is currently in prep for publication on Birdguides in the next days!

BIRDGUIDES ARTICLE HERE

An interesting few days

Whether the winds blows from the east or west this year appears to make little difference to the quality of birds with a new Sora and Magnolia Warbler arriving from the west in last three days and three Yellow-browed Warblers and a juvenile Pallid Harrier arriving from the east. 

Other migrants from the east recently include Song Thrush, 4 Chiffchaffs, a White Wagtail, Skylarks and Spotted Flycatcher.

Long staying american vagrants still present yesterday include Ovenbird, Yellow-throated and Philadelphia Vireo, Dickcissel, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Indigo Buntings.  

Amazingly on the 25th, the Blue Grosbeak was re-discovered after being absent for nearly a week. 

For full daily logs see: CORVO BIRDERS

 Sora, De Ponte (David Monticelli) 

 Pallid Harrier (Christian Leth) . A first for the Azores. 

Yellow-browed Warbler (Darryl Spittle) 

Yellow-browed Warbler

The continuing blustery northeasterly resulted in the flight being cancelled again. Conditions which were too extreme for an aeroplane to travel in did not stop a 7g bird arriving from Siberia to Corvo today, a Yellow-browed Warbler,  the furthest west this species has ever ventured. Needless to say, this was the first record for Corvo and a nice compensation for all those who were stranded on island again.

A few other birds arrived from the east including 2 Skylarks, 1 Pintail, 1 White Wagtail and 1 Chiffchaff.

Remaining American vagrants included Yellow-throated Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, Dickcissel, Chimney Swift, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Myrtle Warbler and Northern Parula.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Corvo village (Vincent Legrand)

FULL DAILY LOGS ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE: HERE

When the East wind blows

The plane was cancelled today stranding over 10 members of the group on the island. With an east to west oriented runway, planes can't land on the island in a northerly wind and there was a strong north easterly today building from the easterly airflow that has been established for the last few days. We are now awaiting the arrival of European birds but there are still new American birds being discovered; an apparent new Dickcissel today, a new Ovenbird and presumably one of the Chimney Swifts from Flores arrived here yesterday.

Many birds that arrived previously are still present today despite the difficult blustery viewing conditions including 4 Indigo Buntings, 1 Philadelphia Vireo, 1 Red-eyed Vireo, 1 Myrtle Warbler, 1 Common Yellowthroat, the De Ponte Ovenbird,  1 Northern Parula and Scarlet Tanager. Additionally yesterday the Wood Thrush, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-throated Vireo, Bay-breasted Warbler and White-eyed Vireo were still present.

Full daily logs on the Corvo Birders Facebook page HERE

 First-winter male Dickcissel, Middle Fields (Vincent Legrand)

Chimney Swift, Middle Fields (Vincent Legrand) 

Azores List Ranking

Please submit your Azores list totals for inclusion in the Azores List Ranking Table below: