Thursday 9 February 2017

Compilation of Hurricanes in Newfoundland

Hurricanes are well known for bringing exciting birding opportunities along their paths, and Newfoundland, not surprisingly, has a history of great birds being carried here by hurricanes.

Here's a quick run down of the important (and lesser important) hurricanes that have brought good birds to our island, or had promising tracks with mixed results - starting with the best of them all: Hurricane Helene in 1958!

I've included a map of the track of the hurricane, which also provides details of the strength of the storm throughout its life, and a list of the birds it brought with it. Hopefully in the future this compilation will be handy in terms of predicting what birds might arrive with an approaching storm or something to drool over on a rainy day at home.

Also, check out this link for some additional details from Dave Brown:
http://birdingnewfoundland.blogspot.com/2011/09/keeping-eye-on-katia-and-revisiting.html

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-----------------------------------------Hurricane Helene - 1958-------------------------------------
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Could it have been any better? This was probably the most exciting hurricane to have hit Newfoundland in living memory (not mine).

Developed in the Cape Verde Islands region, came within 10 miles of Cape Fear (North Carolina) on Sept 27, before racing Northwards and hitting Burgeo (Newfoundland) on Sept 29th.

The Birds:
1000+ Laughing Gulls in Burgeo: remarkably, these were the first records for the island!
22+ Black Skimmers: also the first records for the island... and still the ONLY records!

One can only imagine what else would have been found in todays age where anyone can get great photos of these birds, and dedicated birders would tirelessly seek out the last waif.

Laughing Gulls in lee of houses at Burgeo, Newfoundland on September 30, after Hurricane Helene had passed.



The Story (it's painful to read this):
Photos and details taken from here:
Tuck, Leslie. Laughing Gulls and Black Skimmers brought to Newfoundland by Hurricane. Bird Banding, 1968. Volume 39, Issue 3.

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----------------------------------------Hurricane Wilma - 2005--------------------------------------
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Hurricane Wilma was the second strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic ocean. With peak sustained winds of 295 km/h! It crossed the Yucatan peninsula on the 21st of October, it crossed Florida a couple days later, and passed to the Southeast of Newfoundland around Oct 27th.

The Birds:
Gull-billed Tern (only the second record for Newfoundland)
20+ Laughing Gulls
2 Franklin's Gulls
Arctic Tern
Sandwich Tern
150+ Chimney Swifts
Tree, Bank, & Barn Swallows

See herehere, and here.

Nearby St. Pierre & Miquelon outclassed us with a Magnificent Frigatebird!

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Those two were easily the stand-out events in Newfoundlands birding history of hurricanes.
Below are several others that have brought far less vagrants, or resulted in high numbers of "local" seabirds.

The remaining are listed in reverse chronological order.

Adding this note in Feb 2024:

Hurricane Chris in July 2018. Eye of the storm went up Placentia Bay on July 12th. 50k + shearwaters in the area that day. In the days afterward there was a few Black Terns and a Roseate Tern on the Southern Avalon plus a handful of Laughing Gulls. I don't recall there being any discussion that these were hurricane related, but in 6 years out it seems like they very well could have been.

Also check Hurricane Dorion in September 2019. This one brought thousands of hurricane waifs to Nova Scotia and the eye crossed Halifax and continued across NS, then PEI and out into the Gulf of Mexico. Despite this track, several waifs showed up in SW Newfoundland including GB Terns, Sandwich Terns, several Black Terns and Newfoundlands only photo-documented record of Marbled Godwit. It was a fun week!

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----------------------------------------------------2014---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Cristobal:

No waifs came from this storm in late August, but there were good "wrap around" winds that resulted in strong Northerly winds concentrating local seabirds in CBS.
See here and here




Hurricane Gonzalo:
This storm in mid-October brought with it a bit of excitement, but it turned out to be a bust. The eye of the storm passed ~100km East of Cape Race and ended up bringing a Bridled Tern to Britain.... not fair!
See here and here for great shots of angry seas, but no rarities

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----------------------------------------------------2012---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Leslie:
This storm in early September brought nothing foreign with it. It did however push local seabirds inland, including 2 Great Skuas!

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----------------------------------------------------2011---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Katia:
A miss!


Hurricane Maria:
A few rare warblers in the days that followed this storm included a Cerulean Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, and YB Chat - I would hardly attribute these to Hurricane Maria.


Hurricane Ophelia:
Limited results from this storm. See here for a good movement of seabirds.

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----------------------------------------------------2010---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Igor:
This hurricane that hit Cape Race on Sept 21st, was the worst hurricane in Newfoundlands history in terms of property damage. Birders really only combed the Southern shore 2 days later (fair enough considering the need for safety) without finding anything .

Dave Brown put in a days effort, see his summary here.

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----------------------------------------------------2009---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Bill:

A LEAST TERN was found in Grand Bank (Burin Peninsula) - the fourth record for Newfoundland. Hard to say if its occurrence was truly related to the storm - however of the 4 documented records, 2 are from storms with this kind of track (a track remaining far offshore for the duration of its life).

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----------------------------------------------------2007---------------------------------------------------
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Tropical Storm Chantal:

This one was associated with a good movement of regular seabird species. See here.


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----------------------------------------------------2006---------------------------------------------------
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Tropical Storm Alberto
Hello?

Hurricane Florence: 
A LEAST TERN (3rd record for the province) was found at St. Shott's.
A White-tailed Tropicbird was found dead in St. John's.
A Laughing Gull was at Point La Haye on Sept 17th (the eye crossed by Cape Race on Sept 13th)
Two Common Ringed Plovers in St. Shott's may have been related to the storm
Several carolinian passerines were seen across the Avalon in the aftermath of the storm.

Hurricane Isaac: 
Nice try!


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----------------------------------------------------2005---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Wilma:
See above!

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----------------------------------------------------2002---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Gustav:
Don't think any birders checked out the SW area of the province after this one...

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----------------------------------------------------2001---------------------------------------------------
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Hurricane Erin:

Hurricane Gabrielle:


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----------------------------------------------------2000---------------------------------------------------
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Tropical Storm Leslie:

1999:
Hurricane Gert:
See here for a solid list of local seabirds!


1998
Hurricane Bonnie:
An almost legendary track!

1996 - Tropical Storm Josephine
A Clapper/King Rail was found the day after this one at Cape Race. And a Clapper Rail at Bear Cove a week later too. Association vs causation?

1995 - Hurricane Luis:


1966 - Hurricane Celia:

1964- Hurricane Gladys:


1958 - Hurricane Helene
See above!

1955 - Hurricane Lone:
Wow! Time machine anyone?



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There you have it!
A crude review of many of the notable tropical storms that have reached Newfoundland.
Here's hoping for more great storm chases in the future!