Inland occurrences of dovekies in September in northeastern north America

In some years, inland "wrecks" of Dovekies (Alle alle) have occurred in northeastern North America in November to February, with birds apparently driven inland by storms from wintering areas off eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. In the late 19(th) century, small numbers also were recorded inland in September in Maine (1869), Massachusetts (1872), Connecticut (1874), and Pennsylvania (1878). No inland occurrences in September were recorded for another 90 years until individuals were sighted in Quebec (1962 and 1963) and on Lake Ontario in upstate New York (1983). September birds arrived inland earlier in the year than when most individuals depart colonies in the High Arctic and move to wintering areas in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. However, the geographic pattern of September inland occurrences was similar to major late-fall and winter inland wrecks, suggesting a common source area. Dovekies reported inland in September likely originated from among the small numbers of subadults that summered off Newfoundland or subadults or failed breeders that moved Southward from breeding areas before molting, and were not long-distance vagrants.