| Common Name | Razorbill |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Alca torda |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 10/23/2021 |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | Taj Schottland |
| Mailing Address | 410 Farrell St. Apt 304 South Burlington, VT 05403 United States Map It |
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| Date Completed | 09/22/2025 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 44°16'07.0"N |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 73°18'07.0"W |
| Place Name | Thompson's Point |
| Township | Charlotte |
| County | Chittenden |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 09:30 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | 30 seconds |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 800 |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 450 |
| Noteworthy Weather Conditions | partly cloudy; sun at our backs as we looked west; light NW winds <5mph |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Nikon 82mm ED Field Scope. Zoom at 25x |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I’ve seen large numbers of Razorbills off the coast of New England, particularly on Cape Ann and Cape Cod. Based on my ebird records, I’ve seen them on 12 occasions totaling 760 individuals - most in flight. I’ve only seen a couple thick-billed murres and never in flight. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Bluff overlooking lake Champlain at the narrowest point in Chittenden county. |
| Behaviors Observed | Seen in flight approaching us from the north and then passing by and disappearing to the south. |
| Description of Vocalizations | n/a |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | Large, compact alcid seen flying south. Observed at relatively close range. Viewed for about 30 seconds as it flew past. White belly, black collar, thick bill. Did not see any white on the bill, but first-year birds don’t show the white on the bill. Description: large football-shaped black and white alcid in basic plumage. The back and top of the wings were black, underside white. Short, stout bill, no visible white on it. Clean white throat with well defined black collar extending down from the top of the neck towards the throat. It was clearly an alcid, and both Liz and I separately arrived at Razorbill as the initial tentative identification, likely a 1st year bird since we weren't able to make out white on the bill. |
| Relative Size & Shape | large, football-shaped black and white alcid |
| Head | Clean white throat with well defined black collar extending down from the top of the neck towards the throat. |
| Feet & Bill | Short, stout bill with no visible white on it. Feet not seen. |
| Upper Back | black back |
| Lower Back & Rump | black |
| Wings | black on the upperside, white on the underside. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | white underside. |
| Tail | no notes |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | Similar species considered: Common Murre: Ruled out based on bill shape and size. Bill was shorter and fatter than a Common Murre. Thick-billed Murre: the most challenging one to definitively rule out. After the observation, we reviewed Sibley which wasn’t particularly illuminating in how to distinguish the two species. When I got home, I reviewed Peterson’s Reference Guide to Seawatching. That guide notes that basic adult TBMU have a “small white throat that is often obscured by dark mottling and can appear completely dark on a bird flying.” Photo from Jeremiah Trimble (pg 271) shows this feature well. Dark smudging often (but not always) extends from the collar towards the throat. The bird today had a very clean white throat and clear demarcation between the black collar and the white throat and belly (most similar to the first cycle photo on page 267). In reviewing eBird and Macaulay Library, I could only find one example of an adult TBMU showing a clean white throat similar to our bird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S21383936 and a handful of young birds that showed this trait. The vast majority showed more smudgy throats similar to this bird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S96463926. Razorbills on the other hand exclusively have this black and white pattern on the neck. See sample images here: https://search.macaulaylibrary.org/catalog?taxonCode=razorb&age=i,j. This razorbill was observed during a spate of confirmed razorbill sightings on the Saint Lawerence River and Lake Champlain. No thick-billed murres were reported during this alcid invasion. |
| Other Notes & Comments | The week prior to this observation, there had been multiple Razorbills documented in Montreal including on the 13th, 14th, 21st and 22nd. This was the first record in VT, and at the time this would have been a first state record. However after this initial observation, a rash of Razorbills were reported and confirmed, including multiple from this same location on November 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 20th. At the time of observation, I concluded my written notes saying "I believe the overwhelming likelihood is that the bird we observed was a Razorbill… however I’m not 100% certain. Since this would be a 1st state record, I'm leaving it as a Large Alcid Sp." After talking with other birders, reading through the follow-up reports, and reconsidering my field notes, I believe this sighting rises to the level of documentation needed to submit it to the VT bird records committee. My ebird observation currently lists it as a "large alcid sp" but I will update it to Razorbill if the committee approves this observation. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Immediately After |
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