[NatureNS] Trip to Cape Breton

Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:33:47 -0400
From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hello,

Wendy and I spent a few days in Cape Breton and although the birding was 
rather slow, some things are worth reporting.

Enroute we took a side trip to Big Island and noted just how common 
Bonaparte's Gulls are on the Northumberland Shore - we saw hundreds on both 
sides of the island.  Few shorebirds were seen; mostly Greater Yellowlegs. 
At least 4 Great Blue Herons were present on Wednesday, but sadly no Great 
Egret.  There seemed to be Canada Geese present in every fresh water 
location along highway 245 and both Common and Hooded Merganser were seen 
from the highway.

When we reached the Canso Causeway (last Wednesday around 3 PM), we were 
dumbstruck!!  Never had I previously seen the spectacle before us.  Despite 
the rain and high wind, THOUSANDS of Northern Gannets could be seen diving, 
presumably feeding on the Billfish which others have mentioned.  I made a 
rough estimate of perhaps 2500 +/- 500 birds spread out across the causeway 
but only on the north side.  I did take a couple of pics but it was 
impossible to capture the spectacle.  A couple of Bald Eagles were trying to 
take any unsuspecting bird but they had no luck while we watched.  One other 
noteworthy sighting here was a couple of Storm-petrels also in the channel 
but too far away to determine species.

In Baddeck, I birded mainly around the grounds of the Inverary Lodge where 
the only noteworthy species were a Northern Mockingbird and Baltimore Oriole 
in the same tangle of Multiflora Rose and Buckthorn at the northern end of 
the resort.  Lots of Robins were still around and the resident flock of 
starlings were gorging themselves on the Buckthorn berries.  One GB Heron 
was seen beside the pond at the north end of town.

One the way home, we drove route 19 from Mabou to Port Hastings, making 
several stops to explore the railbed trail which parallels the highway.  On 
the beach at Port Hood 3 Horned Larks were seen but no shorebirds at all. 
At Christy's Look Off in Craigmore (or was it Craignish?), two large flocks 
of robins totalling perhaps 300 birds flew over our heads.  Although it was 
later in the day and getting dark when we reached the Causeway, the 
situation was much more subdued than it had been 4 days previously.  There 
were several hundred Gannets still present, mostly on the water while most 
of the birds flying around (probably 500-600 in total) were gulls - mostly 
Herring with a few Great Black-backed and Bonaparte's in the mix.  At least 
6 Bald Eagles (4 adults, 2 immatures) were patrolling on high.

Cheers,

Bob McDonald,
Halifax 

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