[NatureNS] Sightings between Halifax and Canso Town - 21 Feb.

Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:33:08 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
From: Blake Maybank <maybank@ns.sympatico.ca>
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21 February 2007

Don MacNeill and I had an enjoyable day=92s outing=20
between Halifax and the Town of Canso.

Our first stop was along Marshland Drive behind=20
the Zeller=92s in Truro, and we were fortunate to=20
see the three Gray Partridge feeding in the=20
fields, at around 0700.  Our second stop was in=20
Plymouth at Ken=92s feeder, where the Pine Warbler=20
showed, but we missed the Lark Sparrow.

Just over the Guysborough County line, in=20
Lincolnville, two Pine Grosbeaks flew across the=20
road, and when we stopped to see if they had=20
landed within view, Gray Jays called from the nearby woods.

It was a very calm day, and birds were readily=20
visible on the waters of both Guysborough Harbour=20
and Chedabucto Bay.  Wherever we stopped with a=20
water view there were plenty of birds on offer,=20
both on the eastern leg between 0930 and 1030,=20
and the western leg between 1400 and 1530.   The waterbirds we saw included:

Common Goldeneye - 500+
Red-breasted Merganser - 800+
Surf Scoter - 150+
White-winged Scoter - 50+
Black Duck - 75+
Canada Goose - 250+

In the Town of Canso we had Yellow-rumped=20
Warblers and the Eastern Towhee at the start of=20
the Gully Trail, a Dickcissel with House=20
Sparrows, the Brown Thrasher at the feeder on=20
route 16, and the Lincoln=92s Sparrow at the feeder=20
by the Manor.  We missed the Clay-colored and=20
Swamp Sparrows, and didn=92t try for the Field=20
Sparrow, which is inland from Cook=92s Cove.

The four expected gull species were in the Town=20
of Canso (Herring, Great Black-backed, Iceland,=20
and Glaucous), but the real gull show was closer=20
to Guysborough Harbour.   We had an immature=20
Bonaparte=92s Gull at Half Island Cove, a second=20
winter Lesser Black-backed Gull at Dort=92s Cove,=20
and both a Ring-billed and a Common Gull among a=20
large gull roost in Guysborough Harbour.  Eight=20
species of gull in one day is always a treat.

Our final rewarding stop was at the Guysborough=20
Waste Management Facility.  We arrived at=20
1600.  Without pre-arranging a guided tour of the=20
main dumping ground, you can only drive 500=20
meters past the gate, though the field=20
immediately past the entrance gate is often=20
filled with gulls.  This late in the day most=20
gulls had left, but perhaps that was also due to=20
the Bald Eagles =96 in a quick scan I counted 80=20
eagles, and I=92m sure I missed many immatures, as=20
they were harder to pick out against the trees.

In all, a great day, and Don and I each added a=20
number of species to our winter lists.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-
Blake Maybank
Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"

author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"
http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm

144 Bayview Drive
White's Lake, Nova Scotia,
B3T 1Z1, Canada

maybank@ns.sympatico.ca
(902) 852-2077 =20
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<body>
21 February 2007<br><br>
<font face=3D"Times New Roman, Times">Don MacNeill and I had an enjoyable
day=92s outing between Halifax and the Town of Canso.<br><br>
Our first stop was along Marshland Drive behind the Zeller=92s in Truro,
and we were fortunate to see the three <b>Gray Partridge</b> feeding in
the fields, at around 0700.&nbsp; Our second stop was in Plymouth at
Ken=92s feeder, where the <b>Pine Warbler</b> showed, but we missed the
Lark Sparrow.<br><br>
Just over the Guysborough County line, in Lincolnville, two Pine
Grosbeaks flew across the road, and when we stopped to see if they had
landed within view, <b>Gray Jays</b> called from the nearby
woods.<br><br>
It was a very calm day, and birds were readily visible on the waters of
both Guysborough Harbour and Chedabucto Bay.&nbsp; Wherever we stopped
with a water view there were plenty of birds on offer, both on the
eastern leg between 0930 and 1030, and the western leg between 1400 and
1530.&nbsp;&nbsp; The waterbirds we saw included:<br><br>
Common Goldeneye - 500+<br>
Red-breasted Merganser - 800+<br>
Surf Scoter - 150+<br>
White-winged Scoter - 50+<br>
Black Duck - 75+<br>
Canada Goose - 250+<br><br>
In the Town of Canso we had Yellow-rumped Warblers and the <b>Eastern
Towhee</b> at the start of the Gully Trail, a Dickcissel with House
Sparrows, the <b>Brown Thrasher </b>at the feeder on route 16, and the
<b>Lincoln=92s Sparrow</b> at the feeder by the Manor.&nbsp; We missed the
Clay-colored and Swamp Sparrows, and didn=92t try for the Field Sparrow,
which is inland from Cook=92s Cove.<br><br>
The four expected gull species were in the Town of Canso (Herring, Great
Black-backed, Iceland, and Glaucous), but the real gull show was closer
to Guysborough Harbour.&nbsp;&nbsp; We had an immature <b>Bonaparte=92s
Gull </b>at Half Island Cove, a second winter <b>Lesser Black-backed Gull
</b>at Dort=92s Cove, and both a Ring-billed and a <b>Common Gull</b> among
a large gull roost in Guysborough Harbour.&nbsp; Eight species of gull in
one day is always a treat.<br><br>
Our final rewarding stop was at the Guysborough Waste Management
Facility.&nbsp; We arrived at 1600.&nbsp; Without pre-arranging a guided
tour of the main dumping ground, you can only drive 500 meters past the
gate, though the field immediately past the entrance gate is often filled
with gulls.&nbsp; This late in the day most gulls had left, but perhaps
that was also due to the Bald Eagles =96 in a quick scan I counted 80
eagles, and I=92m sure I missed many immatures, as they were harder to pick
out against the trees.&nbsp; <br><br>
In all, a great day, and Don and I each added a number of species to our
winter lists.<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-<br>
Blake Maybank<br>
Editor, &quot;Nova Scotia Birds&quot;<br><br>
author, &quot;Birding Sites of Nova Scotia&quot;<br>
<a href=3D"http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm" eudora=3D"autourl">
http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm<br><br>
</a>144 Bayview Drive<br>
White's Lake, Nova Scotia, <br>
B3T 1Z1, Canada<br><br>
maybank@ns.sympatico.ca<br>
(902) 852-2077 </font></body>
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