[NatureNS] N. Cape Breton Birds

From: <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca>
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Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:39:54 -0400
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A major surprise here in N. Cape Breton...the STORM was a non-event here.
At Neil's Harbour today:
- A Thick-billed Murre near the wharves; a Common Murre off the Point and an unidentified murre out in the harbour. No Dovekies.
- ~750 Common Eiders in 3 groups, unusual so these birds are on their northward migration.
- a compact flock of ~70 Black Scoters
- a few White-winged Scoters (mixed in with the eiders).
- watched a lone Purple Sandpiper. While trying to figure out how to negotiate deep snow to get close enough to photograph, a flock of ~20 flew in. 
- interesting there were no Gannets passing. Also no D/C Cormorants although I saw several at Englishtown.
- Noted an almost perfect Thayers Gull but it had a small "Iceland bill". Nearby were three Iceland Gulls, one, a 1st. winter bird, had a very striking Herring-sized bill.   
At Aspy Bay (where we're staying), a few Pine Siskins, 4 Redpolls (that I have not seen yet), 2 pair of Pileated Woodpeckers... one of which likes to hammer on an electrical insulator, a dangerous practice!
Also at Aspy Bay: 12 Common Mergansers & a small flock of Canadas.

Angus reporting from the Far North 

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