[NatureNS] mayflowers, Iceland and glaucous? gulls, ring-necked ducks, etc.

Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:58:24 -0300
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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April 19, 2007 - Afternoon clear and sunny, but still brrrrrrrr! (weatherman
promises Spring and warmth for tomorrow and weekend?).

In New Minası Lockhart-Ryan Park, only a few MAYFLOWER plants show
flower-buds, and of those very few (but some) show open flowers.  My
favourite place to look in early Spring is a west-facing bank along the
westernmost access road into the park.

New Minas sewage ponds:

- at least 3 adult probable ICELAND GULLS (not seen closely enough to
eliminate GLAUCOUS gull);
- 1 small-sized first-winter GLAUCOUS GULL(?), seen very well -- beak pink
with black tip and large, head not rounded, and wings not particularly long
when compared with close-by herring gulls, plumage still light beige -- BUT
now after looking at the plates in the Nat. Geogr. guide, Iım confused about
my identification here, and perhaps this is another of those problem birds
-- please someone check it out before weekıs end and let me know what you
think?;

- lots of other gulls (mostly inactive), including good numbers of
RING-BILLED GULLS;

- 2 male RING-NECKED DUCKS;
- about 20 BLACK DUCKS;
- 5+ MALLARDS;
- 5+ GREEN-WINGED TEAL;
- however, lots of ducks were sleeping along the pond banks, and I was there
during very high tide in the adjacent river;

- 2 BALD EAGLES (1 adult, 1 imm. with white V-shaped patch at top of back)
perched separately in tall pines along the river -- I think this is a likely
spot for an eagle nest, but so far none reported;

- 1 RED-TAILED HAWK.

Cheers :-) from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204
---------------------
Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Avenue 
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3
phone (902)542-9204 (home)
fax (902)585-1059 (Acadia Univ. Biology Dept.)
e-mail <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
----------------------
 "Humans aren't the only species on the earth -- we just act like it. " --
gotten from Linda Lusby -- souce unknown??
-------------

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