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Hi there, This afternoon, when there was a break in the rain about 4 p.m., Jean Hartley and I went for a walk around the Frog Pond at Fleming Park in Jollimore, HRM. We both were feeling rather housebound by the recent bleak weather and really wanted a good walk, but of course we took our binoculars with us! When we arrived the rain had stopped and the temperature had risen, but a brisk wind was whipping up waves on the water. At first the woods seemed rather quiet and we wondered if the birds were all in hiding from the weather. Then we found a Northern Parula and a Blackpoll Warbler both gleaning insects low in some downed spruce trees. It was odd to see a Parula hopping about on the ground. There were lots of small flying insects about and birds were actively feeding rather than singing. We ran into one wave of warblers, in particular, which kept us rapt with attention for the better part of an hour. As it turned out, the birding was so good this afternoon that it took us two hours to make the mile-long circuit of the pond. We found the following : American Black Duck 2 families with ducklings American Redstart 1-2 m First I have seen this year. Bay-Breasted Warbler 1 m First I have seen this year. Black-and-white Warbler 8-10 Blackpoll Warbler 25-30 The most numerous bird today. First I have seen this year. Black-throated Green Warbler 1-2 Chimney Swift 5 First I have seen this year. Eastern Phoebe 1 First I have seen this year. Magnolia Warbler 1 First I have seen this year. Northern Parula 5-6 Singing a little. Red-winged Blackbird 1 m Unusual for it to linger here this late. Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Scarce in the park this spring. Swamp Sparrow 1 Singing from the cattail swamp. Winter Wren 1 Singing. Present now for nearly two weeks - unusual here. Yellow-rumped Warbler 12-15 Females now also present in good numbers. I also had a too-brief glimpse of a very bright warbler which was either a Wilson's or a Yellow. The other usual birds were present, with Black-capped Chickadees, Grackles, Juncos, Robins, Song Sparrows, and White-throated Sparrows all singing at times. American Fly-honeysuckle is in full bloom, and Canada Mayflower and Indian Pear are almost in bloom - they just need a bit of warm sunshine to open up. Let's hope we get some later this weekend. Cheers, Patricia L. Chalmers Halifax
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