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--Boundary_(ID_LG0ywQuHC29xpYR9Wy85nQ)
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A scheduled Bird Society Victoria Day weekend on Bon Portage Island from =
Friday until Monday was cancelled for the second year in a row because =
high winds and rough waters made the crossing from the mainland too =
risky. As a replacement, leader Claire Diggins suggested that the five =
of us travel a day later, but to Brier Island instead of B.P.=20
60+ species of birds were seen or heard during our stay, some =
identifications facilitated or speeded up thanks to the expertise of =
Wayne Neilly. Warning: my summary here is incomplete, and unfortunately =
doesn't include many numbers, which Claire and Wayne were precise in =
recording.=20
A feeder near the General Store and its yard were visited by =
White-crowned Sparrows, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, =
Bobolinks, Cowbirds, Juncos, a Blue Jay, and -- heard though not seen -- =
Redwing Blackbirds and Robins. Elsewhere in Westport itself there were =
Chipping Sparrows, a House Sparrow, and more Purple Finches. At Northern =
Point we watched two magnificently soaring Turkey Vultures, Black =
Guillemots, Northern Gannets, and a puzzling, distant Loon of =
indeterminate species. Sunday afternoon in trees near the Slocum =
monoment, both Magnolia and Blackburnian Warblers, small splashes of =
vibrant colour in the trees, were moving about in the welcome sunlight. =
At various points on the island Black-throated Green Warblers were =
heard; Wayne and Claire saw a Black-throated Blue. Savannah Sparrows and =
Song Sparrows were also found here and there. At Pond Cove, for long =
stretches of time we were able to watch a Great Egret in the reeds and a =
Kingfisher resting on top of a stake. Shorebirds were absent there, =
though two or three Greater Yellowlegs were hanging around the shore in =
Westport just across from the General Store, and I heard one in early =
morning through the window of the Backpackers' Hostel where we were =
staying. At night, we couldn't hear any owls, but in fields near the =
cemetery three or four Woodcock made their buzzy Nighthawk-like calls =
back and forth from grasses on both sides of the road. I enjoyed the =
double darkness of standing by the road in moonless dark with eyes shut, =
just listening.=20
On the weekend the island was also populated by Catbirds, Mourning =
Doves, Ring-Necked Pheasants, and of course Crows and Ravens. Monday, =
Burkhard and Ingrid Plache and I spent several hours hiking both =
directions along the coast from Western Lighthouse. On the road toward =
the lighthouse, a low-flying male Northern Harrier flew over a field, a =
complement to the brownish female Harrier seen a day earlier. More Song =
Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows, in the stunted, twiggy seaside brush. =
Several members of a black species of spider doing shaky on-the-spot =
dances, pulsating up and down, on sun-warmed rocks. We passed many gull =
nests, the Black-Backeds outnumbering the Herring G.s maybe 50 to 1. =
Plenty of Common Eiders, often in male-and-female pairs, were close to =
the black cliffs. Twice we watched flocks of Northern Gannets going =
overhead -- one flock of 7, the other of 25. Claire and Wayne had seen a =
flock of Brant on Saturday -- sorry I can't remember how many, I seem to =
recall between 15 & 25 -- and yesterday the three of us remaining =
watched a very large gathering of about 150. While Burkhard counted, =
twice, Ingrid and I took many photos of the Brant in flight. Among the =
rocks, there were some large patches of Sedum in various stages of =
growth colour.
And to conclude on another floral note, back on Long Island (before =
we saw three more Turkey Vultures on Digby Neck), when we walked the 1 =
km. trail to Balancing Rock there were hundreds of Skunk Cabbage in the =
wetness on both sides of the trail. If anyone is keen on seeing a =
massive proliferation of Skunk Cabbage, the Balancing Rock trail is one =
place to do.
Brian,
Halifax=
--Boundary_(ID_LG0ywQuHC29xpYR9Wy85nQ)
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A scheduled Bird Society Victoria Day weekend on
Bon Portage Island from Friday until Monday was cancelled for the second year in
a row because high winds and rough waters made the crossing from the mainland
too risky. As a replacement, leader Claire Diggins suggested that the five of us
travel a day later, but to Brier Island instead of B.P. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> 60+ species of birds were seen
or heard during our stay, some identifications facilitated or speeded up thanks
to the expertise of Wayne Neilly. Warning: my summary here is incomplete,
and unfortunately doesn't include many numbers, which Claire and Wayne were
precise in recording. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> A feeder near the General Store
and its yard were visited by White-crowned Sparrows, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks,
Purple Finches, Bobolinks, Cowbirds, Juncos, a Blue Jay, and -- heard
though not seen -- Redwing Blackbirds and Robins. Elsewhere in Westport
itself there were Chipping Sparrows, a House Sparrow, and more
Purple Finches. At Northern Point we watched two magnificently soaring Turkey
Vultures, Black Guillemots, Northern Gannets, and a puzzling, distant
Loon of indeterminate species. Sunday afternoon in trees near the Slocum
monoment, both Magnolia and Blackburnian Warblers, small splashes
of vibrant colour in the trees, were moving about in the welcome
sunlight. At various points on the island Black-throated Green Warblers were
heard; Wayne and Claire saw a Black-throated Blue. Savannah Sparrows
and Song Sparrows were also found here and there. At Pond Cove, for long
stretches of time we were able to watch a Great Egret in the reeds and a
Kingfisher resting on top of a stake. Shorebirds were absent there, though
two or three Greater Yellowlegs were hanging around the shore in Westport just
across from the General Store, and I heard one in early morning through the
window of the Backpackers' Hostel where we were staying. At night, we
couldn't hear any owls, but in fields near the cemetery three or four
Woodcock made their buzzy Nighthawk-like calls back and forth from grasses
on both sides of the road. I enjoyed the double darkness of standing by the road
in moonless dark with eyes shut, just listening. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> On the weekend the island was
also populated by Catbirds, Mourning Dov