[NatureNS] Cape Breton Birds

Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:49:03 -0300
To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
From: Angus MacLean <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca>
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I've just returned from a week in northern Cape Breton. I had hoped 
to do some atlassing while there but the weather did not 
cooperate....foggy & cold mornings were the norm although 
surprisingly most afternoons were quite pleasant & even warm. I did 
manage a few sightings:
June 9 - South Harbour Beach/Aspy Bay
- 2 Willets, 1 C. Merganser, 11 R/B Mergansers, 25 Surf Scoters 
(including adult males), one flock of ~15 White-winged Scoters (all 
imms, both sexes!!), another flock of 25 W/W Scoters (all adults), 
Common & Arctic Terns (mostly the former which is normal here), a few 
Bonaparte's Gulls (perhaps they nest on the small lakes on the 
mountains?), 15-16 C. Geese (but only one young), 100+ Gannets, 
diving near White Point presumably on schooling mackeral. About 95% 
were successful as they were sitting on the water unable to fly, 
after the melee. 1 Sharp-tailed Sparrow sang once....probably just 
arrived as they are very late arrivals.
- no Piping Plover. This is somewhat perplexing since in August I 
have found young here for a number of years. There was no breeding 
record from N. Cape Breton (& only one in total from C.B.) during the 
last Atlas effort.
June 10-13
- a few Boreal Chickadees were found in deciduous scrub in a gravel 
pit and similar open places....unusual for this time of year.
June 12
- a pair of Killdeer on ponds in gypsum flats at Dingwall. Thought it 
might be a new breeding record but noted in the last Bird Atlas a 
breeding record was recorded perhaps at the same area.
June 13
- finally heard Mourning Warblers today. Likely just arrived.
June 14
- a adult Pomarine Jaeger at the Canso Causeway. This was a 
dark-phase bird but a flat brown rather than black as depicted in the 
guides. The tail streamers were quite noticeable as it was side-on to 
us.....the first time I believe I have ever seen these! It was flying 
(unusually) extremely close to the Causeway on the north side.
- A Goshawk which crossed Hwy. 102 S. of Truro.
Angus

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