[NatureNS] add b-b plovers to more on N. sharp-tailed sparrows,

Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:37:36 -0300
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Cc: Peter Hicklin <Peter.Hicklin@ec.gc.ca>
User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.0.6
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


I forgot to mention that we also saw three black-bellied plovers at The
Guzzle.  Two were in adult plumage and the third was in winter plumage.
Forgive me for not using alternate vs. basic plumages.  Jim
----------
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2007 01:24:37 -0300
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Cc: Peter Hicklin <Peter.Hicklin@ec.gc.ca>
Subject: [NatureNS] more on N. sharp-tailed sparrows, was Red Phalarope,
Pied Billed    Grebe. Canada Geese, Yellowlegs

Early on Monday morning, August 6/07, I had a group of seven birders out at
The Guzzle (ne. Grand Pre dykelands), and we were fortunate thanks to sharp
eyes from Claudia ?? from Victoria, B.C., to find a male Nelson's
sharp-tailed sparrow that was incredibly cooperative, by perching on a rock
on top of the dyke just south of The Guzzle and singing repetitively and
very often for several minutes for good views with our scopes.

Also we had good viewing of not only the flying flocks of peeps, but close
views of least sandpipers, semipalmated sandpipers (one with a metal band
low on the right leg and a white flag band above the "knee" on the right
leg, spotted by Claudia's husband Darren from Victoria), semipalmated
plovers, and a single white-rumped sandpiper.

Once again the major site of action from the peeps, a few thousands of them,
about 2 hours after high tide, was at the east end of Evangeline Beach,
where the trees end, west of The Guzzle.  The peeps were flying about and
landing and having a feeding frenzy as the tide was ebbing.

The above spot is accessible by walking west along the dyke from the Guzzle,
or by walking east from the area of the Evangeline Beach motel and canteen.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
----------
From: Jean Timpa <jtimpa@ns.sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:47:52 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [NatureNS] Red Phalarope, Pied Billed Grebe. Canada Geese,
Yellowlegs

 This past week here in Wolfville we have been honoured and
delighted to entertain delegates to the annual Canada Nature 2007 Time
and Tide conference. Many field trips were scheduled early in the morning,
afternoons, and some in the evening.
 Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings at 6:15am I repeated my
favourite walk out onto the Bishop-Beckwith dykelands which start at the
end of the Victoria Avenue Extension just across the now defunct railway
system. All three mornings my guests were able to hear, at least, the odd
fizzy call of Nelson's Sharp tailed Sparrow, and for some it was a "ticker".
On Sunday morning we were able to see some, but only briefly, as they do
not light for long!  On Thursday morning a Pied Billed Grebe was also
heard calling by Eve Marshall, head of Bird Proctection Quebec, probably
from the sewage ponds, but we did not have time to go out that far to see if
we could see it. Eve is heading up the Nature Canada 2008 event at McGill
on June 12-15. On Saturday morning, sharp eyed Wendy McDonald
noticed a bird struggling against the gusty winds blowing down the
Cornwallis River, trying to land on the half tide below us amongst a flock
of 
swallows which were probably Bank Swallows but not really possible to ID. I
found it unusual to see them skimming the top of the water, because it was
salt water!!?? The bird, which Wendy had noticed as different amongst the
swallows, turned out to be a Red Phalarope and was seen well by Wendy,
myself and Judy Tufts. On Sunday morning our highlights were a flock of 6
Canada Geese in flight, probably a family group, and Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs in Wolfville Harbour on our way back to the dining hall . They
were dining, too, on critters in a recently exposed bit of mud, standing
shoulder to shoulder, so the contrast in size was noticeable, two Lesser to
4 
or 5 Greater. Each group was disappointed not to be able to see and hear
Bobolinks. Our dyke is super cultivated, so there are no longer hay fields
as 
in the Bellaisle Marsh before Annapolis Royal.  There are a few Bobolink
further out in the Hortonville area, JET

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects