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Thurs Aug 30 / 07 : High Tide (3.00.p.m)
The Guzzle/ East Point of Long Island/Evangeline Beach, Grand Pre.
When I arrived at The Guzzle this afternoon, a couple of the bass anglers
leaving the area, told me there must be a 'million' birds flying around out
there! Not quite. but I was certainly surprised to see the vast numbers
unfolding around the east point this late in August. Huge flocks of 'peeps'
were restlessly flying back and forth awaiting the falling tide. As I
watched more poured into the area in beautiful, great, long trailing clouds
of swirling shorebirds, banking, dipping in ever changing patterns.
There must have been 60,00 - 65,000 'peeps' (most were Semip. Sandpipers,
with a few Leasts and White-rumps, Semip. Plovers. 3 Sanderlings were also
noted). I wondered where they had been roosting. and whether the high
numbers indicate a gathering in preparation for departure shortly, heading
south.
As the tide began receding, carpets of sandpipers -in the thousands - began
crowding around some of the anglers where they had set up their rods, others
moved on to find exposed mudflats elsewhere. It is always quite a spectacle
to see! The arrival of an immature Northern Harrier, then 2 Peregrines (one
adult, one imm) quickly hastened the scattering of the flocks. The Harrier
seemed more curious about the flock than anything and continued heading
towards Blomidon, while the Peregrines had deeper motives of course, with
the adult successfully plucking a shorebird out of the water on the second
of two impressive 'stooping' dives to catch his meal! (I did not see whether
the victim had been previously knocked down or it had hit the water as it
was being pursued). The imm. Peregrine made unsuccessful runs and gave up.
As I left the area later, once again a Peregrine appeared (maybe one of the
original two or possibly a third one?), heading over towards the roosting
shorebirds.
Following this, I checked out the western Grand Pre dyke area opposite the
Wolfville Sewage Ponds to see if there were any larger roosting birds on the
outer rocks but there were only two Black-bellied Plovers among ~1000
'peeps' gathered there. Another 1500 'peeps' were on the Starr's Point
mudflats. Similar 'mix' as seen at The Guzzle, though I did spot one
Dunlin. Another Peregrine appeared - again an immature! It calmly flew
past me, along the dyke, and sat on a large rock to the west of, and quite a
distance from, the roost, and just sat there. Was it sated, or was it just
biding its time. It was still there when I left a half hour later.
Of another note: This week we are noticing mini mixed-flock migration
movement through our property: warblers (primarily Blk-thr Greens and N
Parulas), vireos, chickadees, and Juncos.
Cheers,
Judy Tufts
>>>>>>>>>>>
Judy Tufts
Wolfville
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