[NatureNS] more eagle-watching notes plus lots of Bohemian waxwings

Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:58:43 -0400
From: Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
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Feb. 17, 2008 - Beautiful Sunday morning (clear and Sunny, cold at -8 C.,
wind very light) for a morning drive and EAGLE-WATCHING.  Pat and I got to
the feeding field at the north end of Middle Dyke Road at Sheffield Mills at
10:15 a.m., apparently about 15-20 minutes too late for the best part of the
³eagles show².  Nevertheless, there was still lots to see and hear, with
about 35 BALD EAGLES in all plumages (everyone should experience this to see
the large variation in the immatures).  Most of the eagles were perched, but
enough were flying about, not too far from the viewing road, to make a good
spectacle, coupled with their frequent call-notes plus the vocalizations of
the 15 or so C. RAVENS.  Also present were about 4 AM. CROWS and a couple of
RED-TAILED HAWKS.  A couple of chicken bodies were still on the ground, but
the only feeding witnessed there was by the crows.

After that, we drove to the red Fuller barn ne. of Canning on the road to
Blomidon Park.  Just east of the barn is a lane through the trees to the
feeding spot, and we counted about 45 BALD EAGLES perched, mostly in three
trees and closely bunched together (eagles in winter are quite social), plus
a couple of red-tailed hawks and 5 ravens.

In downtown Canning, there were 600++ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS.

After a late breakfast in Canning, we drove east from the flashing light at
Jawbone Corner (Highway 358 jct. with Canard Rd.) to check on the
replacement BALD EAGLE NEST, which is west of the Muskrat Marsh Farm.  We
were prepared to see a couple more eagles, but what a surprise to discover
at least 28 BALD EAGLES in that area, 9 of them not far from the new nest.
Fourteen of the eagles were perched in two trees very close to the farmhouse
just north of Canard Rd.  The eagle nest itself was attended by a single
adult, but its mate was no doubt nearby.

We continued on to Wellington Dyke (lower Canard Valley), where we found
250+ BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, which possibly were part of the bigger flock seen in
Canning earlier.

Cheers :-) from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204
---------------------
Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Avenue 
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3
phone (902)542-9204 (home)
fax (902)585-1059 (Acadia Univ. Biology Dept.)
e-mail <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
----------------------
³...... the Earth .....belongs as much to those who come after us as to us;
and we have no right, by anything that we do, or neglect to do, to involve
them in unnecessary penalties, or to deprive them of benefits which are
theirs by right.²  - John Ruskin
----------------------

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