[NatureNS] Fundy Shore trip, March 22

From: "Wayne P. Neily" <neilyornis@hotmail.com>
To: "List, NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>,
CC: "Wellwood, Audrey" <audwel@ns.sympatico.ca>,
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:36:58 -0300
Importance: Normal
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

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Hello Folks,
=20
     Just a note to let you know the results of this NSBS/BNS/AFNC field tr=
ip.  I'll try to provide a better report for the newsletters, but I've alre=
ady had a few enquiries. =20
=20
     The weather was not ideal, with temperatures ranging mainly from -9 to=
 -5 (before windchill), and a NW wind along the coast of 35-50 km/h in expo=
sed areas.  The snow held off except for an occasional light flurry, and ge=
nerally we had reasonably good viewing as long as we could find shelter fro=
m the wind.  I understand that slippery roads in the interior of the provin=
ce kept some South Shore birders away, but we had a good group of 10 birder=
s from Kings and Halifax counties - close to an ideal size for a birding tr=
ip to allow everyone to see as much as possible.  I'd still like to have a =
way to communicate quickly with all the cars when something is seen as we'r=
e moving along - Does anyone have experience with a low-power radio transmi=
tter or some such device?. =20
=20
     We had about 40 species - not counting a recently deceased Ruffed Grou=
se along the road at Margaretsville - with no great rarities but several sp=
ecies of interest.  The highlights included the flock of 13 Harlequin Ducks=
 at their usual spot at Port George, seemingly trying to prove that they we=
re not unlucky by hugging the shore despite the high wind and wave action. =
  Most sea ducks, including the Common Eiders, were farther out, and could =
be seen only by patiently waiting for them to come to the surface close eno=
ugh to the crest of a wave to be seen.  Scanning at Morden, Port George, an=
d Margaretsville, produced fair numbers of eiders and Red-breasted Merganse=
rs (25+), but only a few Long-tailed Ducks, Common Loons, and scoters (Whit=
e-winged and Black were identified).  Even gulls were difficult to get; bes=
ide our two basic ones, we had a Ring-billed, and Clarence Stevens (Sr.) ma=
naged to pick out an Iceland at Cottage Cove.  Other coastal species eluded=
 us and we decided to continue westward in the Valley because of the cold w=
ind and swells at the shore. =20
=20
    Our first stop of the day was at Audrey Wellwood's excellent feeding st=
ation adjoining a ravine with a pond in it at Aylesford; there we were trea=
ted to the sight of pairs of early Mallards and Am. Black Ducks, as well as=
 large flocks of redpolls (only Common identified) and Am. Goldfinches and =
a White-throated Sparrow, as well as other common feeder birds, including D=
ark-eyed Juncos.  The Northern Cardinal that she had occasionally did not a=
ppear while were there, nor did we find any of the famed Middleton ones lat=
er in the day, but one party (Shawn Hicks and myself) was lucky enough to s=
ee a male fly across the Wellwood driveway when we returned to pick up a ca=
r in the late afternoon.
    Between Aylesford and Morden, at Welton's Corner, we had another highli=
ght -- a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings perched in roadside trees gave us=
 a good view for about 5 minutes until they all took off with the arrival o=
f a Merlin.  It, in turn, perched near the road and gave us a view through =
scopes and binoculars.  I had estimated the waxwing flock to be about 400 b=
irds, but Gary Myers got a photo of them in flight and said that by using a=
 grid he was able to count more than 700!   Other bright spots: flocks of C=
anada Geese going over Morden and Middleton;  Hoary Redpolls (at least two =
C. hornemanni exilipes) along with many more regular species at Helen Sharp=
's feeding station in Margaretsville.  Singing Song Sparrows there and else=
where were encouraging, as were small numbers of American Robins seen at va=
rious points.  Sharp-eyed Clarence Stevens found a White-crowned Sparrow at=
 another feeder in Margaretsville (Peter Harvie's) for a surprise highlight=
.  Ring-necked Pheasants were resplendent at various points, but at one sto=
p in Granville, about nine of them took off from a small area between the r=
oad and the Annapolis River. =20
=20
    At the west end of the trip, additions were Common Goldeneye, Bufflehea=
d, and Red-necked Grebe (and a harbour seal) below the dam at Annapolis Roy=
al, and a male Northern Harrier over the marshes along the river - probably=
 a migrant.  We were not able to find the two "possible Thayer's Gulls" see=
n there recently, nor were we successful in turning an apparent small Commo=
n Loon there into a Pacific, although it might be worthwhile for others in =
the area to check for it, as our view was not great.
=20
    All in all; it was an enjoyable day, and I would like to thank especial=
ly those feeder owners whose hospitality added so much: Audrey Wellwood, He=
len Sharp, Gary Myers & Merry Atwood, and Sharon and Steve Hawboldt.=20
=20
Cheers,
=20
=20
Wayne Neily Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia "Think globally, Act locally." =
- Ren=E9 Dubos, 1972.=20
_________________________________________________________________
Send a smile, make someone laugh, have some fun!  Start now!
http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208=

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<body class=3D'hmmessage'>
Hello Folks,<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just a note to let you know the results of this NS=
BS/BNS/AFNC field trip.&nbsp; I'll try to provide a better report for the n=
ewsletters, but I've already had a few enquiries.&nbsp; <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The weather was not ideal, with temperatures rangi=
ng mainly from&nbsp;-9 to -5 (before windchill), and a NW wind along the co=
ast of 35-50 km/h in exposed areas.&nbsp; The snow held off except for an o=
ccasional light flurry, and generally we had reasonably good viewing as lon=
g as we could find shelter from the wind.&nbsp; I understand that slippery =
roads in the interior of the province kept some South Shore birders away, b=
ut we had a good group of 10 birders from Kings and Halifax counties - clos=
e to an ideal size for a birding trip to allow everyone to see as much as p=
ossible.&nbsp; I'd still like to have a way to communicate quickly with all=
 the cars when something is seen as we're moving along - Does anyone have e=
xperience with a low-power radio&nbsp;transmitter or some such device?.&nbs=
p; <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We had about 40 species - not counting a recently =
deceased Ruffed Grouse along the road at Margaretsville - with no great rar=
ities but several species of interest.&nbsp; The highlights included the fl=
ock of 13 Harlequin Ducks at their usual spot at Port George, seemingly try=
ing to prove that they were not unlucky by hugging the shore despite the hi=
gh wind and wave action.&nbsp;&nbsp; Most sea ducks, including the Common&n=
bsp;Eiders, were farther out, and could be seen only&nbsp;by patiently wait=
ing for them to come to the surface close enough to the crest of a wave to =
be seen.&nbsp; Scanning at Morden, Port George, and Margaretsville, produce=
d fair numbers of eiders and Red-breasted Mergansers (25+), but only a few =
Long-tailed Ducks, Common Loons, and&nbsp;scoters (White-winged and Black w=
ere identified).&nbsp; Even gulls were difficult to get; beside our two bas=
ic ones,&nbsp;we had a Ring-billed, and Clarence Stevens (Sr.) managed to p=
ick out an Iceland at Cottage Cove. &nbsp;Other coastal species eluded us a=
nd we decided to continue westward in the Valley because of the&nbsp;cold w=
ind and&nbsp;swells at the shore.&nbsp; <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Our first stop of the day was at Audrey Wellwood's excel=
lent feeding station adjoining a ravine with a pond in it at Aylesford; the=
re we were treated to the sight of pairs of early Mallards and Am.&nbsp;Bla=
ck Ducks, as well as large flocks of redpolls (only Common identified) and =
Am. Goldfinches and a White-throated Sparrow,&nbsp;as well as other common =
feeder birds, including Dark-eyed Juncos.&nbsp; The Northern Cardinal that =
she had occasionally did not appear while were there, nor did we find any o=
f the famed Middleton ones later in the day, but one party (Shawn Hicks and=
 myself) was lucky enough to see a male fly across the Wellwood driveway wh=
en we returned to pick up a car in the late afternoon.<BR><BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Between Aylesford and Morden, at Welton's Corner, w=
e had another highlight -- a large flock of Bohemian Waxwings perched in ro=
adside trees gave us a good view for about 5 minutes until they all took of=
f with the arrival of a Merlin.&nbsp; It, in turn, perched near the road an=
d gave us a view through scopes and binoculars.&nbsp; I had estimated the w=
axwing flock to be about 400 birds, but Gary Myers got a photo of them in f=
light and said that by using a grid he was able to count more than 700!&nbs=
p;&nbsp; Other bright spots: flocks of Canada Geese going over Morden and M=
iddleton;&nbsp; Hoary Redpolls (at least two <EM>C. hornemanni exilipes</EM=
>) along with many more regular species at Helen Sharp's feeding station in=
 Margaretsville.&nbsp; Singing Song Sparrows there and elsewhere were encou=
raging, as were small numbers of American Robins seen at various points.&nb=
sp;&nbsp;Sharp-eyed Clarence Stevens found a White-crowned Sparrow at anoth=
er feeder in Margaretsville (Peter Harvie's) for a surprise highlight.&nbsp=
; Ring-necked Pheasants were resplendent at various points, but at one stop=
 in Granville, about nine of them took off from a small&nbsp;area between t=
he road and the Annapolis River.&nbsp; <BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At the west end of the trip, additions were Common Golde=
neye, Bufflehead, and Red-necked Grebe (and a harbour seal) below the dam a=
t Annapolis Royal, and a male Northern Harrier over the marshes along the r=
iver - probably a migrant.&nbsp; We were not able to&nbsp;find&nbsp;the two=
&nbsp;"possible Thayer's Gulls" seen there recently, nor were we successful=
 in turning an apparent small Common Loon there into a Pacific, although it=
 might be worthwhile for others in the area to check for it, as our view wa=
s not great.<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All in all; it was an enjoyable day, and I would like to=
 thank especially those feeder owners whose hospitality added so much: Audr=
ey Wellwood, Helen Sharp, Gary Myers &amp; Merry Atwood, and Sharon and Ste=
ve Hawboldt.&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
Cheers,<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
&nbsp;<BR>
<DIV>Wayne Neily <BR>Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia <BR><BR>"Think globall=
y, Act locally." - Ren=E9 Dubos, 1972. <BR></DIV><br /><hr />Send a smile, =
make someone laugh, have some fun! <a href=3D'http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208' tar=
get=3D'_new'>Start now!</a></body>
</html>=

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