[NatureNS] Atlassing the Eden L. Barrens- May 4, 2008

Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 18:04:11 -0300
From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644

Hi all
I spent Sunday atlassing in a couple of the Antigonish region ( Area 23) =
squares- Eden Lake ( 20 NR52) and East River St. Mary's ( 20NR62) =
arriving at the Eden L. square at daylight. It was 0C and I thought I =
should put gloves on and had my lined boots on By mid-day it was 23C.  I =
was hoping for an earlier start to the day to try to re-hear some owls I =
had the week before to bump the sighings up to Territorial birds, but I =
did not get to bed early enough. The air was filled with singing Hermit =
Thrush, Swamp Sparrows, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers and Ruby-crowned =
Kinglets. The area has a lot of pine trees and I hoped I might hear a =
Pine Warbler but no luck. I will try again later in the breeding season. =
 Several Winter Wrens and Brown Creepers and a sole American Bittern =
could be heard as well.  The Creepers are easy to pick out this time of =
year before all the warblers return to add confusion to the morning =
chorus. There was a lone Surf Scoter on Eden L. as well as at least 4 =
Common Loons and a dozen or more Canada Geese.=20

On a trail in the Milldam L area I spooked a female SPRUCE GROUSE and by =
wandering nearby, I came across a male doing a nice display- first time =
I have observed that behaviour. I walked around the lake and heard a =
RUSTY BLACKBIRD singing- one of the species of special interest. Last =
year I had a family next lake over. My first BLUE-HEADED VIREO of the =
year was heard singing near-by.=20

I walked several ATV trails to other lakes added some of the common =
early breeding birds.  With some help from the driver of an an ATV,  I =
located some Common Mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks at Gunn's L.  Often =
a chat like this can give you a number of tidbits for atlassing in areas =
others know better.=20
 A view from the west side of Eden L. revealed a Bald Eagle on a nest in =
a pine on an island in the lake. Last year I saw an Eagle carring a =
stick in the area, but did nopt locate the nest, so this was a nice =
victory. Nearby the female of a pair of Belted Kingfishers was eyeing =
the roadside bank, maybe for a nesting site.=20

The warm day brought lots of Mayflowers to bloom and maples were =
blooming in places. There were no biting insects!   A great day to be =
out atlassing and if you have not taken it up yet, it is great fun to =
learn in greater detail about nature in areas you don't frequent =
otherwise. Click here  to find out about the project  =
http://www.mba-aom.ca/english/index.html and here to register- =
http://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/register.jsp?lang=3Den. You can contribute =
sightings no matter what level of skills you have. Keep a notebook with =
you and write down your  breeding observations (from nest building to =
singing birds or carry food etc.) date and location. It is all valuable =
for the project.=20
 A check for Chimney Swifts  at the Temperance St. School in New Glasgow =
the last two nights came up empty.=20
cheers
Ken


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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken McKenna<BR>Box 218 Stellarton NS<BR>B0K 
1S0<BR>902 752-7644</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>Hi all</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I spent Sunday atlassing in a couple of the 
Antigonish region ( Area 23)&nbsp;squares- Eden Lake ( 20 NR52) and East River 
St. Mary's ( 20NR62)&nbsp;arriving at the Eden L. square at daylight. It was 0C 
and I thought I should&nbsp;put&nbsp;gloves on and had my lined boots on 
By&nbsp;mid-day it was 23C. &nbsp;I was hoping for an earlier start to the day 
to try to re-hear some owls I had the week before to bump the sighings up to 
Territorial birds, but I did not get to bed early&nbsp;enough. The air was 
filled with singing Hermit Thrush, Swamp Sparrows, Yellow-rumped and Palm 
Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The area has a lot of pine trees and I hoped 
I might hear a Pine Warbler but no luck. I will try again later in the breeding 
season. &nbsp;Several Winter Wrens and Brown Creepers and a sole American 
Bittern could be heard as well.&nbsp; The Creepers are easy to pick out this 
time of year before all the warblers return to add confusion to the morning 
chorus. There was a lone Surf Scoter on Eden L. as well as at least&nbsp;4 
Common Loons and a dozen or more Canada Geese. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On a trail in the Milldam L area I spooked a female 
SPRUCE GROUSE and by wandering nearby, I came across a male doing a nice 
display- first time I have observed that behaviour. I walked around the lake and 
heard a RUSTY BLACKBIRD singing- one of the species of special interest. Last 
year I had a family next lake over. My first BLUE-HEADED VIREO of the year was 
heard singing near-by. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I walked several ATV trails to other lakes added 
some of the common early breeding birds.&nbsp; With some help from the driver of 
an an ATV, &nbsp;I located some&nbsp;Common Mergansers and Ring-necked Ducks at 
Gunn's L.&nbsp; Often a chat like this can give you a number of tidbits for 
atlassing in areas others know better.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;A view from the west side of Eden L. revealed 
a Bald Eagle on a nest in a pine on an island in the lake. Last year I saw an 
Eagle carring a stick in the area, but did nopt locate the nest, so this was a 
nice victory. Nearby the female of a pair of Belted Kingfishers was eyeing the 
roadside bank, maybe for a nesting site. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The warm day brought lots of Mayflowers to bloom 
and maples were blooming in places. There were no biting insects!&nbsp;&nbsp; A 
great day to be out atlassing and if you have not taken it up yet, it is great 
fun to learn in greater detail about nature in areas you don't frequent 
otherwise. Click here&nbsp; to find out about the project&nbsp; <A 
href="">http://www.mba-aom.ca/english/index.html</A>&nbsp;and here to register- 
http://www.mba-aom.ca/jsp/register.jsp?lang=en. You can 
contribute sightings no matter what level of skills you have. Keep a notebook 
with you and write down your&nbsp; breeding observations (from nest building to 
singing birds or carry food etc.)&nbsp;date and location. It is all valuable for 
the project. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;A check for Chimney Swifts&nbsp; at the Temperance St. School in New 
Glasgow the last two nights came up empty. </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>cheers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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