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>Hi Jeff, Nothing beats time in the field for new birders. Also hope you are joining in on the great field trips offered by the NS Bird Society.Bsure to introduce yourself to the trip leader as new to the group, stay a bit behind the leader, talk quietly and listen a lot, don't spend more than a few seconds at the scope when your turn comes up, and let the leader know if you drop out before the end of the trip. Also, we who care about the birds and environment carpool whenever we possibly can. My daughter Ava Czapalay returned yesterday from taking her kids to Green Bay (LaHave area)and was telling us she has never seen such a number of frogs in the pond and richness of seaside life- starfish, sea urchins,sand dollars,etc. Is this happening on other shorelines also? Joan > From: "Jeff hiltz" <4x4play@gmail.com> > Date: 2008/07/07 Mon PM 11:32:35 EDT > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Margaretsville - Hummingbirds, Butterflies, etc. > > I'm a very new birder and have been running the backwoods of the North > Mountain from N. Kingston to port George for the last couple months spending > almost every evening looking for new "lifers" and trying to get a few > photos. > I've also noticed that the Ovenbirds were very elusive in the early months > of Spring, I would hear them but could never see one and now they seem to be > one of the first birds to come out to see what's making noises. As for the > Hummingbirds, I've never seen so many in my life but then again before I > became a "birder" I wasn't really looking. Is it common for Hummingbirds to > come to a pish? I can't count the # of times that I've been sitting in the > Jeep doing a little pishing while swatting black flies and have them appear > within' 5 feet of my face, my girlfriend has observed them above my head > while I pish...lol > The Pileated Woodpecker that you mentioned, by chance is the Sugar Maple > located right on the main shore road coming into Margaret(s)ville from > Kingston way? I had thought I saw one fly out of a hole in a SM along that > main stetch but didn't have the time to wait around very long for him to > come back. > > Another observation this year, I've been taking the kids to Port George for > many many years and have never seen a Starfish there until this year and > they seem to be everywheres when the tide is out. > > Cheers! > Jeff > > > > > On Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 11:40 PM, P.L. Chalmers <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca> > wrote: > > > Hi there, > > > > I'm back home after five days visiting friends in Margaretsville, > > where I spent the mornings atlassing and doing point counts in that and > > several adjoining squares. The afternoons were given over to weeding my > > friends' gardens. Lovely to be outdoors so much in fine weather - with the > > Fundy breezes blowing, the heat was never oppressive even on warm days. > > > > Breeding activity among songbirds was at fever pitch, and some > > species are so busy feeding young that they are completely oblivious of > > humans. On the other hand the Ovenbirds in the woods, normally elusive, were > > so agitated by my presence that they interrupted their food-gathering to > > come out in plain view and scold me. I particularly enjoyed watching a > > male Pileated Woodpecker attending a nest in a big old sugar maple, and > > seeing Bobolinks singing and displaying over the uncut meadows. > > > > While exploring the back roads along the North Mountain, I was > > struck by the abundance of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. They were very easy > > to see, usually perched on telephone wires along the road, apparently > > basking in the sun, perhaps one every kilometre or so. This was in an area > > where there were no homes, so no feeders or gardens to concentrate their > > numbers. I easily saw a dozen or more every morning, without even trying. > > I have observed this abundance in the area for the last several years. > > This seems remarkable to me. When I was a child, before hummingbird feeders > > were a commonplace, it was quite unusual and exciting to see a hummingbird, > > even though we always had a flower-filled garden which might have been > > expected to attract them. > > > > I was also pleased to see a large number of butterflies last week. > > I wasn't focussing on them and regretted that I didn't have my field guide, > > as I am a little rusty with ID's, but there were lots of fritillaries of > > several sorts along these dirt roads, as well as White Admirals, Canadian > > Tiger Swallowtails, Northern Pearl Crescents, Ringlets, and various skippers > > and azures. Not many sulphurs. > > > > There was an interesting article in last Saturday's *Globe and > > Mail* about changes to butterfly population and distribution. [ > > "LEPIDOPTERA: CANADA DAY COUNT:Ethereal, exotic and exceptionally fragile" > > by Matthew Hart ] which gave a dismal outlook for the long term. This year, > > at least, some species seem do be doing well in the western end of the > > Valley. Do others find that is it a particularly good year for seeing > > butterflies? > > > > During my visit on the farm I averaged two ticks per day - still a > > matter of comment there, where ten years ago we never encountered any. I > > saved a couple to send in to the Museum. > > > > Cheers, > > > > Patricia L. Chalmers > > Halifax > > > >
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