[NatureNS] New life bird: rusty blackbird

To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
From: Patrick Kelly <patrick.kelly@dal.ca>
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:23:26 -0300
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Hi everyone:

Altassing is a lot more fun when you come across the  
expected/unexpected. Wayne Neily was going to do point counts it the  
Panuke Lake square. As it is adjacent to the Vaughan square that I was  
doing, I asked him to let me know what he saw at the points that were  
on the west side of the lake (accessible from the Vaughan square) and  
that I would try to follow them up to see if any species could be moved  
up to territorial. One species he did report was a rusty blackbird, in  
a marsh across from a small granite quarry.

I got there late Sunday morning, and having never seen a rusty  
blackbird, and knowing how fickle birds can be, I did was not actually  
expecting to see one. Yet there it was! There was one singing (chirping  
followed by a two-note whistle) repeateldly from the top of one of the  
dead trees in the marsh across from the quarry. I didn't realise until  
I went back to the car to confirm the song with my Stokes that the  
"chiripng" was, in fact, part of the song.

I had a nice view in binoculars and was able to easily see the colour  
in the eye. When I tried to get a better view a second one (?) flushed  
up from an area in the middle of the marsh and flew off into the woods.  
I didn't get a chance to confirm that it was another rusty, but that  
was my impression. It was not a grackle, as it flew directly away from  
me, and I did get a good look at its tail, and it showed no epaulettes.

I did get a lot of pictures, of which two are not too bad. The first  
shows the colour in the eye, the second shows the shape of the tail.

http://myweb.dal.ca/pmkelly/Rusty1.jpg
http://myweb.dal.ca/pmkelly/Rusty2.jpg

I plan on going back really early one day this week, and hopefully will  
have enough time to see what they are up to.

Pat



======================================================================== 
==
Patrick Kelly
Director of Computer Facilities
======================================================================== 
==
Faculty of Architecture and Planning
Dalhousie University
======================================================================== 
==
PO Box 1000 Stn Central                5410 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4           Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4
Canada                                 Canada
======================================================================== 
==
Phone:(902) 494-3294    FAX:(902) 423-6672   E-mail:patrick.kelly@dal.ca
======================================================================== 
==

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Hi everyone:


Altassing is a lot more fun when you come across the
expected/unexpected. Wayne Neily was going to do point counts it the
Panuke Lake square. As it is adjacent to the Vaughan square that I was
doing, I asked him to let me know what he saw at the points that were
on the west side of the lake (accessible from the Vaughan square) and
that I would try to follow them up to see if any species could be
moved up to territorial. One species he did report was a rusty
blackbird, in a marsh across from a small granite quarry.


I got there late Sunday morning, and having never seen a rusty
blackbird, and knowing how fickle birds can be, I did was not actually
expecting to see one. Yet there it was! There was one singing
(chirping followed by a two-note whistle) repeateldly from the top of
one of the dead trees in the marsh across from the quarry. I didn't
realise until I went back to the car to confirm the song with my
Stokes that the "chiripng" was, in fact, part of the song.


I had a nice view in binoculars and was able to easily see the colour
in the eye. When I tried to get a better view a second one (?) flushed
up from an area in the middle of the marsh and flew off into the
woods. I didn't get a chance to confirm that it was another rusty, but
that was my impression. It was not a grackle, as it flew directly away
from me, and I did get a good look at its tail, and it showed no
epaulettes. 


I did get a lot of pictures, of which two are not too bad. The first
shows the colour in the eye, the second shows the shape of the tail.


http://myweb.dal.ca/pmkelly/Rusty1.jpg

http://myweb.dal.ca/pmkelly/Rusty2.jpg


I plan on going back really early one day this week, and hopefully
will have enough time to see what they are up to.


Pat



<fontfamily><param>Courier</param>

==========================================================================

Patrick Kelly

Director of Computer Facilities

==========================================================================

Faculty of Architecture and Planning

Dalhousie University

==========================================================================

PO Box 1000 Stn Central                5410 Spring Garden Road

Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4           Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4

Canada                                 Canada

==========================================================================

Phone:(902) 494-3294    FAX:(902) 423-6672  
E-mail:patrick.kelly@dal.ca

==========================================================================

</fontfamily>
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