[NatureNS] Fundy Shore Trip results - 21 March 2009

References: <BLU144-W5C78CB6B4F0DBFA2E0B4ED1920@phx.gbl>
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:22:51 -0300 (ADT)
From: bdigout@seaside.ns.ca
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
User-Agent: SquirrelMail/1.4.13
Importance: Normal
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

 in a resplendent plumage bely
> sounds like it was a great day!

> Hello folks:
>
>
>
>     Just a brief note for those interested. --   The joint NSBS-BNS-AFNC
> outing Saturday went very well, thanks to great weather and a good
> turn-out - both of people and birds.  Apologies for duplications - I
> cannot always remember who is on NatureNS.
>
>
>
>      We started out with 21 participants and about 12 vehicles, which
> limited our possibilities for stops, but the early high tide forced
> us to keep up a brisk pace in the a.m. anyway.  I hope that everyone
> had a chance to meet one or more new potential birding friends, as
> well as getting some new birds - for the year or the county, at
> least.  We were fortunate to have the Presidents of two of the
> sponsoring groups along - Pat Kelly of Nova Scotia Bird Society and
> Rick Whitman of Blomidon Naturalists - and I hope that any of you who
> are not members will consider joining one or more of the three groups
> - check out their websites.
>
>
>
>      For the day we had 58 species (59 if we count the Fox Sparrow that
> Claire Diggins had at her Middleton feeder when she got home), none
> very rare but with a good representation of early migrants.   At
> Audrey Wellwood's bird haven with ravine, pond, and feeders in
> Aylesford we were able to start with most of the expected land birds
> from pheasants to finches, including Common Redpoll, and singing
> Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows.  On the way from there to
> Morden, we were able to add more migrants, including Northern
> Flickers, a flock of American Robins, and a few Common Grackles in a
> resplendent plumage belying their name.
>
>
>
>     Waterfowl were for most the highlight of the trip, with Canada Geese
> and 15 species of ducks, most of which allowed us good views.   Sea
> ducks, including the three scoters, Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck,
> Red-breasted Merganser, and Harlequin Duck, were at one or more of the
> three ports visited - Morden, Margaretsville, and Port George, most of
> them now in pairs, and with the males often displaying.  Port George
> provided the only good views of Harlequins, bur at least seven were
> quite cooperative there.  Both loons and both coastal grebes were
> seen, but they were usually hidden by the wave action and their
> frequent dives, so not everyone got good views of them.  A highlight
> for me was a close flypast of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage at
> Morden - a species that has become quite scarce here.  A Bald Eagle
> also gave us a good view, and at the Margaretsville pond a pair of
> Hooded Mergansers that we had seen through the scopes decided to give
> us a better look by flying low over us to get to the other side of the
> road.
>
>
>
>     After a stop at Middleton where Clarence Stevens Jr. managed to count
> six Northern Cardinals skulking in the thickets of the Lily Lake Brook
> ravine (and the rest of us were able to see or hear one or two), most
> of the group continued on down the Annapolis River.  Most of the river
> was open, and gave us a good variety of river ducks from Bridgetown to
> Annapolis: Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Common (and Hooded)
> Mergansers, and Greater Scaup.  A few Red-tailed Hawks, three Bald
> Eagles, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen - just a hint of a
> migration - but lots of Canada Geese, and a few flocks of American
> Black Ducks and Mallards.
>
>
>
>    A brief stop at the Hawboldts in Belleisle added a Savannah Sparrow and
> allowed some of our group better views than they had had of nuthatches,
> woodpeckers, and other feeder birds.  By the time we finished at the
> wharf in Annapolis Royal, the tide was rising again, and the
> Buffleheads and a Common Loon were putting on good shows there and
> provoding a satisfying ending for our trip.
>
>
>
>       As well as to Audrey Wellwood and the Hawboldts, special thanks go
> to the experienced birders along who helped us find the goodies and
> showed them to others or shared their knowledge - especially Richard
> Stern, Bernard Forsythe, James Hirtle, and Clarence Stevens Sr. &
> Jr.   With that many participants, unofficial leaders are very
> helpful.  And thanks to all who came out and so helped us enjoy this
> second day of spring.   I hope to see you again on more outings this
> year.
>
>
>
>
>
> Wayne Neily
> Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia
>
> "Beauty is truth, and truth beauty," - John Keats, 1820.
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Reinvent how you stay in touch with the new Windows Live Messenger.
> http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9650731


next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects