[NatureNS] Owl Surveying in Tangier, and nature notes

Date: Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:27:57 -0300
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
From: "P.L. Chalmers" <plchalmers@ns.sympatico.ca>
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Hi there,

         Suzanne Borkowski and I ran my Owl Survey Route (Tangier) 
last night (i.e. Good Friday, 10th April).  My route runs inland from 
Tangier along the road to Mooseland; this road is the eastern 
boundary of the Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area.  Since most of 
the road is paved, we can do this route earlier than Suzanne's, which 
is all on a dirt road.

         We were watching the weather and I'm glad that we did not 
let the forecast of showers deter us.  Conditions were ideal for 
listening for owls last night - clear skies, no precipitation, 
temperatures above freezing, and almost no wind.  However, in seven 
years of doing this route we had the second-lowest owl count - only 
five.  We heard three Northern Saw-whets, one Barred, and one Great 
Horned Owl.  In the past we have had a low of four owls and a high of 
eleven, with an average of 7.  We usually find all three of the 
regular species.

         A few of the salt marshes and barachois ponds were still 
partly frozen, though all the salt water coves were open.  Every bay 
and inlet along Highway 7 seemed to have one or two Common Loons in 
full breeding plumage, and no wonder. The lakes were 70-90% frozen 
still, with open water only around the edges, and very dark, soft 
looking ice.  The loons have arrived on the coast and they are just 
waiting for the lakes to open up so they can move inland and claim 
them.  The only loons we saw inland were a pair on River Lake, which 
was about 70% frozen.  So we didn't hear any loons calling last 
night, and I missed their wails and yodels which usually accompany our survey.

         There are a lot of cottages and fishing camps along this 
road, but perhaps since the lakes are still frozen, there was very 
little traffic for a long weekend, when more visitors might have been 
expected.  We encountered only 3 other cars in 3.5 hours, so it was very quiet.

         There is still some light snow cover in the woods along the 
eastern shore, and in the ditches, but we heard lots of running water 
during our survey.  However the Spring Peepers were not yet calling, 
and I heard only one Wood Frog, late in the evening.  Canada Geese 
were calling from Scraggy Lake.  At the last stop, just before 
midnight, there were three American Woodcock peenting (but not winnowing).

         Tangier is about 100 K from Halifax and far beyond any light 
pollution.  The view of the night sky was stunning, until the moon 
rose, large and orange, half-way through our survey.  For those who 
wonder about a correlation between owls and moon phase, there was a 
full moon (as always close to Easter), and it was after moonrise that 
we heard the owls.  However, we usually hear more owls later on in 
the route, as we move further inland, so I'm not sure that the moon 
was a significant factor.

         On our way up the Eastern Shore we stopped in Jeddore Oyster 
Ponds at Luc Berrigan's house.  Unfortunately no one was home (sorry 
we missed you!) but we were delighted to see two male Red Crossbills 
in the yard, along with the regular feeder birds.

         The most surprising observation of the evening came while we 
were eating supper at the restaurant of the Fairwinds Motel in Sheet 
Harbour.  We had a table by the window overlooking the 
water.  Knowing it was such a great location we both naturally took 
our binoculars with us into the restaurant, and I also had my field 
guide on the table. (I like to let businesses see that naturalists 
bring $$.$$)  This was not lost on our waitress, who was happy to 
tell us that a pair of Canada Geese and several mergansers had been 
on the river earlier in the day.  Anyway, while we were seated, I 
spotted a large dark bird fly across the harbour towards us, flapping 
its wings deeply.  We had both been hoping to see an Osprey and 
because I was expecting to see one, I was baffled by this bird at 
first, until I finally realized that, despite its flight pattern, it 
was a Turkey Vulture!  I've never seen a Vulture in Halifax County 
before. Today there were news reports of an abundance of dead seals 
washing up on the beaches of the Eastern Shore, perhaps accounting 
for the presence of this bird.

         It was great to see all the Coltsfoot in bloom along the 
roadsides yesterday in the sunshine, the first I have seen this year.

         Cheers,

         Patricia L. Chalmers
         Halifax








          
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<font face=3D"Courier New, Courier">Hi there,<br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>Suzanne
Borkowski and I ran my Owl Survey Route (Tangier) last night (i.e. Good
Friday, 10th April).&nbsp; My route runs inland from Tangier along the
road to Mooseland; this road is the eastern boundary of the Tangier Grand
Lake Wilderness Area.&nbsp; Since most of the road is paved, we can do
this route earlier than Suzanne's, which is all on a dirt road.<br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>We were
watching the weather and I'm glad that we did not let the forecast of
showers deter us.&nbsp; Conditions were ideal for listening for owls last
night - clear skies, no precipitation, temperatures above freezing, and
almost no wind.&nbsp; However, in seven years of doing this route we had
the second-lowest owl count - only five.&nbsp; We heard three Northern
Saw-whets, one Barred, and one Great Horned Owl.&nbsp; In the past we
have had a low of four owls and a high of eleven, with an average of
7.&nbsp; We usually find all three of the regular species.&nbsp;
<br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>A few of
the salt marshes and barachois ponds were still partly frozen, though all
the salt water coves were open.&nbsp; Every bay and inlet along Highway 7
seemed to have one or two Common Loons in full breeding plumage, and no
wonder. The lakes were 70-90% frozen still, with open water only around
the edges, and very dark, soft looking ice.&nbsp; The loons have arrived
on the coast and they are just waiting for the lakes to open up so they
can move inland and claim them.&nbsp; The only loons we saw inland were a
pair on River Lake, which was about 70% frozen.&nbsp; So we didn't hear
any loons calling last night, and I missed their wails and yodels which
usually accompany our survey. <br><br>
<x-tab>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</x-tab>There are
a lot of cottages and fishing camps along this road, but perhaps since
the lakes are still frozen, there was very little traffic for a long
weekend, when more visitors might have been expected.&nbsp; We
encountered only 3 other cars in 3.5 hours, so it was very
quiet.<br><br>
<x-tab>