[NatureNS] Indigo Bunting @ Grand Manan: Apr. 5/09

Date: Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:51:25 -0300
From: Brian Dalzell <aythya@nb.sympatico.ca>
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We're into overcast mode here, and it doesn't sound too encouraging for 
a quick change for the better -- at least for a week if the weather wags 
are right.  Took a run out between showers this morning and noted that 
most of the robins and sparrow present yesterday managed to leave last 
night.  The Fox Sparrow I had for a couple days left too, but not before 
I got to hear his rich, whistled song from the alders.  Speaking of 
which, I found a nice male INDIGO BUNTING in all his breeding splendor 
in the Red Point Trail alders in Seal Cove about 12:45 pm.

The bird was rather approachable, and looked tired and stressed, so I 
left it alone and backed off.  It was foraging along the grassy verge of 
the walking trail, about 200m from the parking area at Red Point.  At 
times like these, it is often a good idea to travel with a little ziploc 
full of millet.  I did some checking, and the earliest previous spring 
record I have for Grand Manan are 17 April 1996 and 18 April 1998, so 
this is a good two weeks earlier than the earliest.  Methinks there may 
be other things lurking about (a Worm-eating Warbler has turned up east 
of Halifax....).

At Long Pond the ice is out and there was a gang of 18 RING-NECKED DUCKS 
in the western end, of which only two were females.  However, the males 
were being very dignified, or they were perhaps more interested in 
filling their crops.  As I watched, an OSPREY hove into view and give 
the pond the once-over, taking about five minutes in the process.  It 
then lit in a dead snag at the east end of the pond to take a break.  
The earliest record I could find was 7 April, and after that it was 12 
April, so 5 April is definitely a new early record as well.

Brian Dalzell
Grand Manan, NB.

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