[NatureNS] Horned Grebes etc

From: "john belbin" <jbelbin@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: "NatureNS" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:32:43 -0300
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I had to spend a few hours in Middleton at the science fair, so as soon =
as possible I paid a visit to Port George and the Margaretville area.
The conditions at 2pm were ideal: high tide - sunny skies - dead calm - =
warm. That's the first time I could say that this year!
=20
PORT GEORGE
2 adult Horned Grebes were feeding close to shore in full breeding =
plumage. Those orange-red necks and striking yellow head patches were =
amazing when you are only used to seeing them in winter drab colours.
A little further along a Red-necked Grebe tried to haul itself out of =
the water onto a rock. What a performance! Lots of slipping and sliding =
and wing flapping and chin banging before the deed was done. You could =
almost hear it cursing!

There were a total of 10 Harlequin Ducks, all in male-female pairs and =
widely separated.
2 Long-tailed Ducks surprised me, I would have thought that they would =
be long gone by now.
A single Red-Breasted Merganser male glowed in the sun and showed off =
his hairdo.
A lone Purple Sandpiper stood absolutely still on a rock and gazed at =
the water like an Uppity Canadian tourist.  Other sightings:-
33 Surf Scoters
29 Common Eider
3 White Winged Scoters
8 Common Loons
3 Red Throated Loons

MARGARETVILLE D.U. POND
2 Hooded Mergansers
2 Ring Necked Ducks
1 Wood Duck
1 Northern Flicker
Lots of soft frog calls

MARGARETVILLE
14 Black Scoter, half of them sleeping
2 Surf Scoters
5 White Winged Scoters
17 Common Eiders

It was a great day for comparing close relatives under ideal conditions =
- lets hope we get more of them.
John Belbin
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>I had to spend a few hours in Middleton =
at the=20
science fair, so as soon as possible&nbsp;I paid a visit to Port George =
and the=20
Margaretville area.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>The conditions at 2pm were ideal: high =
tide - sunny=20
skies - dead calm - warm. That's the first time I could say that this=20
year!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>PORT GEORGE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>2 adult Horned Grebes were feeding =
close to shore=20
in full breeding plumage. Those orange-red necks and striking yellow =
head=20
patches were amazing when you are only used to seeing them in winter =
drab=20
colours.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>A little further along a Red-necked =
Grebe tried to=20
haul itself out of the water onto a rock. What a performance! Lots of =
slipping=20
and sliding and wing flapping&nbsp;and chin banging before the deed was =
done.=20
You could almost hear it cursing!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>There were a total of 10 Harlequin =
Ducks, all in=20
male-female pairs and widely separated.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>2 Long-tailed Ducks surprised me, I =
would have=20
thought that they would be long gone by now.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>A single Red-Breasted Merganser male =
glowed in the=20
sun and showed off his hairdo.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>A lone Purple Sandpiper stood =
absolutely still on a=20
rock and gazed at the water like an Uppity Canadian tourist.&nbsp; Other =

sightings:-</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>33 Surf Scoters</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>29 Common Eider</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>3 White Winged Scoters</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>8 Common Loons</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>3 Red Throated Loons</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>MARGARETVILLE D.U. POND</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>2 Hooded Mergansers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>2 Ring Necked Ducks</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>1 Wood Duck</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>1 Northern Flicker</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Lots of soft frog calls</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>MARGARETVILLE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>14 Black Scoter, half of them =
sleeping</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>2 Surf Scoters</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>5 White Winged Scoters</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>17 Common Eiders</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>It was a great day for comparing close =
relatives=20
under ideal conditions - lets hope we get more of them.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>John Belbin</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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