[NatureNS] Virginia Rail, Rusty Blackbird, Spring Flowers

Date: Mon, 04 May 2009 09:58:51 -0300
From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644
Hi all
Early yesterday morning I went to the Browns Mtn. square (20NR65)  and got a few early morning birds such as Great Horned and Barred Owl. The last Woodcock of the morning seemed to stop beeping about 5:20 a.m. 
 Jeannie McGee and I did some atlassing mostly in the Lincolnville (20PR14) priority square yesterday. Was fully intending to go further east to Hadleyville but when we hit fog we stopped and stayed where there was no fog. The area we explored alive with Winter Wrens fighting over territories. Other species in numbers were Hermit Thrush and Palm Warblers which were more numerous than Myrtles. There is a lot of boggy areas in this square and Palm Warbler is a common nester. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were very vocal and were also numerous. 
 Many Tree Swallows were investigating their favouite nesting sites. In this square it is in back of the street lights. I don't really see this behaviour in Pictou Co., but it is common in Guysborough Co. 
 We walked a partially grown-over logging road and were successful in hearing a RUSTY BLACKBIRD  in a shrubby wetland. Jeannie noted a Red-tail Hawk near this and a search of the hardwood produced two old unoccupied nests, but we could not locate this years nest. Where is Bernard Forsythe when you need him!

On the way back home ( the long way) in the Middle Milford area ( Highway 344) we stopped at a  roadside cattail marsh and had a response from a VIRGINIA RAIL , - I think this is a first record for this species in the SW Cape Breton region of the current atlas. The marsh also had An AMERICAN BITTERN calling. 

In the Lincolnville area especially around Five Mile Lake, MAYFLOWERS were in high bloom. There were still a lot of COLTSFOOT in bloom and we found a small patch of SPRING BEAUTIES in bloom in an area exposed by a strip cut-over. DWARF GINSENG in the same area of the cut-over was almost in bloom. Another day or two will likely bring out the flowers buds to full blossom. 

I checked for Chimney Swifts again last night ( May 3) at the Temperance St. School in New Glasgow, but no sign of any from 19:55- 20:20.  In the Plymouth area, the Peepers were joined by AMERICAN TOADS thrilling last night. 
cheers
Ken

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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken McKenna<BR>Box 218 Stellarton NS<BR>B0K 
1S0<BR>902 752-7644<BR>Hi all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Early&nbsp;yesterday morning I went to the Browns 
Mtn. square (20NR65)&nbsp; and got a few early morning birds such as Great 
Horned and Barred Owl. The last Woodcock of the morning seemed to stop beeping 
about 5:20 a.m. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;Jeannie McGee and I did some atlassing mostly 
in the Lincolnville (20PR14)&nbsp;priority square yesterday. Was fully intending 
to go further east to Hadleyville but when we hit fog we stopped and stayed 
where there was no fog. The area we explored alive with Winter Wrens fighting 
over territories. Other species in numbers were Hermit Thrush and Palm Warblers 
which were more numerous than Myrtles. There is a lot of boggy areas in this 
square and Palm Warbler is a common nester. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were very 
vocal and were also numerous. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;Many Tree Swallows were investigating their 
favouite nesting sites. In this square it is in back of the street lights. I 
don't really see this behaviour in Pictou Co., but it is common in Guysborough 
Co. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>&nbsp;We walked a partially grown-over logging road 
and were successful in hearing a RUSTY BLACKBIRD&nbsp; in a shrubby wetland. 
Jeannie noted a Red-tail Hawk near this and a search of the hardwood 
produced&nbsp;two old unoccupied&nbsp;nests, but we could not locate this years 
nest. Where is Bernard Forsythe when you need him!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the way back home ( the long way) in the Middle 
Milford area ( Highway 344)&nbsp;we stopped at a&nbsp; roadside cattail marsh 
and had a response from a VIRGINIA RAIL , - I think this is a first record for 
this species in the SW Cape Breton region of the current atlas. The marsh also 
had An&nbsp;AMERICAN BITTERN&nbsp;calling. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the Lincolnville area especially around Five 
Mile Lake, MAYFLOWERS were in high bloom. There were still a lot of 
COLTSFOOT&nbsp;in bloom and we found a small patch of SPRING BEAUTIES in bloom 
in an area exposed by a strip cut-over. DWARF GINSENG in the same area of the 
cut-over was almost in bloom. Another day or two will likely bring out the 
flowers buds to full blossom. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I checked for Chimney Swifts again last night ( May 
3) at the Temperance St. School in New Glasgow,&nbsp;but no sign of any from 
19:55- 20:20.&nbsp; In the Plymouth area, the Peepers were joined by AMERICAN 
TOADS thrilling last night. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>cheers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ken</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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