[NatureNS] re rare swallows -- was Londonderry Breeding Bird Survey

Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:09:59 -0300
From: Bob McDonald <bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Hi Jim,

Wendy and I also saw the flock on the beach leading to Horton Bluff.  Many of them were definitely  Bank Swallows - the ring around the neck was clearly discernable as they were flying no further than 5-6 feet from us.  We felt that they might have been breeding in the bank facing away from the beach but did not investigate further for fear of disturbing them.  Several settled down on the beach from time to time for whatever reason (having a snooze....?).

Cheers,
Bob

P.S.  These were the first I've seen this year.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: James W. Wolford 
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 5:17 PM
  Subject: [NatureNS] re rare swallows -- was Londonderry Breeding Bird Survey


  Blake mentioned the rarity of a couple kinds of swallows, which prompts me to mention that a bunch of us on Sunday, June 14, were along the beach just west of Horton Bluff (east of Avonport and west of Blue Beach) and we encountered a flying flock of about 20 swallows that I'm guessing were BANK SWALLOWS.  I'm copying to Sue Abbott and Larry Bogan, and Dennis Hippern was with us as well.  Perhaps they can confirm or correct my guess as to what kind of swallow they were?  Also I couldn't tell whether or not they were possibly associated with a nesting colony there?


  Cheers from Jim in Wolfville



  Begin forwarded message:


    From: Blake Maybank <maybank@ns.sympatico.ca>
    Date: June 16, 2009 7:52:28 AM ADT
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
    Subject: [NatureNS] Londonderry Breeding Bird Survey
    Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca


    Hi Everyone;


    It was a perfect morning (June 14) for a breeding bird survey, and I did my annual Londonderry route.   The highlight, at stop #3, north of East Montrose, was a singing Willow Flycatcher.  Details are on the NS Rare Bird Alert if anyone is interested in this particular Willow Flycatcher -- there have been a number of reports this year.


    I haven't analysed all the data yet, but once again most species were in low numbers, with a few exceptions (lots of Red-eyed Vireos and Chestnut-sided Warblers, for example).  The route is largely suburban and agricultural, so it was dismaying to encounter only 2 Barn Swallows and 4 Tree Swallows, where there would have been 10 times the number not so many years ago.   And for the first time I had no House Sparrows.  No Chimney Swifts.  Few Common Yellowthroats.  Few Yellow-rumped Warblers.  And on and on.


    It is unwise to draw conclusions from just one survey, but I wouldn't be surprised if some aspects of this pattern were repeated.    The scarcity of swallows, for example, has been mentioned by many on NatureNS.


    Cheers,


    Blake


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Blake Maybank
    maybank@ns.sympatico.ca
    902-852-2077


    Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"
    http://nsbs.chebucto.org


    author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"
    http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm


    White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada 




------------------------------------------------------------------------------



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<BODY 
style="WORD-WRAP: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space" 
bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Hi Jim,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Wendy and I also saw the flock on the beach leading to Horton 
Bluff.&nbsp; Many of them were definitely &nbsp;Bank Swallows - the ring around 
the neck was clearly discernable as they were flying no further than 5-6 feet 
from us.&nbsp; We felt that they might have been breeding in the bank facing 
away from the beach but did not investigate further for fear of disturbing 
them.&nbsp; Several settled down on the beach from time to time for whatever 
reason (having a snooze....?).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Bob</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>P.S.&nbsp; These were the first I've seen this 
year.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE 
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV 
  style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> 
  <A title=jimwolford@eastlink.ca href="mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">James W. 
  Wolford</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=naturens@chebucto.ns.ca 
  href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, June 16, 2009 5:17 
PM</DIV>
  <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] re rare swallows -- 
  was Londonderry Breeding Bird Survey</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>Blake mentioned the rarity of a couple kinds of swallows, which 
  prompts me to mention that a bunch of us on Sunday, June 14, were along the 
  beach just west of Horton Bluff (east of Avonport and west of Blue Beach) and 
  we encountered a flying flock of about 20 swallows that I'm guessing were BANK 
  SWALLOWS. &nbsp;I'm copying to Sue Abbott and Larry Bogan, and Dennis Hippern 
  was with us as well. &nbsp;Perhaps they can confirm or correct my guess as to 
  what kind of swallow they were? &nbsp;Also I couldn't tell whether or not they 
  were possibly associated with a nesting colony there?
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV>Cheers from Jim in Wolfville<BR>
  <DIV><BR>
  <DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline>
  <BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" 
    face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT 
    style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3>Blake Maybank &lt;<A 
    href="mailto:maybank@ns.sympatico.ca">maybank@ns.sympatico.ca</A>&gt;</FONT></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" 
    face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT 
    style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3>June 16, 2009 7:52:28 AM 
    ADT</FONT></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" 
    face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT 
    style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3><A 
    href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A></FONT></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" 
    face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT 
    style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3><B>[NatureNS] Londonderry 
    Breeding Bird Survey</B></FONT></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><FONT style="FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" 
    face=Helvetica color=#000000 size=3><B>Reply-To: </B></FONT><FONT 
    style="FONT: 12px Helvetica" face=Helvetica size=3><A 
    href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A></FONT></DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Hi Everyone;</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">It was a perfect morning (June 14) for a breeding 
    bird survey, and I did my annual Londonderry route. <SPAN 
    class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>The highlight, at stop #3, north 
    of East Montrose, was a singing Willow Flycatcher.<SPAN 
    class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>Details are on the NS Rare Bird 
    Alert if anyone is interested in this particular Willow Flycatcher -- there 
    have been a number of reports this year.</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">I haven't analysed all the data yet, but once again 
    most species were in low numbers, with a few exceptions (lots of Red-eyed 
    Vireos and Chestnut-sided Warblers, for example).<SPAN 
    class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>The route is largely suburban and 
    agricultural, so it was dismaying to encounter only 2 Barn Swallows and 4 
    Tree Swallows, where there would have been 10 times the number not so many 
    years ago. <SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>And for the first 
    time I had no House Sparrows.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; 
    </SPAN>No Chimney Swifts.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>Few 
    Common Yellowthroats.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>Few 
    Yellow-rumped Warblers.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; </SPAN>And 
    on and on.</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">It is unwise to draw conclusions from just one 
    survey, but I wouldn't be surprised if some aspects of this pattern were 
    repeated.<SPAN class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp; &nbsp; </SPAN>The scarcity 
    of swallows, for example, has been mentioned by many on NatureNS.</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Cheers,</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Blake</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV 
    style="MARGIN: 0px">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------</DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Blake Maybank</DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A 
    href="mailto:maybank@ns.sympatico.ca">maybank@ns.sympatico.ca</A></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">902-852-2077</DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">Editor, "Nova Scotia Birds"</DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A 
    href="http://nsbs.chebucto.org">http://nsbs.chebucto.org</A></DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">author, "Birding Sites of Nova Scotia"</DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><A 
    href="http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm">http://maybank.tripod.com/BSNS.htm</A></DIV>
    <DIV style="MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV>
    <DIV style="MARGIN: 0px">White's Lake, Nova Scotia, Canada<SPAN 
    class=Apple-converted-space>&nbsp;</SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></DIV>
  <P>
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