next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
--Boundary_(ID_kamjIpwXQB7SY+d0JMbkkw) Content-type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT JAN. 29 (Friday), 2010 - After a few days of very warm melting temperatures and the disappearance of most of our snow cover, today's opposite weather bodes well for EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND II (check out <www.eaglens.ca>) and for our first attempt for the 29th Annual Cyril K. Coldwell Eagles and Raptors Count of Eastern King's County -- the latter is scheduled for this Sunday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11 a.m. I will write more about that in due course. Last night's and today's weather had/has very strong winds from the west and fair amounts of falling and blowing dry snow (blizzard conditions with very little visibility). This morning at our feeders I counted 6 n. cardinals (1m,5f); the 5 females is more than I have seen before, and I know we still have at least 3 males. JAN. 30 (Sat.), 2010 - EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND II -- Unfortunately the strong winds continued and produced very bad conditions for today in the Sheffield Mills area and eastern King's County elsewhere, with lots of blowing snow and drifts on some roads, and very cold temperatures from -11 to -7 C. and resultant very cold wind-chill. We suspect that both yesterday and today, many or most of the bald eagles stayed in their overnight roosts (best-known one is in dense conifers along the Gaspereau River near White Rock. Needless to say, we want people to stay away from such sensitive spots, where the eagles would be impossible to see and photograph. A couple of days of very little feeding should produce a lot of hungry eagles for tomorrow, perhaps. Last weekend the Eagle Watch went very well, with more than 900 breakfasts being served and both the community hall and Middle Dyke Road viewing site both being full of people for long periods. Unfortunately the eagles made everyone wait for 2-2.5 hours for any substantial feeding and flying activity after the chicken carrion was provided. My report on today is very short. A lot of people and eagles did not show up at all today in either place. I heard that shortly after the provision of dead chickens, the few eagles present did some flying and swooping and feeding right away in the morning, but then not only the eagles but also the ravens and gulls all flew away somewhere. I didn't check the viewing site until 2 p.m. (find me in the hall), and I saw only 2 flying eagles and, on the ground in the field, about 70 great black-backed gulls and 4 ravens -- and only a few vehicles and patient gawkers/photographers. Be warned that some of the roads were quite treacherous in places because of blowing snow and drifts on the roads, plus somewhat oblivious drivers of big pick-up trucks and SUVs (showing off). Use your flashers if you have to drive very slowly. About 35 of us naturalists/biologists will be making our first try for this year of our Annual Cyril K. Coldwell Eagles and Raptors Count for Eastern Kings County. We send out field parties to 16 designated areas for just one hour, from 10 to 11 a.m. to minimize double-counting of the birds, and then some of us will end up at the Community Hall, where I will be attending the displays upstairs and trying to answer questions etc. Everyone remember that the map given out at the community hall is designed to keep you in the Sheffield Mills and Canning and Kingsport areas. But the areas where the eagle might be getting food or just perching extend much further, through Port Williams to east of Wolfville to Grand Pre to Hortonville (where the white red-tailed hawk hangs out) and through the Gaspereau Valley to soutwest of White Rock. Good hunting, and I wish everyone good viewing conditions plus cooperative raptors tomorrow! Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204 --Boundary_(ID_kamjIpwXQB7SY+d0JMbkkw) Content-type: text/html; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; = -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font = face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal = 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>JAN. 29 (Friday), 2010 </b>- After a = few days of very warm melting temperatures and the disappearance of most = of our snow cover, today's opposite weather bodes well for <b>EAGLE = WATCH WEEKEND II (check out <<a = href=3D"http://www.eaglens.ca">www.eaglens.ca</a>>)</b> and for = our first attempt for the <b>29th Annual Cyril K. Coldwell Eagles = and Raptors Count of Eastern King's County</b> -- the latter is = scheduled for this Sunday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11 a.m. I will = write more about that in due course.</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top:= 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: = normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; = "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; = margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" = size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; = ">Last night's and today's <b>weather</b> had/has very strong = winds from the west and fair amounts of falling and blowing dry snow = (blizzard conditions with very little visibility).</font></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; = min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; = margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font = face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: normal normal normal = 12px/normal Helvetica; ">This morning at our feeders I counted <b>6 = n. cardinals</b> (1m,5f); the 5 females is more than I have seen = before, and I know we still have at least 3 = males. </font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: = 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal = 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div = style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; = margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: = normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; "><b>JAN. 30 (Sat.), 2010 - = EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND II </b>-- Unfortunately the strong winds = continued and produced very bad conditions for today in the Sheffield = Mills area and eastern King's County elsewhere, with lots of blowing = snow and drifts on some roads, and very cold temperatures from -11 to -7 = C. and resultant very cold wind-chill. We suspect that both = yesterday and today, many or most of the bald eagles stayed in their = overnight roosts (best-known one is in dense conifers along the = Gaspereau River near