[NatureNS] Pictou Co. sightings Mar. 13

From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:54:14 -0300
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644
 Hi all
In Pictou Co., there have been reports of PURPLE FINCHES (PUFI) showing up at feeders over the last week. Rick Ferguson called me on Sat morning ( Mar.13) to announce he had PUFI, a GRACKLE and a FOX SPARROW in his yard in Westville. Later that morning, I too had a PUFI turn up at my Plymouth feeders. 
In the afternoon, I checked out the gulls and ducks along the east River in Pictou. 
At the Aberdeen Shopping Centre, there were 12 RING-BILLED GULLS. This species had trickled out to very hard to find in February,  so, I think these are returning birds. A view of the East River near Century Saw and Marine revealed 5 gulls species. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (still with a smudge of dark feathers around the eye) got up off the river ice long enough to reveal the yellow-legs. This is probably the same bird see throughout the winter. An imm. GLAUCOUS GULL side-by side with Iceland and Great Black-backed Gulls was a nice size comparison. I think this was the only Glaucous Gull I saw in Pictou Co. this winter.
 Wintering ducks are starting to move around with melting river/harbour ice. I did see 2 Green-winged Teal at Green's Pt. where a few over-wintered. Behind the Parking meter plant in Abercrombie the ice was tight to the shore, but beyond the ice I could see a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE with about 80 Common Goldeneye. and 100 Scaup.and 100 Canada Geese and 15 Bufflehead. 
I did not stop along the Pictou Causeway but there were still a couple thousand Greater Scaup with other assorted ducks. I stopped to photograph a kite ( not a bird) that someone was flying over the Oddfellows field in Pictou and 40+ Robins crossed the road-again likely part of the wintering group. There were nice photo opportunities for Red-breasted and Common Mergansers from the Pictou Waterfront and a little group of 15 Iceland Gulls at Pier C. 
At Bayview, there were still 18 Bald Eagles and 8 Iceland Gulls with the hoards of Ravens, crows, Starlings and Great Black-backed Gulls in the fields near Ferguson meat plant. 
cheers
Ken


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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Ken McKenna<BR>Box 218 Stellarton NS<BR>B0K 
1S0<BR>902 752-7644<BR>&nbsp;Hi all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>In Pictou Co., there have been reports of PURPLE 
FINCHES (PUFI)&nbsp;showing up at feeders over the last week. Rick Ferguson 
called me on Sat morning ( Mar.13) to announce he had PUFI, a GRACKLE and a FOX 
SPARROW in his yard in Westville. Later that morning, I too had a PUFI turn up 
at my Plymouth feeders.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>In the afternoon, I checked out the gulls and ducks 
along the east River in Pictou. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>At the Aberdeen Shopping Centre, there were 12 
RING-BILLED GULLS. This species had trickled out to very hard to find in 
February, &nbsp;so, I think these are returning birds. A view of the East River 
near Century Saw and Marine revealed 5 gulls species. An adult LESSER 
BLACK-BACKED GULL (still with a smudge of dark feathers around the eye) got up 
off the river ice long enough to reveal the yellow-legs.&nbsp;This 
is&nbsp;probably the&nbsp;same bird see throughout the winter.&nbsp;An imm. 
GLAUCOUS GULL side-by side with Iceland and Great Black-backed Gulls was a nice 
size comparison. I think this was the only Glaucous Gull I saw in Pictou Co. 
this winter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>&nbsp;Wintering ducks are starting to move around 
with melting river/harbour ice. I did see 2 Green-winged Teal at Green's Pt. 
where a few over-wintered. Behind the Parking meter plant in Abercrombie the ice 
was tight to the shore, but beyond the ice I could see a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE 
with about 80 Common Goldeneye. and 100 Scaup.and 100 Canada Geese and 15 
Bufflehead. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I did not stop along the Pictou Causeway but there 
were still&nbsp;a couple thousand Greater Scaup with other assorted ducks. I 
stopped to photograph a kite ( not a bird) that someone was flying over the 
Oddfellows field in Pictou and 40+ Robins crossed the road-again 
likely&nbsp;part of the wintering group. There were nice photo opportunities for 
Red-breasted and Common Mergansers from the Pictou Waterfront and a little group 
of 15 Iceland Gulls at Pier C. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>At Bayview, there were still 18 Bald Eagles and 8 
Iceland Gulls with the hoards of Ravens, crows, Starlings and Great Black-backed 
Gulls in the fields near Ferguson meat plant. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>cheers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Ken</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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