next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
--Boundary_(ID_rZDXj4163EfrJX1ZCRf/rA) Content-type: text/plain; CHARSET=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT AUG. 21, 2011 (Monday) - Thanks to a few readers of my e-mail messages, who responded concerning a remedy and how long to expect the symptoms to last, about my swollen, achy, itchy right foot from an unknown painful ankle sting last Thursday afternoon. The swelling and pain have waned a lot finally, and some of the itchiness persists, but I am going to live. SHOREBIRDS REPORT FOR HIGH TIDE THIS AFTERNOON: I checked the area of the Evangeline Beach viewing platform & motel & canteen area just before 6 p.m., two hours before high tide. Just to the north, weather was very dark and threatening of rain, with a strong wind from the west and about 21-22 degrees Celsius. Right away I noticed a big "gray carpet" roost of peeps or small shorebirds only about 150 metres east of the viewing platform. I guessed the numbers there conservatively (I hope) of 45,000 peeps, and of course the incoming tide was making them very gradually move closer to the upper beach (but still lots of beach was there for them, and no human recreators nor dogs at all, thanks to the weather and the weekend being past). While I sat and gawked and waited for action, a few visitors showed up at the viewing platform, and I pointed out the roost to them and showed them my binoculars' view, too. I also mentioned that it would be nice for a peregrine or other aerial disturbance to make them fly, and right on cue at 6:10 p.m. the big roost took flight suddenly, out over the water at low altitude, just as a small dark winged missile (a merlin, I'll bet) passed right over us at low altitude and dove toward the big flock! As the big flock of peeps divided and did aerial manoeuvres that were great to see, and reunited, just like a big school of scared bait fish, I saw a small dark falcon in their midst, doing repeated dives and chases toward single sandpipers or small groups. I can't be sure it was a merlin, but it seemed too small to be a small peregrine. I couldn't tell whether its hunt was successful, because it and the peeps were lost out there in the very dark clouds, and the sudden rain chased all of us back to our cars at 6:15 p.m. End of a very good show for me and about 5 visitors from various locations, including B.C. Just dumb luck for those of us who were at the right place at the right time! -------------------------- Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. --Boundary_(ID_rZDXj4163EfrJX1ZCRf/rA) 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: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>AUG. = 21, 2011 (Monday)</b> - <b>Thanks to a few readers </b>of my = e-mail messages, who responded concerning a remedy and how long to = expect the symptoms to last, about my swollen, achy, itchy right foot = from an <b>unknown painful ankle sting</b> last Thursday = afternoon. The swelling and pain have waned a lot finally, and = some of the itchiness persists, but I am going to live.</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: 12.0px = Helvetica"><b>SHOREBIRDS REPORT FOR HIGH TIDE THIS = AFTERNOON:</b></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; "><b></b><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: = 12.0px Helvetica">I checked the area of the <b>Evangeline Beach</b> = viewing platform & motel & canteen area just before 6 p.m.,<b> = two hours before high tide</b>. Just to the north, weather was = very dark and threatening of rain, with a strong wind from the west and = about 21-22 degrees Celsius. Right away I noticed a<b> big "gray = carpet" roost of peeps</b> or small shorebirds only about 150 metres = east of the viewing platform. I guessed the numbers there = conservatively (I hope) of <b>45,000 peeps</b>, and of course the = incoming tide was making them very gradually move closer to the upper = beach (but still lots of beach was there for them, and no human = recreators nor dogs at all, thanks to the weather and the weekend being = past). </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: = 12.0px Helvetica">While I sat and gawked and waited for action, a few = <b>visitors</b> showed up at the viewing platform, and I pointed out the = roost to them and showed them my binoculars' view, = too. </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: = 12.0px Helvetica"> I also mentioned that it would be nice for a = peregrine or other aerial disturbance to make them fly, and right on cue = at 6:10 p.m. the big roost took flight suddenly, out over the water at = low altitude, just as<b> a small dark winged missile (a merlin</b>, I'll = bet) passed right over us at low altitude and dove toward the big = flock! </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: = 12.0px Helvetica">As the big flock of peeps divided and did <b>aerial = manoeuvres </b>that were great to see, and reunited, just like a big = school of scared bait fish, I saw a <b>small dark falcon</b> in their = midst, doing repeated dives and chases toward single sandpipers or small = groups. I can't be sure it was a <b>merlin</b>, but it seemed too = small to be a small <b>peregrine</b>. I couldn't tell whether its = hunt was successful, because it and the peeps were lost out there in the = very dark clouds, and the sudden rain chased all of us back to our cars = at 6:15 p.m. </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: = 12.0px Helvetica">End of a very good show for me and about 5 visitors = from various locations, including B.C. Just dumb luck for those of = us who were at the right place at the right time! </font></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: = 12.0px Helvetica">--------------------------</font></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: = 12.0px Helvetica">Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.</font></div> </body></html>= --Boundary_(ID_rZDXj4163EfrJX1ZCRf/rA)--
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects