[NatureNS] Brier Island Weekend preliminary

From: James Hirtle <jrhbirder@hotmail.com>
To: Naturens Naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:04:30 +0000
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Hi all:
=20
Thanks to all who attended the Brier Island Weekend.  I've not matched note=
s with Wayne yet=2C so I'll not post the weekend total until I've been in t=
ouch with him.  I will post a few preliminary sightings and comments though=
.  I think that this might be the lowest count for the weekend ever=2C but =
there still were enough sightings and birds about to make it an exciting an=
d fun weekend.  Sunday was especially good with a large fallout of warblers=
 on the island.  To my knowledge 13 species=2C but again I've not compared =
notes.  These included one black-throated blue warbler and at least two ora=
nge-crowned warblers.  Wayne Neilly had a number of Lincoln's sparrows.  We=
 had a few gray catbirds=2C a number of eastern wood pewees=2C numbers of r=
ed-eyed vireos and blue-headed vireos.   Cedar waxwings were on the move an=
d were headed out.  There was only one sizeable kettle of hawks on Sunday w=
ith about 40 broad-wings in it and an osprey flying above.  We did see most=
 of the expected hawks.  Suzanne Borkowski had a northern goshawk.  We saw =
a peregrine falcon a number of times.  We also watched many sharp-shinned h=
awks=2C merlins=2C American kestrels=2C and a northern harrier.  Three east=
ern bluebirds made an appearance on Sunday.  Suzanne Borkowski found a fema=
le blue grosbeak.  On Friday Dorothy Poole=2C David Walmark and I had two l=
arge terns=2C but they were to far away to positively id.  We think they we=
re Caspians.  On Saturday some of us did get to see a Caspian tern first sp=
otted by Clyde Stoddart on a rock on the beach at Pond Cove.  On Sunday=2C =
Clarence Stevens Sr. and some others also saw a Caspian tern.  On the pelag=
ic=2C a group of well over a 1 000 great shearwaters was a sight to see and=
 more sooty shearwaters in one spot than the majority of birders on the boa=
t had seen.  Both boat trips had four manx shearwaters.  With Mariner we ha=
d three for sure=2C possibly four as I had one in the water=2C which by the=
 time I tried to get peoples attention had disappeared=2C but Bruce Stevens=
 was able to get a photo of one in flight=2C which could have been the same=
 bird or maybe a separate one.  Two manx shearwaters together in the water =
at close range was a real treat.  There were numbers of both red and red-ne=
cked phalaropes.  David Walmark had seen an unknown swallow.  Clarence Stev=
ens Sr. had an American golden plover at Pond Cove. =20
=20
I spoke to Penny of Mariner Cruises and she told me that there had been ver=
y few Atlantic Puffins seen this year that they all were on the New Brunswi=
ck side.  This is the first year that I can remember that we have not seen =
any.  We also did not have any petrels=2C but the day we were out it was ve=
ry rough.  Wayne will add to this hopefully as I know I've forgotten someth=
ing.
=20
James R. Hirtle
Bridgewater 		 	   		  =

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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>
Hi all:<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Thanks to all who attended the Brier Island Weekend.&nbsp=3B I've not match=
ed notes with Wayne yet=2C so I'll not post the weekend total until I've be=
en in touch with him.&nbsp=3B I will post a few preliminary sightings and c=
omments though.&nbsp=3B I think that this might be the lowest count for the=
 weekend ever=2C but there still were enough sightings and birds about to m=
ake it an exciting and fun weekend.&nbsp=3B Sunday was especially good with=
 a large fallout of warblers on the island.&nbsp=3B To my knowledge 13 spec=
ies=2C but again I've not compared notes.&nbsp=3B These included one black-=
throated blue warbler and at least two orange-crowned warblers.&nbsp=3B Way=
ne Neilly had a number of Lincoln's sparrows.&nbsp=3B We had a few gray cat=
birds=2C a number of eastern wood pewees=2C numbers of red-eyed vireos and =
blue-headed vireos.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3B Cedar waxwings were on the move and wer=
e headed out.&nbsp=3B There was only one sizeable kettle of hawks on Sunday=
 with about 40 broad-wings in it&nbsp=3Band an osprey flying above.&nbsp=3B=
 We did see&nbsp=3Bmost of the expected hawks.&nbsp=3B Suzanne Borkowski ha=
d a northern goshawk.&nbsp=3B We saw a peregrine falcon a number of times.&=
nbsp=3B We also watched many sharp-shinned hawks=2C merlins=2C American kes=
trels=2C and a northern harrier.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BThree eastern bluebirds mad=
e an appearance on Sunday.&nbsp=3B Suzanne Borkowski found a female blue gr=
osbeak.&nbsp=3B On Friday Dorothy Poole=2C David Walmark and I had two larg=
e terns=2C but they were to far away to positively id.&nbsp=3B We think the=
y were Caspians.&nbsp=3B On Saturday some of us did get to see a Caspian te=
rn first spotted by Clyde Stoddart on a rock on the beach at Pond Cove.&nbs=
p=3B On Sunday=2C Clarence Stevens Sr. and some others also saw a Caspian t=
ern.&nbsp=3B On the pelagic=2C a group of well over a 1 000 great shearwate=
rs was a sight to see and more sooty shearwaters in one spot than the major=
ity of birders on the boat had seen.&nbsp=3B Both boat trips had four manx =
shearwaters.&nbsp=3B With Mariner we had three for sure=2C possibly four as=
 I had one in the water=2C which by the time I tried to get peoples attenti=
on had disappeared=2C but Bruce Stevens was able to get a photo of one in f=
light=2C which could have been the same bird or maybe a separate one.&nbsp=
=3B Two manx shearwaters together in the water at close range was a real tr=
eat.&nbsp=3B There were numbers of both red and red-necked phalaropes.&nbsp=
=3B David Walmark had seen an unknown swallow.&nbsp=3B Clarence Stevens Sr.=
 had an American golden plover at Pond Cove.&nbsp=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
I spoke to Penny of Mariner Cruises and she told me that there had been ver=
y few Atlantic Puffins seen this year that they all were on the New Brunswi=
ck side.&nbsp=3B This is the first year that I can remember that we have no=
t seen any.&nbsp=3B We also did not have any petrels=2C but the day we were=
 out it was very rough.&nbsp=3B Wayne will add to this hopefully as I know =
I've forgotten something.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
James R. Hirtle<BR>
Bridgewater<BR> 		 	   		  </div></body>
</html>=

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