[NatureNS] Pictou Co. birds- Gt. Wh. Fronted Goose, S.P. Plover, N. Shrike

From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:02:25 -0300
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644

Hi all
A little group of us (Charlie Kendell, Eric and Ann Mills and myself) =
spent the day exploring nature in Pictou Co. yesterday Apr. 2. The =
emphasis was on birds but there were other observations of nature as =
well. We were hoping to see early records of some spring arrivals but in =
areas we checked we did not find any Wood Ducks, Winter Wrens, Eastern =
Phoebe, Sapsuckers, PB Grebe, Gannets or Osprey so will wait patiently =
for these species to push into Pictou Co.
After tallying up a nice list of regular species in the MacLellans =
Brook-MacLellans Mtn. area, we moved to the Merigomish area and were =
rewarded with an imm. Greater White-fronted Goose with a group of Canada =
Geese and Green-winged Teal at the Lower Barney's River bridge. Roadside =
deer were moderately abundant.=20
Big Island was a bit quiet, but we did puzzle awhile over a Horned Grebe =
which was starting to change from winter plumage and observed in the =
Strait along the causeway. A couple of Snow Buntings flew overhead while =
we were tracking down the grebe.=20
At the New Glasgow sewer Eric spotted an adult Glaucous Gull and pointed =
out the yellowish eye ring as a good feature to look for as the gull was =
a little small and had slightly longer wing-extensions than an average =
Glaucous Gull. In the grass along the bank of the  East River below the =
treatment plant, Eric picked out a Black-headed Gull which was resting.=20
As per most of the spring so far, there were almost no birds at the =
outflow of the NSPC Trenton, but as we were slowly driving by Charlie =
spotted a camouflaged shorebird  and when we backed up to find it, it =
appeared to be a first year Semipalmated Plover. The plumage was well =
worn and the over-all appearance was a paler than normal bird. Charlie =
and I took a number of photos and I think with Eric's help, we have =
ruled out a Common Ringed Plover. This is rather early for a =
Semipalmated Plover sighting.=20
At Waterside PP we spotted a wary Great Blue Heron the first Charlie and =
I had for the spring. I had a report of one seen Apr. 1 in the =
Merigomish area by Steve MacLean.=20
Charlie's eagle eyes spotted an adult Northern Shrike hunting back of =
one of the salt water ponds in the park. Charlie is well known in these =
parts for his ability to pull shrikes out of nowhere and he spotted =
another adult Northern Shrike as we slowly made our way through the =
muddy Otter Road ( a detour route because of the missing Weir's Gut =
bridge).=20
Double-crested Cormorants are increasing at the Pictou Causeway with =
about 50 present and a couple of the more industrious with partially =
made nests.=20
We finished the day with about 53 species of birds. Coltsfoot was =
wide-spread.=20

cheers
ken

Ps We are looking forward to Eric's talk on Brier I. tonight at our =
naturalists club- 6:30 PM. New Glasgow Library


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<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Ken McKenna<BR>Box 218 Stellarton =
NS<BR>B0K=20
1S0<BR>902 752-7644<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Hi all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>A little group of us&nbsp;(Charlie =
Kendell, Eric=20
and Ann Mills and myself) spent the day exploring nature in Pictou Co. =
yesterday=20
Apr. 2. The emphasis was on birds but there were other observations of =
nature as=20
well. We were hoping to see early records of some spring arrivals but in =
areas=20
we checked we did <STRONG>not</STRONG> find any Wood Ducks, Winter =
Wrens,=20
Eastern Phoebe, Sapsuckers, PB Grebe, Gannets&nbsp;or Osprey so will =
wait=20
patiently for these species to push into Pictou Co.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>After tallying&nbsp;up a nice list of =
regular=20
species in the MacLellans Brook-MacLellans Mtn. area, we moved to the =
Merigomish=20
area and were rewarded with an imm. <STRONG>Greater White-fronted =
Goose</STRONG>=20
with a group of Canada Geese and Green-winged Teal at the Lower Barney's =
River=20
bridge. Roadside deer were moderately abundant. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Big Island was a bit quiet, but we did =
puzzle=20
awhile over a <STRONG>Horned Grebe</STRONG> which was starting to=20
change&nbsp;from winter plumage&nbsp;and&nbsp;observed in the Strait =
along the=20
causeway. A couple of <STRONG>Snow</STRONG> <STRONG>Buntings</STRONG> =
flew=20
overhead while we were tracking down the grebe. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>At the New Glasgow sewer Eric spotted =
an adult=20
<STRONG>Glaucous Gull</STRONG> and pointed out the yellowish eye ring as =
a good=20
feature to look for as the gull was a little small and had slightly =
longer=20
wing-extensions than an average Glaucous Gull. In the grass along the =
bank of=20
the &nbsp;East River below the treatment plant, Eric picked out a =
Black-headed=20
Gull which was resting. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>As per most of the spring so far, there =
were almost=20
no birds at the outflow of the NSPC Trenton, but as we were slowly =
driving by=20
Charlie spotted a camouflaged shorebird&nbsp; and when we backed up to =
find it,=20
it appeared to be a first year <STRONG>Semipalmated Plover</STRONG>. The =
plumage=20
was well worn and the over-all appearance was a paler than normal bird. =
Charlie=20
and I took a number of photos and I think with Eric's help,&nbsp;we have =
ruled=20
out a Common Ringed Plover.&nbsp;This is rather early for a Semipalmated =
Plover=20
sighting. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>At Waterside PP we spotted a wary =
<STRONG>Great=20
Blue Heron</STRONG> the first Charlie and I had for the spring. I had a =
report=20
of one seen Apr. 1 in the Merigomish area by Steve =
MacLean.&nbsp;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Charlie's eagle eyes spotted an adult=20
<STRONG>Northern Shrike</STRONG> hunting back of one of the salt water =
ponds in=20
the park.&nbsp;Charlie is well known in these parts for his ability to =
pull=20
shrikes out of nowhere and he spotted another adult <STRONG>Northern=20
Shrike</STRONG> as we slowly made our way through the muddy Otter Road ( =
a=20
detour route because of the missing Weir's Gut bridge). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial><STRONG>Double-crested =
Cormorants</STRONG> are=20
increasing at the Pictou Causeway with about 50 present and a couple of =
the more=20
industrious with partially made nests. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>We finished the day with about 53 =
species of birds.=20
Coltsfoot was wide-spread. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>cheers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>ken</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Ps We are looking forward to Eric's =
talk on Brier=20
I. tonight at our naturalists club- 6:30 PM. New Glasgow =
Library</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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