[NatureNS] Valley birds

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From: "Bob McDonald" <bobathome83@gmail.com>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 21:08:32 -0300
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Good evening,

Just back on NatureNS after a 6-week hiatus so hope this report is not =
all old news!

Wendy and I took a run up to the Valley for produce, etc but did manage =
to do some birding on the way and while there.  First stop was the =
Windsor Sewage lagoons where things have changed since our last visit.  =
As far as I can tell it is now next to impossible to access the second =
pond.  Too bad.  The only species of note there were 7-8 American Wigeon =
and about half a dozen GW Teal.  No Eurasian Wigeon or Lesser =
Black-backed Gull was seen.

Next stop was the Wolfville Waterfront where after much searching, and a =
bit of good luck, the Northern Mockingbird did show!

Recently, one spot we try not to miss is Miner's Marsh - this really is =
a terrific spot and it did not disappoint today!  Amongst the countless =
Mallards were several small groups of GW Teal, numbering about 20 in =
total.  There was one female Northern Pintail in the larger pond.  =
Today, the Marsh was literally crawling with Wilson's Snipe - I lost =
count after seeing about 15 birds and I expect that there were at least =
2-3 dozen!  Only other shorebirds were 2 Lesser Yellowlegs.
The Bird-of-the-Day however was undoubtedly a Marsh Wren, mainly heard =
(not singing but chucking to itself) but seen briefly, as it worked its =
way along the edge of the cat-tails beside the trail through the middle =
of the marsh.  I searched for other birders and did grab one =
unsuspecting gentleman with binoculars and told him about it.  He went =
off in search....  I obtained several pictures of cat-tails but in none =
of my images did I "capture" the bird.  Does anyone know if Marsh Wren =
breeds here?  It looks like perfect habitat, although perhaps a bit busy =
during breeding season.

Other interesting species seen included 3 Great Blue Herons, 1 =
Red-winged Blackbird (male), 1 Northern Mockingbird (near the path with =
all the Private Property/No Trespassing signs, in a small Barberry =
shrub), 1 Bald Eagle, 1 Belted Kingfisher and a few sparrows (Song, =
White-throated and Chipping - feeding with a large flock of juncos near =
the parking lot).

All in all, an interesting day!

Cheers,
Bob McDonald
Halifax
bobathome83@gmail.com (new email address)


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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Good evening,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Just back on NatureNS after a 6-week =
hiatus so hope=20
this report is not all old news!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Wendy and I took a run up to the Valley =
for=20
produce, etc but did manage to do some birding on the way and while =
there.&nbsp;=20
First stop was the Windsor Sewage lagoons where things have changed =
since our=20
last visit.&nbsp; As far as I can tell it is now next to impossible to =
access=20
the second pond.&nbsp; Too bad.&nbsp; The only species of note there =
were 7-8=20
<STRONG>American Wigeon</STRONG> and about half a dozen <STRONG>GW=20
Teal</STRONG>.&nbsp; No Eurasian Wigeon or Lesser Black-backed Gull was=20
seen.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Next stop was the Wolfville Waterfront =
where after=20
much searching, and a bit of good luck, the <STRONG>Northern=20
Mockingbird</STRONG> did show!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Recently, one spot we try not to miss =
is Miner's=20
Marsh - this really is a terrific spot and it did not disappoint =
today!&nbsp;=20
Amongst the countless Mallards were several small groups of <STRONG>GW=20
Teal</STRONG>, numbering about 20 in total.&nbsp; There was one female=20
<STRONG>Northern Pintail</STRONG> in the larger pond.&nbsp; Today, the =
Marsh was=20
literally crawling with <STRONG>Wilson's Snipe</STRONG> - I lost count =
after=20
seeing about 15 birds and I expect that there were at least 2-3 =
dozen!&nbsp;=20
Only other shorebirds were 2 <STRONG>Lesser =
Yellowlegs</STRONG>.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>The Bird-of-the-Day however was =
undoubtedly a=20
<STRONG>Marsh Wren</STRONG>, mainly heard (not singing but chucking to =
itself)=20
but seen briefly, as it worked its way along the edge of the cat-tails =
beside=20
the trail through the middle of the marsh.&nbsp; I searched for other =
birders=20
and did grab one unsuspecting gentleman with binoculars and told him =
about=20
it.&nbsp; He went off in search....&nbsp; I obtained several pictures of =

cat-tails but in none of my images did I "capture" the bird.&nbsp; Does =
anyone=20
know if Marsh Wren breeds here?&nbsp; It looks like perfect habitat, =
although=20
perhaps a bit busy during breeding season.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Other interesting species seen included =
3=20
<STRONG>Great Blue Herons</STRONG>, 1 <STRONG>Red-winged =
Blackbird</STRONG>=20
(male), 1 <STRONG>Northern Mockingbird</STRONG> (near the path with all =
the=20
Private Property/No Trespassing signs, in a small Barberry shrub), 1=20
<STRONG>Bald Eagle</STRONG>, 1 <STRONG>Belted Kingfisher</STRONG> and a =
few=20
sparrows (Song, White-throated and <STRONG>Chipping</STRONG> - feeding =
with a=20
large flock of juncos near the parking lot).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>All in all, an interesting =
day!</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>Bob McDonald</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Halifax</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial><A=20
href=3D"mailto:bobathome83@gmail.com">bobathome83@gmail.com</A&