[NatureNS] Strait of Canso NSBS field trip

From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:47:07 -0400
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Ken McKenna
Box 218 Stellarton NS
B0K 1S0
902 752-7644

Hi all
While I am at the computer, here is a short summary of the NSBS field =
trip to Strait of Canso from Sat. Nov 10. At least 16 observers were =
present for the trip including a group of students from CBU. I think =
they might wear more clothes for the next field trip as the high NW =
winds and snow made this trip a little unpleasant. However it did =
produce some Storm Petrels and there were maybe 8-12 between Auld's Cove =
and Troy mostly distant, but 1 or 2 came reasonably close to confirm =
Leaches Storm Petrels. A Jaeger sp., however, did not come close , but =
was seen from Aulds Cove against the Troy skyline. It was a light phase =
bird with a white belly, but really too distant to ID to species. Where =
is Eric Mills or Mike King when you need them!. A single Great Cormorant =
and 6-7 Double-crested Cormorants were spotted.=20

A couple of groups of mixed plumage Common Eiders (70) and 4 =
White-winged Scoters took to the air for easier ID. With a little =
searching, 3 Red-necked Grebes were observed There were 50+ Bonaparte's =
Gulls and a single Black-headed Gull which gave side by side comparison. =
Only 3-4 Bald Eagles were spotted this year and a Red-tailed Hawk was =
roadside an Auld's Cove. A second Red-tailed Hawk was spooked from dead =
crow in a Troy ditch almost hitting our vehicle as we drove by..=20
In Port Hastings the group had nice close observations of a flock of =
about 25 Bohemian Waxwings and a single American Robin in an area with =
lots of rosehips and hawthorne. I noticed one of the students was quick =
to sketch a waxwing in her notebook- a good habit to develop. In Port =
Hawkesbury, a roadside park pond held 8 Hooded Mergansers half he and =
half she.=20

Being near noon and the wind still very high, we moved the home of Dave =
and Mary Johnson to be warmed up with warm beverages, chowder, soup, =
fresh biscuits and buns and a large variety of sweets. There was some =
nice bird conversation around the table and a good number of stories =
were exchanged.=20
Thanks to Mary and Dave for such warm Cape Breton hospitality. and to =
Dave J. and Dave M. for leading the field trip. The birds were much =
lower in numbers than in the past and very unusual, not a single Gannet =
was spotted. It seems the usual bill-fish run was not in progress at =
this point in time. I think the students deserve good marks from prof =
Glassy (sp?) for their perseverance and I assure them that there are =
loads of field trips with warmer weather and more birds, but only few =
with such great warm hospitality. !

Charlie and I observed 3 Iceland Gulls and a Red-throated Loon along the =
Canso Causeway on the way home. We took a loop around Harve Boucher and =
were rewarded with 3 very approachable and photographic White-winged =
Crossbills with a group of 12 Snow Buntings and a single Ipswich Sparrow =
eating mullein seeds along the shoreline.=20

cheers
Ken

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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>While I am at the computer, here is a =
short summary=20
of the NSBS field trip to Strait of Canso&nbsp;from Sat. Nov 10. At =
least 16=20
observers were present for the trip including a group of students from =
CBU. I=20
think they&nbsp;might wear more clothes for the next field trip as the =
high NW=20
winds and snow made this trip a little unpleasant. However it did =
produce some=20
Storm Petrels and there were maybe 8-12 between Auld's Cove and Troy =
mostly=20
distant, but 1 or 2 came reasonably close to confirm <STRONG>Leaches =
Storm=20
Petrels</STRONG>. A <STRONG>Jaeger sp.</STRONG>, however, did not come =
close ,=20
but was seen from Aulds Cove against the Troy skyline. It was a light =
phase bird=20
with a white belly, but really too distant to ID to species. Where is =
Eric Mills=20
or Mike King when you need them!. A single <STRONG>Great =
Cormorant</STRONG> and=20
6-7 <STRONG>Double-crested Cormorants</STRONG> were spotted. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>A couple of groups of mixed plumage =
<STRONG>Common=20
Eiders</STRONG> (70) and 4 <STRONG>White-winged Scoters</STRONG> took to =
the air=20
for easier ID. With a little&nbsp;searching, 3 <STRONG>Red-necked=20
Grebes</STRONG> were&nbsp;observed&nbsp;There were 50+ =
<STRONG>Bonaparte's=20
Gulls</STRONG> and a single <STRONG>Black-headed Gull</STRONG> which =
gave side=20
by side comparison. Only 3-4 <STRONG>Bald Eagles</STRONG> were spotted =
this year=20
and a <STRONG>Red-tailed Hawk</STRONG> was&nbsp;roadside an Auld's Cove. =
A=20
second <STRONG>Red-tailed Hawk</STRONG> was spooked from&nbsp;dead crow =
in a=20
Troy ditch almost hitting our vehicle as we drove by.. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>In Port Hastings the group had nice =
close=20
observations of a flock of about 25 <STRONG>Bohemian Waxwings</STRONG> =
and a=20
single&nbsp;<STRONG>American Robin</STRONG> in an area with lots of =
rosehips and=20
hawthorne. I noticed one of the students was quick to sketch =
a&nbsp;waxwing in=20
her notebook- a good habit to develop. In Port Hawkesbury, a roadside=20
park&nbsp;pond held 8 <STRONG>Hooded Mergansers</STRONG> half he and =
half she.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Being near noon and the wind still very =
high, we=20
moved the home of Dave and Mary Johnson to be warmed up with warm =
beverages,=20
chowder, soup, fresh biscuits and buns and a large variety of sweets. =
There was=20
some nice bird conversation around the table and a good number of =
stories were=20
exchanged. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Thanks to Mary and Dave for such warm =
Cape Breton=20
hospitality. and to Dave J.&nbsp;and Dave M. for leading the field trip. =
The=20
birds were much lower in numbers than in the past and very unusual, not =
a single=20
Gannet was spotted. It seems the usual&nbsp;bill-fish run was not in =
progress at=20
this point in time. I think the students deserve good marks from prof =
Glassy=20
(sp?)&nbsp;for their perseverance and I assure them that there are loads =
of=20
field trips with warmer weather and more birds, but&nbsp;only few with =
such=20
great warm hospitality. !</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Charlie and I observed <STRONG>3 =
Iceland=20
Gulls</STRONG> and a <STRONG>Red-throated Loon&nbsp;</STRONG>along the =
Canso=20
Causeway&nbsp;on the way home. We took a loop around Harve Boucher and =
were=20
rewarded with 3 very approachable and photographic <STRONG>White-winged=20
Crossbills</STRONG> with a group of 12 <STRONG>Snow Buntings</STRONG> =
and a=20
single <STRONG>Ipswich Sparrow</STRONG>&nbsp;eating mullein seeds along =
the=20
shoreline. </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>&nbsp;</DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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