[NatureNS] Dead seal, Lesser Yellowlegs, novel Barn Swallow behaviouir,

Date: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 14:18:07 -0300
From: iamclar@dal.ca
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All:

Had a little solo outing this a.m., in pleasant 20 C conditions, along  
E. Shore to 3-fathom Hbr.Birding not exciting, but there's always  
something to see.

Walked w. end of Conrad beach and puzzled briefly over dead seal, very  
small and darkish back with distinct pale rings. Nonetheless, it was a  
Harbour Seal pup, from gull-exposed skull features. A couple of weeks  
ago when briefly on Sable I., I again noted how pale-pelaged the  
Habour Seals were cf. our mainland ones. Years ago in our monograph on  
the seal (1979, Fish. Res. Board Can. Bull. 200), Jean Boulva & I  
thought it might have a genetic basis, but I now think it could be  
sun-bleaching.

The only "shorebird" on Conrad Beach was an adult Barn Swallow sitting  
on the tideline sand, flipping bits of Fucus, and snatching "seaweed  
flies" that were thus disturbed. I've never seen that before.

The only migrant shorebirds (several Willets, one Spotted Sandpiper)  
were 13 adult Lesser Yellowlegs at "Shorebird Cove", 3-Fathom Hbr.  
There were none there last Wednesday. Unlike Greaters, they nest north  
into and subarctic, and generally arrive here in flocks.

On the path down to the cove there were nice patches of Oxalis  
acetalosa - common, I know, but so pretty close up.

Cheers, Ian

Ian McLaren



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