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<a href="../index.html">Index of Subject --001a11c06f2e354ec304f80fa4aa Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 In a very backward spring like this one, I believe we are more likely to see some exceptional numbers of migrants. We definitely saw this with Robins a few weeks ago when the actual migrants arrived all at once. One could argue that we also saw it with Tree Swallows as they concentrated themselves around open water in specific locations to survive on midges, presumably. If our virtually-absent Pine Siskens and/or both Crossbill species were to return to the Maritimes, you could easily see the numbers you describe. I don't know about the Hemlocks but I did feel we had lots of conifer cones around this winter. It didn't matter. The cone specialists were elsewhere. I'll probably try to visit that area this week. Rick Whitman. On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Shouty McShoutsalot < desolatechair@gmail.com> wrote: > %110 certain. I'm very familiar with our local amphibian species and the > racket they can make this time of year and I'm comfortable they weren't > frogs, unless we have frogs I'm not aware of that live 80' high in the > canopy of old growth Hemlocks and look and sound like AMGO's and other > passerines in full breeding plumage and song. ;-) > > The top canopy was full of active birds, And I mean full, never seen the > likes. I just couldn't identify most of them because of the poor light - > just the ones one the periphery. > > > On 27 April 2014 18:02, Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> Are you sure they weren't frogs? They can make a terrific racket, and if >> the sound was distorted by the rushing water it could certainly sound like >> a high pitched pervasive chorus. >> >> Richard >> >> >> On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 5:49 PM, Shouty McShoutsalot < >> desolatechair@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> We took a hike along the trail this morning. It's still quite wet but >>> as always, stunning. About 1.8k west of the White Rock bridge I noticed a >>> high pitched, pervasive chorus above me that seemed to come from everywhere >>> and nowhere. The river takes a sharp north hook here and the opposite bank >>> climbs sharply - about 75 degrees - to the escarpment 50 metres above. For >>> about 80 metres along that side this bank is heavily wooded with mature >>> conifers - mostly Hemlocks, with some Pines etc. Numerous trees were >>> thickly covered in cones, and the high heavy canopy was flooded with small >>> very active birds. The visual conditions were poor - I was in the gloom of >>> the floodplain and they were in the high canopy across the river against >>> the bright sky - but I was able to identify American Goldfinch, Northern >>> Chickadee, and Juncos. But it was the volume and density of the noise that >>> struck me, even over the running water. By visual count I'd say 500 birds >>> in the 80mx50m area, but I believe based on the racket there were >>> thousands. It was stunning. >>> >>> -- >>> Jamie Simpson >>> Hantsport, NS >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> ################# >> Richard Stern, >> Port Williams, NS, Canada >> sternrichard@gmail.com >> ################### >> > > > > -- > Jamie Simpson > Hantsport, NS > -- Rick Whitman --001a11c06f2e354ec304f80fa4aa Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr">In a very backward spring like this one, I believe we are = more likely to see some exceptional numbers of migrants. We definitely saw = this with Robins a few weeks ago when the actual migrants arrived all at on= ce. One could argue that we also saw it with Tree Swallows as they concentr= ated themselves around open water in specific locations to survive on midge= s, presumably.<div> <br></div><div>If our virtually-absent Pine Siskens and/or both Crossbill s= pecies were to return to the Maritimes, you could easily see the numbers yo= u describe. I don't know about the Hemlocks but I did feel we had lots = of conifer cones around this winter. It didn't matter. The cone special= ists were elsewhere.</div> <div><br></div><div>I'll probably try to visit that area this week.</di= v><div><br></div><div>Rick Whitman.</div></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><= br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 7:30 PM, Shouty M= cShoutsalot <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:desolatechair@gmail.com= " target=3D"_blank">desolatechair@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p= x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">%110 certain. =A0I'm ve= ry familiar with our local amphibian species and the racket they can make t= his time of year and I'm comfortable they weren't frogs, unless we = have frogs I'm not aware of that live 80' high in the canopy of old= growth Hemlocks and look and sound like AMGO's and other passerines in= full breeding plumage and song. ;-) =A0=A0<div> <br></div><div>The top canopy was full of active birds, =A0And I mean full,= never seen the likes. =A0=A0I just couldn't identify most of them beca= use of the poor light - just the ones one the periphery.=A0=A0</div></div><= div class=3D"gmail_extra"> <br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On 27 April 2014 18:02, Richard Stern <s= pan dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:sternrichard@gmail.com" target=3D"_bl= ank">sternrichard@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"g= mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-l= eft:1ex"> <div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div>Hi,<br><br></div>Are you sure they weren't f= rogs? They can make a terrific racket, and if the sound was distorted by th= e rushing water it could certainly sound like a high pitched pervasive chor= us.<br> <br></div>Richard<br><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><div><div><br><br><div clas= s=3D"gmail_quote">On Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 5:49 PM, Shouty McShoutsalot <spa= n dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:desolatechair@gmail.com" target=3D"_bla= nk">desolatechair@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br> <blockquote class=3D"gm