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--001a1134604a22abef04ff2f3177 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I was at East Point from 11:30 to 12, about 2 hours before high tide. There was one flock of about 2000 that came in from the direction of Roy's cottage, then a Peregrine came in from the same direction, broke up the flock, then landed in one of the dead trees along the dyke to the west. It left and flew across the dyke towards Hortonville when a juv. Bald Eagle landed there. Most of the peeps landed right at the tip of East Point. I went over to Hortonville but there were no birds there. At East Point there was a lot of garbage on the ground where people park, and a fisherman's large truck was parked right on top of the dyke. Is there anything we can do about this? BTW I also saw a Peregrine soaring over Miner's Marsh at 10:45, being harassed by 2 Ravens. I can sympathize with Rick, but personally I love the spectacle of Peregrines in flight, even if they're chasing other birds. Richard Stern Sternrichard@gmail.com Sent from my Android device On Jul 27, 2014 11:47 AM, "Roy Bishop" <rlb@eastlink.ca> wrote: > Hi Jim et al., > > Sunday morning, 11:25 a.m., July 27, 181 Plover Lane, Evangeline Beach. > > The tide is coming in, and sandpipers are numerous and active. Flocks of > 200 to 2000 (rough guesses) are coming and going in front of my cottage. = No > peregrines in sight. > > In binoculars (15x, stabilized) I spotted one semi-palmated amongst a few > hundred running over the sand that has a blue leg band. The band is > rectangular, about an inch long and maybe 1/4 inch wide, and it is pointi= ng > forward. The bird was too far away to read what may have been on the band= . > > Roy > > > > On 2014-07-23, at 6:05 PM, Rick & Janet Whitman wrote: > > Thanks Jim ! > > I think your numbers are solid. I had 120 Semipalmateds on Monday & Phil > Taylor had 400 SESA yesterday, both at The Guzzle around high tide. I als= o > had one Peregrine and it dispersed the birds, leading me to leave. > > I am coming to think that the Peregrines are changing Peep behaviour > significantly. I know they are native and natural but it is approaching t= he > point where they are ruining the experience for me. On Monday, the > Peregrine had one peep separated from the flock & was gaining on it. Just > when I thought the peep was lost, the Peregrine broke off & just circled > around. I couldn=E2=80=99t age the Peregrine but I felt it was just playi= ng with > the peep. > > On the way home I spotted a small flock of Semipalmated Plovers passing > high tide in a plowed field in Melanson. This would be several km from th= e > coast. > > Rick Whitman > > On Jul 23, 2014, at 4:31 PM, Jim Wolford <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> wrote: > > *JULY 23, 2014* - I just got off *Evangeline Beach* after my first real* > peep-monitoring walk *for this year. Today is very warm/hot and humid > but with a nice breeze, especially on the shoreline from east to west, > about 30 C. Sky is mostly clear but partly cloudy, with very bright > lighting that is hazy. Such conditions, along with my poor eyesight, mak= e > for minimal actual observations of the flying peeps =E2=80=94 however, I = stop > walking often and scan the water with binocs and discover many flying > flocks that way. > > High tide today, a mediocre tide re amplitude, was at 11 a.m. I started > my walk at the public steps by the shorebirds viewing platform at 12:30 > p.m., with the receding tide not very far from shore. I walked eastward, > taking my time with frequent stops and scans, and ended at the east end o= f > the beach where the salt-marsh got extensive (well west of The Guzzle). > > 12:30 p.m. =E2=80=94 a flock of 200 unidentified *=E2=80=98peeps=E2=80=99= *(small sandpipers > and/or plovers) were *flying from east to west *(towards Wolfville and > mouth of Cornwallis River with extensive mudflats at low tide); > > 12:47 =E2=80=94 another flock of 150 peeps, flying, same direction; > > 12:55 =E2=80=94 250 more peeps, flying, same direction; > > 1:10 =E2=80=94 east end of beach =E2=80=94 2 *bald eagles* (ad. + imm.), = in shoreline > trees; > > =E2=80=94 *no =E2=80=99sea mops=E2=80=99 of egg-masses of long-finned squ= ids* seen today (but > small numbers seen a few days ago at west Evangeline Beach and at > Kingsport). > > 1:10 =E2=80=94 east end of mud flats, just before the salt marsh =E2=80= =94 I arrived just > in time to see about 500 peeps on the mud at the low tide line (receding)= =E2=80=94 > then very soon a large flying flock of 1000 peeps arrived from the east, > wheeled back and forth, and then I noticed two flying *peregrine falcons* > =E2=80=94 there was a lot of very brief action seen, but no chases witnes= sed =E2=80=94 both > flocks of peeps flew, split up, wheeled around, rejoined, and then flew > away abruptly and dissppeared, and I didn=E2=80=99t even notice the direc= tion of > their disappearance. > > Those were the last shorebirds I saw, including on my walk back to the > car, getting there at 2 p.m. > > My ballpark numbers above add up to *2250 minimum number of peeps in six > flocks*. However, because of the lighting and my eyesight, plus the fact > that flying flocks were passing by when I started, a conservative guess > might add perhaps at least another 1000 peeps for missed flocks? > > My survey ended with a short walk to the canteen at the parking lot, for = a > very well-earned ice-cream cone! > > Now that you know *today=E2=80=99s high tide* was 11 a.m., just add 50 mi= nutes > for tomorrow=E2=80=99s corresponding tide-time, 50 more for Friday, etc. = Better > yet, remember for next year to ourchase the very popular *Blomidon > Naturalists Society Calendar,* which has many attractions beyond the > high-tide-time for every day of the year =E2=80=94 makes a wonderful gift= !! Photo > entries are probably due now to Roy Bishop, Sherman Williams, and Patrick > Kelly, our BNS committee that produces this product and makes it differen= t > and attractive every year. > =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94= =E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94 > Cheers from Jim in Wolfville. > > > > --001a1134604a22abef04ff2f3177 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <p dir=3D"ltr">I was at East Point from 11:30 to 12, about 2 hours before h= igh tide. There was one flock of about 2000 that came in from the direction= of Roy's cottage,=C2=A0 then a Peregrine came in from the same directi= on,=C2=A0 broke up the flock,=C2=A0 then landed in one of the dead trees al= ong the dyke to the west. It left and flew across the dyke towards Hortonvi= lle when a juv. Bald Eagle landed there. Most of the peeps landed right at = the tip of East Point.=C2=A0 I went over to Hortonville but there were no b= irds there. <br> At East Point there was a lot of garbage on the ground where people park,= =C2=A0 and a fisherman's large truck was parked right on top of the dyk= e. Is there anything we can do about this? </p> <p dir=3D"ltr">BTW I also saw a Peregrine soaring over Miner's Marsh at= 10:45,=C2=A0 being harassed by 2 Ravens. </p> <p dir=3D"ltr">I can sympathize with Rick,=C2=A0 but personally I love the = spectacle of Peregrines in flight,=C2=A0 even if they're chasing other = birds. </p> <p dir=3D"ltr">Richard Stern <br> Sternrichard@gmail.com<br> Sent from my Android device </p> <div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Jul 27, 2014 11:47 AM, "Roy Bishop"= <rlb@eastlink.ca> wrote:<br t= ype=3D"attribution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0= .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word">Hi Jim et al.,<div><br></div><div>Sunda= y morning, 11:25 a.m., July 27, 181 Plover Lane, Evangeline Beach.</div><di= v><br></div><div>The tide is coming in, and sandpipers are numerous and act= ive. Flocks of 200 to 2000 (rough guesses) are coming and going in front of= my cottage. No peregrines in sight.</div> <div><br></div><div>In binoculars (15x, stabilized) I spotted one semi-palm= ated amongst a few hundred running over the sand that has a <font color=3D"= #1060f6">blue</font> leg band. The band is rectangular, about an inch long = and maybe 1/4 inch wide, and it is pointing forward. The bird was too far a= way to read what may have been on the band.</div> <div><br></div><div>Roy</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><div><d= iv>On 2014-07-23, at 6:05 PM, Rick & Janet Whitman wrote:</div><br><blo= ckquote type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word">Thanks Jim !<div> <br></div><div>I think your numbers are solid. I had 120 Semipalmateds on M= onday & Phil Taylor had 400 SESA yesterday, both at The Guzzle around h= igh tide. I also had one Peregrine and it dispersed the birds, leading me t= o leave.</div> <div><br></div><div>I am coming to think that the Peregrines are changing P= eep behaviour significantly. I know they are native and natural but it is a= pproaching the point where they are ruining the experience for me. On Monda= y, the Peregrine had one peep separated from the flock & was gaining on= it. Just when I thought the peep was lost, the Peregrine broke off & j= ust circled around. I couldn=E2=80=99t age the Peregrine but I felt it was = just playing with the peep.=C2=A0</div> <div><br></div><div>On the way home I spotted a small flock of Semipalmated= Plovers passing high tide in a plowed field in Melanson. This would be sev= eral km from the coast.</div><div><br></div><div>Rick Whitman</div><div> <br><div><div>On Jul 23, 2014, at 4:31 PM, Jim Wolford <<a href=3D"mailt= o:jimwolford@eastlink.ca" target=3D"_blank">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>> = wrote:</div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-wor= d"><div style=3D"margin:0px"> <b>JULY 23, 2014</b> - I just got off <b>Evangeline Beach</b> after my firs= t real<b> peep-monitoring walk </b>for this year.=C2=A0 Today is very warm/= hot and humid but with a nice breeze, especially on the shoreline from east= to west, about 30 C.=C2=A0 Sky is mostly clear but partly cloudy, with ver= y bright lighting that is hazy.=C2=A0 Such conditions, along with my poor e= yesight, make for minimal actual observations of the flying peeps =E2=80=94= however, I stop walking often and scan the water with binocs and discover = many flying flocks that way.</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">High tide today, a mediocre tide re amplitude, was at 11 a.m.=C2=A0 I st= arted my walk at the public steps by the shorebirds viewing platform at 12:= 30 p.m., with the receding tide not very far from shore.=C2=A0 I walked eas= tward, taking my time with frequent stops and scans, and ended at the east = end of the beach where the salt-marsh got extensive (well west of The Guzzl= e).</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">12:30 p.m. =E2=80=94 a flock of 200 unidentified <b>=E2=80=98peeps=E2=80= =99 </b>(small sandpipers and/or plovers) were <b>flying from east to west = </b>(towards Wolfville and mouth of Cornwallis River with extensive mudflat= s at low tide);</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">12:47 =E2=80=94 another flock of 150 peeps, flying, same direction;</div= ><div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0= px">12:55 =E2=80=94 250 more peeps, flying, same direction;</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">1:10 =E2=80=94 east end of beach =E2=80=94 2 <b>bald eagles</b> (ad. + i= mm.), in shoreline trees;</div><div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><b= r></div><div style=3D"margin:0px"> =E2=80=94 <b>no =E2=80=99sea mops=E2=80=99 of egg-masses of long-finned squ= ids</b> seen today (but small numbers seen a few days ago at west Evangelin= e Beach and at Kingsport).</div><div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><= br></div><div style=3D"margin:0px"> 1:10 =E2=80=94 east end of mud flats, just before the salt marsh =E2=80=94 = I arrived just in time to see about 500 peeps on the mud at the low tide li= ne (receding) =E2=80=94 then very soon a large flying flock of 1000 peeps a= rrived from the east, wheeled back and forth, and then I noticed two flying= <b>peregrine falcons</b> =E2=80=94 there was a lot of very brief action se= en, but no chases witnessed =E2=80=94 both flocks of peeps flew, split up, = wheeled around, rejoined, and then flew away abruptly and dissppeared, and = I didn=E2=80=99t even notice the direction of their disappearance.</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">Those were the last shorebirds I saw, including on my walk back to the c= ar, getting there at 2 p.m.</div><div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px">= <br> </div><div style=3D"margin:0px">My ballpark numbers above add up to <b>2250= minimum number of peeps in six flocks</b>.=C2=A0 However, because of the l= ighting and my eyesight, plus the fact that flying flocks were passing by w= hen I started, a conservative guess might add perhaps at least another 1000= peeps for missed flocks?</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px;min-height:14px"><br></div><div style=3D"margin:0p= x">My survey ended with a short walk to the canteen at the parking lot, for= a very well-earned ice-cream cone!</div><div style=3D"margin:0px;min-heigh= t:14px"> <br></div><div style=3D"margin:0px">Now that you know <b>today=E2=80=99s hi= gh tide</b> was 11 a.m., just add 50 minutes for tomorrow=E2=80=99s corresp= onding tide-time, 50 more for Friday, etc.=C2=A0 Better yet, remember for n= ext year to ourchase the very popular <b>Blomidon Naturalists Society Calen= dar,</b> which has many attractions beyond the high-tide-time for every day= of the year =E2=80=94 makes a wonderful gift!!=C2=A0 Photo entries are pro= bably due now to Roy Bishop, Sherman Williams, and Patrick Kelly, our BNS c= ommittee that produces this product and makes it different and attractive e= very year.</div> <div style=3D"margin:0px">=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2= =80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80=94=E2=80= =94=E2=80=94</div><div style=3D"margin:0px">Cheers from Jim in Wolfville.</= div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div><= /div></blockquote></div> --001a1134604a22abef04ff2f3177--
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