[NatureNS] Shorebird Migration and Killdeer, Three Fathom Harbour

From: Ken McKenna <kenmcken@eastlink.ca>
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2015 10:44:49 -0300
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Saw 2 greater yellowlegs this morning at black point, Pictou co. coming from=
 checking a couple of beaches for the usual nesting shorebirds.=20
Ken=20

Ken McKenna
Box 218 =20
Stellarton
NS B0K 1S0


> On Jun 28, 2015, at 10:17 AM, Susann Myers <myerss@eastlink.ca> wrote:
>=20
> Pat McKay and I found yesterday, June 27th, that shorebird migration was a=
lready underway at Shorebird Cove, Three Fathom Harbour.  Newly arrived shor=
ebirds were:
> =20
> Lesser Yellowlegs - 10
> Ruddy Turnstone  - 1
> Short-billed Dowitcher  - 3
> =20
> Also present were the local breeders that we've been watching since April:=
  Willets, Spotted Sandpipers and most notably a family of Killdeer.=20
> =20
> I've watched, usually with Pat, the arrival of a single Killdeer in late A=
pril, then display flights and a pair mating on May 31st.  =46rom my car at t=
he end of the driveway, we've been able to watch the Killdeer sitting and ex=
changing at the nest, in June.  The books give 24 to 28 days as the incubati=
on time for Killdeer eggs, so I calculated the earliest possible hatching da=
te as June 23rd.  We were very sad to find the nest abandoned on June 20th, a=
nd assumed that a predator had found it.  Much to our delight, yesterday the=
re were an adult Killdeer and 4 well-grown downy juveniles out on the mudfla=
ts at the cove.  The temperature was only 14 degrees, with a brisk wind, so w=
hen we first saw them the adult was brooding the young.  Well, brooding 3 of=
 them while the 4th tried unsuccessfully to push its way in to join them.  W=
e've missed the endearing stage of very young Killdeer chicks, but these juv=
eniles are still very attractive young birds, already almost half the size o=
f the adult.
> =20
> It's great to see some breeding success, since we've seen no juvenile Will=
ets so far.  Altogether, it's already been a great season for watching shore=
birds.
> =20
> Cheers,
> Susann Myers=20
> =20
> =20

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<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Saw 2 greater yellowlegs this morning at black point, Pictou co. coming from checking a couple of beaches for the usual nesting shorebirds.&nbsp;</div><div>Ken&nbsp;<br><br>Ken McKenna<div>Box 218 &nbsp;</div><div>Stellarton</div><div>NS B0K 1S0</div><div><br></div></div><div><br>On Jun 28, 2015, at 10:17 AM, Susann Myers &lt;myerss@eastlink.ca&gt; wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>

<meta content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<meta name="GENERATOR" content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588">

<div><font face="Calibri">Pat McKay and I found yesterday, June 27th, that 
shorebird migration was already underway at Shorebird Cove, Three Fathom 
Harbour.&nbsp; Newly arrived shorebirds were:</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Lesser Yellowlegs - 10</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Ruddy Turnstone&nbsp; - 1</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Short-billed Dowitcher&nbsp; - 3</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Also present were the local breeders that we've been 
watching since April:&nbsp; Willets, Spotted Sandpipers and most notably a 
family of Killdeer.&nbsp; </font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">I've watched, usually with Pat, the arrival of a single 
Killdeer in late April, then display flights and a pair mating on May 
31st.&nbsp; From my car at the end of the driveway, we've been able to watch the 
Killdeer sitting and exchanging at the nest,&nbsp;in June.&nbsp; The books give 
24 to 28 days as the incubation time for Killdeer eggs, so I calculated the 
earliest possible hatching date as June 23rd.&nbsp; We were very sad 
to&nbsp;find the nest abandoned on June 20th, and assumed that a predator had 
found it.&nbsp; Much to our delight, yesterday there were an adult Killdeer and 
4 well-grown downy juveniles out on the mudflats at the cove.&nbsp; The 
temperature was only 14 degrees, with a brisk wind, so when we first saw them 
the adult was brooding the young.&nbsp; Well,&nbsp;brooding 3 of them 
while&nbsp;the 4th tried&nbsp;unsuccessfully to push its way in to join 
them.&nbsp;&nbsp;We've missed the endearing stage of&nbsp;very young Killdeer 
chicks, but these juveniles are still very attractive young birds, already 
almost half the size of the adult.</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">It's great to see some breeding success, 
since&nbsp;we've seen no juvenile Willets so far.&nbsp; Altogether, 
it's&nbsp;already been a great season for watching shorebirds.</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Cheers,</font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri">Susann Myers&nbsp; </font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri"></font>&nbsp;</div>
<div><font face="Calibri">&nbsp; </font></div>
</div></blockquote></body></html>
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