next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
--_f2d7534f-00fe-45d6-a0f0-af06d78a52d8_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hello folks,
=20
On Saturday, May 3, I was able to spend a few hours before dark birding =
on Brier Island. Although land birds were scarce except around feeders, I =
was fortunate enough to be able to view a female Blue-headed Grosbeak (Pass=
erina caerulea) feeding on lawns in Westport close to the ferry terminal, b=
etween Front St. and Second St. I was able to observe it about 1/2 hour, a=
nd it was most often in a grassy area across from the Bay of Fundy Inn (137=
Second St.). It was also seen by Minga and Heather O'Brien of Halifax. T=
his is likely the same one that Eric Mills had last week, so there is a goo=
d chance that it may hang around a bit longer. It resembles the field guid=
e pictures closely, except that the throat is not noticeably lighter than t=
he rest of the underparts. I had just seen a female Indigo Bunting (Passer=
ina cyanea) a few minutes earlier at David Pugh's feeder, so the comparison=
was interesting, and tends to support the recent lumping of the genera.
=20
I did not manage to find the Snowy Egret, but understand that it has bee=
n seen recently (last week), so it may well still be there. There were abo=
ut 33 Brant in Pond Cove, along with 60+ Common Eiders, 20 Black Scoters, a=
nd a few Surf and White-winged, but a Greater Yellowlegs at the town marsh =
was the only shorebird seen.
Also on Saturday, one enjoyable sign of spring was being able to hear the=
song of a Winter Wren while driving along the highway at East Ferry. Earl=
ier in the day, at the Culloden wharf, I saw my first 2 Gannets of the seas=
on heading NE off the coast, as well as the usual single Red-throated and C=
ommon Loons and a Black Guillemot. An Iceland Gull (L. g. kumleini) was th=
ere as late as May 1. Not far away, at Mount Pleasant, a N. Cardinal was s=
inging on territory on May 3, and I heard my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of =
the year (in Culloden) that day.
=20
Today (May 4) there were more Hermit Thrushes in these areas, and a Borea=
l Chickadee and Barred Owl that perched quietly by the trail (Culloden) to =
check me out were treats, while the highlight for an atlasser was an Americ=
an Robin's nest with three eggs! =20
=20
Flowers blooming in the Culloden area include coltsfoot (Tussilago farfa=
ra),skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens=
), and a small-leaved blue violet (Viola sp.). Masses of amphibian eggs we=
re in the puddles, and at least 3 garter snakes seen May 1-4 (not to menti=
on a dozen or so Dermacentor variabilis ticks). Keep those signs of sprin=
g coming!
=20
Good Birding,
=20
Wayne Neily Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia "Think globally, Act locally." =
- Ren=E9 Dubos, 1972.=20
_________________________________________________________________
If you like crossword puzzles, then you'll love Flexicon, a game which comb=
ines four overlapping crossword puzzles into one!
http://g.msn.ca/ca55/208=
--_f2d7534f-00fe-45d6-a0f0-af06d78a52d8_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html>
<head>
<style>
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
FONT-SIZE: 10pt;
FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma
}
</style>
</head>
<body class=3D'hmmessage'>
Hello folks,<BR>
<BR>
On Saturday, May 3, I was able to spend a few hours before dar=
k birding on Brier Island. Although land birds were scarce except aro=
und feeders, I was fortunate enough to be able to view a female Blue-headed=
Grosbeak (<EM>Passerina caerulea</EM>) feeding on lawns in Westport close =
to the ferry terminal, between Front St. and Second St. I was able to=
observe it about 1/2 hour, and it was most often in a grassy area acr=
oss from the Bay of Fundy Inn (137 Second St.). It was also seen=
by Minga and Heather O'Brien of Halifax. This is likely the same one=
that Eric Mills had last week, so there is a good chance that it may hang =
around a bit longer. It resembles the field guide pictures closely, e=
xcept that the throat is not noticeably lighter than the rest of the underp=
arts. I had just seen a female Indigo Bunting (<EM>Passerina cyanea</=
EM>) a few minutes earlier at David Pugh's feeder, so the comparison w=
as interesting, and tends to support the recent lumping of the genera.<BR>
<BR>
I did not manage to find the Snowy Egret, but understand that =
it has been seen recently (last week), so it may well still be there. =
There were about 33 Brant in Pond Cove, along with 60+ Common Eiders, 20 B=
lack Scoters, and a few Surf and White-winged, but a Greater Yellowlegs at =
the town marsh was the only shorebird seen.<BR>
<BR> Also on Saturday, one enjoyable sign of spring was being able to=
hear the song of a Winter Wren while driving along the highway at East Fer=
ry. Earlier in the day, at the Culloden wharf, I saw my first 2 Ganne=
ts of the season heading NE off the coast, as well as the usual single Red-=
throated and Common Loons and a Black Guillemot. An Iceland Gull (<EM=
>L. g. kumleini</EM>) was there as late as May 1. Not far away, at Mo=
unt Pleasant, a N. Cardinal was singing on territory on May 3, and I heard =
my first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the year (in Culloden) that day.<BR>
<BR>
Today (May 4) there were more Hermit Thrushes in these areas, a=
nd a Boreal Chickadee and Barred Owl that perched quietly by the trail (Cul=
loden) to check me out were treats, while the highlight for an atlasser was=
an American Robin's nest with three eggs! <BR>
<BR>
Flowers blooming in the Culloden area include coltsfoot (<EM>T=
ussilago farfara</EM>),skunk cabbage (<EM>Symplocarpus foetidus</EM>), trai=
ling arbutus (<EM>Epigaea repens</EM>), and a small-leaved blue violet (<EM=
>Viola sp.</EM>). Masses of amphibian eggs were in the puddles, and a=
t least 3 garter snakes seen May 1-4 (not to mention a dozen or so <E=
M>Dermacentor variabilis</EM> ticks). Keep those signs of sprin=
g coming!<BR>
<BR>
Good Birding,<BR>
<BR> <BR>
<DIV>Wayne Neily <BR>Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia <BR><BR>"Think globall=
y, Act locally." - Ren=E9 Dubos, 1972. <BR></DIV><br /><hr />You could win =
$1000 a day, now until May 12th, just for signing in to Windows Live Messen=
ger. <a href=3D'http://g.msn.ca/ca55/211' target=3D'_new'>Check out SignInA=
ndWIN.ca to learn more!</a></body>
</html>=
--_f2d7534f-00fe-45d6-a0f0-af06d78a52d8_--