[NatureNS] Bird Fall Out

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Dorothy Poole and I set out to make a day trip to Brier Island.  We reached=
 Digby Neck by 11:10 and by 18:30 had only gotten as far as Mink Cove.  Now=
 for those not familiar with Digby Neck we were not even near the end or cl=
ose to the ferry at that point.

=20

Before I go into any details of what we discovered=2C I'll list some other =
birds of note before Digby Neck.  There were 20 evening grosbeaks at Prince=
dale. There also appeared to be a nice movement of sparrows with 11 song sp=
arrows=2C a swamp sparrow and a chipping sparrow.  A common yellowthroat wa=
s also nice for the first warbler for the day.  Thirteen American Robins we=
re present.  So keep in mind the sparrows and robins for later as both were=
 moving through in numbers. =20

=20

At Bear River we had a flock of 42 common grackles=2C which disappeared bef=
ore we could see if any other blackbirds were with them.   American Robins =
numbered 57 and we had four hermit thrushes. =20

=20

Now to Digby Neck where 21 ruby-crowned kinglets were a treat.  My best cou=
nts were one group of eight at one time a few feet in front of me.  Another=
 group contained six and the rest were in ones and twos.  American Robins t=
otaled 197.  There were six more hermit thrushes.  For sparrows=2C we had t=
wo juvenile American Tree Sparrows=2C   143 song sparrows=2C 211 chipping s=
parrows (these are just what we saw=2C and who knows how many more there we=
re.  Keep in mind we did not cover all the way out the neck=2C nor Long Isl=
and.  The largest groupings were one of 47 birds and another with 60.   At =
the Sandy Cove Wharf to the left coming from Digby we had two white-crowned=
 sparrows.  We had two clay-colored sparrows=2C one at Gulliver's Cove GPS =
268052 4942670.  The other was at Sandy Cove to the right if coming from Di=
gby.  The only other sparrows were one white-throated sparrow=2C three swam=
p sparrows and a savannah sparrow.  Thats 363 sparrows in total.

=20

For warblers we had common yellowthroat=2C a palm warbler=2C and  48 yellow=
-rumped warblers.=20

=20

A female harlequin duck was a surprise at Sandy Cove as was a female blue g=
rosbeak. =20

=20

I do not know where the wind turbane is going to end up in that area.  We s=
aw signs of protest everywhere.  I just hope and prey that it is not going =
to be on the ridge that runs out to Gulliver's Cove.  If I were to recommen=
d a mountainous area for a hawk monitoring station in Nova Scotia that woul=
d be the spot.  It would be at the point of land that juts out at the end o=
f Gulliver's Cove.  I've seen in the past 300 broad-winged hawks along the =
ridge=2C as well as turkey vulures=2C sharp-shinned hawks=2C merlins=2C Ame=
rican kestrels=2C and northern harriers.  In the fall you hardly ever drive=
 by without seeing at least a few hawks.

=20

Getting to the point at Gulliver's Cove.  We likely missed a lot before arr=
iving=2C but it was one of the best hawk spectacles=2C that I've seen in a =
while.  In all we had 14 red-tailed hawks=2C nine bald eagles=2C 23 sharp-s=
hinned hawks=2C 10 turkey vultures=2C an osprey=2C an american kestrel=2C a=
nd six peregrine falcons.  I'm not sure what transpired=2C but we watched t=
hree peregrines meet and greet one another with calls and acrobatics.  They=
 then sailed off together out over the ocean.  There were two males and a f=
emale.  The raptor show was basically over by 14:00 and we had only been wa=
tching for under an hour. =20

=20

A group of 50 red-breasted mergansers is worth mentioning and denotes that =
they are now migrating.  A flock of 16 red-winged blackbirds was also nice =
to see.  The only other species of note for the time of year was a blue-hea=
ded vireo at Sandy Cove.  =20

=20

James R. Hirtle

Bayport=20

=20

=20

=20

=20
 		 	   		 =20
_________________________________________________________________
Click less=2C chat more: Messenger on MSN.ca
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Dorothy Poole and I set out to make a day trip to Brier Island.&nbsp=3B We =
reached Digby Neck by 11:10 and by 18:30 had only gotten as far as Mink Cov=
e.&nbsp=3B Now for those not familiar with Digby Neck we were not even near=
 the end or close to the ferry at that point.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Before I go into any details of what we discovered=2C I'll list some other =
birds of note before Digby Neck.&nbsp=3B There were 20 evening grosbeaks at=
 Princedale.&nbsp=3BThere also appeared to be a nice movement of sparrows w=
ith 11 song sparrows=2C a swamp sparrow and a chipping sparrow.&nbsp=3B A c=
ommon yellowthroat was also nice for the first warbler for the day.&nbsp=3B=
 Thirteen American Robins were present.&nbsp=3B So keep in mind the sparrow=
s and robins for later as both were moving through in numbers.&nbsp=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
At Bear River we had a flock of 42 common grackles=2C which disappeared bef=
ore we could see if any other blackbirds were with them.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3B Am=
erican Robins numbered 57 and we had four hermit thrushes.&nbsp=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Now to Digby Neck where 21 ruby-crowned kinglets were a treat.&nbsp=3B My b=
est counts were one group of eight at one time a few feet in front of me.&n=
bsp=3B Another group contained six and the rest were in ones and twos.&nbsp=
=3B American Robins totaled 197.&nbsp=3B There were six more hermit thrushe=
s.&nbsp=3B For sparrows=2C&nbsp=3Bwe had two&nbsp=3Bjuvenile American Tree =
Sparrows=2C &nbsp=3B&nbsp=3B143 song sparrows=2C 211 chipping sparrows (the=
se are just what we saw=2C and who knows how many more there were.&nbsp=3B =
Keep in mind we did not cover all the way out the neck=2C nor&nbsp=3BLong I=
sland.&nbsp=3B The largest groupings were one of 47 birds and another with =
60.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3B At&nbsp=3Bthe Sandy Cove Wharf to the left coming from =
Digby we had two white-crowned sparrows.&nbsp=3B We had&nbsp=3Btwo clay-col=
ored sparrows=2C one at Gulliver's Cove GPS 268052 4942670.&nbsp=3B The oth=
er was at Sandy Cove to the right if coming from Digby.&nbsp=3B The only ot=
her sparrows were&nbsp=3Bone white-throated sparrow=2C three swamp sparrows=
&nbsp=3Band a savannah sparrow.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BThats 363 sparrows in total.=
<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
For warblers we had common yellowthroat=2C a palm warbler=2C and &nbsp=3B48=
 yellow-rumped warblers.&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
A female harlequin duck was a surprise at Sandy Cove as was a&nbsp=3Bfemale=
 blue grosbeak.&nbsp=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
I&nbsp=3Bdo not know where the wind turbane is&nbsp=3Bgoing to end up in th=
at area.&nbsp=3B We saw signs of protest everywhere.&nbsp=3B I just hope an=
d prey&nbsp=3Bthat it is not going to be on the ridge&nbsp=3Bthat runs out =
to Gulliver's Cove.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BIf I were to recommend a&nbsp=3Bmountain=
ous area for a hawk&nbsp=3Bmonitoring station in Nova Scotia that would be =
the spot.&nbsp=3B It would be at the point of land that juts out at the end=
 of Gulliver's Cove.&nbsp=3B I've seen in the past 300 broad-winged hawks a=
long the ridge=2C as well as turkey vulures=2C sharp-shinned hawks=2C merli=
ns=2C&nbsp=3BAmerican kestrels=2C and northern harriers.&nbsp=3B&nbsp=3BIn =
the fall you hardly ever drive by without seeing at least a few hawks.<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
Getting to the point at Gulliver's Cove.&nbsp=3B We likely missed a lot bef=
ore arriving=2C but it was one of the best hawk spectacles=2C that I've see=
n in a while.&nbsp=3B In all we had 14 red-tailed hawks=2C nine bald eagles=
=2C 23 sharp-shinned hawks=2C 10 turkey vultures=2C an osprey=2C an america=
n kestrel=2C and six peregrine falcons.&nbsp=3B I'm not sure what transpire=
d=2C but we watched three peregrines meet and greet one another with calls =
and acrobatics.&nbsp=3B They then sailed off together out over the ocean.&n=
bsp=3B There were two&nbsp=3Bmales and a female.&nbsp=3B The raptor show wa=
s basically over by 14:00 and we had only been watching for under an hour.&=
nbsp=3B <BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
A group of&nbsp=3B50 red-breasted mergansers is worth mentioning and denote=
s that they are now migrating.&nbsp=3B A flock of 16 red-winged blackbirds =
was also nice to see.&nbsp=3B The only other species of note for the time o=
f year was a blue-headed vireo at Sandy Cove.&nbsp=3B &nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
James R. Hirtle<BR>
Bayport&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR>
&nbsp=3B<BR> 		 	   		  <br /><hr />Faster Hotmail access now on the new <a=
 href=3D'http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3D9677399' target=3D'_new'>MSN hom=
epage.</a></body>
</html>=

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