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All: This is an account of some highlights of bird observations on Cape Sable I. (CSI) and the Yarmouth area on Feb. 19, 20, and 21. Dave Currie and Ian McLaren were greatly helped to find "hot spots" around Yarmouth by Ronnie D'Entremont, Sharron Marlor, and Ted D'Eon. I believe our species total was 62. The waterfowl and gulls around Yarmouth Hbr., as noted on these sites this winter by Ronnie D., were outstanding, including the previously reported two adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. Of great interest was a ground-roost of over 30 (by count) TURKEY VULTURES at a location that is best not disclosed because of possible over-disturbance. In addition, there were flying vultures elsewhere that would bring our total to over 50! The N. Shrike earlier photographed and reported by Ronnie D, was still present Feb. 20 at its small patch of grassy terrain in the forest near Kemptville. We saw numbers of HORNED LARK of the usual winter subsp. alpestris at various sites on the Yar. Co. peninsulas. Among them was a group of six or so near the Wedgeports that were distinctly paler and smaller, with pale yellow throats on inspection. These were undoubtedly the `Prairie` subsp. praticola that may still nest here in small numbers, and is a known February migrant. The 6-7(?) E. BLUEBIRDS reported around his house by John Sollows were still there. Of interest also was an even larger group near the junction of the Wyman and Chebogue Rds. We saw well over 1000 AM. ROBINS on lawns around Yarmouth, many more than evident on CSI or on the way home in Shel., Queens, Lun. Co. and HRM. Not one seemed to be a "Black-backed." They are thought to winter further south, despite early notions about "Newfoundland robins," etc. Have all the recent robins gathered on urban lawns because they have exhausted last fall's bumper crop of wild berries (notably rowan), or does their concentration in the Yar. Co. "banana belt" suggest that they are early migrants, tempted north by the warm East Coast winter? The odd junco attending the Sollows' feeder, as John had already concluded, is not a "White-winged Junco," but an abnormally plumaged "Slate-colored." We saw the expected birds on CSI, but not the earlier-reported drake REDHEAD. We made a long walk around the margins of the saltmarshes on S. Side Beach, and saw no marsh sparrows and only one "IPSWICH" on outer dunes. We saw a low-flying harrier that may have finished off some sparrows during winter. Alas, the raspberry thicket in the middle of the marsh off the fish plant on the road to Dan'ls Head seems to be no more - perhaps killed off by very high tides. The remaining dune grass on this former gathering place of a variety of sparrows, including Canada's first Saltmarsh Sparrow in winter-spring 2002, may no longer be so attractive" Cheers, Ian Ian McLaren
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Index of Subjects