[NatureNS] Valley birds

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From: Richard Stern <sternrichard@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:59:17 -0300
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Hi,

I visit Miner's Marsh regularly, and have never come across a Marsh Wren
there before. So this must have presumably been a migrant. It is indeed a
great spot. Yesterday I finally got some good Snipe photos.

Richard Stern
Sent from my iPad

On 2012-10-28, at 9:12 PM, Bob McDonald <bobathome83@gmail.com> wrote:

  Good evening,

Just back on NatureNS after a 6-week hiatus so hope this report is not all
old news!

Wendy and I took a run up to the Valley for produce, etc but did manage to
do some birding on the way and while there.  First stop was the Windsor
Sewage lagoons where things have changed since our last visit.  As far as I
can tell it is now next to impossible to access the second pond.  Too bad.
The only species of note there were 7-8 *American Wigeon* and about half a
dozen *GW Teal*.  No Eurasian Wigeon or Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen.

Next stop was the Wolfville Waterfront where after much searching, and a
bit of good luck, the *Northern Mockingbird* did show!

Recently, one spot we try not to miss is Miner's Marsh - this really is a
terrific spot and it did not disappoint today!  Amongst the countless
Mallards were several small groups of *GW Teal*, numbering about 20 in
total.  There was one female *Northern Pintail* in the larger pond.  Today,
the Marsh was literally crawling with *Wilson's Snipe* - I lost count after
seeing about 15 birds and I expect that there were at least 2-3 dozen!
Only other shorebirds were 2 *Lesser Yellowlegs*.
The Bird-of-the-Day however was undoubtedly a *Marsh Wren*, mainly heard
(not singing but chucking to itself) but seen briefly, as it worked its way
along the edge of the cat-tails beside the trail through the middle of the
marsh.  I searched for other birders and did grab one unsuspecting
gentleman with binoculars and told him about it.  He went off in
search....  I obtained several pictures of cat-tails but in none of my
images did I "capture" the bird.  Does anyone know if Marsh Wren breeds
here?  It looks like perfect habitat, although perhaps a bit busy during
breeding season.

Other interesting species seen included 3 *Great Blue Herons*, 1 *Red-winged
Blackbird* (male), 1 *Northern Mockingbird* (near the path with all the
Private Property/No Trespassing signs, in a small Barberry shrub), 1 *Bald
Eagle*, 1 *Belted Kingfisher* and a few sparrows (Song, White-throated and *
Chipping* - feeding with a large flock of juncos near the parking lot).

All in all, an interesting day!

Cheers,
Bob McDonald
Halifax
bobathome83@gmail.com (new email address)

--bcaec5171e5b6a7a7e04cd2904ef
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<html><head></head><body bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><div>Hi,</div><div><br></div><=
div>I visit Miner&#39;s Marsh regularly, and have never come across a Marsh=
 Wren there before. So this must have presumably been a migrant. It is inde=
ed a great spot. Yesterday I finally got some good Snipe photos.<br>
<br>Richard Stern<div>Sent from my iPad</div></div><div><br>On 2012-10-28, =
at 9:12 PM, Bob McDonald &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:bobathome83@gmail.com">bobat=
home83@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br></div><div></div><blockquote type=3D=
"cite">
<div>

<meta content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" http-equiv=3D"Content-Typ=
e">
<meta name=3D"GENERATOR" content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.19328">
<style></style>


<div><font face=3D"Arial">Good evening,</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">Just back on NatureNS after a 6-week hiatus so ho=
pe=20
this report is not all old news!</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">Wendy and I took a run up to the Valley for=20
produce, etc but did manage to do some birding on the way and while there.=
=A0=20
First stop was the Windsor Sewage lagoons where things have changed since o=
ur=20
last visit.=A0 As far as I can tell it is now next to impossible to access=
=20
the second pond.=A0 Too bad.=A0 The only species of note there were 7-8=20
<strong>American Wigeon</strong> and about half a dozen <strong>GW=20
Teal</strong>.=A0 No Eurasian Wigeon or Lesser Black-backed Gull was=20
seen.</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">Next stop was the Wolfville Waterfront where afte=
r=20
much searching, and a bit of good luck, the <strong>Northern=20
Mockingbird</strong> did show!</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">Recently, one spot we try not to miss is Miner&#3=
9;s=20
Marsh - this really is a terrific spot and it did not disappoint today!=A0=
=20
Amongst the countless Mallards were several small groups of <strong>GW=20
Teal</strong>, numbering about 20 in total.=A0 There was one female=20
<strong>Northern Pintail</strong> in the larger pond.=A0 Today, the Marsh w=
as=20
literally crawling with <strong>Wilson&#39;s Snipe</strong> - I lost count =
after=20
seeing about 15 birds and I expect that there were at least 2-3 dozen!=A0=
=20
Only other shorebirds were 2 <strong>Lesser Yellowlegs</strong>.</font></di=
v>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">The Bird-of-the-Day however was undoubtedly a=20
<strong>Marsh Wren</strong>, mainly heard (not singing but chucking to itse=
lf)=20
but seen briefly, as it worked its way along the edge of the cat-tails besi=
de=20
the trail through the middle of the marsh.=A0 I searched for other birders=
=20
and did grab one unsuspecting gentleman with binoculars and told him about=
=20
it.=A0 He went off in search....=A0 I obtained several pictures of=20
cat-tails but in none of my images did I &quot;capture&quot; the bird.=A0 D=
oes anyone=20
know if Marsh Wren breeds here?=A0 It looks like perfect habitat, although=
=20
perhaps a bit busy during breeding season.</font></div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial"></font>=A0</div>
<div><font face=3D"Arial">Other interesting species seen included 3=20
<strong>Great Blue Herons</strong>, 1 <strong>Red-winged Blackbird</strong>=
=20
(male), 1 <strong>Northern Mockingbird</strong> (near the path with all the=
=20
Private Property/No Trespassing signs, in a small Barberry shrub), 1=20
<strong>Bald Eagle</strong>, 1 <strong>Belted Kingfisher</strong> and a few=
=