[ValleyNature] nature notes, April 14-19/09

[James W. Wolford]

APR. 14, 2009 - New Minas Ducks Unlimited pond (Middle Dyke Rd. by  
Cornwallis River): no interesting birds, but there were conspicuous  
MOUNDS OF EARTH on the north bank and north dyke -- probably from  
STAR-NOSED MOLES??

Port Williams sewage ponds: only 2 pairs of CANADA GEESE and 2 pairs  
of MALLARDS.

APR. 16, 2009 -- "My" adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (since March 14/09)  
is still in and around my yard, along with at least one white- 
throated sparrow, plus 2+ song sparrows, 10 starlings, 4 blue jays, 3  
bl.-c. chickadees, 2 pheasants (cock crowing often), 3 mourning  
doves, a red squirrel, etc.?

Port Williams sewage ponds: yesterday Richard Stern saw 5+ TREE  
SWALLOWS, but today's strong and cold north-northeast wind has them  
inactive or not here; 3 m/f pairs of MALLARDS present plus 3 extra  
males, AND one m/f pair was SHALLOWLY DIVING in the south pond.  In  
King's County it's not unusual to see green-winged teal, black ducks,  
and mallards DIVING as a foraging method, despite the fact that all  
of these species are "surface-feeding" vs. "diving" ducks -- just  
goes to show that we should never expect living critters to conform  
to  our invented categories!

APR. 18, 2009 - CARDINAL singing "merrily" just east of our yard --  
how I love that cardinal song!

Pat & I heard and then saw a large MERLIN (female), first flying and  
then perching in a coniferous tree at the corner of Chestnut Ave. and  
Queen? St. -- it sat there for at least a half-hour -- no obvious  
stick nest in those two trees.  Yesterday in late afternoon I saw a  
MERLIN in a probable display flight -- round and round over  
approximately the same area.  Also yesterday I heard an AM. ROBIN  
singing repeatedly just before dusk, along with a cardinal.

Also 2 different N. FLICKERS calling west and northwest of our home.

Second Spring-like day in a row of bright Sunshine and no clouds, but  
still cool with a stiff north wind -- high of 9 C.  Nice day  
compelled me to drive around a bit locally.  No swallows definitely  
seen, but I'll bet a few are in our area.

Port Williams sewage ponds: nothing of note beyond a couple of mallards.

Van Nostrand's Ponds (Starr's Point): 100 CANADA GEESE, 5 male RING- 
NECKED DUCKS.  I saw Judy Tufts there, but didn't know she had  
spotted a NECK-COLLARED CANADA GOOSE that had been banded in Greenland!

Canning Aboiteau (Habitant River): 200 CANADA GEESE, 12+ GREEN-WINGED  
TEALS.

Harris' Pond (Canning): a single CANADA GOOSE on north shore  
(suggests perhaps a mate on a nest nearby?); a single male COMMON  
MERGANSER, 2 male RING-NECKED DUCKS, 2 black ducks, and at least 10  
basking PAINTED TURTLES.

Southeast of Canning: ASPEN POPLAR catkins opening/open.  And  
AMERICAN ELM flowers open at Acadia Univ. Arena parking lot.

Canard Pond: 8 N. SHOVELERS (3 m/f prs + 2 males), 2 N. PINTAILS (m/f  
pr), 5 AM. WIGEONS (2m,3f), and at least 24 GREEN-WINGED TEALS --  
most of the latter were foraging actively by "tipping up" (bums to  
the sky).  I MAY have seen a TREE SWALLOW flying by, but the sighting  
was very poor and brief.  Also present were lots of GULLS, mostly or  
all herring and great black-backed.

New Minas Ducks Unlimited Pond (adjacent to Cornwallis River): 3  
COMMON MERGANSERS (a m/f pr + a f), and a lovely male N. HARRIER.

In the evening at home I noticed a FOX SPARROW at our feeders.

APR. 19, 2009 - We saw at least 3 N. CARDINALS at home, and the 2  
males chased one another.  We only saw one female, but perhaps there  
are two?  And the FOX SPARROW is still present, both in morning and  
evening.  Also at least 3 white-throated sparrows present, etc., and  
still a NORWAY RAT.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville

Jim (James W.) Wolford
91 Wickwire Ave.
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
B4P 1W3

phone 902-542-9204
e-mail <jimwolford at eastlink.ca>

"In wildness is the preservation of the world" -- Henry David Thoreau

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