[ValleyNature] re lesser scaup, 78 Wolfville chimney swifts Aug. 10, W. Hbr. shorebirds

[James W. Wolford]

George Forsyth questions this LESSER SCAUP and thinks it is perhaps a  
weird-looking female or immature RING-NECKED DUCK, with  not much  
white behind the beak and poor or no rings on the beak itself.  Also  
George says this bird has been present there all summer.  It requires  
further looks.

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville

>
> AUGUST 10, 2009 - In our Wolfville yard, I saw a single GRAY  
> CATBIRD, which was also here on Aug. 8.
>
> In the southern of the two Port Williams Sewage Ponds, a female or  
> immature LESSER SCAUP was swimming with a presumed family of  
> MALLARDS.  Also there were perhaps 5-6 or more SWALLOWS flying  
> about, presumably TREE SWALLOWS.
>
> The New Minas Ducks Unlimited Can. pond along Middle Dyke Road  
> contained several presumed families of MALLARDS, 3 BLACK DUCKS, a  
> GREAT BLUE HERON, and a BELTED KINGFISHER.
> ---------------------------------------
> Concerning the early afternoon EXIT OF SWIFTS from the Wolfville  
> chimney, I forgot to mention that there was RAIN OVERNIGHT AND  
> STILL IN MORNING, and that may have discouraged the swifts from  
> leaving the chimney for so many hours (9 pm to 1 pm).
> ---------------------------------------
> I visited THE GUZZLE at ne. Grand Pre at 6 p.m. very briefly, at  
> about 1.5 hours after high tide, just to see if there were more  
> SHOREBIRDS/PEEPS there than yesterday before high tide.  Sure  
> enough, between the north end of the main dyke there and to the  
> west to the east end of Evangeline Beach, there were HORDES OF  
> PEEPS IN FLIGHT over the water, mostly as linear flocks of  
> 1000-2000 peeps each, roughly 6-8 flocks visible at once, flying  
> out from shore and then back and from east to west and vice versa,  
> joining up and splitting and re-uniting.   Thus the total number of  
> peeps must have been 10,000 to 20,000?, but I claim no expertise at  
> such guesses. The high tide is so high right now that there was  
> little or no beach for these birds to roost on, except for the  
> small area just west of where I was standing.  Tonight there was no  
> roost there, but I'll bet they are using that spot on some occasions.
> ----------------------------------------
> ROBIE TUFTS NATURE CENTRE AT DUSK: 78 WOLFVILLE CHIMNEY SWIFTS  
> counted -- observations from 8:20 to 9:00 p.m. (Sunset about 8:30)  
> -- ENTRIES from 8:30 to 8:50 (mostly at 8:45) p.m. -- mostly  
> cloudy, 18 C. -- observer Tony Napoli.
>
> AUGUST 11, 2009 - I checked on Wolfville Harbour for roosting  
> SHOREBIRDS at 5:30 p.m. (just after the 17:08 high tide) -- as  
> usual, they were on the rocks below the railroad tracks just east  
> of the harbour pavilion/bandshell: 2 WILLETS, 18 GREATER  
> YELLOWLEGS, and at least one smaller shorebird that was not a  
> dowitcher.
>
>
> 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
> ------------------------
> Humans aren't the only species on the earth - we just act like it.
> P Please consider the environment before printing this email
>
> [last two lines from Linda Lusby]
> ------------------------
>
>

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