[ValleyNature] Fundy Shore Trip results - 21 March 2009

[James W. Wolford]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Wayne P. Neily" <neilyornis at hotmail.com>
> Date: March 23, 2009 4:13:25 PM ADT
>
> Subject: [NatureNS] Fundy Shore Trip results - 21 March 2009
> Reply-To: naturens at chebucto.ns.ca
>
> Hello folks:
>
>     Just a brief note for those interested. --   The joint NSBS-BNS- 
> AFNC outing Saturday went very well, thanks to great weather and a  
> good turn-out - both of people and birds.  Apologies for  
> duplications - I cannot always remember who is on NatureNS.
>
>      We started out with 21 participants and about 12 vehicles,  
> which limited our possibilities for stops, but the early high tide  
> forced us to keep up a brisk pace in the a.m. anyway.  I hope that  
> everyone had a chance to meet one or more new potential birding  
> friends, as well as getting some new birds - for the year or the  
> county, at least.  We were fortunate to have the Presidents of two  
> of the sponsoring groups along - Pat Kelly of Nova Scotia Bird  
> Society and Rick Whitman of Blomidon Naturalists - and I hope that  
> any of you who are not members will consider joining one or more of  
> the three groups - check out their websites.
>
>      For the day we had 58 species (59 if we count the Fox Sparrow  
> that Claire Diggins had at her Middleton feeder when she got home),  
> none very rare but with a good representation of early migrants.    
> At Audrey Wellwood's bird haven with ravine, pond, and feeders in  
> Aylesford we were able to start with most of the expected land  
> birds from pheasants to finches, including Common Redpoll, and  
> singing Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows.  On the way from  
> there to Morden, we were able to add more migrants, including  
> Northern Flickers, a flock of American Robins, and a few Common  
> Grackles in a resplendent plumage belying their name.
>
>     Waterfowl were for most the highlight of the trip, with Canada  
> Geese and 15 species of ducks, most of which allowed us good  
> views.   Sea ducks, including the three scoters, Common Eider, Long- 
> tailed Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, and Harlequin Duck, were at  
> one or more of the three ports visited - Morden, Margaretsville,  
> and Port George, most of them now in pairs, and with the males  
> often displaying.  Port George provided the only good views of  
> Harlequins, bur at least seven were quite cooperative there.  Both  
> loons and both coastal grebes were seen, but they were usually  
> hidden by the wave action and their frequent dives, so not everyone  
> got good views of them.  A highlight for me was a close flypast of  
> a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage at Morden - a species that  
> has become quite scarce here.  A Bald Eagle also gave us a good  
> view, and at the Margaretsville pond a pair of Hooded Mergansers  
> that we had seen through the scopes decided to give us a better  
> look by flying low over us to get to the other side of the road.
>
>     After a stop at Middleton where Clarence Stevens Jr. managed to  
> count six Northern Cardinals skulking in the thickets of the Lily  
> Lake Brook ravine (and the rest of us were able to see or hear one  
> or two), most of the group continued on down the Annapolis River.   
> Most of the river was open, and gave us a good variety of river  
> ducks from Bridgetown to Annapolis: Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead,  
> Common (and Hooded) Mergansers, and Greater Scaup.  A few Red- 
> tailed Hawks, three Bald Eagles, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen  
> - just a hint of a migration - but lots of Canada Geese, and a few  
> flocks of American Black Ducks and Mallards.
>
>    A brief stop at the Hawboldts in Belleisle added a Savannah  
> Sparrow and allowed some of our group better views than they had  
> had of nuthatches, woodpeckers, and other feeder birds.  By the  
> time we finished at the wharf in Annapolis Royal, the tide was  
> rising again, and the Buffleheads and a Common Loon were putting on  
> good shows there and provoding a satisfying ending for our trip.
>
>       As well as to Audrey Wellwood and the Hawboldts, special  
> thanks go to the experienced birders along who helped us find the  
> goodies and showed them to others or shared their knowledge -  
> especially Richard Stern, Bernard Forsythe, James Hirtle, and  
> Clarence Stevens Sr. & Jr.   With that many participants,  
> unofficial leaders are very helpful.  And thanks to all who came  
> out and so helped us enjoy this second day of spring.   I hope to  
> see you again on more outings this year.
>
>
> Wayne Neily
> Tremont, Kings Co., Nova Scotia
>
> "Beauty is truth, and truth beauty," - John Keats, 1820.
>
>
>
> Communicate, update and plan on Windows Live Messenger. Get started  
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