[ValleyNature] Eagle Watch II report etc. (a bit long)

[James W. Wolford]

JAN. 29 (Friday), 2010 - After a few days of very warm melting  
temperatures and the disappearance of most of our snow cover, today's  
opposite weather bodes well for EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND II (check out  
<www.eaglens.ca>) and for our first attempt for the 29th Annual Cyril  
K. Coldwell Eagles and Raptors Count of Eastern King's County -- the  
latter is scheduled for this Sunday, Jan. 31, from 10 to 11 a.m.  I  
will write more about that in due course.

Last night's and today's weather had/has very strong winds from the  
west and fair amounts of falling and blowing dry snow (blizzard  
conditions with very little visibility).

This morning at our feeders I counted 6 n. cardinals (1m,5f); the 5  
females is more than I have seen before, and I know we still have at  
least 3 males.

JAN. 30 (Sat.), 2010 - EAGLE WATCH WEEKEND II -- Unfortunately the  
strong winds continued and produced very bad conditions for today in  
the Sheffield Mills area and eastern King's County elsewhere, with  
lots of blowing snow and drifts on some roads, and very cold  
temperatures from -11 to -7 C. and resultant very cold wind-chill.   
We suspect that both yesterday and today, many or most of the bald  
eagles stayed in their overnight roosts (best-known one is in dense  
conifers along the Gaspereau River near White Rock.  Needless to say,  
we want people to stay away from such sensitive spots, where the  
eagles would be impossible to see and photograph.  A couple of days  
of very little feeding should produce a lot of hungry eagles for  
tomorrow, perhaps.

Last weekend the Eagle Watch went very well, with more than 900  
breakfasts being served and both the community hall and Middle Dyke  
Road viewing site both being full of people for long periods.   
Unfortunately the eagles made everyone wait for 2-2.5 hours for any  
substantial feeding and flying activity after the chicken carrion was  
provided.

My report on today is very short.  A lot of people and eagles did not  
show up at all today in either place.  I heard that shortly after the  
provision of dead chickens, the few eagles present did some flying  
and swooping and feeding right away in the morning, but then not only  
the eagles but also the ravens and gulls all flew away somewhere.  I  
didn't check the viewing site until 2 p.m. (find me in the hall), and  
I saw only 2 flying eagles and, on the ground in the field, about 70  
great black-backed gulls and 4 ravens -- and only a few vehicles and  
patient gawkers/photographers.

Be warned that some of the roads were quite treacherous in places  
because of blowing snow and drifts on the roads, plus somewhat  
oblivious drivers of big pick-up trucks and SUVs (showing off).  Use  
your flashers if you have to drive very slowly.

About 35 of us naturalists/biologists will be making our first try  
for this year of our Annual Cyril K. Coldwell Eagles and Raptors  
Count for Eastern Kings County.  We send out field parties to 16  
designated areas for just one hour, from 10 to 11 a.m. to minimize  
double-counting of the birds, and then some of us will end up at the  
Community Hall, where I will be attending the displays upstairs and  
trying to answer questions etc.

Everyone remember that the map given out at the community hall is  
designed to keep you in the Sheffield Mills and Canning and Kingsport  
areas.  But the areas where the eagle might be getting food or just  
perching extend much further, through Port Williams to east of  
Wolfville to Grand Pre to Hortonville (where the white red-tailed  
hawk hangs out) and through the Gaspereau Valley to soutwest of White  
Rock.

Good hunting, and I wish everyone good viewing conditions plus  
cooperative raptors tomorrow!

Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204

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