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FOR THE BIRDS

APRIL 2000

By

Helen O'Shea

Fox Sparrows

We knew spring had arrived when the first Fox Sparrows were seen on March 24 — one in Susann Myers’ yard and 2 under my rose bushes. Pearl Magee had an extraordinary sighting of 30 Fox Sparrows in her yard March 29. The most I had was 9. The last one left Pearl’s yard on April 5 and my last Fox Sparrow was still scratching under the feeders on April 6.

Pairing Up

Two European Starlings are nesting near the home of Wilson and Beryl Eavis. A pair of Red Crossbills are at my feeder daily. They may have a nest nearby. I watched an American Crow rip pieces of a small branch off a tree beside our drive on April 8 while another stood guard and made that strange rattling sound. Obviously another nest is under construction or renovation. The pair of Blue Jays who spend a lot of time in the yard chase off any new arrivals. The male Red Crossbill chased off a rather mangy looking Crossbill male the other day from our birch tree. Obviously all the birds are quite territorial. I watched a pair of American Crows chase a Raven through the trees behind the property of Angus and Lily Campbell on April 5. Ella and Walter Blagdon have a pair of House Sparrows nesting in their bird house again this year. If you walk along Main Street you will also see House Sparrows in the eaves of the Grubstake and Fortress View Restaurants. I haven’t yet looked to see if the Starlings are nesting above the porch of Isle Royale Curios ( the Rectory ). That was a regular spot for a number of years.

New Arrivals

Pearl Magee reported an immature Indigo Bunting at her feeder on March 29. It stayed until early afternoon the next day. It was a confusing sighting since the Bunting was in the company of a dozen Juncos and the blue shone through the brown feathers only when it became a little less cloudy that misty and wet day. Susann Myers was also able to visit and see this bird. Pearl has had a White-throated Sparrow since March 10, a male American Goldfinch on March 22, and a pair of Common Redpolls which arrived March 16. She has at least 3 pairs of Song Sparrows. This is down from a dozen that were there at the time of the Fox Sparrows. She heard a Common (Yellow-shafted) Flicker April 3 but has yet to see it. A pair of Flickers nested near her home last year. She also watches a mature Bald Eagle soar over the Havenside Barachois. April 4 she had at least 50 Juncos. Brent Baker had a pair of Baltimore Orioles on his property on March 30.

Grackles

These are the sleek black birds with the long tails, irridescent blue-green heads, and the mean yellow eyes. They have been arriving in town since the middle of March. They sound like creaking iron gates and appear in yards in small numbers. My first pair arrived on March 24. Since then they have been in the yard of Brian and Millie Harpell, at the home of Pearl Magee, in the trees of Sandy and Peter Chiasson and in a tree behind Mary and Warren Bagnell’s house.

Around the Town

The strangest story was told by Olive Spawn who captured a Budgie on her front lawn Saturday, April 8. She had the assistance Lucette Burman, Leta Trimm and a couple of passersby. They chased it around the yard and when it landed were able to put a cage of rabbit wire over it. Leta agreed to budgie sit. Julie MacDonald brought them some budgie food—donated by Allister MacDonald. Mystery—From whence did the budgie escape? It is green with blue and yellow on the face and well-fed.

Gary Peck saw the male Ring-necked Pheasant crossing Main Street from the Han Beck side to his side of the street on St. Patrick’s Day. The freezing rain created the interesting sight of Mourning Doves sliding down the roof of my birdhouse. A Song Sparrow huddled under the back porch between feedings. The next day Sheila Fudge reported a mature Bald Eagle ripping up a rabbit on the thin ice of the Havenside Barachois. It was feeding the pieces to an immature Bald Eagle. She frightened them off by driving down her lane. Susann Myers reported a Short-eared Owl on Route 22. It was probably unsuccessful on its hunt the 20^th of March since everything was ice-covered. Greta Beaver reported the male Ring-necked Pheasant in her yard. She says he comes frequently and looks to be "in great shape". At the bottom of the Administration Road on a parking lot off Route 22 there was a Killdeer on March 25. 8 American Crows were hunting on the lawn of Jessie and Harold Wilson on April 1 and 60 Starlings were feeding on the Han Beck Lawn. A Raven was walking down the roof of the home of Eric and Leta Trimm as I was walking by on April 7 and 4 Rock Doves were on the lawn of Bill and Alfredine Baldwin. 2 House Sparrows were washing in a puddle in the driveway of Charlotte and Wayne Hardy on April 8.

At my feeders

It was misty and wet on March 30. There was a strange black bird under my feeders showing a small patch of white on the wing. Its bill was covered with millet so it was difficult to tell its shape. Later when the bird flew into a nearby tree and stretched its wings I was able to see the yellow and red on the shoulder flashes. It was a male Red-winged Blackbird. The pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches still visit, as well as the pair of Red Crossbills. I have two pair of Song Sparrows, sometimes upwards of 60 Juncos, and on April 1 had a female Hairy Woodpecker in my maple tree. The next day there was a male Downy Woodpecker in the spruce tree beside my clothesline. On April 10, just before sundown, a male Cowbird dropped by.

Around the Harbour

We have seen anywhere from 25 to 50 Red-breasted Mergansers feeding either off Havenside , the Government Wharf or in the Barachois across from the Marconi Picnic area during the past month. It all depends on where the little silver fish are running. Watching the Mergansers flap and run across the water, then dive, surface and swallow their fish is quite the sight. March 18 we saw a Black-headed Gull in breeding plumage off Havenside Road. Northern Gannets were flying north along the coast the first part of April. A Northern Shrike was sitting atop angelica at the fortress on April 2.

Robins everywhere

Alice Marie Horne had a pair of American Robins on her lawn at Horne’s Road. My first one arrived on St. Patrick’s Day. Pauline Kelly, Elaine and Gary Carter, Geraldine and Seward MacKeigan, Jody Harpell, Olive Spawn and many others have all had visits. Robins have a cheery song and a raucous cry when startled.

Another strange tale

Pat Bates raises Golden Comet chickens for their eggs. He has a flock of a dozen birds. A while back a Crow flew in to their cage attempting to steal some food. The rooster didn’t take kindly to competition and chased the Crow away. Pat also has a pair of American Black Ducks who stay for two weeks every spring, feed, and leave until the next year.

Prepare for the Hummingbirds

Clean your feeders and get out your recipe for nectar. Hang the feeders the end of April.

Good birding and good health.

Helen O’Shea

Extracted from © The Seagull, Helen O'Shea, For the Birds

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