FOR THE BIRDS

APRIL  2003

By

Helen O'Shea

• Henry Paige called March 15 to report a Glaucous Gull eating redfish at the Government Wharf.
• Jean Bagnell called on March 16 to say the bird she reported last month was a Rock Dove.
• Frances Ann Kendall called March 18 to say there were 5 Partridges in her tree that morning.
• Florence Miron called to report an enormous immature Bald Eagle on the shore below her house. The mature Eagle was much smaller. It is difficult to believe that as they mature they lose stature. Usually the rule is different with mammals. March 20 she watched a flock of 2 dozen Mourning Doves fly between her house and that of Warren Bagnell.
• Ian Harte reported a raft of 2000 Common Eider at the entrance to the harbour on March 21.
• Susann Myers reported an American Woodcock on the Fortress site the morning of March 27. It was foraging along the roadside despite the snow cover in the fields.
• Louise Johnston pointed out a mature Bald Eagle in a tree just past the incinerator turnoff on Welton Street.
• Margie and Marmon Smith had a flock of 40 American Goldfinch arrive at their feeders on March 28. A pair of Black-capped Chickadees appeared a couple of days later as well as a male Purple Finch.
• Pearl Magee called to report 3 Fox Sparrows and 3 Song Sparrows in her yard the morning of March 29. This officially marked the arrival of spring.
• Muriel Forgeron reported a Robin in her yard on April 8.
• Sandy Balcom and Bill O’Shea reported 2 Bald Eagles flying across the highway by St. Andrew’s Channel on April 8. On April 9 they saw a raft of 1000 Common Eiders in the calm water off Black Rock.

Around the town

March 15 a mature Bald Eagle was circling high above the home of Gary and Elaine Carter. Perhaps this was the same Bald Eagle seen earlier in the week by the home of Janie LeMoine. 9 Herring Gulls were circling over the home of Bonnie and Stewart Whynott. March 16 a mature Bald Eagle was circling the ball field. Gary Peck said it had been there the day before. A House Sparrow with feathers in its beak was down by the Fortress View Restaurant. Pairs of Crows were everywhere. Nesting season is beginning. 8 Herring Gulls were in Hilda Bagnell’s yard. March 21 an American Robin flushed up from a patch of grass by the side of my front porch as I came out the door. I’m not sure who had the biggest fright. March 30 we noticed Crows flying by with nesting materials in their beaks. They tore up grass beneath trees and the pale green "tree beard moss" as well as twigs. 3 Robins were on the lawn of Diane and Raymond Barter. A flock of more than 30 Goldfinch were at the feeders of Greta and Everett Beaver. April 1 there was a Grackle in Jane Harris’ yard and 100 European Starlings on the lawn of Iris and Earl Stevens. Sandy Anthony and Peter Chaisson had a pair of Common Grackles in their yard the afternoon of April 3. That same day there were a dozen Common Grackles in Tim and Fonia Bagnell’s yard.

Around the harbour

A Ruffed Grouse was seen on the Administration Building road on March 12. March 22 there were 4 Common Goldeneye at the Fortress Barachois along with 2 pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 pair of Bufflehead, 14 Black Ducks and 6 Crows. We also watched 4 White-tailed Deer grazing on the hillside. Off Commercial Street there were 5 Scaup, 2 pair of Bufflehead, 5 Black Ducks and a pair of Iceland Gulls. On Route 22 there were 5 Crows. The male Ring-necked Pheasant was seen by the old Stella Maris Cemetery on the weekend of April 5. It enjoys strutting and racing cars in the area. We observed him on two consecutive days. Gary Peck says he finds it likes to chase, or at least pace, cars along that stretch of Route 22. By the weekend of April 5 there were Buffleheads and Black Ducks in the harbour. The Black Guillemots are noticeable by their absence and the Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls seem to be the only ones around. April 6 there was a Fox Sparrow and a Song Sparrow on Route 22.

At my feeders

March 11 a Brown Creeper appeared. March 29 the first Fox Sparrow of the season appeared at 9:40 a.m. Another appeared a few minutes later as did another chunky Fox Sparrow travelling in the company of 3 Mourning Doves. There were also 7 Purple Finch, a pair of Song Sparrows, a pair of Black-capped Chickadees and half a dozen Pine Siskins. A Common Grackle appeared the next day April 5 there were 5 Fox Sparrows at 4 p.m. as well as 30 Juncos and 2 Song Sparrows that were still around at 6:22 p.m. Two Robins appeared after the snowfall on the April 6 weekend looking for food. Luckily we had 3 bags of mountain ash berries in our freezer. This welcome treat was scattered outdoor over a three-day period and 4 Robins had become diners by April 9 as well as several European Starlings.

Birds in Toronto

During a walk along the Boardwalk on the shore of Lake Ontario on March 23, Bill and I were surprised to see Long-tailed Ducks and Mallards. It made us feel at home. Several Canada Geese and Common Grackles, as well as American Robins, Rock Doves and Ring-billed Gulls made us realize that the warm weather (plus 11) still had not brought in many spring migrants.

Miscellaneous things

As soon as the bare ground appears it will be time to rake up the seed husks and discard them. They are a haven for disease. They should not be added to your compost since they are contaminated with bird excrement. I shall continue to keep the feeders full until the middle of May so the birds will be around for the Spring Migratory Bird Count. Then it will be time to hang out the Hummingbird Feeders for early arrivals. Remember to clean your feeders well before hanging out the new ones or storing others for the summer months.

Call me with your sightings of the migrants and new arrivals. Good birding. 

Helen O’Shea

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

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