FOR THE BIRDS

DECEMBER  2002

By

Helen O'Shea

• Marmon and Margie Smith had a female Northern Harrier visit their yard on December 6. This is the same bird that was there earlier last month. They also have a Mourning Dove and several Blue Jays, a pair of Grey Jays and a flock of American Goldfinch. One Blue Jay discovered empty feeders and looked in the patio door to see if anyone was there to refill the feeders. Marmon watched a Great Horned Owl at the Government Wharf on two separate evenings the last week of November.
• Gary Peck reported a Northern Mockingbird in his mountain ash December 3.
• Susann Myers had 2 female Indigo Buntings and a female Blue Grosbeak in her yard on November 10. She watched a Red-throated Loon at Kennington Cove on November 11 and reported a Yellow-breasted Chat in her yard.
• Sheila Fudge watched a Bald Eagle hunting Buffleheads in the Havenside Barachois November 18 and 19. She watched it hopping through the tall grass and walking along the shore. There were no longer 7 Buffleheads in the barachois.
• Edith Carter reported 10 American Robins on her lawn and in the alders November 22. The next day those same Robins might have come from Havenside to our yard where they ate many mountain ash berries. They were accompanied by a couple of dozen Cedar Waxwings and a male Baltimore Oriole.
• Pearl Magee told me that there were 10 Purple Finch, a flock of 40 American Goldfinch and a flock of between 60 and 100 Cedar Waxwings in her trees the last week of November.
• Colleen Billard had a Golden-crowned Kinglet fly into her front window on November 29. About an hour later it recovered from the collision and flew away.
• Linda Fudge mentioned the lack of birds in her yard. She has only 3 Mourning Doves.
• Mona and Harvey MacLeod have both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers at their yard in Catalone. They also had their first Evening Grosbeak appear on December 5.
• Warren Bagnell has many Juncos and American Goldfinch coming to his feeders.
• Elaine Carter’s feeders, across the street from me, are attracting American Goldfinch, Juncos and Black-capped Chickadees.

AROUND THE HARBOUR

November 10, there were 2 female Barrow’s Goldeneye, 3 Buffleheads, and 8 Black Ducks in the Havenside barachois and 2 Northern Gannets and 3 Common Loons at the Fortress barachois. December 8, I saw a Northern Gannet very close to shore below the home of Blair and Heather Cross. When Bill came back later with the digital camera we found the bird washed ashore and in the process of dying. That same day we saw an Iceland Gull and a Glaucous Gull on Havenside along with Herring and Great-blacked Gulls. There were 6 Crows in the field below the home of Gordon and Cyneth Hutt – Gordon was out filling the feeders. A Blue Jay was at the top of a fir tree by the Havenside barachois. A Common Loon in winter plumage was off Lemoine’s Wharf. A Black Guillemot and pair of Buffleheads were near Sammy Carter’s wharf. A huge flock of Starlings flew from the lines at the Coast Guard station to the yards of Bill Bate, Henrietta Hiltz and Agnes Martell. A Bald Eagle was flying by Battery Island and a Scoter, a pair of male Red-breasted Mergansers, a small flock of Buffleheads, and a Black Guillemot were all down between the Royal Battery and the Fortress barachois.

AT MY FEEDER

There was much excitement in the yard the morning of November 24. A bird hit the window full-force leaving its imprint on the glass. When I looked out there was a Sharp-shinned Hawk perching in the rose bushes. It was chased off through the neighbours’ yards by a pair of Crows. There was a Mourning Dove huddled on the ground near the window. Bill went outside a few minutes later to inspect it and his presence chased off the Hawk that was still circling above. An hour later the Mourning Dove was dead. Looking at the smeary outline it is amazing that it didn’t break its neck immediately.

Now that the feeders are full and snow intermittent, I have a couple of dozen American Goldfinch, a dozen Juncos, 4 Black-capped Chickadees, a pair of Purple Finch, and a Song Sparrow as regular visitors. Sometimes half a dozen Mourning Doves and the Brown Creeper drop by. Hopefully my suet log will lure Woodpeckers in time for the Christmas Bird Count on December 14.

AROUND THE TOWN

A pair of male Ring-necked Pheasants were eating rosehips near the Royal Battery on November 9. For such colourful birds they have excellent camouflage. November 19, 27 and December 8 there were Golden-crowned Kinglets in the trees and near the feeders at my home. These birds are insect-eaters and prefer conifers. Milder weather makes them more active. November 21 there was a large flock of starlings behind Arlie’s Gift Shop and in the yard of the Heritage House. 2 Baltimore Orioles were in Betty Beaver’s yard on November 25. 2 Crows were in the driveway of Wayne and Charlotte Hardy - one was dunking a biscuit in a puddle. November 26, Bill saw the Ring-necked Pheasant on Route 22. These birds like to dash up out of the ditch and race across the road. Excessive speed as you drive might spell their doom. 200 Starlings were on the utility lines by Betty Beaver’s home on November 28. 80 Starlings flew from the field by Alfredine and Bill Baldwin over the hill to the mountain ash. These birds are gobbling berries this year.

HAVE YOU NOTICED?

Many people have commented about the lack of birds in their yards this year. Linda Fudge is still amazed by how few birds are at her feeders compared to previous years. Mona MacLeod mentioned that the numerous Blue Jays and Black-capped Chickadees that frequented her yard during the tourist season were absent. Western visitors are amazed by the Blue Jays since the western variety is the Stellar’s Jay – which is dark on the head and shoulders and lacks the white markings of the eastern Jay.

The pair of Hairy Woodpeckers that forage in the trees in front of the home of Katie Burke no longer are seen. Is the clear-cutting in the Louisbourg area destroying the bird habitat? Is acid rain making a difference?

Please remember, once we begin to have a greater accumulation of snow and/or freezing rain that remove the natural food source of berries, grass seeds, etc. the birds will depend on you to keep your feeders full. If so, you will be rewarded by a yard of avian dinner guests. The colder the weather, the more the birds appreciate suet. If you have a Mockingbird or Oriole they appreciate grape jelly since it will not freeze immediately and will be a sweet treat and source of energy.

Have a great Christmas and a happy New Year 

Helen O’Shea

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

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