FOR THE BIRDS

DECEMBER  2003

By

Helen O'Shea

SIGHTINGS

• Bill and Diane Bussey and their granddaughter Abby Gledhill reported a first year Baltimore Oriole at their feeder on Saturday, November 8.  This bird arrived with a flock of finches.  They put out slices of orange for it.  There was rain and wet snow that day.

• Terry Burke mentioned on November 12 that the large flock of Cedar Waxwings that usually gobble his mountain ash berries have not yet arrived in his yard.  Perhaps the mild weather has had something to do with it.

• Warren Bagnell had American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, Evening Grosbeaks, Mourning Doves and a Sparrow Hawk at his feeder on November 15.  He had several visits from an immature Baltimore Oriole during the months of November and December.

• Joan and John Allan MacKay reported a Ring-necked Pheasant and 3 partridge in their yard the second week of November.

• Joe Rosta of Northside East Bay reported a Pileated Woodpecker and 2 dozen Canada Geese the second week of November.

• Ken Donovan saw a Northern Gannet diving off the harbour mouth on November 17.

• Anne-Marie Lane Jonah and her husband Doug watched 2 Bald Eagles near their property on Brickyard Road.

• Pearl Magee reported an immature Bobolink under her feeders on November 17.

• Lizzie Morrison saw a hawk fly in front of the car on her way to Piecemakers on Nov.19.

• Jean Bagnell watched a huge flock of 175 Starlings at the foot of Lorway the morning of December 2, the day before the big snowstorm.

• Bill and Helen O’Shea watched a Bald Eagle in a tree at Benacadie Pond on the morning of November 29 when it was 14 degrees.

• Alice and George Horne had a Pileated Woodpecker in a tree near their kitchen window the morning of December 2.

• Pearl Magee reported a White-throated Sparrow, 4 Mourning Doves, a Boreal Chickadee, 6 Black-capped Chickadees and an immature Baltimore Oriole at her feeders the morning of December 3 after the snowstorm that dumped at least 35 cm. 

• Joanne and Brent Baker had a Baltimore Oriole in their yard eating cranberries and thinly sliced apple.

• Sheila Fudge mentioned that the Belted Kingfisher was at the Havenside Barachois until the end of October.

• Pearl Magee called on December 9 to report a Fox Sparrow. She’s had another Oriole as well.

  BALTIMORE ORIOLES

The eastern variety of Northern Oriole measures 7 to 8 inches long.  The male has a black head, throat, back and wings and a brilliant orange breast.  The female is olive-yellow above, yellow below.  It was named after George Calvert (1580-1632), Baron of Baltimore, whose livery was yellow and black. The Baltimore Oriole is the state bird of Maryland. The winter home of the Baltimore Oriole is in Mexico and South America.  It arrives in Canada in April and May. 

Obviously no one told the birds that are still in the area that they should be in more tropical climes.  They come to feeding stations for a suet and peanut butter mixture, grapes, blackberries and other fruit.  In a pinch, grape or apple jelly should do the trick of giving these birds extra energy.  The one in our yard was eating niger seed from the disselfink.  Throughout the last few years occasional immature birds have remained in the area during the winter.  The Folklore of Birds by Laura C. Martin; The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds by John K. Terres

If your yard has little shelter you can make a thicket near your feeders of spruce boughs, small trees, and after Christmas you could add the Christmas tree (not the artificial variety).  The only negative aspect of the thicket construction is you might provide coverage for cats.

AROUND THE TOWN

A Raven was in the yard of Chris and Darlene Chisholm on November 9.  November 23 there were 2 Ravens on Strathcona Street.  November 26 there were 11 Mourning Doves and 3 Blue Jays in the yard of Sandy Anthony and Peter Chiasson.  There were 2 Blue Jays Gladys Fiander’s yard.  The morning of November 29 after the high winds and torrential rain of the night before, there was a White-breasted Nuthatch in the trees in the front of Everett and Greta Beaver’s home.  They also had a pair of Goldfinch.  A flock of 3 dozen Starlings was in the yard of Calvin and Corinne Barter. 

AT MY FEEDERS

4 Black-capped Chickadees were at my disselfink feeder on November 21.  After the big snowstorm on December 3 we had 2 dozen Pine Siskins, several Goldfinch, 2 Mourning Doves and 2 Blue Jays at our feeders.  After another 10 cm. of snow we had an American Robin show up in the yard on December 4 as well as 5 Blue Jays, 8 Mourning Doves, 4 Pine Siskins and a Junco.  At noon we looked out to see a bird swoop through the yard, probably  a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and watched numerous Mourning Dove feathers float through the air near the dining room and kitchen window and scatter over the snow.  The successful hunter nabbed lunch.

• December 5 a first year Baltimore Oriole arrived at my disselfink and large feeder of mixed seed with striped sunflower seed.  It even sat on the sill and looked in my dining room window.  I put a large slice of fresh orange on the shelf of the large feeder.  A few minutes later it was gone, frightened by the arrival of several Blue Jays and a pair of Crows.

  AROUND THE HARBOUR

December 6 there was a Song Sparrow across the road from Frances Kendall’s home.  A Common Loon in winter plumage was off Jackie DeVries’ wharf.  5 Red-breasted Mergansers were of Doug Pearl’s wharf.  A pair of Ring-billed Gulls were off the Havenside Barachois.

ALONG THE HIGHWAY

On a frosty, sunny November 27 there was a pair of Gray Jays in the yard of Hazel and Gerard Kelly.  Another Gray Jay was at the turnoff to Horne’s Road.

KEEPING CATS OFF YOUR PREMISES

The following article was taken from a website that deals with nature issues.

“We are home often enough to discourage cats from approaching our feeders, however, about a year ago the flower beds at the front of our home were being used as a litter box. We used "Critter Ridder" from Home Hardware it contains the following guaranteed ingredients, Oil of Black Pepper 0.48%, Piperine 0.018%, Capsaicin 0.003%. It also repels Dogs, Racoons, Skunks, and Ground Hogs!  It worked for us. Each application is supposed to be remain functional for 30 days.”

The Christmas Bird Count takes place Sunday, December 14.

Helen O’Shea

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

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