FOR THE BIRDS ~ JUNE 1998

Pearl Magee reports that while camping in the Margaree area, in May, she, Winston, and Joseph saw an American Bittern. They were able to watch it cross the road with its head and neck extended—looking like a walking stick. They then watched it in a marshy area beside the road where it hunted in a way that resembled a heron. Pearl also had an Ipswich Sparrow ( May 10 ) and a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak ( May 11) at her feeders. Rovie and Bruce MacDonald spotted a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak on May 6 at their home on Havenside.

Peter Chiasson and Sandy Anthony had an Eastern Kingbird in their yard for about four hours the last week of May. The Kingbird is about the size of a robin.

We know that summer will soon arrive. The Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows were quite active at the Fortress on the Victoria Day weekend. There are Tree Swallows on all the lines in town as well as swooping through the fields. Eat those voracious black flies! No one else wants them!

Minnie MacLeod called me on Sunday, May 31 to report a White-winged Dove. Brian was the first to notice it in their yard on the ground under a feeder. It was eating mixed seed and sunflower seed. At first they thought it was a Mourning Dove but there were several distinct differences and they quickly concluded that it was indeed a rare sighting. Tufts Birds of Nova Scotia says that there have been only 5 recorded sightings. Bill and I went over to Havenside around supper time bringing several other bird books, binoculars, and a spotting scope. We were able to see the distinctive blue ring around the eye, the white vertical lines on the wings and the white on the squared tail. When it flew across the yard the distinct white barring on the wings was clearly visible. On Wednesday the same week, we were able to scope it on a line much closer to the house and see the white horizontal barring on the underside of the tail. Peter Chiasson and Sandy Anthony saw the same bird at their feeder on Thursday. Congratulations Brian and Minnie!

Susann Myers called on Thursday to report a pair of Tufted Ducks and a male Bufflehead that had been in the Fortress Barachois since Sunday. I drove to that area and watched the ducks from the entrance to the Marconi Picnic area with the spotting scope. A bonus during the observation was a pair of Green-winged Teal.

European Goldfinch

Susann called earlier in the month to report that Mona MacLeod had a European Goldfinch at her feeder on May 12. This finch is a bit bigger than the American Goldfinch, has a red face patch and a yellow band across the wing.

There have been a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been at my backyard feeder since May 23. Sylvia Trimm also has a pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at her feeder. She reports that on June 6, after an absence of two weeks, the pair of Red Crossbills have again appeared at her feeder. They must be nesting in the area.

There are a great number of purple finches in Louisbourg. The American Goldfinch males are a brilliant yellow and black now. There are large numbers on Lorway street.

There is a Great Blue Heron in the Havenside Barachois. Sheila Fudge reported a Kingfisher on the bridge railing at Havenside. There is another at the Fortress Barachois.

SOMEWHAT OUT OF THE ORDINARY

One morning several weeks ago, Bill was attracted by a lot of noise at a neighbourhood house while he was out gardening. It sounded like crows but there was another metallic sound. On closer investigation he saw a pair of crows flying to the roof of a house and releasing an aluminum can that they would roll down the slope, pushing it as required to get it going. When it hit the ground they would pick it up, fly back to the rooftop, and begin their game again. They repeated this several times before flying off.

One June 6 there was a one-legged Starling on the lawn of the house formerly occupied by the Meagher family on Braddock street. It was with a small flock of Starlings and seemed to be coping quite well.