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Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
FOR THE BIRDS
MARCH 2006
By
Helen O'Shea
Ø Park Warden Eugene Taylor observed 3 Harlequin Ducks at Kennington Cove.
Ø Dr. Carol Corbin had a Grey Catbird fly into her window on February 9. It fell to the ground stunned. Later it flew to a branch, and then flew off. It was around long enough for her to identify. She has seen them in the southern United States.
Ø Cyneth and Gordon Hutt reported 3 mature and an immature Bald Eagle circling over the harbour the morning of February 13.
Ø Eugene Magee saw a Turkey Vulture over the harbour February 11. It had its eye on something below his place on the beach. The Crows were competitors and grabbed the prize first. Perhaps this is the Turkey Vulture that was on the Christmas Bird Count and it might stay around until spring.
Ø Doug and Ruth Stevens walked on Catalone Lake the morning of February 13 and saw an eagle nest. There were 3 immature Bald Eagles in it, perhaps with fond memories. The end of February they watched American Crows and an immature Eagle on the ice. They were probably eating leftover smelt. March 4 Doug could hear a Woodpecker but unfortunately did not get an opportunity to identify it.
Ø Pearl Magee has the American Tree Sparrows visiting regularly. The Song Sparrow was only there the day of the storm. She also has a few Redpolls, Juncos, Pine Siskins, Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadees, a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch and occasionally a Blue Jay and a Mourning Dove. Crows are in abundance. She watched a pair of mature Bald Eagles in their mating ritual the third week of February at Catalone.
Ø Kate Ley from Little Lorraine met me in Sobeys on February 23. She told me that she has enjoyed watching the Blue Jays, Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatch come to her board feeders in the yard. Of course she does not welcome the Crows with the same pleasure since they chase away the smaller birds.
Ø Louise Johnston of Royal Avenue in Sydney, is happy to watch the Black-capped Chickadees at her seed and suet feeders.
Ø Mary Price called me the morning of March 1 to say there was an owl beside her porch and it was in distress. I suggested she call the Fortress where she spoke with Warden Eugene Taylor who was very co-operative and said he would call the Department of Natural Resources for her. A naturalist arrived and observed the Owl for about an hour. 5 minutes before he arrived the owl flew away from the original location but was found about 100 feet from the house. Later it flew up into a tree. They were concerned that it might be injured in some way. The naturalist said that the trauma of taking a wild bird to a vet might be as dangerous as doing nothing. When the Great-horned Owl flew up into the tree he told Mary that if the bird had too much to eat it would not be able to fly any distance until the food was at least partially digested. Mary was able to take a couple of very nice digital pictures while it was close to her step, including the one seen above.
Please Click on the Image to Enlarge It
Ø Sandy Balcom spotted a very large Bald Eagle perched on Black Rock on March 7.
Ø Bill O’Shea saw two large Ravens just off route 22 near the site of the Old Town school and 3 pairs of Bufflehead off the Royal Battery on March 8.
Ø Clyde Dollimount managed to take a digital photo of the Ring-necked Pheasant by Garf Cann’s the first week of March.
Ø Shirley Kennedy was awake for several hours in the early morning of March 7 by the persistent calling of an Owl.
A wise old owl sat in an oak,
The more he saw the less he spoke,
The less he spoke, the more he heard,
Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?
(Folklore of the Birds, Laura C. Martin, 1993, p. 136)
Early on the morning of March 7 an anonymous observer reported watching Garf Cann walk from his house down the lane to Lemoine’s Wharf. It was an interesting ramble. He began strolling and sensed a presence behind him. Turning his head what did he see but a male Ring-necked Pheasant almost on Garf’s heels. When Garf speeded up, so did the pheasant. When he slowed down the bird would slow and then stop. This continued until both of them disappeared from view. Obviously, our feathered friend wanted the company. It gives the song “Me and My Shadow” an entirely new meaning.
A Blue Jay was at Millie Parson’s feeder on February 22. 4 Iceland Gulls were over Station Hill and Havenside Road the morning of March 3. The afternoon of March 4 there were 6 Crows in the tree in front of the Heritage House. That morning I had observed 6 Crows in the hollow area behind the Stacey House Bed and Breakfast. There were 6 Black-capped Chickadees in the tree in the yard of Malcie and Donna MacDonald. At the top of the Park Service Road a female Spruce Grouse stood by the side of the road for a while and then slowly headed in to the trees. Even when I got out of the car and walked closer she continued on her deliberate way rather than scurrying off like a Ruffed Grouse.
We went for a drive on March 4. The ice was all along the shore and in the sheltered area between the Government Wharf and Jimmy Dale’s wharf. There were a number of Great Back-blacked Gulls and Herring Gulls pecking at crab shells on the ice. Also off the Government Wharf there were 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 7 Black Guillemots, a male and 4 female Red-breasted Mergansers, and 5 American Black Ducks. Off the Fortress, on the harbour side, there were 8 Surf Scoters and 4 Black Ducks, and a Common Loon.
There have been numerous Common Goldeneye in the open water at Mira Gut the last two weeks of February. On February 10 there was a Raven flying over the highway at Catalone. The next day a Woodpecker with a death wish barely missed the windshield of our car as it crossed the road.
The morning of March 2, with temperature of minus 15, I was delighted to see a dozen White-winged Crossbills fly toward the feeders. These flighty birds just made brief visits but we refilled the tray of the larger feeder 3 times. There were six pair of birds by 12:08. They made a return appearance the next day and then were gone when the milder temperature of March 4 arrived. We have had the pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch, 8 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays, 5 American Crows, and a Common Redpoll dine at the feeders for the past two weeks. March 7 was mild and sunny. Early morning heralded the arrival of a flock of more than 20 White-winged Crossbills. They were skittish and swirled back and forth from the neighbours’ yard to the feeders. At 15:00 more than 30 Bohemian Waxwings arrived to dine on the rosehips and to rush to the trees and return again to gobble the rosehips. They didn’t disappear until 17:00. I guess many of the birds are stirring to life with the warmer weather and the “call of the wild”.
MAY THE LUCK OF THE IRISH BE WITH YOU AS WE NEAR ST. PATRICK’S DAY.
Perhaps you will see a unique bird or the return of some of the spring migrants. Remember, the male Juncos arrive before the females. There may be Indigo Buntings that arrive along with the Song Sparrows and the Fox Sparrows. In past years the Fox Sparrows have arrived near the end of March. These are the melodious and very rufous, chubby Sparrows that can scratch up your yard under the feeders. They really enjoy millet and literally will “sing for their supper”.
Helen O’Shea
Extracted from © The Seagull, Helen O'Shea, For the Birds
