FOR THE BIRDS

March 1994

By

Helen O'Shea

The flock of approximately 30 Evening Grosbeaks continued to visit my feeder until February 14 with 28 siskins and a couple of Red Polls.  The Red Poll invasion began on Feb.18 when one flock of 30 arrived. By Feb. 20 two flocks totalling 60 filled the maple tree, platform feeder, disselfink and ate the scattered finch seed on the ground.   

Joseph "Dodie" Bagnell stopped me in the Post Office to say that he had two Hoary Red Polls visit his feeder at the end of February.  These birds are much paler with unstreaked white rumps, tinier bills and minimal breast streaking.  Some birders in Fredericton drove one and a half hours to see this relatively rare sighting. (Globe and Mail, Feb.19)  "Dodie" also had two Bohemian Waxwings arrive near his flowering crab tree.  Pearl and Eugene Magee, while at MacDonald's, Sydney River, watched a large flock of waxwings arrived at the berry bushes near the property and strip them clean.    

On February 25 Pearl reported 2 White Winged Crossbills eating alder seeds in her yard.  A young bobcat arrived and sat patiently at the bottom of her feeder--hoping for lunch in the form of a feathered friend.  Margie and Donald Cameron had a bobcat in their yard a week earlier. 

The glorious, warm Monday, Feb. 21 (7 degrees) I saw the otter at the Fortress Barachois as well as five deer.  Fifty Red Polls were seen flitting past.  Everything was basking in the sun.  Sheila Fudge and Alice Skinner say they know that spring is near.  The otter has returned to the Havenside Barachois now that the ice is breaking up.  The crows are tumbling in the air and the colours of the birds are becoming brighter.         

There has been a lot of activity in the harbour where there is open water.  The Black Ducks favour the sewer outfall below the Shaw property.  Sunday, March 6, near the Government Wharf we spotted 5 male and 2 female Red Breasted Mergansers; 3 male and 1 female Oldsquaws; a Black Guillemot in its winter plumage. There were male and female Bufflehead near the Fortress Barachois. 

Hilda Bagnell was telling me about a crow she had in her backyard a few years ago that said "Hello".  Perhaps you read the Cape Breton Post on Mar. 5 where it says that while making a sick call Fr. Everett MacDow was greeted by a crow who said "Hello".  I wonder if it is a relative of the crow who was in Louisbourg several years ago?    

Life is never simple, even for birds. Diseases reduce their numbers each year. A newspaper article in the Globe and Mail for March 5, 1994 tells of a major epidemic affecting bird populations. 

"There is an avian cholera epidemic in areas of Chesapeake Bay, a prime U.S. wintering ground for Canadian-nesting waterfowl.  The highly infectious bacterial disease struck at least 2,000 birds.  Most were oldsquaws and scoters.  Other victims were buffleheads, goldeneyes, canvasbacks, gulls, loons, and swans.  The disease spreads quickly, bird-to-bird or from infected food or water.  It can kill in six to twelve hours.  There is no treatment. Could spring migrants carry avian cholera north to Canada?  While most infected birds seem unlikely to fly far, Typhoid Marys (carriers that pass on the infection but suffer no symptoms) are known."                                                                           

We can only hope that all the birds who continue to arrive are healthy as well as attractive to watch.  Remember to call me at 733-2873 if you see any birds that catch your interest.  More signs of spring are sure to come and we would like to include them in the April newsletter.

Helen O’Shea

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

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