FOR THE BIRDS

March 1995

By

Helen O'Shea

Two months since it was first sighted, the Pine Warbler is still travelling with an extremely large flock of American Goldfinch--approximately 70.  The American Robin has been around since early February.  Once he had eaten most of the rosehips in our yard he seemed satisfied to get on the platform feeder and eat the black oil sunflower seed. By comparison, Suzann Myers feeds frozen blueberries and mountain ash berries to her Robin.   

With the colder weather 8 pair of Purple Finch, a pair of Red-Breasted Nuthatch, 40 Evening Grosbeak, and a Junco paid daily visits to my feeders.   

On three separate occasions we saw the Iceland Gull near the Government Wharf and the Common Black-Headed Gull near the sewer outfall.  It confirms that there are abundant sources of food locally. 

Jason Carter called on February 16 to report a mature Bald Eagle eating fish on the Harbour ice approximately 100 yards from his property. 

On two separate walks to the Visitor Centre we saw 3 Canada Jays and the Northern Shrike.  

February 12, Joe Burke called from Catalone reporting an American Robin in his front yard on the patio. 

Ian Harte reported sighting a Three-Toed Woodpecker on Havenside Road on February 11.  Last spring Pearl Magee spotted a Three-Toed Woodpecker.  Wonder if they are kin? 

The Three-toed Woodpecker is the most northerly woodpecker species, breeding in the boreal conifer forests nearly to the arctic tree-line from Scandinavia across Siberia and from Alaska to Labrador. There are isolated populations breeding in Cape Breton Island. They are seldom seen. They forage on dead or dying conifer trees resulting from lumbering and insect damage. (Atlas of Breeding Birds of the Maritime Provinces, Anthony J. Erskine p. 110) 

3 Buffleheads, 2 Oldsquaw and 2 Black Guillemots were seen at the Fortress Barachois and the Government Wharf. 

Carol Corbin and Wallace Barter saw 21 Mergansers on February 18. 

Pearl Magee called February 23 to report THE FIRST SIGN OF SPRING. An American Tree Sparrow arrived February 22.  Last year she first sighted this bird on March 17. 

Pearl has had 3 Boreal Chickadees eating suet balls for the past month and a half.  She is feeding three Grey Jays, a Song Sparrow that is a ground feeder and a pair of Red-Breasted Nuthatch who will eat out of her hand like Black-Capped Chickadees when she is refilling the feeder.  She has a Palm Warbler in the spruce trees but it has not visited her feeders. 

A highlight of our birdwatching was a chance sighting of 30-40 Snow Buntings at Catalone Gut Beach at 4 p.m. on Saturday, February 25. The first one caught our eye as it flew up from the road in front of us.  We pulled up further along the beach and saw a few of them running amid the rocks.  Suddenly the flock soared upward and flew further down the beach.  Later they soared again and crossed the road.  The sun glinted on these birds and they did look like "snow flakes" in the wind as suggested in the Audubon Field Guide.

SNOW BUNTING 

These sparrow-size songbirds show more white than any other.  Their flashing white wing patches identify them in flight.  They are common in winter.  During open winters when snowfall is light they remain on the coastal lowlands throughout the season and, because such areas are usually remote from human thoroughfares, few people know of their presence.  When storms bring heavy snow they suddenly appear about our withered gardens where they feed on the seeds of taller plants that protrude above the snow. (Robie W. Tufts, Birds of Nova Scotia, p.422-23) 

The snow and ice storm of February 28 and March 1 increased the number of finches at the feeders.  Five Blue Jays and three Black-Capped Chickadees were at the feeder all day.  The two Mourning Doves arrived to munch and then returned to their favourite location in the rose bushes at the back of the house.  They can shelter and watch the feeders at the same time. Pam Briggs was out walking March 2 and saw a female Hairy Woodpecker in the woods on the lower road past the Royal Battery. With all the ice bending the tree branches down on March 2 the birds were comical to watch as they attempted to perch on the branches.  They slid and hopped around trying to maintain a secure footing.   

The article in the Saturday, March 4 edition of the Globe and Mail was very interesting.  A combination of population growth and deforestation of parts of the Caribbean and Central and South America, where many migrating birds overwinter, are believed responsible for the serious decline in the number of summer visitors to Canada.  These tropical birds that migrate north to take advantage of the burst of food available in the north during the spring and summer.  They comprise up to 70% of the species that summer across Canada.  The theory is that the birds that spend their summers together in a particular area of Canada are genetically related and will flock together when they migrate south. Two three-year studies are now underway to gather data. 

Please call me with your sightings at 733-2873.  Remember, the birds are dependent on you until May if they have been winter diners. 

What is the difference between a birdwatcher and a birder?  A birdwatcher identifies the birds VISUALLY while a birder can recognize the bird by its CALL.  If you are a lister adding the bird to your list is your goal.

                            Helen O’Shea

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

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