FOR THE BIRDS

March 1999

By

Helen O'Shea

The First Robin - February 19

Kaye and Alan MacLeod of Catalone reported the first robin which was eating rose hips in their yard. The same day, Cyneth and Gordon Hutt saw a robin on Havenside Road early in the morning and Victor Hall had one in his yard on the New Boston Road.

My first Robin appeared on February 26 and was around for several days eating rose hips and competing with the Purple Finch for this supply of food.

On March 2, Suzanne Kelly called to say that a dozen robins had just landed in her back yard.

Around the Harbour

February 10, there was a huge flock of Starlings on the lawn at Han Beck Fish Plant. There were also 2 dozen House Sparrows in the rose bushes at Julie and John MacDonald’s house. They sang happily until I walked within six feet of them and remained silent until I had passed by.

Pearl Magee had a Chipping Sparrow on the ground below her feeder as well as the Yellow-rumped Warbler. She has watched a Bald Eagle circling the Havenside Barachois every afternoon at approximately 2 p.m.

Fifty Starlings were decorating the roof, eaves, and phone lines at the home of Millie and Ralph Parsons on February 20.

Starlings: Did you know that this bird can impale another bird and open its beak within the victim to kill it? Remember that fact when you hear them singing sweetly in the springtime.

February 21, Gary Peck and I watched 2 dozen Buffleheads move about rapidly in Gerrat’s Brook Barachois. They appeared to be chasing fish. There were also 60 Black Ducks below Bobby Burke’s house at Havenside.

February 23, Ken Donovan saw a Pine Siskin on the back road from the water tower. This is only the fifth reported in Louisbourg this season. Pearl Magee had 3 Siskins and there was one that stopped briefly at my feeder, both on February 23. Pearl also had a Boreal Chickadee, 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches and 10-15 Evening Grosbeaks.

Driving to Sydney on February 24 we saw a Red-tailed Hawk circling the road at Grand Lake.

On a tour of the Harbour on February 27 there was packed ice and slurry ice with the only open water being around the Government Wharf . We saw two White-winged Scoter, 6 Bufflehead, , 2 Goldeneye, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, a Black Guillemot, 8 Black Ducks, 20 Great Black-backed Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, and 10 Iceland Gulls and a mature Black-headed Gull that has been around for about a month.

Minnie MacLeod, Sheila Fudge, Cyneth and Gordon Hutt have reported seeing the immature Black-headed Gull at the Havenside Barachois.

Victor Anderson was telling me of a flock of 50 Evening Grosbeaks at his feeders since the ice storm. He also has 10 Blue Jays, 4 Canada Jays, and assorted Crows. He is not a fan of House Sparrows and Starlings since they attack his Tree Swallows in the nesting season. He also tries to discourage the large numbers of squirrels on his property. He catches them in a javex bottle feeder with a large supply of seed. They enter the feeder to eat the seed and he nabs them with a fishing net. This requires speed and a stout pair of leather gloves. He then drives the squirrels out the highway where he releases them. Otherwise they become predators by stealing Swallow eggs in the spring.

Park wardens Doug Pearl and Lee Anne Reeves found several Murres covered in oil on the coast last month. They were some of a number of such birds found from Port Morien to Louisbourg. On March 2, Doug saw a female pheasant in the King’s Bastion pond.

Out and About

On a birding expedition to Glace Bay on February 28 we waved to Bill and Loretta Barter on the Glace Bay wharf near the Hopkins Fish Plant. We also observed the following birds in the water nearby: 75 American Black Ducks, 40 Buffleheads, 8 Lesser Scaup, 25 Iceland Gulls. At Renwick Brook we saw more than 100 Black Ducks, 3 pair of Mallards, 2 immature Great Black-backed Gulls, and more than 40 Iceland and Herring Gulls. Later that afternoon back in Louisbourg we saw the immature Black-headed Gull at Havenside Barachois. Off the Government wharf we observed Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Mergansers, a pair of White-winged Scoter, 2 Black Guillenmots and a dozen Oldsquaw. There was a mature Bald Eagle soaring over Havenside Road. This is probably the same one that Pearl Magee has been watching.

Ernie Weisner of Horne’s Road was talking to Bill on March 4. He has not observed as many birds at his feeder as in previous years and misses the Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Another sign of spring—GEESE IN FLIGHT

At 9:45 a.m. March 3, Firby Martell and Ian MacIntyre reported a flock of 50 Canada Geese flying overhead. These continued over the Harbour and crossed Station Hill where I was walking. The honking made me look up to see 100 Geese flying in a V-shaped formation - breaking off to form smaller Vees, and then regrouping into one unit again as they headed in the direction of Catalone.

My Feeders

I have lost part of an old friend. The Ice storm of February 14,15 and resulting ice build up caused four large branches to break off my backyard maple tree. This tree was the support for four of my feeders. As a result, the downed branches in the yard have become a roost for Mourning Doves. Their cooing I don’t mind, but their droppings would not be missed.

The Pine Warbler is a much brighter yellow now and comes daily to the feeders as he has throughout the winter. The flock of American Goldfinch peaked at more than two dozen. With the arrival of 8 pair of Purple Finch, more aggressive birds, the numbers of Goldfinch have dropped. The pair of Red-breasted Nuthatch remain as well as 3 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Blue Jays, and up to 10 Juncos.

FOX SPARROWS ARRIVE BEFORE EASTER. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THEM.

On the Web

For those of you who have access to the internet you can find past For the Birds columns at: HO'Shea.html 

That’s all folks. Next month I’ll give you a list of the birds adopted by the provinces as their official bird. Until then, if you have any sightings don’t forget to call me at 733-2873.

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

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