FOR THE BIRDS ~ MAY1997

It was either Northern Gannets or Snow Geese that flew along the coast past Lighthouse Point for the last two weeks of April. They were just far enough outside binocular range to be certain. Sometimes they flew in undulating lines and at other times in distinct "V" formations.

A raft of at least 2,000 Common Eiders was off Battery Island the week of April 21. Doug Pearl mentioned it to Bill who passed the message on to me. Barry Fudge drew our attention to these "shore ducks" when we arrived at the lighthouse. I gather that the Coast Guard boat saw large numbers in Gabarus Bay. Small flocks of a couple of hundred were seen April 26.

Large numbers of Red-Breasted Mergansers, also known as "shell ducks" have been seen in the Havenside Barachois as well as in the open water of the Harbour and off the coast.

The Black Guillemots are now in their summer plumage. They are a black with distinctive white patch on the top of the wing. The immatures are still a greyish-white. Guillemots are members of the Auk family as are Dovkies and Puffins.

Fox Sparrows spent April scratching up lots of food to prepare them for their northward flight. April 1, was the first report, from Pearl Magee. At the high point I had 15 under my feeders. The last 4 Fox Sparrows were at my feeders on May 1st. Margie Cameron had one at her feeder on May 10 for the Bird Count. But the record goes to Mona MacLeod who told me she has had at least one Fox Sparrow staying year round since 1972.Fox Sparrows spent April scratching up lots of food to prepare them for their northward flight. April 1, was the first report, from Pearl Magee. At the high point I had 15 under my feeders. The last 4 Fox Sparrows were at my feeders on May 1st. Margie Cameron had one at her feeder on May 10 for the Bird Count. But the record goes to Mona MacLeod who told me she has had at least one Fox Sparrow staying year round since 1972.

Walter Marsden saw a large flock of 100 Canada Geese below Mrs. Covey’s house on Havenside Road. Malcie MacDonald saw approximately 50 flying in formation over Grand Lake in the direction of Louisbourg the week of April 21. Dougie Stevens saw the same flock later in the day in the harbour off Chelsea Fish Plant. Having Canada Geese in the harbour is a rare occurrence.

Marjorie MacDonald looked out near the end of April to discover more than 50 American Robins on her lawn. That is a large flock, but it is not uncommon to see 10-15 in a yard or alongside the road. Ruth Stevens reported a nesting pair of Robins on May 5.

I saw my first male and female Purple Finch of the season the week of April 21. Percy Shepard saw his first male Purple Finch a couple of weeks earlier. He also saw 2 Boat-Tailed Grackle. The largest flock of Common Grackle appears to be nearly 40 in number. Half the flock likes the trees near the home of Peter Chiasson and Sandy Anthony on Station Hill. They meet up with the rest of the flock which is centred in the area of the Town Dairy.

The number of Juncoes is truly astounding. At one point during the last week in May, I had 70 in one flock. Pearl Magee has had over 100 at one time. They have a very pleasant song and are in the yards until dusk.

Birdsong is everywhere. Jean Pearl said the trees by the home of Donna and Malcie MacDonald were filled with singing birds. For every Song Sparrow seen, there are two or three in the bushes.

Rovie and Bruce MacDonald reported a pair of male Cowbirds at their feeder on April 24. I saw 6 males in the tree in the yard of Gail and Kevin Bond. There have been 4 pair in my yard. Cowbirds are interesting because they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.

DID SHEILA FUDGE HAVE THE SIGHTING OF THE YEAR?

Sheila Fudge called April 25 to report an unusual sighting the day before. As she was driving along the Sydney-Louisbourg Highway near Hillside Road, a crow-sized whitish bird with black along the wings and a swallow-like tail swooped low in front of her car. From her description it sounds like a Swallow-Tailed Kite. By the streaky breast she identified it as an immature bird. These birds are more populous in southerly climates but have been reported in the New England States. This is a rare sighting for Nova Scotia. Congratulations Sheila.

Leo Carter reported seeing a Pintail Duck in the Havenside Barachois. On the evening of April 24, Bill and I saw 2 Great Blue Heron in that location.

Snow and cold weather was the order of the day for Tuesday, April 29. Looking out our kitchen window at 6:30 p.m. what should Kevin spy but a fluorescent bird. Patrick and I rushed over to see a male Scarlet Tanager that hovered around the gazebo feeder. After perching in the maple tree and attempting to land on the feeder a couple of times, this handsome fellow was probably spooked by the 30 Juncoes and 2 squirrels. He flew into the kitchen window, bounced off and perched in a nearby tree for a couple of minutes—then disappeared. Susann Myers called me to say that Sandy McLain saw it moments after it left my house. It was spotted on May 3, on Havenside by Doug Pearl.

On May 1, Bill Bussey called about 5:00 p.m. to report a bird in his backyard that was striking in appearance. It was an iridescent blue with bronze on the wings and about the same size as a Cowbird. I rushed down to his house with a bag of bird books to help Diane Bussey identify a first year male Indigo Bunting. This confirms a sighting of Pearl Magee the week before. At that time the light was too poor to make a definite identification. The Bunting returned to the Bussey feeders on May 2. On Saturday, May 3, Bill reported another male bunting as well as a female.

Since the sighting by the Busseys, Peter Chiasson has reported an Indigo Bunting at his feeder on Station Hill. Mabel Hanham stopped me on May 7 to say she had an Indigo Bunting at her house.

Florence Miron believes she had 2 female Black-Backed Woodpeckers in her yard on April 29.

There have been frequent sightings of Red-Breasted Grosbeaks. Cliff and Josephine Peck have had them at their feeder on Riverdale Street and Peter Chiasson and Sandy Anthony report one at their feeder on Station Hill.

Susann Myers reported a Tree Sparrow, a pair of Green-Winged Teal and a Kingfisher the last week of April.

Brian MacLeod saw a Tree Swallow near his home on Havenside on May 8. This is first swallow sighting this year. I am awaiting the return of Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows to the fortress.

Sunday, May 4 was couples day at the Havenside Barachois. I saw 2 pairs of Green Winged Teal, 2 pairs of American Black Ducks, a pair of Cormorants, a pair of Greater Yellowlegs, and a pair of Belted Kingfishers. Then, just to be different, there was a male Red-Breasted Merganser and his harem of 3 female Red-Breasted Mergansers.

There are other couples around as well. On the same Sunday, I saw a pair of Green-Winged Teal in Main-a-Dieu and 2 pair at Catalone Gut. On May 5, there was a pair of Harriers ( Marsh Hawks) at Sharpe’s Hill on the road to the fortress compound.

Sam Mills met me at the Post Office on May 7, and said that there had been a single Canada Goose in Enoch’s Pond, below his house, all morning. The Mirons reported it as well. About 6:30 that evening Cyneth Hutt called to say that Gordon saw it on the harbour side of the Havenside Barachois. I took a drive down and watched it again for a while. I saw my first Great Cormorant on May 7 in the evening. It was on the beach below Olive Shaw’s house on Commercial Street. We watched it for about 5 minutes before some tourists walking along the Government Wharf caused it to fly off across the harbour into the fog. Bonnie Dalziel has had a female Blue Grosbeak at her feeder.

The Spring Bird Count was completed on Saturday, May 10. We were part of the 6th annual North American Bird Count. It rained most of the day and snowed for a while, not the most pleasant of days. There was not a large numbers of birds, but there were some interesting ones. Bill Bussey had the female Blue Grosbeak and Bonnie Dalziel reported a the Canada Goose. Doug Pearl had a Snipe (Common or Wilson’s, whichever you prefer) and a Kildeer, Tom and Sheila Fudge had a Spruce Grouse and a pair of Bufflehead, Pearl Magee had a Northern Flicker and a pair of Merlins, Susann Myers and Gerry Lalonde saw a pair of Harlequin Ducks and I had a Downy Woodpecker and an Orange-Crowned Warbler.

The following people took part in the count. Sandy Anthony, Jean and Joe Bagnell, Bill and Diane Bussey, Margie and Donald John Cameron, Peter Chiasson, Bonnie Dalziel, Sheila & Tom Fudge, Ian Harte, Cyneth & Gordon Hutt, Gerry Lalonde, Carlton Lunn, Gwendolen Lunn, Rovie & Bruce MacDonald, Minnie & Brian MacLeod, Pearl & Winston Magee, Florence & Marcel Miron, Susann Myers, Helen & Bill O’Shea, Dougie Pearl, Gary Peck, Sylvia Trimm, Roger Wilson. Thanks folks, your efforts are much appreciated.

This is the last edition of For The Birds until the fall. By June I should be able to post a detailed list in the Louisbourg Post Office in the Louisbourg Heritage Society display case in the foyer.

Remember to put your Hummingbird Feeders out in early May. The mixture should be rich to allow the birds to cope with the colder weather. Boiling water should be added to sugar in a ratio of three of water to one of sugar. Later in the season the ratio can be four parts water to one part sugar. The feeder should be cleaned once a week. Clear water (without red food colouring ) is fine as long as there is red on the feeder to attract the Hummingbird.