FOR THE BIRDS

NOVEMBER 2001

By

Helen O'Shea

Rare Bird in Louisbourg: a Red-headed Woodpecker (juvenile)

Abby Gledhill was the first in town to notice this bird at the feeder of her grandparents, Bill and Diane Bussey. It was eating black-oil sunflower seed. Despite the attempts of several Blue Jays to chase it away, the Woodpecker held its ground. I got a call from Bill at 4:45 p.m. and was able to watch the bird which flew between a stump in the yard and the ground for almost 15 minutes. In spite of the thundershowers that evening the bird remained between the Busseys and Warren Bagnell’s feeder with the last sighting on Thursday, November 1. Warren and Bill both took photographs. Warren thinks he saw one in a field several years ago and is looking for that photo as well. The 2 Chipping Sparrows and 2 Dickcissels in the Bussey yard were almost an afterthought after this great sighting

The Red-headed Woodpecker is in the "juvenile" phase from July through February.

It is noticeable by its brown head and striking white rump, white secondaries (bottom of the wings) and solid black back. Its flight is similar to a Blue Jay. It gets its red head during gradual winter molt. The Red-headed Woodpecker forages on tree trunks and on the ground for insects, berries, acorns, and flies. It is rare in the northeast, due in part to habitat loss and competition with starlings for nest holes in dead trees. The Red-headed Woodpecker appears in autumn but there is no record that it breeds in Nova Scotia.

Please click on the 
Red-Headed Woodpecker (juvenile)
 image below to enlarge it

© Warren Bagnell,  Louisbourg, 30  October,  2001

Reported Sightings

• Susann Myers reported a Northern Mockingbird in her yard on a foggy, damp November 5. I was lucky enough to watch it fly through her yard and over Jim Steylen’s house.
• Jim Steylen had an assortment of Black-capped Chickadees at his feeders.
• Dougie and Ruth Stevens reported 7 Robins on their property in Catalone on November 4. Earlier they had watched a flock of 30 Robins at the Mira Provincial Park.
• Sandy Balcom watched a Great Horned Owl fly into a tree and watch him as he was at the Mira Provincial Park for a walk on November 4. He also saw a Spruce Grouse on the back road from the water tower. Bill and Sandy also watched 2 Ravens on the road to Black Rock on the Fortress site.
• Mary MacMullin called in October to report that one of the annual visitors to the Louisbourg Motorhome Park, Gertrude Provost from Massachussetts, reported a Bald Eagle that she saw while she was bicycling around town.
• Don and Margie Cameron had a Pine Siskin near their feeders on November 8. They also reported on the injured Crow they brought to the Department of Natural Resources in October ( see October Seagull ). After a few days of feeding the bird perked up and when released it flew off. Don and Margie also have Mourning Doves, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, 3 Americn Goldfinch, and several Blue Jays. One has only a few blue feathers in a mostly white head.
• Mona MacLeod of Catalone reports a male Hairy Woodpecker, a male Downy Woodpecker, 7 Blue Jays, and 7 Black-capped Chickadees at her feeders.
• Ella Blagdon saw a male Ring-necked Pheasant in the yard of Robert and Ellie Levy October 30. We wondered if it was the same male we saw the previous day at 3 p.m. across from the fire hall. It stood at the curb like a pedestrian, looking both ways, before it raced across Main Street, down Aberdeen, through the parking lot behind the Fire Hall and off across the lawn by the playground.
• Ian Harte reported several pair of Ring-necked Duck in Jessie’s pond.
• Sandy McLain, Chief Park Warden, told Bill he saw 2 male Ring-necked Pheasants fighting at the corner of the compound road and Route 22. I gather that one of the Fortress pheasants will race across the road in front of cars and come to an abrupt stop as soon as it leaves the asphalt.

Around the Town

A flock of 40 Grackles flew from the lawn at Han Beck to the trees by St. Bartholomew’s Rectory on November 8.

I flushed a Robin on the trail at Upper Warren on November 1.

A huge flock of Starlings was on Wilma Baker’s lawn and roof on November 5 and a smaller flock on the lawn of Bill and Mary Bate.

Grey Jays are in the Housing Area. 3 were on the lawn of Danielle and Jody Harpell in late October. A pair fly from the trees behind the home of Gary and Elaine Carter.

Blue Jays have arrived at the feeders.

Crows are still gobbling insects and grubs from lawns and ripping open trash bags.

Around the Harbour

Common Eider have been seen off the Lighthouse and around the Fortress site.

Northern Gannet have been seen in the same locations.

A Great Blue Heron was fishing in the ditch behind the Daupin Demi-bastion on November 3. Six Black-bellied Plover in winter plumage were at the Fortress Barachois that same day. A Common Loon was swimming nearby. 7 Buffleheads were in the pond. Numerous Black Guillemots in various shades of winter plumage are around the harbour. Flocks of up to 16 American Black Ducks are in various locations. One Cormorant appears off Havenside and the Fortress. A mature Bald Eagle is often on the ballast pile behind the home of Marcel and Florence Miron.

2 Semi-palmated Plover were on the harbour side of Havenside Barachois on October 21.

At My Feeders

Since putting out 2 feeders I have had 12 Pine Siskins, 12 American Goldfinch, 2 Blue Jays, and 4 Black-capped Chickadees take up residence. The Brown Creeper still goes up and down the tree. I had a pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets in the maple tree, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

At Mainadieu, Bill and I watched a female Northern Harrier course a field, land on telephone poles, and later a light standard beside our car when we were parked in the lot above the Fishermen’s Museum. The sighting lasted more than ten minutes and we were able to observe the bird from every possible angle.

Gordon Cann sent me this note. "We have two bird feeders in our Russian Olive tree in the backyard. About a month ago a brown-eyed susan bloomed in our back garden. We had not planted any brown-eyed susans. So, it had to come from birdseed. Most of our flowers in the backyard were now dead and that brown-eyed susan stood alone like a beautiful note of gratitude from our birds."

Until next time, keep your feeders full and your binoculars handy.