FOR THE BIRDS

NOVEMBER  2003

By

Helen O'Shea

SIGHTINGS

• Leo Carter and Doug Pearl reported a young Walrus at White Point on September 13. (I know it’s not a bird but it is interesting.) They were mackerel fishing at the time. 

• Colin Goyetsche caught two Bonitos off Lorraine head the first week of September. They are rare to Nova Scotia and have a yellow stripe. (Doug Pearl has a book with details on fish.) 

• Alice and George Horne reported 9 Canada Geese swimming up and down the Mira on September 13th. 

• Minnie MacLeod saw a small flock of Plovers in the grass at Kennington Cove the week of September 15. 

• Colleen and Joseph Rosta reported 2 dozen Canada Geese flying over the Bras d’Or Lake at Northside East Bay on September 21. 

• Cliff Peck had a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at his feeder the last Saturday of September.

AROUND THE HARBOUR

A Great Blue Heron was at the Fortress Barachois the first three weeks of September about 5 p.m. daily.  A female Northern Harrier was coursing over the fields on September 21. 

AROUND THE TOWN

Burns MacMillan has a huge flock of House Sparrows at his feeders.  They are in the bushes at his house and the in the trees in front of the Town Hall.  Large flocks of Starlings were enjoying a meal on the grass in the same area on October 29^th.

AT MY FEEDERS

There were more than 20 Juncos in the yard on September 14 as well as a Blue Jay.

A Fox Sparrow was in the yard September 17.  Once Halloween is over it will be time to thoroughly clean all the feeders and hang them out.

SIGHTINGS FROM AWAY

Bill and I were in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland from October 3 -19, 2003.  The birds were amazing in the parks, Kew Gardens, Greenwich and at the Edinburgh Zoo.  One of the heaviest additions to the luggage were the four new bird books I bought to identify these birds.  We saw numerous Magpies, Starlings, Rock Doves, Woodpigeons, Black-headed Gulls, and an occasional Common Gull and Cormorant (along the Thames River).  Greenwich was a great place to observe birds since there was a park and several ponds.  October 9^th we saw Canada Geese, 15 Ring-necked Parakeets, Red-crested Pochard, Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Moorhens, Coots, Robins, a Goldcrest and a Great Tit.  Near Harrod’s in downtown London we saw a Blue Tit and numerous Ravens at the Tower of London.  We also went to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew  on October 10^th and saw European Goldfinch, Jays, Rooks, a Blackbird, Ring-necked Parakeets, a Pied Wagtail, Waxwing, a Common Eider, a Common Goldeneye, and  a Ring-necked Pheasant.  October 11^th in St. James Park, London  we saw a White Pelican, Mute Swans, Coscoroba Swans (from the Falkland Islands), Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Red-breasted Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Smew and Goosander.  On our trip to Stonehenge on October 12^th there were 3 Grey Heron, a Buzzard, Red Grouse, Grey Partridge, Ring-necked Pheasant, several Jackdaws, and Rooks that roosted in the stones at Stonehenge.  On the train trip from London to Edinburgh we saw 8 Snow Geese flying in v-formation along the coast.  October 16^th our highlight was the Edinburgh Zoo.  There we were able to see Winter Wrens, a Coal Tit, a Herring Gull, and many other birds in ponds and caged areas.  We saw Chloe Widgeon, Red Shoveler, Cinnamon Teal, Marbled Teal, Baikal Teal, Meller’s Duck, Mallards, Ferruginous Duck, Garganey, Fulvous Whistling Duck, European White Stork, Emperor Geese, Black-crowned Night Heron, Rosybill, Waldrapp Ibis, White-rumped Shama, Monserrat Oriole, Yellow-throated Laughing Thrush, Leadbeaters Cockatoo, Bali Starling, Red-fronted Macaw, Black-throated Laughing Thrush (Chinese Jay Thrush), Thick-billed Parrots, Stock Dock, Kea, Green-cheeked Amazon Parrot, Ural Owl, Spectacled Owl, Great Horned Owl, Little Owl, Snowy Owl, Impeyan Pheasant (Himalayan Monal), Javanese Green Peafowl, Rockhopper Penguins, Macaroni Penguins, American White Pelican, Gentoo Penguin, King Penguins.  The English Robin is about the size of a wren and has a marvellous song.  They were very inquisitive and we were able to get many digital photos.  The Jays are blue and orange and vocal like the North American variety.

Bill O’Shea noticed a couple of dozen Red-breasted Nuthatch and Mountain Chickadees outside the Hotel in Banff, Alberta on October 29^th after 2 cm. of snow had fallen.  That day Sandy Balcom watched a Lewis’ Woodpecker in the tree beside the road.  In identifying this woodpecker it was the first time I got a chance to use the Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western Canada.  Bill also saw 2 Rough-legged Hawks hunting. 

September 15^th Bill saw a Bald Eagle in the Bras d’Or Lake off Chapel Island.  On November 5^th he counted 8 dead gulls—Herring and Great Black-backed on the Canso Causeway.

AN INTERESTING TIP FROM CBC RADIO

Since the birds scatter so much niger seed on the ground as they eat at the disselfink feeders it was suggested that the we could mix an equal amount of rice (not instant) and niger seed.  The experts feel that this will help prevent the moisture from affecting the niger seed and the rice will not have a negative effect on the birds.

Niger seed is worth its weight in gold so I shall give this idea a try in one of the feeders and see how many birds it continues to attract.

CLEANING YOUR FEEDER

Mix  9 parts water to one part bleach.  Clean the feeders regularly and make sure they are dry before adding seed.  Clean the spilled seed and hulls from the feeders on a regular basis since they are a breeding ground for infectious diseases. 

Corn in a mixed seed is sure to attract Rock Doves, Mourning Doves and Starlings.

Don’t forget to tell me about your sightings – leave a message on my answering machine if I don’t answer the phone.

Until next month, fill those feeders and prepare to enjoy our feathered friends.

Helen O’Shea

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

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