FOR THE BIRDS

OCTOBER 2000

By

Helen O'Shea

Around the Harbour

The pair of Kingfishers are still swooping over the Havenside and Fortress Barachois. Semi-palmated Plovers have been observed by Sheila Fudge as well as Bill and myself. Greater Yellowlegs are at the shoreline and can often be heard near dusk. A Common Loon in breeding plumage has been spotted off the Fortress by many individuals. An occasional Double-crested Cormorant is seen here. A dozen frequent the utility lines beside Albert Bridge. They soon should be migrating. On September 17, Ian Harte reported an immature Bald Eagle below Bobby Burke’s home. Is this the offspring of the pair seen mating by Cyneth and Gordon Hutt in the spring?

Oops

Bruce MacDonald called on June 12 to report that he and Rovie had seen a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher the previous weekend at the sand dunes on Cheticamp Island. He took photos. There are several reports of these birds seen in Nova Scotia in Robie Tufts. Rovie said that there photos have been developed when I met her in Sydney last week.

Yellow-shafted Flickers

Bill frightened one beside our garbage box on September 10. On September 18 he saw one near the water tower and the next day I frightened one on our front lawn when I drove into the yard. On 22 September Bill and Sandy Balcom counted 5 Flickers on the road to Kennington Cove.

Ring-necked Pheasants

Christine Boudreau called on September 12 to report seeing a male Ring-necked Pheasant in her yard. Dana spotted it first in the early morning near dawn a couple of days before and they watched it move between their house and Helen Devison’s. On October 2 Sheila Fudge stopped me in the Bank to mention that she had played dodge-bird in her car on the road from her house with the male Ring-necked Pheasant. On the same day, Sylvia Trimm saw one near the Royal Battery. Dennis Wadden spotted a male Pheasant heading towards the Langille’s lawn. Tom Fudge had seen the female in the field with several young. This is the fall of the Pheasant.

Have we solved the mystery of the frequently seen Pheasant phenomenon?

On September 17, we met Cyneth and Gordon Hutt at the Fortress Barachois. It seems that Gordon bought two dozen pheasant chicks at the Co-op in May. He raised them and released 5 male and 4 females in the late summer. The rest he kept though a pair of Bald Eagles are eyeing them.

Sobey’s parking lot at the Mayflower Mall

This can be a spot for viewing a variety of Seagulls—including the Ring-billed Gulls.

Northern Harriers or Marsh Hawks

There is a pair of these birds who regularly course over the Fortress site.

Black Rock’s Mature Bald Eagle

Staff working at the Fortress all summer see this bird sitting here for hours or swooping over the site and the Harbour.

Take in the Summer Feeders and Put out the Seed Feeders

With the colder nights we should prepare to begin luring the birds we wish to keep in the yard for the winter. Enjoy October. I’ll write again next month.

Helen O'Shea

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

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