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© by Eric Krause, Krause House
Info-Research Solutions (© 1996)
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Canada Unless Otherwise Designated
Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
FOR THE BIRDS
October 1997
By
Helen O'Shea
Perhaps it was the cold June that caused the early departure of the Cliff and Barn Swallows from the Fortress of Louisbourg site this year. These birds arrived by May 20 as usual, but then disappeared for a couple of weeks. I observed them catching insects near the Ball Field and by the Fortress Barachois. Instead of two batches of young this year they only had one. They were all gone before August 20. Usually the second batch of out-migrating swallows leave by the second week of September.
Remember my article in the June Seagull about the Glossy Ibis? I travelled to Port Morien to see my first Glossy Ibis in June. By August, I was able to observe a flock of 22 at Main-a-Dieu and in mid September saw a flock of nearly that size near Black Rock at the Fortress.
Rovie MacDonald stopped me early in October to tell me that she and Bruce have been watching a Dickcissel come daily to their backyard feeder.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Paige called me in June to tell me about the Chukar that was at their campground in Mira. Bill and I drove out there to see this colorful bird that was boldly walking between the trailers and totally disregarding the activity of dogs, cats, campers and cars. The Chukar is an introduced European partridge. It is found in the western United States. Sightings in the east are a result of birds escaping captivity. Henry told me that this bird remained in the campground until the end of September.
A flock of 12 Semipalmated Plover have been at the Fortress Barachois and on the Fortress site for the past two weeks.
Cathy and Allan Murrant saw a female Indigo Bunting near the second Fortress gatehouse while they were driving in the area on October 9.
Cooper’s Hawk
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Sharp-Shinned Hawk
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For both these hawks, females are larger than males. Immature birds have brown backs and white breasts streaked with brown. Adults have bluish-gray backs and orange-and -white barred breasts.
Recommended reading: A new book this fall is, Bird Watching For Dummies by Bill Thompson III and the Editors of Bird Watcher’s Digest.
Helen O'Shea
Extracted from © The Seagull, Helen O'Shea, For the Birds