FOR THE BIRDS

September 1993

By

Helen O'Shea

Gwen Lunn sighted a male Baltimore Oriole on June 17 and 3 Surf Scoters on June 16. Many hummingbird feeders have been hung at various locations in town. Susann Myers had hummingbirds in her yard until August 18, My last sighting was August 15.

Bill and I spotted 14 ruddy Turnstones on Havenside Road august 9. They remained in that area searching for food until August 20. Great Blue Heron have been fishing at the Havenside Barachois and the Osprey has been around the harbour at many locations.

A mature Bald Eagle was seen plucking and devouring the carcass of a seagull on the beach below the home of Bobby Burke on Havenside road.

The O’Shea family observed the construction of a Robin’s nest - July 16 and 17. We watched as 3 eggs appeared ( July 17, 18, 19 ) and the parents took turns sitting on the eggs. The nest was built on the windowsill above our back door. Movements on the basement stair and in the kitchen were ignored when the adult robins learned to turn their tails toward the window. The eggs hatched July 31, August 1 and 2^nd. After being photographed ( an historical document) on July 12 the three nestlings flew away on July 13.

Susann Myers reports that the first migratory movement of warblers occurred on August 17 ( as in 1991 and 1992) and is still going strong through her yard on Upper Warren Street. She had frequent sightings of Magnolia, Myrtle, Yellow, Black and White and Palm Warblers. She had occasional sightings of Blackburnian , Wilson’s, Yellow throats, American Redstarts, Black Poll, Bay-Breasted and Mourning warblers. She also saw a Parula and a Nashville Warbler. Non-warbler sightings were Solitary Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, two immature Baltimore Orioles and a blue-grey Gnatchatcher

Helen O'Shea

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

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