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Posted in Atlantic Canada Birding BEYOND

5 weeks of birding highlights (a bittersweet migration season)

Posted by admin Posted on October 10, 2016
5 weeks of birding highlights (a bittersweet migration season) Posted on October 10, 2016

I’ve been pretty quiet as far as bird blogs go for the past 5 weeks.  I made the somewhat misguided decision to rejoin Facebook (primarily to find doggy friends for Macy which admittedly has worked out great), which eats up time I could be spending on my own content.  I should know better really and will try to work harder on my own blog.

Also I’ve been a bit bummed out that I couldn’t travel to the hot spots during migration season but I really have no right to whine as I live near a great migratory point and also in shorebird heaven.

And so if for no other reason then to remind myself how great things actually have been, here is a little bird porn for the photo lovers.

The definite highlight for me was the Buff-breasted Sandpiper.  I’m actually really proud of that photo as it has great detail and I had my dog, Macy, on leash with me so that provided an extra challenge as she has a knack for pulling hard just when I’m lined up for the perfect shot.

I missed this bird last year and was quite disappointed about it, and also missed them in some known locations in Cape Breton so was very happy to finally find it.  The report came in that it had been spotted at Taylor Head and I had planned to get there for a walk with the dog before the nice weather disappeared so it seemed as good a reason as any to make the hour plus trek in each direction.  Had I not found the bird, as least I would have my walk.

Anyway, looking back on things, it was actually pretty sweet…and I should stop being bitter  😉

As the rain pounds down today I am wondering why I don’t own a Souwester hat to get out birding in the storm.

Future goals…indeed.  And without further adieu, below is your rainy day birdy porn.

Happy Birding,

Angela

HY Palm Warbler - Framboise, CB - Sept. 3
HY Palm Warbler (1 of 4) – Framboise, CB – Sept. 3 – stopped the car as they were on the pavement so took Macy out of the car and she lay in the road with me while we photographed them in the shrubs – only in Cape Breton!
Snowy Egret Sept 20, 2016 Rainbow Haven
Snowy Egret Sept 20, 2016 Rainbow Haven (first found by B Haley in the Salt Marsh)
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Sept 7, 2016 - Taylor Head Provincial Park
Buff-breasted Sandpiper – Sept 7, 2016 – Taylor Head Provincial Park – report sent in by Jim Cameron from a birding colleague of his

Dicksissel - old Halifax dump site - Sept. 21, 2016
Dicksissel – old Halifax dump site – Sept. 21, 2016 previously reported by another birder went to look for it with David McCorquodale and good thing he spotted it because it was flying with a group of sparrows and I didn’t even notice it was different!

September 6th Semipalmated Sandpipers at the Guzzle in Grand Pré
September 6th Semipalmated Sandpipers at the Guzzle in Grand Pré – my first time witnessing this miracle of nature in Nova Scotia
Hooded Warbler male Sept 10, 2016 Hartlen Point
Hooded Warbler male Sept 10, 2016 Hartlen Point – found by jim Edsall this is a rare bird to Nova Scotia
Baltimore Oriole Sept. 6, 2016 Hartlen Point (1 of 4 spotted that morning)
Baltimore Oriole Sept. 10, 2016 Hartlen Point (1 of 4 spotted that morning) not a common bird to Nova Scotia but we do get them moving through in the Fall
Great Egret Sept 30, 2016 Rainbow Haven
Great Egret Sept 30, 2016 Rainbow Haven – first spotted by B Haley in the Salt Marsh
Black-bellied Plover winning the battle with a wormy thing...ewwwww....Rainbow Haven Sept 20, 2016
Black-bellied Plover winning the battle with a wormy thing…ewwwww….Rainbow Haven Sept 20, 2016 – many of these birds frequent my shore and this summer I also saw a number of American Golden Plovers which were new to me
Western Willet - Three Fathom Harbour Sept. 4, 2016
Western Willet – Three Fathom Harbour Sept. 4, 2016 (first reported by Chris Pepper and Kate Steele) this bird is an uncommon migrant to Nova Scotia – you might guess…we get Eastern Willets here

So, I will note I am sad to report I did not find my nemesis bird, the Hudsonian Godwit.  If I have to spend the whole month of September in Cape Breton next year to get them I will damn it!  Nothing worth having comes easy?  Tune in next year for the mighty Godwit roundup?