Hartlen Point, my bird dog, and my heart

BEYOND, Birds, My Dogs

I lost my old bird dog last week. I keep going to Hartlen Point looking for the piece of my heart that I lost. Nelson was 14 years old when he died and with me for most of those years as I adopted him from the Lillian Albon Shelter when he was 10 months old.

He was their very first out of town adoption and they kept each of my 3 references on the phone for almost an hour each. Nelson was the least adoptable dog in the shelter (and had been there for 5 months) the day we went to meet him but my partner at the time wanted him because he liked his big feet. Then we broke up and I got the dog.

Well for all the work he was in the beginning, he sure turned out to be one hell of a dog.

Full of life to the end but his legs failed him and there was only one option unfortunately. A big active dog cannot be without the use of his hind legs. My poor boy.

For the past year he has been having trouble with long walks so we took to doing a 10 minute loop around the block and to the ocean once in a while and I would bring my camera so we could stop and look at birds and he could rest. I also took him to the little beach at the bottom of Oceanlea for a swim two weeks ago and he tried to sniff the Sanderlings. He was always very curious about the birds but never ever mean to them. Nelson was a Black Lab / Irish Setter cross would be my best guess so a bird dogs on both counts.

So, Hartlen Point was a very favorite place of Nelson’s and mine long before I became a birder. Security is in place now and you really can’t take dogs in there anymore but I took him a few weeks ago in on leash to stand on the rocks for a while. The walk down the path by the Coast Guard shed just to the shore was pretty much all he could do for the day. I knew it would not be long before our bad day would arrive.

But I am so happy I made a point to do this. And now that I am a birder, Hartlen Point has become a special place for me in a new way and I spend a lot of time down there birding.

And as sad as I am, I feel like he is walking with me and I hope that piece of my heart will come back to me in time. Whenever I spot a new bird at Hartlen Point I’d like to think Nelson saw it first…

RIP my heart dog Nelson 2001-2015

Nelson’s last visit to Hartlen Point August 2015

Nelson at Hartlen Point – Tropical Storm Arthur 2014

Nelson swimming in the back cove at Hartlen Point probably no less than 6-7 years ago maybe more

Nelson at Hartlen Point sometime at least 6-7 years ago

Nevada birding with Je Anne July 20 (31 lifers in one day)

Birds, Travel

They say Vegas is a rich man’s town but if you’re a birder, all bets are off.

This morning an amazing lady named Je Anne picked me up at my hotel at 530am and we set out for Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Once at the preserve, we met up with John Taylor (who’s pretty cool too) who was working at the preserve for the day who drove us around and we quickly started stacking up lifers for this little Nova Scotia birding newbie. Je Anne has a tremendous amount of birding knowledge to share. I learned a lot, and had a lot of fun too.

John, Je Anne, and Me at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve

Right away we spotted Black-Necked Stilts and American Avocets which were both new to me, as well as Gambel’s Quail with chicks. Honestly, had I gone home at that point I still would have been delighted!

Black-Necked Stilts

American Avocet

American Avocet

Gambel’s Quail family at a distance but good ID shots anyway

There were a list of lifers that I made confirmed IDs of but did not photograph at the preserve as well:

Black-Chinned Hummingbird
Anna’s hummingbird
Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher
Loggerhead Shrike (camera battery had just died but I did get something fabulous right before that happened)

I was able to photograph a nice variety of new to me birds (lifers) before the battery ran out on my camera, and the coolest one was a Least Bittern. (will post the rest of the photos shortly)

Ruddy Duck male note the bluish beak

Ruddy Duck female note the tail they apparently used to be called the stiffed tail duck?

Eared Grebes

Eared Grebe

Coopers Hawk

Green Heron

Green Heron

White Faced Ibis there were 5 of them that we noted

Common Gallinule

Common Gallinule

Common Gallinule

Long Billed Dowitcher

costas hummingbird

Crissal Thrasher just an ID shot click twice to zoom

Bewicks Wren – gorgeous song looks plain

Western Tanager – flock of a half a dozen or so males on the move so migration is probably starting

Yellow-Headed Blackbird (female?)

the Least Bittern was the show stopper – Je Anne has let me know this is an adult male – my battery died right after I snagged him so perfect!

Least Bittern

As if this were not enough Je Anne made a stop for us to see some Burrowing Owls (we saw 6) before we headed to our next destination. I was pretty sad not to have my camera working for those fellers but it was still wonderful. There was one sitting in the sand, one buried up to it’s eyeballs and a group of 4 a few feet away. Super cool birds. We also stopped to observe a group of Eurasian Collared Doves for good measure. And this ended the city portion of our Nevada birding adventure. Although my camera was not working, the trip to Mount Charleston and the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area was breathtakingly beautiful and I watched a bunch more wonderful lifers. Witnessed, IDed and confirmed for me lifers included:

Western Scrub Jay
Pinyon Jay
Violet Green Swallow
Western Bluebirds (juvenile and adults)
Great Tailed Grackles
Lesser Goldfinch (male and female)
Black-Headed Grosbeak (stunning bird)
Cassin’s Finch (male and female)

The camera phone is not great, but good enough for nabbing some photos of the Mule Deer, and the wild horses. Yes I said wild horses. Aplenty at that.

one of the many wild horses

Mule Deer

The one bird I had wanted to see but did not was the Roadrunner. At the request of my nieces and nephew of course. But on the drive back to the hotel I spotted not one, but two. Mother Nature always delivers…

a drive up to the most Northern tip of Newfoundland June 20th 2015

Birds, Travel

This week I have to work in Newfoundland visiting pet shops all over the rock so the diversions are extra awesome. Not all birding of course since when you bird here the wild and rugged beauty of the landscape often takes over.

The ferry docked early Saturday morning and my task for the day was to drive almost 700km all the way up to the Northern tip to Saint Anthony.

A short drive from the ferry was J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park which has a protected area for Piping Plovers so I made my first stop.

A quick look didn’t turn up any Plovers, but I did get my first lifer (maybe 2) of the trip, a Common Tern. I have seen Terns before at Keji but I count my lifers as the ones I’m able to snap photos of.

Common Tern – click twice for full resolution I usually leave unaltered so non birders can have perspective

The entire park was filled with the songs of Yellow and also Black and White Warblers. On the way out I tried to see if I might find some other warblers and instead I found a pair of Crossbills . At first I thought they were Red Crossbills, but now I think White- Winged and would like some ID help please. Again photos un-cropped, please click twice for full resolution as my blogs are more of a diary than a race for the best photos.

Update : oops not Crossbills at all they are female Pine Grosbeaks thank you Maxine Quinton – I had crossbills on the brain as I expect later I will see them at Terra Nova Park

Is this a female White-Winged Crossbill?

female Pine Grosbeak thanks Maxine Quinton 🙂

female Pine Grosbeak

female Pine Grosbeak

female Pine Grosbeaks

female Pine Grosbeaks

Continuing up the coast, the beautiful fjords of Western Pond in Gros Morne caught my eye and I stopped on the side of the road to have a look where Canada Geese just happened to have some goslings. Goslings are always cute but in front of the fjords they are a thing from heaven.

Canada Geese in front of the Western Brook Pond fjords

There was a Yellow Warbler on every stop I made. There is not an inch of road on the West Coast that is not singing with Warblers including Black Throated Green Warblers, who I did not snap but heard in abundance. The Yellows are always nosey and easy to snap like this one at Hawke’s Bay. There were also large amounts of Barn Swallows (potentially Bank Swallows which Heather Quinn calls Sand Martins LOL) in pockets in the stretch from Gros Morne to Saint Anthony.

pair of Ring-Necked Ducks splashing about

Yellow Warbler

There were a few non-birding stops of course. One to the Arches, and one to Bellburns Brook.

ummm doesn’t this look like a man with bushy eyebrows to you?at Bellburns Brook lookoff the unofficial one

The Arches provincial park in Portland Creek NL

The Arches provincial park in Portland Creek NL

Realizing my drive to Saint Anthony was now going to be a full 12 hour excursion I stopped noodling around and kept straight on.

The warning signs for Moose crossings increased with frequency as the town approached so I was watching the side of the road more closely than ever, which landed me another lifer, a Wilson’s Snipe. I did see a Moose as well but thought it foolish to stop and photograph it as it ran along the side of the highway eyeing my car 😉

Wilson’s Snipe just inside Saint Anthony town limits

Not too long after this sighting I checked into my motel and had an hour left for birding in Saint Anthony so made the short drive up to Fishing Point.

This was worth the entire drive up to this wondrous, Labrador like Northern tip of Newfoundland as it’s not every day that you are photographing sparrows and a whale appears in the background which is exactly what happened to me. Probably a Minke or Pilot Whale definitely not a Humpback but the most serendipitous moment I could have possibly hoped for. Mother Nature continues to humble me time and again.

The locals call the White-Crowned Sparrows, Tom Tits the lady at the motel tells me. Ebird said they were uncommon here at this time but she said they are always abundant and I sure saw lots of them as well as our little Yellow Warbler friends, and a Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow having a bite to eat on top of the Great Viking Feast dinner theater sod-covered building

White-Crowned Sparrows aplenty at Fishing Point the locals call them “tom tits”

and so many Yellow Warblers

And no trip of mine is complete without some other type of wildlife, there is a little 3 legged fox who was caught in a trap who visits the locals for a little TLC.

the 3 legged fox poor feller people are so mean sometimes leghold trapping sucks!

The day wouldn’t be complete without some iceberg sightings, it is Saint Anthony after all.

beautiful Saint Anthony Harbour

on the Fishing Point walk

A day like this is life changing in the best of ways indeed, although no grey jays or Puffins maybe today…

PS Thank you Sandra and Rick at the Hotel North for your hospitality and knowledge.

PPS Rick you can find my things online at www.houndsaroundtown.com or www.thebarkinglot.ca in Atlantic Canada and in person at Plaza Pets in Cornerbrook.

Accidental birds in Portland, Maine and some birding outside of Wiscasset

Birds, Travel, United States

I spent last night in a little beach tourist town called Ogunquit (just outside of Wells). I prefer to get out of the big cities for the night when I’m on the road so I can reboot, and birding has certainly upped that game. This morning I was off to Portland. I stopped at a pet store in down town Portland and in the parking lot I looked up and there was Black-crowned Night Heron in a tree,

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-crowned Night Heron downtown Portland, Maine

Black-crowned Night Heron who just figured out I was photographing him uh yeah I’ll stop now dude

Off I drove to the other end of town to see another pet store and in the back of the store I was greeted by a House Sparrow (my bird familiar perhaps?) and a few Savannah Sparrows. The birds, they are everywhere when you start looking for them.

Savannah Sparrows

male House Sparrow

Then off to Wiscasset for the night. On the way down I stopped in the country to try to snag a shot of a large group of Barn Swallows who were, you guessed it, living in a barn, but didn’t have a lot of luck. They were super fun to watch and listen to though. If you click twice on the photos to zoom in you will see they are actually Barn Swallows, not blackflies 😉

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallows never stay still unless they are in the barn I guess

My final destination, The Squire Tarbox Inn, is a haven for birds and a heaven for people. I’ve given a view of the outside of my room both looking in and looking out. Hands down one of the nicest places I’ve ever stayed. Although I do remember the Lodge at the Old Dorm on Bowen Island, Vancouver was amazing as well. The owners at the Squire Tarbox Inn are wonderful and serve food that is farmed by their son down the road and prepared by an executive chef. Best salad greens ever! I can’t wait for my “farm to table” breakfast in the morning and to hear the songbirds who are all over the property.

view of the outside of my room at the Squire Tarbox Inn looking in

view of the outside of my room at the Squire Tarbox Inn looking out

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow (thanks for the ID help)

Roni, the owner of the Squire Tarbox Inn told me of a little wildlife preserve I could get to in the area so I took a little drive to see the local scenery and a walkabout on the trail. First thing I saw at the trail head though was evidence of a bird massacre…oh dear! What kind of bird I wonder? Once on the trail, I was completely surrounded by songbirds the entire time but the trees were dense and very tall so I did not see many although I do think I finally got my Hermit Thrush? I could use some ID verification with my photos, but I swear by that Hermit Thrush song. Joel Plaskett knows a thing or two about songs I always say…

uh oh someone got nailed! what kind of feathers are these?

Bonyun Westport Island

Hermit Thrush? looks warm toned like a Veery but there songs are completely different

Hermit Thrush

The trail was nice and I walked to the end but didn’t see much more. I think if the river had been filled up with water there would have been lots of birds but it was pretty much just mud. But as usual my birding adventure ended with a surprise as I noticed a Ruffed Grouse on the way out. Boothbay Harbour and Rockland in the morning and then up the coast to New Brunswick for another night at the palace they call the Algonquin Resort before visiting some stores in Saint John and heading back to Nova Scotia. Birding sure makes my business travel feel like a vacation.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm National Estuarine Research Reserve

Birds, Travel, United States

First I must credit the Nova Scotia Bird Society‘s Facebook page and many knowledgeable members for making it possible to identify these birds more easily. I don’t have a field guide yet but recognize many of the birds I see from other people’s photos and from ID help from some serious birders who are good enough to share their knowledge with us newbies. PS if someone could check my IDs here that would be great too 🙂

I drove across the border into Maine early this morning (May 5th). I’m here to visit pet stores and that is my first priority but when I crossed the border I realized that the time was earlier and that I had an extra hour I didn’t plan to have so spent it birding this morning before my first scheduled visit.

There was a small wildlife preserve just outside the border in Maine so I stopped but didn’t see anything. Just around the bend I stopped to get a pic of a Belted Kingfisher though.

male Belted Kingfisher

Then a minute or two later I stopped on the side of the road because a Heron like bird was on the side of the road. A woman saw me stop and she stopped too on the other side of the road. Susan, if you read this let me know if you think that might have been a Green Heron or an American Bittern we saw. The stripe on the eye seems to be the giveaway. Of course, no photo before he flew off into the woods. Memory is rarely accurate but I feel it was one of those two.

I have this thing when I go birding that I never see what I went to see and often spot birds I never thought I would see instead. Of course if you go to a nature reserve all bets are off you just see everything. What a spectacular place the Wells Reserve is! Many of the same birds that are in our marshes and conservation areas in Nova Scotia are here too of course. Anyway, in a place like this even the Crows look extra special.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm where even the Crows look better

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm

As soon as I walked onto the property I was great by two Eastern Phoebes who were chasing each other around and making their scratchy Fee-Bee calls. I didn’t even have my camera out so of course they posed on the park bench and I didn’t get the photo. But off to a great start I thought anyway. I vowed to be ready for the next bird though.

And I got my Eastern Towhee finally, who turned out to be a female. The photo is dreadful but I didn’t bother to crop it because you can just click on it twice to enlarge it. I think there were tons of Towhees there scratching in the bushes but they stay in the brush for the most part so I only got this one bad shot. But still happy to have discovered a Towhee in it’s natural habit when I did not expect to. Birding serendipity, my favorite!

female Eastern Towhee

There weren’t many Robins around, and not a Bluejay to be found (uncommon here apparently) but I did find a Porcupine and a Ground Hog. Go figure.

Porcupine

Groundhog

Next up was a real treat as when I looked up high to see what birds were making the new to me noise, it was a pair of Brown Headed Cowbirds.

male and female Brown Headed Cowbirds

male Brown Headed Cowbird

female Brown Headed Cowbird

I even found a Northern Mockingbird!

Northern Mockingbird

There were 4 male Red Winged Blackbirds staking out their territory in the marsh.

male Red Winged Blackbird

And if all that weren’t enough in one day I grabbed a couple more lifers on the way out. Mixed in with the Song Sparrows on the grass were a group of White Throated Sparrows, and I believe at least one White Crowned Sparrow (orange beak). My apologies as I ran out of light for the Sparrow shots but I think they are good enough for IDs. And to that a good night.