We had a flock of about 50 Bohemian Waxwings here on Friday. They were feeding on the small black fruits of a privet hedge. The whole time they were communicating with each other using a soft churring, which this senior citizen could plainly hear. Cedar Waxwings, as is well known, are entirely silent.
- - - Peter Payzant
Hi,
I am a director of the Sackville Lakes Park and Trails Association. Another board member is interested in knowing if there are or have been Black Ashes in the area now contained by the park.
I know the people on this list server have a tremendous amount of knowledge about the forests of Nova Scotia.
David Hughes
Lower Sackville
Sent from my iPhone
I had three species of raptors whilst walking my usual route on the
Dartmouth Waterfront Trail between the two ferry terminals this afternoon.
There was an adult Bald Eagle, which is expected on the trail at this time
of the year. This individual was eating what appeared to be a flat fish of
some sort in the grassy field next to the sewage works.
I had a Sharp-shinned Hawk in Dartmouth Cove, and also a Peregrine Falcon
up by the Nova Scotia Hospital.
It was a great day for raptors!
Pat McKay
A nice treat for me today at the Woodman property area of east-end Wolfville, a big flock of Bohemian waxwings — I cannot swear that none were Cedars, but the vast majority were Bohemians. I had to drive around a bit until I could get a spot where I could scope them from the car. I look for the white markings on the wing when I can’t see their undertails.
Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
Thanks, Gina — she & John live in Wolfville on Wickwire Ave., across the street from where Pat & I used to live. I don’t know much about raccoons and when they reproduce. Cheers from Jim
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Gina Newcombe <gina(a)cheshire-grin.ca>
> Subject: Coincidence
> Date: February 21, 2021 at 2:27:31 PM AST
> To: Jim Wolford <jimwolford(a)eastlink.ca>
>
> Hello Jim,
>
> I just sat down to e-mail you and saw your e-mail, thanks. Great to hear from you. Aren’t Redpolls lovely? We don’t seem to see them round here unfortunately, not yet anyway, I’ll keep a sharp lookout. Recently we had Robins (the first we’ve seen all winter) Bohemian Waxwings, a couple of White-throated Sparrow who only arrive accompanied by Juncos. We get Crows, usually two or three and it’s so interesting to watch them take the peanuts in the shell and dunk them in the heated bird bath. Then, they pick them out, peck out the nut, and dunk them quickly to remove the skin of the nuts finally gobbling them down.
>
> No surprise to see a pair Bald eagles soaring over our immediate area, almost daily. At the moment we have one lonely looking male Goldfinch sitting in the Azalea bush near the deck. Last night I spotted what looked like a couple of Raccoons below the feeder. Dave put out the house lights and what we saw was only one absolutely huge Raccoon which was too big to get on the feeder and swung around clinging on to it for dear life while attempting to get the feed. We have seen plenty of them over the years but never one so large. Do you think it might have been a pregnant female? I’m not sure when they breed.
>
> The birds have helped us get through the winter. I can’t imagine a world without them.
>
> Hope you and Pat are well. Please give her our best.
> Cheers Gina
Hi all:
There is still a red-bellied woodpecker male coming to the feeders of Cathy Etter in Bridgewater in the Glen Alan Subdivision. A Baltimore oriole is still surviving in Crousetown at the residence of Cathy Ramey. Across the river in East LaHave there is an almost white blue jay with some gray in the feathering which is tending at the residence of Mary Stocks and Ann Mech.
Sincerely,
James R. Hirtle
LaHave
Today in east-end Wolfville, during the current dump of new fluffy snow, we had a nice array of small birds. We have two sets of feeders we watch: our own, just outside our apartment, plus a neighbour’s feeders just north of our building along the walking trail at the top of the wooded escarpment that faces out toward the dykelands.
Most notable were 5+ common redpolls, among which was a gorgeous male with lots of pink all over its underparts. Also there were 12+ Am. goldfinches, three kinds of sparrows (Am. tree, song, white-throated), plus black-capped chickadee, blue jay, mourning dove. The sparrows are foraging mainly along the wooded top of the escarpment that faces northward toward the dykelands.
Cheers from Jim in Wolfville
I was just thinking that the old system did have something going for
it. 68° F seems to be much more comfortable than 20° C and 4 inches of
snow feels much less than 10 cm
Don
--
Don MacNeill donmacneill(a)bellaliant.net
