nova scotia birds - ns bird society 56... · rallids and crane 14 shorebirds 14 gulls through...
TRANSCRIPT
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Nova Scotia Birds A Quarterly Publication of the Nova Scotia Bird Society
Summer Season, 2014 Volume 56, Issue 4
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 1
Board 2012-2013 President David Currie Vice President Eric Mills
Past President Vacant
Treasurer Gillian Elliott
Secretary Joan Czapalay
Membership Secretary Ulli Hoeger
Director Chris Pepper
Director Kate Steele
Director Tuma Young
Director Helene Van Doninck
Chair, NSBS Sanctuary Trust Bob McDonald
Honorary Solicitor Tony Robinson
Honorary Auditor Ruth E. Smith
Formed in 1955, the Nova Scotia Bird Society is a member of Nature Nova Scotia and Nature Canada. The activities of the
Society are centred on the observation, study and protection of the birds of the province and preservation of their habitats.
Nova Scotia Bird Society
c/o The Nova Scotia Museum
1747 Summer Street
Halifax, NS B3H 3A6
E-mail: [email protected] Find us on Facebook Web: nsbirdsociety.ca
Rare Bird Alert: https://groups.yahoo.com/NS-RBA/
Cover: This beautiful SANDWICH TERN was found July 5 at Lower
LaHave, Lun, on the first day of the
appearance of numbers of exotic sea
seabirds delivered by Hurricane
Arthur. [Photo: Kevin Lantz]
ISSN 0383-9537
Bird Society News – President’s Message 3
Summer Bird Reports 4
Waterfowl 5
Galliformes 8
Loons and Grebes 9
Tubenoses through Cormorants 10
Herons 11
Diurnal Raptors 12
Rallids and Crane 14
Shorebirds 14
Gulls through Alcids 18
Pigeons through Woodpeckers 27
Flycatchers through Thrushes 28
Mimic-Thrushes through Wood Warblers 32
Sparrows to Dickcissel 35
Icterids to House Sparrow 37
List of Contributors 39
Field Trip Report 39
Other Reports:
A Birding Villanelle 40
A Murder of Crows 41
The Flight of the NSBS Hat 41
Bermuda Petrel: First Confirmed for Canada 42
A Zone-tailed Hawk in Nova Scotia 45
Jonathan Dwight’s Nova Scotia Collections 46
mailto:[email protected]
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2 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Editor
Ian McLaren
Address below
Records Editors
Lance Laviolette
Address below
Elizabeth Doull
Copy Editor
Maxine Quinton
Events Editor
Kate Steele
Seasonal Bird Reports
James Churchill
Ross Hall
Ulli Hoeger
Ken McKenna
Ian McLaren
Eric Mills
Richard Stern
Rick Whitman
Graham Williams
Banner Artist & Line Art
Trevor Herriot
Direct e-mail Reports to:
Lance Laviolette
RR # 1, Glen Robertson, ON, K0B 1H0
Photo submissions to:
Ian McLaren
Address below
Other Items for publication to:
Ian McLaren
1755 Cambridge St
Halifax, B3H 4A8
Use of written material or photos from Nova Scotia Birds
needs permission from the Editor or photographer
respectively. Cost of this publication is partly provided by
the Nova Scotia Museum.
Foreword by the Editor
Summer is usually a somewhat dull season for birding,
although the important work of watching and counting birds
to assess their breeding and population status goes on. The
middle of this reporting season, however, was punctuated
by Hurricane Arthur, which scooped up large numbers of
coastal seabirds from the Carolinas and brought them
quickly to our shores. This was a bonanza for many new
birders who, excited and informed by the many photos and
directions given on the Society’s Facebook site, went forth
to add them to their life lists. An informative review of this
event is given by Eric Mills in his section on Gulls through
Alcids (p. 18).
Our analyses and reports on the seasonal bird records reflect
a lot of work by the various section editors listed in the
opposite column of this page. Regrettably, but
understandably, Nic Fieldsend decided he could no longer
enlighten us about the season’s Flycatchers through
Thrushes. This will also be the last issue with a report from
James Churchill whose accounts have graced these pages in
recent years. Finding time to write these accounts is difficult
for those with careers and families. Some of you might
know that most of our remaining section editors are retired
or semi-retired. So, to others of you among our Society
members who are experienced birders and who have
knowledge of the past and current statuses of Nova Scotia’s
birds and who have some time and interest in writing about
our birds, we’d be happy to have your help; contact our
President, David Currie, or me.
Finally, I echo President Currie’s plea (p. 3) that members
subscribe to the online rather than the printed version of
Nova Scotia Birds. This will help to save paper and costs,
and the many photographs we feature cannot be fully
appreciated or even understood without full colour, as
evident below.
A male AMERICAN REDSTART was in its full summer
glory, May 31 at Greenfield, Kings. [Photo: Richard Stern]
mailto:[email protected]
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 3
Message from the President, David A. Currie
It is very satisfying to see and feel the enthusiasm for birding these days. By the time you read this, we will have had our
Annual General Meeting and during it, we will have been told that our society is flourishing with significant new growth in
memberships since last year. With new members of such an active and productive birding community, we are seeing an
energy that makes our society and our province enviable.
Today, with instantaneous identification aids and the ability to seek help rapidly from others, learning about birds has
increased at a rate that was never dreamt of in the earlier years of our society. Digital photography and the many ways to
share often spectacular images to masses of interested people in ‘real time’ adds to the excitement and the feeling of
contribution. It is indeed an interesting time.
Over the summer CBC Television approached our society and requested that we become involved in a program on birding
for the popular Land and Sea series. The fact that television in the Maritimes is showcasing birding speaks volumes about its
increasing popularity and its contributions to active lifestyles for all ages. Watch for the program to air in mid-December.
The society's Sanctuary Trust Committee continues to have discussions with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust with the intention
of eventually ceding our properties to their care and protection. Surveyors began to catalogue the flora and fauna on our
various properties over the summer, and more action will be taken in 2015. It will be very gratifying for us to have our lands
retained as protected areas in perpetuity with a coordinated stewardship program. Many thanks go to our Sanctuary Trust
Committee for steering us in this direction.
Publishing a magazine four times a year, first by poring through the increasing numbers of reports and then attempting to
make some sense of it all, is no easy task and we appreciate the commitment and effort our editors make in producing a
magazine of content and quality like no other. I especially thank Nic Fieldsend and James Churchill for their wonderful
write-ups as they start a well-deserved break from editing their seasonal bird sections; well done!
Finally, we would like to encourage you to consider using the online version of this magazine, not only to cut down on the
use of paper, but to reduce our costs, enabling us to use those savings for other purposes. Members can easily access our
website (register at www.nsbirdsociety.ca) to view the present issue and all past issues of Nova Scotia Birds. Please help us
and help the environment.
After an exhilarating day at the
area’s bird-rich marshes, a few
society members at our out-of-
Halifax meeting at Amherst
posed with Dr. Phil Taylor, who
spoke of his research tracking
migrant birds with sophisticated
electronic devices. From left are:
Kevin Lantz (with Joan Czapalay
hiding behind) Chris Peters, Eric
Mills, Richard Stern, Fatima
Lopez Diaz, David Currie, Phil
Taylor, Patrick Kelly and Ian
McLaren.[Photo: Claire Diggins]
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4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
NOTE: The following are abbreviations and acronyms frequently used to save space, especially in parentheses. In
addition, months and most county names are usually abbreviated (except when stand-alone in the text), and the latter
are always in italics to distinguish them from towns with the same names. Well-known cities and towns, even some
small ones (e.g. Canso), are spelled out in full, without including their counties or municipalities. Cardinal and
ordinal directions may be abbreviated (as w., n.e., etc.) and capitalized when part of a place name. Note also that
bird names when first mentioned in each section are capitalized, but not thereafter. In addition, first mention of rare
or very rare birds as designated on the NSBS Checklist of Birds, and also those not on that checklist, are in boldface.
General terms
ABO = Atlantic Bird Observatory (reports from)
AOU = American Ornithologist’s Union
Ad., ad. = adult
Atlas = Maritimes Breeding Bird Atlas, 80-90 &/or 06-10
BBS – Breeding Bird Survey
Bch., bch. = Beach, beach
Brk.= Brook
ca. = approximately
f. = female
fide = on the authority of
Hbr. = Harbour
Hd. – Head (as a headland)
Hway(s) = Highway(s) usually numbered
I. = Island (pl. Is.)
imm. = immature
incl. = including
juv. = juvenile (first post-nestling plumage)
loc. = location (pl. locs.)
Lr. = Lower
m. = male
m. obs. = many observers
n.d. = no details (unsupported by documentation)
no. = number
NP = National Park
nr. = geographically near
NSNT – Nova Scotia Nature Trust (properties surveyed)
obs. (as in ‘two obs.’) = observer(s), not observation(s)
Pk. = Park
Pen. = Peninsula
ph. = photographed
PP = Provincial Park
pr. = pair (not simply two birds)
Pt. = Point (not Port)
R. = River (not used when part of a community name)
Rd. = Road
rept. = report (pl. repts.)
Sanct. = Sanctuary
Sev. obs. = several observers
spec. = specimen
thr. = throughout a season, as in ‘thr. summer’
Tr. = established trail
var. obs. = various observers
WMA – Wildlife Management Area
yng. = young
+ or ++ with numbers = more; with dates = later
< > = less (or fewer) than, greater (or more) than
Geographical locations
APBS = Amherst Point Bird Sanctuary, Cumb
BPI = Bon Portage (Outer) Island, Shel
Brier I. = Brier Island, Digby
CBI = Cape Breton Island
CBHNP = Cape Breton Highlands National Park
CBRM = Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Hbr. = Harbour
HRM = Halifax Regional Municipality
Keji NP = Kejimkujik National Park
Keji Seaside NP = Kejimkujik Seaside National Park
NW Arm, Halifax = Northwest Arm, Halifax
PPP, Halifax = Point Pleasant Park, Halifax
Saltmarsh Tr., HRM = Saltmarsh Trail across Cole Hbr.
Seal I. = Seal Island, of the Outer Tusket Islands, Yar
Uniacke PP = Uniacke Estate Museum Park, Hants
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 5
Waterfowl By Ross Hall
For waterfowl, as for all birds, there are four seasons: spring is renewal, summer is growth, fall is preparation and winter is
hardship. This summer issue covers June and July when young ducklings or goslings grow rapidly, reaching near-adult sizes.
Fall will see them fine tune new flight feathers and build strength. A difficult migration and winter will lie ahead. Waterfowl
reports are relatively scarcer in summer as adult females keep young hidden amongst vegetation and males form bachelor
groups and moult into ‘eclipse’ plumage.
This drake SHOVELER, June 8 at the Amherst
marshes, is just beginning to acquire its summer
plumage. Curiously, in most ducks this dull ‘eclipse’
plumage is equivalent in sequence to the Alternate
breeding plumage of most birds, whereas their bright
winter and spring mating plumage is the equivalent
of the typical dull Basic plumage. [Photo: Richard
Stern]
CANADA GOOSE chicks as reported in NS Birds Spring 2014 issue, hatched as early as May 16 at Annapolis Royal Marsh.
There were summer reports of young families of Canada Geese throughout all parts of Nova Scotia, from Sydney (pair with
three young, at Lingan Golf Course, June 6, DBM) to Brier I. (sev. broods, ELM). Wayne Neily reported two families, two-
to-three weeks of age, as early as June 3 at Trimper Pond, Anna. Interestingly, on June 2 Phil Taylor observed at least three
pairs of Canada Geese with multiple young offshore at BPI. On June 29 Ken McKenna observed a possible re-nesting of
adults with three recently fledged young at Big Merigomish Island, Pict. On July 6 at Lower Barneys River Ken McKenna
and Steve Vines saw a mixture of adult and young Canada Geese, consisting of at least five broods. Val Smith reported four
almost full-grown goslings July 16 at Brookfield, Col. In August and September all these young of the year will be flying and
the family units will join into larger flocks.
WOOD DUCK was also reported throughout most of Nova Scotia. Areas notable for larger numbers are the Amherst area
and the Belleisle and Annapolis Royal Marshes. Richard Stern found a female Wood Duck with nine young June 5 at
Annapolis Royal, and reported finding another female with three young June 24 at Miners Marsh, Kentville. Once the female
begins incubation, the male loses interest in family affairs and spends more time away from the nest to join other males that
eventually form large groups. As mid-summer approaches, the males begin to move to undisturbed and sheltered areas to
shed old feathers. Some males may even leave Nova Scotia. To reach such areas, many thousands of males from breeding
grounds in the northeastern states are known to travel great distances to southeastern Canada.
GADWALL was observed in northern and western Nova Scotia. Reporting sites included marshes near Amherst, where
Donald Gorham provided the only confirmation of breeding – a female with seven young July 25 at a marsh along Tyndall
Rd., Cumb. They were also found, but not noted as breeding, at the Belleisle and Annapolis Royal Marshes, Anna, although
the 27 on the latter marsh July 31 may have been augmented by young. There was a single bird June 2 on BPI (PHT), and up
to five were noted by David Bell et al., June 15-July 5 on Seal I. where they have nested in the past. AMERICAN WIGEON
was not reported in large numbers but was widely distributed in the province. Only Ken McKenna provided information on
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6 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
their breeding – a brood of 11 on Big Merigomish I., Pict, July 4. There were numerous reports, as expected, of AMERICAN
BLACK DUCK and MALLARD from throughout the province. Broods of up to eight-to-ten for both species were reported
beginning in early June. James Churchill observed a high count June 30 of 170 Mallards at Miners Marsh, Kentville. Hybrids
of these two are evidently thriving in the Wolfville area, where Phil Taylor tallied 30 on July 16. BLUE-WINGED TEAL
reports were few, but they were most plentiful on the eutrophic wetlands in northern Cumberland and at Belleisle Marsh.
David Bell and others saw two in mid-June on Seal Island. Single Blue-winged Teal were seen in Pictou and HRM; they are
not often found in HRM. NORTHERN SHOVELER was only observed at wetlands near Amherst and on the Belleisle and
Annapolis Royal Marshes, Anna, where broods of eight and five young were noted June 25 and July 8 respectively. There
were only five eBird reports (for Cumberland, Yarmouth, Inverness and Pictou) of NORTHERN PINTAIL through summer
and only in ones and twos. In contrast, GREEN-WINGED TEAL was moderately plentiful throughout the province, and
presumed broods of up to nine “immatures” were noted June 12 at the Tyndal Rd. marsh, Cumb (Donald Gorham), and eight
“juveniles” June 14 on Big Merigomish I., Pict (KJM).
RING-NECKED DUCK was also observed throughout the province. Ken McKenna observed “small young – freshly
hatched” July 4 at Egerton, Pict, and Wayne Neily found a family group with “young well-grown” July 8 at Woodvale,
Digby. Val Smith saw females with one and six young July 16 at Brookfield Marsh, Col. The female with one duckling had
two a few days earlier, and this underscores the many perils that young ducks encounter. At Grand Narrows, Inv, Cecil
Yarrow saw a brood of six “small” young. The Amherst area marshes and CBRM produced the most reports of Ring-necked
Duck. There were about 18 eBird reports of up to 40 individuals from the former area, and in CBRM there were up to 25
males and five females at the Tower Rd. lagoon June 21, and 12 males, 8 females and 12 young in North Sydney July 26 (all
DBM). Possibly the same lingering male GREATER SCAUP was spotted June 6 and 27 near the Pictou Causeway (KJM);
three LESSERS present July 1 at the Annapolis Royal Marsh (TEB, n.d.) were not otherwise reported.
This female-plumaged RING-
NECKED DUCK on the
Amherst marshes, June 22,
with its left wing stretched
out below the surface, is
preening its scapulars. It
presumably was unaware that
it looks quite comical; or do
ducks have a sense of
humour? [Photo: Lou-Anne
Bidal]
COMMON EIDER was abundantly reported from around our Atlantic Coasts. There were fewer reports from the Bay of
Fundy, and reports were largely lacking from the Northumberland Strait. Some of the reported crèches are listed here:
Date Locality Observer Comments
June 18 Taylors Head PP, HRM R. Moser “30 incl. 7 young”
June 28 Whale Rock, Shel D. Ringer “28 Eider hens and chicks”
June 28 Hemeons Head, Shel D. Ringer “40 Eider: females with small chicks and a few males”
June 29 West Head, Shel D. Ringer “35 Eider: several females with chicks [+] a couple of males”
July 11 Gaff Pt., Lun ELM “25 adults and 10 downy young”
July 12 Lockeport, Shel ROH “19 incl. juvenile (7)”
July 12 Hemeons Head, Shel ROH “Several groups of hens and young”
July 19 Rackets Islands, Lun NAD “100 Eider; many crèches of young”
It is interesting that there were almost no reports of male eiders, since they abandon the mostly island nesting sites and form
large moulting bachelor groups. The Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources has taken advantage of this behaviour to
band the otherwise hard-to-catch males.
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 7
There were two summer reports of HARLEQUIN DUCK. Phil Taylor saw an adult male with a flock of eiders June 1 off
BPI, and David Bell found an adult male and a second-year male July 5 at CSI. Ervin Olsen photographed another male July
28 off the wharf at Sandford, Yar.
There were 11 eBird reports of up to almost 50 summering SURF SCOTERS. Of these, Ken McKenna reported six on June
18, and 13 on June 25 at Big Merigomish I., Pict. He counted 29-35 there during three visits June 29-July 6, but only 13 on
July 27. One-to-three individuals were noted at eight other locations from Second Pen., Lun, to Aspy Bay, Vic. They were
outnumbered by nine eBird reports totalling 118 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER; this number included 90 observed in two rafts
June 21 at Port Morien, CBRM (DBM). They were in turn outnumbered by ten eBird reports of 147 BLACK SCOTER,
including 20 off Rissers Bch., PP, Lun, on July 11 (Kathleen MacAulay). Chris Peters also reported a raft of Black Scoters
via the NSBS Facebook July 1 on the Minas Basin and he wondered if they should be present at this time of year. It is
interesting to gain a wider view from eBird and note the huge number of Black Scoters still lingering in summer off the
Canadian and U.S. Atlantic coastlines. For example, on June 6 Luc Laberge reported 1000 Black Scoters off the Gaspé
Peninsula, and on July 22 David Bell counted 87 in one raft off East Point, PEI. The June 6 record might indicate that Black
Scoter is slower to move north than the other two scoters, but the July 22 PEI birds, like ours, were surely summering non-
breeders.
LONG-TAILED DUCK rarely stays here in summer, but Giselle D’Entremont’s photo (see below) nicely confirmed two
lingering into mid-June on Three-Fathom Hbr., HRM. BUFFLEHEAD was observed thrice: a male June 8 at Annapolis
Royal Marsh (JAH); a female found June 21 at Oakland on Mahone Bay on the NSBS field trip, described as a “small
grey/brown duck with distinct white cheek patch”; and a different one found nearby July 7 and 11 at the Marvins I. causeway
was an adult male with mostly uneclipsed plumage (PHT; ph). Finally, Keith Lowe photographed a female June 26 at Broad
Cove, Lun. The summer presence of COMMON GOLDENEYE was almost unnoted except for two reports: Gordon Parsons
found one June 8 at Dartmouth, and Ken McKenna saw a young male July 26 near Pictou.
One of these lingering
LONG-TAILED DUCK
drakes (foreground) June 15
on Three-Fathom Hbr., was
in full breeding garb,
something we rarely see in
our waters. [Photo: Giselle
D’Entremont]
There were 15 eBird reports of HOODED MERGANSER totalling about 40 individuals, with none for CBRM or for the three
westernmost mainland counties. There was a greater concentration of sightings along the Northumberland Strait lowlands.
On June 2, while walking the Brookfield Marsh trail, I observed a brood of Hooded Mergansers, perhaps one day old and
chasing surface insects; such are the delights of bird watching. Overall, Hooded Merganser is probably under-reported in
Nova Scotia during summer. COMMON MERGANSER is also probably under-reported during summer. Province-wide
there were about 30 eBird reports of about 130 individuals, although in addition three people observed 20-21 individuals July
26 in Mahone Bay Hbr. There were no reports from the five most western counties. Ken McKenna observed a brood of five
June 17 at Caledonia Bridge, Guys; Kate Steele found a brood of nine July 22 at Caledonia, HRM; and Alice Oliver observed
a brood of nine June 25 at Baddeck, Vic. There were only eight eBird reports totalling 16 individual RED-BREASTED
MERGANSERS, and no broods were mentioned.
http://www.novascotia.ca/natr/library/publications/naturesresources/pdf/6.1/usingHelicopters.pdf
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8 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Galliformes
By Richard Stern
Not surprisingly the most frequently reported species was RING-NECKED PHEASANT, with over 200 reports for the
Summer. A female with 14 young was found June 23 along Casey Rd. in Cumberland, and a male and female with 14 young
were found in mid-July at the same location (Donald Gorham). Singles and pairs were seen in every mainland county, but
only a handful on CBI: three found at Florence, CBRM, June 14 (DBM) and one near Cape North, Vic, June 16 (JAH). One
wonders if the latter was from a local release rather than signalling than a range spread.
The next most regularly encountered bird of this group was RUFFED GROUSE, a species more common than sightings
might suggest; unlike pheasants, they are rarely seen along roadsides or in backyards and open fields. Also unlike the
pheasant, the almost 100 Ruffed Grouse were all seen at 57 locations in counties north of Annapolis and Shelburne with the
exception of two at Goose Creek Marsh, Yar, June 22 (AAD) and six on Brier I., Shel, July 26 (AVB). These included ten at
six locations June 22 to July 27 in Victoria (var. obs.). A female used her distraction display when Carmel Smith encountered
her with a young bird June 4 at Middle Branch, Lun. Ken McKenna found a family of five in McArras Brook, Ant, as late as
July 21. Several were seen in Victoria and Inverness, CBI, including three by Rick Whitman while on a considerable hike
July 4 on Cape North Mtn., and a female with four downy young were seen by Robert Timberlake in CBHNP. SPRUCE
GROUSE are a prized find as they are restricted in their range and habitat. When found they tend to be very tame. There were
only three eBird reports for the two summer months, from Lunenburg, HRM, and Guysborough; curiously there were no
reports from CBI.
The lucky photographer
chanced upon a male
RUFFED GROUSE
cleansing its plumage by
‘dusting’ up a storm,
July 4 along a roadside
near Money Point, Vic,
at the very tip of CBI.
[Photo: Rick Whitman]
On the Society’s Facebook site Norene Brown belatedly posted a photo of a CHUKAR taken May 27 at Cape John, Pict, not
too far from where they seem to have established a local population (see Nova Scotia Birds, 2013, v. 55, no. 4, p. 9). More
surprising was Erin Macdonald’s July 25 Facebook report of seeing a Chukar two weeks earlier as it crossed a road with its
chicks at Cogmagun River, W. Hants. These may have escaped from captivity, but Ian McLaren commented: “the vaguely
similar Gray Partridge was once widespread in [nearby] Kings . . . but is thought to be extirpated. It would be good to have
details of the sighting in Cogmagun . . . just in case they were lingering Gray Partridge.”
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 9
Loons and Grebes
By Ross Hall
On June 1 David Bell observed “a distant, small, pale loon headed north” off Brier Island, presumably a RED-THROATED
LOON, and Tony and Angie Millard observed another Red-throated June 8 at Sober I., HRM.
There were many reports of COMMON LOON on inland lakes and coastal waters. Six observers provided breeding
information.
Date Location Observer Comment
June 23 New Germany L., Lun Larry Neily “2 adult and 2 young”
July 16 Lilydale, Lun Kevin Lantz “1 adult and 1 young, older than 2 weeks”
July 20 APBS Avery Bartels “Pair and 1 young”
July 22 Third Lake, HRM Chase Mosher “2 adult and 2 young”
July 23 Mill Lake, HRM Kevin Lantz “1 adult and chick several days old”
July 23 Springfield, Anna John Loch “including a chick but quite small for this late in the season”
Jim Mead counted 36 Common Loons on July 28 from Sea Parrot Ocean View Manor in coastal Victoria. Let us hope those
loons were feeding on Green Crabs.
We don’t often see
HORNED GREBE in
Nova Scotia in full
alternate plumage
like this beauty, June 30
off Hartlen Pt., HRM.
[Photo: Keith Lowe]
A summering HORNED GREBE in breeding plumage was photographed June 17 off Eastern Passage, HRM (AGH, Ricki
Hurst) and presumably the same one was still there June 30 (Keith Lowe; see photo above). Not including the regular reports
of PIED-BILLED GREBE at Miners Marsh, Kentville, there were about 35 eBird reports totalling about 106 individuals.
These reports were from regions of the province where there are more eutrophic marshes with aquatic vegetation used to
build rafts and floating nests, and most came from the counties close to the Northumberland Strait: Antigonish, Pictou,
Colchester and Cumberland. Pied-billed Grebes were also seen in the Amherst area marshes and the Annapolis Valley. With
the exception of a single one in Yarmouth there were no Pied-billed Grebe reports from any Nova Scotia counties that border
the Atlantic Coast including Cape Breton. Miners Marsh deserves separate treatment, since through June and July James
Churchill and others made 38 reports for this marsh alone. For many of these reports James included notes on his eBird
observations of the grebes’ nesting behaviour. With apologies to James for any misinterpretation, his notes with minor
paraphrasing are listed here.
June 12 “pair”
June 23 “4 fledglings; also nest building or creating a raft for young? Are known to double brood. Both adults
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10 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
currently busily carrying grasses and muddy vegetation and packing it down into reeds with young floating nearby.”
June 24 “2 adults and 3 young”
June 25 “1 adult, 4 grebelings. Grebelings swimming and using raft built by adults this week.”
June 26 “1 adult and 4 grebelings; 1 adult with 2 older grebelings (2 broods but difficult to tell if same parents).”
June 30 “1 adult sitting on platform with grebelings around; second adult feeds fish to first and then replaces on
platform; likely joint incubating of eggs here. There are two groups of grebelings nearby. One group of two is larger
or older but possibly of the same brood but with different hatch dates. The other group has 3 grebelings.”
July 2 “2 adults. One adult is incubating. 5 grebelings are nearby.”
July 4 “3 grebelings are swimming with the adults that have a new nest in the centre of the marsh. These adults are
switching incubation duties on the nest; 2 grebelings are swimming independently at west edge of the marsh. A
third adult is foraging.”
July 7 “1 adult still incubating; groups of 4 and 2 grebelings.”
July 11 “1 adult incubating; 1 adult swimming with 4 grebelings. Another grebeling separated.”
July 14 “1 adult incubating. 1 adult swimming nearby. 2 grebelings swimming together and 1 lone grebeling
separated (with Mallards).”
July 21 “1 adult incubating. 7 grebelings swimming independently. 1 grebeling with Mallard.”
July 23 “1 adult incubating. 5 small grebelings and 1 solitary larger grebeling.”
July 24 “1 lone adult incubating. 1 adult swimming with 4 grebelings; 1 lone grebeling. The adults switched places
on the nest and at least 4 just hatched grebelings came out on the water and then climbed under the next
incubating adult.”
July 25 “1 incubating adult. 2 adults with 7 grebelings.”
July 29 “incubating.”
July 30 “1 adult incubating. 2 single adults. A group of 5 grebelings.”
July 31 “2 adults with 5 or 6 recently hatched grebelings, adults still incubating somewhat but grebelings in and out
of water. 1 lone grebeling and a group of 5.”
To say the least, the multiple visits by James show a grebe family profile that changed at each visit. It appears that young are
soon left to their independence as parents begin new clutches.
Ken McKenna provided other observations of Pied-billed Grebe nesting. He saw a pair June 19, at Egerton, Pict, near a nest
that may have been flooded by recent rain. On July 4 at this site there were two adults and four young and material was being
added to the nest site. On July 19, also in Pictou at a marsh on the Old Halifax Road, Ken saw two adults each with five
young and, in addition, one larger young.
Tubenoses through Cormorants
By Eric Mills
This summer started quietly in southwestern Nova Scotia for seabirds and for whale-watchers. Probably because of a lack of
food, the usual crowd-pleasing Humpback whales off Brier Island and Grand Manan, NB, were virtually absent until the end
of July. Off Brier I., I noted that the few cetaceans present were diving deep for food, meaning that surface-feeding seabirds
were not able to find much. Nonetheless, a few NORTHERN FULMARS were present off Yarmouth and Brier I. from the
beginning of June. One hundred and twenty (some of them dark-plumaged) just south of Halifax on June 26 were exceptional
for the date (DAC). Both GREAT and SOOTY SHEARWATER were widely distributed (from the Cabot Strait to Yarmouth)
beginning in early June, although in relatively low numbers (maximum individual reports of about 150 Great and 30 Sooty).
These numbers are somewhat complicated because there appear to have been larger numbers in areas not usually frequented
by birders, and where, presumably, feeding conditions were better than in the areas we usually visit. The only MANX
SHEARWATERS reported were in June, and individual birds in each case: at Seal I., Yar; seaward of E. Passage, HRM; and
off Brier I.
Curiously, although the larger pelagics were scarce in the Bay of Fundy, WILSON’S STORM-PETREL was not; for example
there were about 30 off Brier I. on June 29, and lower numbers were seen there through the end of July. It appears that the
small food items favoured by storm-petrels (copepods, small medusae, etc.) were reasonably abundant at the surface although
larger prey stayed below the surface. A few Wilson’s Storm-Petrels were noted July 5 as a result of the passage of Hurricane
Arthur; all were at CSI (David Bell) or in HRM (DGA; David Bell). Eight LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS near The Hawk,
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 11
CSI (David Bell), were also a fallout from the storm. A compilation and analysis of the effects of Arthur is in the Gulls
through Alcids section of this issue of Nova Scotia Birds (p. 18). Fifteen Leach’s Storm-Petrels were attracted to a shark-
fishing boat June 26 about 25 km south of Halifax (DAC), and the colony on BPI appears to have thrived, judging by night-
time records (David Bell et al.; PHT).
NORTHERN GANNETS were present from one end of the province to the other in June and July, mostly in maximum
numbers of 40 to 60 (but 200 were seen near the Bird Is., Vic, July 28 by Jim Mead). By the end of July Gannets appeared to
be building up off southwestern Nova Scotia, perhaps responding to the food shortages in Newfoundland coastal waters that
resulted in breeding failures there. It would be helpful to have more information on the age of the birds involved; eBird
correspondents rarely mentioned this important information.
As ever in summer, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT was ubiquitous. Of more than 1000 eBird reports of this species,
only a tiny fraction reported any information on age of the birds involved, or their breeding status; thus the majority of these
reports will have little or no long-term significance. GREAT CORMORANT was reported sparsely throughout the province
in June-July, mainly in numbers between one and four, except on the Bird Is., Vic, where there is a significant breeding
colony. A sparse breeder in the rest of the province, Great Cormorants were reported five times from s.w. Nova Scotia,
including a juvenile on Pearl I., Lun, in late June (BLM, JAH), and three adults and a juvenile on Thrum Cap, Queens
(AAD); both sightings almost certainly represent small breeding colonies of this large and seasonally uncommon cormorant.
Herons
By Ulli Hoeger
AMERICAN BITTERN was a regular sight this summer. The first was seen July 1 on the “cliff top” at Hartlen Pt., HRM
(DGA), and one (perhaps the same one?) was seen by several observers July 6 at nearby ‘Back Cove’. One of two flushed by
Peter Brannon July 30 from the harbourside beach, again near Hartlen Pt., “appeared to be a juvenile”, suggesting possible
breeding in the area. This species was also frequently reported by various observers from early June through mid-July from
the Amherst region, with up to five seen June 19 at the Amherst Marsh (JOK, KST) and four at the Eddy Marsh June 24
(RIW). They were also regularly reported from Belleisle Marsh, Anna, with up to four found there June 24 (Chris Peters).
Singles at L. Ramsey, Lun (JLC); Rainbow Haven PP, HRM; July 2-3 at the NSNT property on St. Marys R., Rd., Guys (sev.
obs.); at two places in Pictou; and a far-flung one heard June 1 near Mirror Cove, CBRM by Dave McCorquodale illustrate
the widespread presence of this secretive species in suitable habitats of our province.
Individual sightings of GREAT BLUE HERONS were frequent during the season. Accumulations of 15 birds June 24 at
Kimar Drive, Sydney (DBM), and 14 on July 4 at Big Merigomish I. (KJM) were near local nesting colonies. But later
gatherings of up to 23 at the latter location July 27, and ten on July 29 at Seaforth, HRM, probably included fledged young. A
ground-nesting pair on Seal I. (see photo below) was unusual. Two GREAT EGRETS were present July 7-12 on CSI (sev.
obs.). A vagrant TRICOLORED HERON was closely studied July 19 by Mike and Nancy Dowd on Chockle Cap, an island
in Mahone Bay.
A successful nest of a GREAT
BLUE HERON this summer,
placed between driftwood logs on
the cobble beach at “Ship Pond”
on Seal I., was most unusual,
although ground nesting has been
found occasionally on islands
elsewhere. [Photo: Rickey Jones]
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12 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Reports of BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON came from CSI where the species nests, and also from Round I. (near Seal
I.) and BPI, to which they wander. A wandering immature YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was photographed
July 11 by Bruce Stevens at Silver Sands Bch., HRM.
Beginning in the first half of July, during the days following hurricane Arthur, we had several reports of GLOSSY IBIS. The
first were four found July 6 at a pond in W. Berlin, Lun (ELM; sev. obs. July 7); another July 6 at Pinkneys Pt., Yar (ph., fide
AAD); one on July 8 at Silver Sands Bch., HRM (DAC; present to July 11, sev. obs.); and one on July 9 at Amiraults Hill,
Yar (RDE) to July 16 (AAD). Somewhat later appearing were one first seen July 16 by Val Smith and again the next day by
Frank Gummett at the Brookfield Marsh, Col, and a fly-over July 26 on Brier I. by Avery Bartels. A “pair” reported present
July 15 at Neils Hbr., CBRM was said by locals to have been “there for over a month” (Kim Lau), thus probably antedating
Arthur.
Diurnal Raptors
By Richard Stern
Summer is the quiet season for diurnal raptors, apart from nesting pairs that tend to be in deep woods or other places that are
hard to monitor, or are kept secret to protect the birds from mammalian (including human) interference and predation. A few
years ago the New World vultures were considered more closely related to Storks than to other raptors, but they’re now back
in their old place among the hawks and eagles. By contrast, there is strong genetic evidence that the falcons are not related to
the hawks and eagles, and they are now placed between the parrots and flycatchers; but our catch-all group of “diurnal
raptors” is a convenient label for tracking all these birds.
TURKEY VULTURE was widely reported from the western half of the province. These included up to ten counted by David
Bell and Daniel Giesbrecht June 1-2 along Digby Neck and nearby areas. Larry Neily had nine over the Middleton, Anna area
the next day, and six over Yarmouth, June 11. There were many other observations of ones and twos. Further northeast
sightings included five near Diligent River, Cumb, June 16 and another there July 11 (KFS), as well as a single bird over
Inverness, June 27 (PHT). There were no reports of even suspected breeding; there are still many unknowns about this
species in Nova Scotia.
Appropriately, the most widely reported summer raptor was the official provincial bird, the OSPREY. There were many
reports of birds on nests and/or with young during the summer months. They were reported from almost every county in the
Province, with the largest number of reports being from HRM (probably because it has the most birders). No large numbers
or unusual incidents were reported, but many fine photos of these birds nesting, carrying or eating fish, etc., were posted on
the Society's Facebook page. NORTHERN HARRIER seemed plentiful this summer, with widespread reports – as usual,
mostly of single birds, with the occasional twosome. The beautiful silvery adult males were specified as such on June 17 at
Belleisle Marsh, Anna (AAD), June 17 along Liscomb River Rd., Guys (KJM), and June 21 at Morien Bar, CBRM (DBM).
Full adult males are easily distinguished from females, but harder when birds are less than three years old, and many reports
did not specify age and sex. The ‘hotspots’ for this species seemed to be, as usual, Grand Pré (RIW et al.), Brier I. (m. obs.),
Big Merigomish I. (KJM et al.), and at other scattered spots around the province.
There were only 26 individual reports of SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, mostly ones and twos. All observations seemed to be
brief ones of birds flying by or circling overhead, as during the summer this species tends to disappear into the woods to nest,
and not hang around feeders where they are more obvious in winter. There were no reports of birds on nests or feeding
young. One NORTHERN GOSHAWK nest was monitored by Bernard Forsythe at a traditional location near Gaspereau,
Kings, and two chicks were fledged. No Cooper’s Hawks were reported. By contrast, our BALD EAGLE population seems to
be going from strength to strength, and not just in traditional haunts during winter. This summer season there were over 300
reports, from all over the province, with many immature birds included. Reports of urban nests with young included one in
Powell St. Park, Pictou, July 7 (KJM), and another in ‘downtown’ New Minas, Kings, through June and July (RBS). Only
two eagle nests were reported on the Project Nestwatch website, but Bernard Forsythe monitored 12 nests in e. Kings, all of
them successful. Jim Wolford also documented four active nests with young in the Kentville-Wolfville-Canning triangle in
mid-July. Numbers on the Bird Is., Vic, were counted and listed from one of the tour boats as 10 on June 8 and 20 on July 11
(Jerry Pruett, Vince van Schaick). That is a source of concern, as the nesting seabirds there are a known source of their prey.
BROAD-WINGED HAWK is seen in larger numbers during migration, but only scattered in larger areas of mixed woods
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 13
where they nest in summer. Spring migration extends into our summer season, and seven ‘kettling’ over Brier I. June 1 (RBS,
RIW) and four over Digby Neck the next day (David Bell) were presumably such late migrants. A pair June 1 at Barr
Settlement, Hants Co., however, were behaving as if they were already mated or nesting (Lou-Anne Bidal). The few other
sightings were of single birds scattered widely in most mainland counties. However, much to the amazement of Rick
Whitman and myself, the seven over Brier I. June 1 were briefly accompanied by what has to be among the most unexpected
bird sightings in the province for years – a ZONE-TAILED HAWK. Details and photos appear elsewhere in this issue (see
p. 46). RED-TAILED HAWK also seems to almost disappear in summer, as they tend to nest in densely wooded areas where
they are often hard to locate. A traditional nest in Port Williams fledged two young (RBS), and Bernard Forsythe saw a pair
nesting close by at the beginning of the season but the leaves later obscured the nest. Otherwise individual birds were seen,
mostly in Kings and Hants, with a few elsewhere from Annapolis to CBRM.
BROAD-WINGED HAWK, like this one June
11 near Economy, Cumb, is our smallest buteo,
but a handsome one as well. [Photo: Janet
Quinn]
There were no large movements of AMERICAN KESTREL in early summer, or reports of breeding birds. A number of
sightings of individuals around Belleisle Marsh, Anna, on several occasions in June and July (RIW; Keith Lowe) were
possibly of the same bird. Two adult males and two females were seen along North Wallace Rd. loop, July 7-16 (D.
Gorham). Another individual was in Oxford, Cumb, July 9 (S. Whalen), and several were in Pictou, mid-June through mid-
July (KJM). MERLIN is probably now the more common of the two small falcons here, and it is certainly easily heard
around its nests. One pleased participants during a June 1 field trip on the Shearwater Flyer Tr., HRM (KST et al.). Singles
seen June 2 and June 30 in Sir Sanford Fleming Pk., Halifax (sev. obs.) might have been residents. One was on a nest in
Wolfville June 13 (David Bell), and a noisy family was noted in Coldbrook, Kings (RBS). Several ones and twos were
observed by David Bell and party June 16-20 on Seal Island where they have nested in past summers. PEREGRINE
FALCON was evident in its usual haunts, indicated or confirmed as nesting in some cases. For example, two were constantly
harassing shorebirds at Avonport Bch., Kings, by late July (Jocelyne Marchand), and a pair was evident on various occasions
at Blomidon PP (m. obs.). Apparently the population nesting on the cliffs around the Minas Basin is doing quite well. A
yearling guarding its Rock Pigeon prey July 8 at Amethyst Cove, Kings, had field marks (see photo below) of the arctic
subspecies tundrius, the subadults of which are known to sometimes summer well south of their breeding range.
A somewhat fierce-looking ad.
PEREGRINE FALCON (left)
posed June 1 in Wolfville, but a
yearling (right) guarding its
Rock Dove prey at Amethyst
Cove, Kings, July 6, didn’t
seem quite sure of itself. Note
its buffy crown and narrow
moustache (although with
‘cheeks’ inflated) as marks of
subspecies tundrius. [Photos:
left, David Newcombe; right,
Wesley Pitts]
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14 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Rallids, Crane
By Ulli Hoeger
On June 15 Suzanne Borkowski sighted a bird near Walden, Lun, which she identified as a YELLOW RAIL. The bird was
described as a “Small sparrow-sized bird with long legs, virtually no tail, a broad black stripe through the eye, short conical
bill, light orange in colour. The bird's [overall] colour was tawny yellow, darker brownish on back. Legs were orange,
slightly darker than bill. My first impression was that it was a chick; but on closer inspection it had no down on it and the bill
was well formed.” There were no subsequent sightings of this bird which is extremely secretive and very rarely seen, but
probably more regular here in passage than we realize, and may have bred in the past.
Less surprising were repeated sightings of one to three VIRGINIA RAILS at Amherst and APBS marshes during June and
early July. Other reports of singles came from Broad Brook Pk. in Yarmouth town, and Goose Creek Marsh, Yar (AAD).
Reports of SORA were more common through the season, mostly of one-to-three birds from marsh ‘hotspots’, with up to six
recorded in the Amherst area, at Brookfield Wetlands, Col, and at Belleisle Marsh, Anna. Ones and twos were noted at
Miners Marsh, Kentville (JCH, RIW) and at two marshes in Pictou (KJM); and there were singles at Florence, Georges
River, and Point Aconi (all in CBRM).
A COMMON GALLINULE was seen June 19 at Amherst Marsh by Phil Taylor and John Kearney; the species has bred
there in the past and it would be good if a more concerted effort were made to get evidence of its nesting. A PURPLE
GALLINULE corpse found June 1 on BPI by Brad Woodworth and Taylor Brown had been “dead for some time . . .
probably since last autumn . . .”
Among several excellent images of SORA available
for this seasonal report, this particularly crisp capture
of one dashing for cover July 19 at Brookfield Marsh,
Col, seemed most evocative. [Photo: Chris Peters]
Shorebirds
By Rick Whitman
The first BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS of the season were three seen June 21 by Sylvia Fullerton at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun.
These were quickly followed by one at Big Merigomish I., Pict, June 25 (KJM) and 13 at Cape Sable, Shel, June 28 (AAD,
Keith Lowe). Additional early migration season reports in July came from only twelve locations between Pictou and
Yarmouth, and in moderate numbers to a maximum of 15 birds. A SEMIPALMATED PLOVER observed by Alice Oliver
June 25 at Baddeck, Vic, may have been an early migrant. The next earliest reports were all from Shelburne: July 6-8 at
Baccaro Pt. (one bird, David Bell); Hemeons Head (one bird, AVM); and Stoney Island Bch., CSI (two birds, Mike
MacDonald). By July 13 Susann Myers reported 46 at Three Fathom Hbr., HRM and by the end of the month estimates
peaked at 300 birds at three HRM locations: Martinique Bch. PP, Chezzetcook Inlet, and Causeway Rd., Seaforth. Other July
reports of Semipalmated Plovers came from Pictou, Cumberland, Kings, Digby, HRM, Lunenburg, Shelburne and Yarmouth.
Additional locations reporting 100 or more birds were: Evangeline Bch., Kings; Grand Desert Bch. and Three Fathom Hbr.,
HRM; Crescent Bch. and Cherry Hill Bch., Lun; and Breakwater, Shel. There were public reports of PIPING PLOVER from
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 15
12 locations in Victoria, Antigonish, Pictou, Lunenburg and Shelburne counties, with 10-12 birds (including juveniles) at
three locations. No doubt additional locations will be reported by Bird Studies Canada in their formal seasonal report, along
with apparent nesting successes. The public reports documented nestling survival after Hurricane Arthur from a few
locations. Once again, there were no reports of Piping Plover in HRM, giving further evidence of the elimination of this
species from all HRM beaches due to human beach-walkers and off-leash dogs. KILLDEER was reported from 25 locations
throughout the mainland and from Inverness with only six reports reaching the level of five-to-eight birds.
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER was reported only from a small area near the south end of CSI: The Hawk, and at Cape
Sable and Fish I. Birds fly back and forth between Cape Sable and The Hawk and no doubt also between Cape Sable and Fish
I. The nine reports were all for one-to-two birds with the exception of a report of three birds June 8 on Fish I. (AAD). One
wonders if this species is declining here, as up to 18 birds (9 ad., 9 juv.) were reported in 2008 and “four pairs” in 2010 and
2011. It was a good year for BLACK-NECKED STILT with three widely separated July reports. On July 13, Jane
Alexander found three birds at West Head, Lockeport, Shel (see photo below). On July 18, Harold Forsyth observed one at
Miner’s Marsh, Kentville, and on July 19 David Currie and Eric Mills found one at Lower LaHave, Lun. Only this last bird
stayed on location for a second day, allowing several additional birders to enjoy it.
Soon after their discovery July
13 at West Head near
Lockeport, all three BLACK-
NECKED STILTS were nicely
lined up. [Photo: Bill Crosby]
SPOTTED SANDPIPER was reported from 12 counties on the mainland and from three counties on CBI. Most observations
were for one-to-six birds but on June 23 Keith Lowe found ten on Sambro I., HRM, and on July 25 James Hirtle found 11 at
Cherry Hill Bch., Lun. The first two southbound SOLITARY SANDPIPERS were found July 19 at Brooklyn, Queens (ELM,
DAC). Additional observations over the rest of July were of single birds: at APBS; McArras Brook, Ant; Belchers Marsh Pk.,
HRM; SAR Marshes, Yar; and Margaretsville, Anna. In addition, two-to-six birds were at Broad Cove, Lun, July 25-26 (JAH
et al.).
Our three larger Tringa species were all widely reported with numerous records. June records of GREATER YELLOWLEGS
may indicate breeding at some locations: June 3-23 at Tidnish Marsh, Cumb (1-2 birds, Donald Gorham); June 3 at St. Marys
Glenelg Bridge, Guys (2 birds, KJM); June 3 off West River St. Marys, Guys (“very vocal and likely more than one present”,
KJM); June 17 off Slate Rock Brook Rd., Guys (“near a boggy area where likely breeding”, KJM); June 17 off Liscomb
River Rd., Guys (“near possible breeding area”, KJM); June 19 along Benjies Lake Trail, CBHNP, Inv (1 bird, JAH); June 25
off Cheticamp I. Rd., Inv (1 bird, PHT); June 10 off Cox Brook Rd., Pict (1 bird, KJM); June 20 along Glasgow Lakes Look-
off Trail, CBHNP, Vic (1 bird, CHP, KST) and June 17 on Seal I., Yar (1 bird, David Bell). Four other June reports from
HRM and Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, were probably of non-breeding birds or failed breeders migrating early. Four birds June 30
at Three Fathom Hbr., HRM (SEM), were about one week ahead of numerous reports in the July 6-8 period that clearly
marked the start of southbound migration. Overall, seasonal reports were received from 12 counties on the mainland and
three counties on CBI. Most later July reports were of single digits with a maximum of 22 at Tidnish Marsh, Cumb, July 22,
24 (Donald Gorham). In August there will be counts in the range of 50-100 birds.
As a relatively common breeder, WILLET was reported from every county in the province except Richmond where they no
doubt also occurred. The June reports are more indicative of breeding locations, but as early as June 29 there were 100 birds
at Crescent Bch., Lun (Alvan Buckley, Mira Furgoch). The habitat suitability of that location is confirmed by three reports of
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16 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
85-135 birds July 10-19 (JSC; ELM; DAC). Other high numbers were reported from Chezzetcook Inlet, HRM (100 on July
27, Angie & Tony Millard); Cape Sable, Shel (80 on July 13, AAD & Lou-Anne Bidal); Baccaro Pt., Shel (60 on July 13,
AAD); and Pubnico Hbr., W. Pubnico, Yar (50 on July 13, AAD).
LESSER YELLOWLEGS was reported from only ten counties on the mainland and two counties on CBI. However,
migration appeared stronger in July when there were three reports of numbers that exceeded all of the reported numbers of
Greater Yellowlegs for that month: APBS (40 on July 11, Keith Lowe); Rose Bay, Lun (38 on July 29, KEL); and Big
Merigomish I., Pict (36 on July 29, KJM). The maximum numbers in August will probably not exceed 50 birds.
A single WHIMBREL was seen June 28 on Cape Sable, Shel, by Alix D’Entremont and Keith Lowe. The next reports were
of single birds July 6 at Martinique Bch. PP, HRM (Keith Lowe) and July 7 Hemeons Head, Shel (AVM), and a nice flock of
seven birds July 7 at The Hawk, CSI (LNE). Overall, Whimbrels were seen at 15 different locations in Pictou, HRM,
Lunenburg, Shelburne and Digby. The only double-digit numbers were noted July 23-24 at Taylors Head PP, HRM (10-13
birds, Chase Moser) and July 12 at Prospect, HRM (16 birds, Mira Furgoch). A total of 70 Whimbrel was seen during this
period. The first HUDSONIAN GODWIT of the season was found July 7 at Cow Bay, HRM (DOU and Mira Furgoch). The
only additional birds were one on July 9 and two on July 28-29 on Big Merigomish I., Pict (both ALD) and four at
Breakwater, Shel, July 18 (AVM).
The first RUDDY TURNSTONES of this season were found at three locations on July 23: Kingsburg Bch., Lun (1 bird,
ELM); Taylors Head PP, HRM (9 birds, Chase Moser); and The Hawk, CSI (1 bird, STV). During the balance of the month
there were reports of 1-14 birds from ten additional locations in Victoria, Pictou, Kings, HRM, Lunenburg, Shelburne and
Yarmouth, totalling 66 birds during that period. RED KNOT was seen at two locations in July. On July 26 there were two,
and July 29 one at Rose Bay, Lun (KEL), and two and one respectively on July 27 and 29 at Big Merigomish I., Pict (KJM).
The first SANDERLING was found on July 18 at Big Merigomish I., Pict (KJM). The only additional locations with July
reports were: Martinique Bch. PP, HRM; East Point at Grand Pré, Kings; and Cherry Hill Bch. and Crescent Bch., Lun. Only
30 Sanderlings were seen during July with the highest count ten at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun (SJF).
A probable late-migrant SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was seen June 8 at Pinkneys Pt., Yar, by Laurel Marie Amirault.
The first southbound sightings of the season were: July 10 at East Point, Grand Pré, Kings (15 birds, SYP); July 11 at Horton
Landing, Kings (1 bird, RIW); and Rose Bay, Lun (3 birds, KEL). Observed numbers increased steadily for the rest of the
month, with reports from nine counties on the mainland plus Victoria on CBI. All of the higher estimates came from
locations between Evangeline Bch. and Hortonville, Kings, where between 1000 and 11,000 birds were recorded on six days,
July 23-29. Estimates in August peaked at 30,000-50,000, so these late-July numbers are reasonable. LEAST SANDPIPER
starts migration a bit earlier and the first sighting this year was at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun, where two birds were seen June 29
by Sylvia Fullerton. The next observations followed quickly: July 1 at Cape Sable, Shel (1 bird, AAD) and July 2 at Hartlen
Pt. HRM (1 bird, Keith Lowe). By July 6 reports were widespread and the species was seen in ten counties on the mainland
during July, but there were no reports from CBI. The highest number seen at one location was 76 birds at Cherry Hill Bch.,
Lun, July 13 (KEL & JAH). There were two reports of early-migrating WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. Wayne Neily found
one on July 15 at Rainbow Haven PP, HRM, and Sylvia Fullerton found seven on July 19 at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun. There
have been a few July reports in most recent years. More unusual was a July 10 BAIRD’S SANDPIPER at East Point, Grand
Pré, Kings seen by Sydney Penner; also noteworthy was one July 25 from the Lawrencetown Bch. Tr., HRM seen by Kate
Steele. There have been early July reports in some years, and the earliest “fall” report is June 29. Two early PECTORAL
SANDPIPERS were found by Avery Nagy-MacArthur July 20 at Hemeons Head, Shel. A total of five STILT SANDPIPERS
was seen during July. These were seen July 12 at Overton, Yar (JOK); July 13-14 at Three Fathom Hbr., HRM (CHP, KST,
SEM); July 24 at Annapolis Royal (Marc Chelemer); and July 26 at Big Merigomish I., Pict (2 birds, ALD).
Two SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS were reported at Tidnish Marsh, Cumb on June 9 by Donald Gorham. These birds
would be very late northbound or failed migrants. The first southbound migrants of the season were 20 noted June 28 at Cape
Sable, Shel (AAD & Keith Lowe) and 15 on June 30 at Three Fathom Hbr., HRM (SEM). In the first ten days of July there
were numerous reports for this species from Annapolis, Digby, HRM, Lunenburg, Pictou, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth.
Later reports were also received from Colchester, Cumberland and Kings. Seven different locations in HRM, three locations
in Shelburne, and one each in Lunenburg, Queens, and Yarmouth produced estimates of 100 or more birds in July. The two
highest estimates were of 1500 at The Hawk, CSI, July 23 (STV) and 1000 at Rainbow Haven PP, HRM, July 24 (Keith
Lowe).
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 17
This small group of SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPERS, July 14 near East Pt., N.
Grand Pré, Kings, is a mere handful of the
hordes in the area during summer. They nicely
demonstrate the toe-webbing from which the
species gets its name. [Photo: Rick Whitman]
WILSON’S SNIPE was reported from 16 different locations in CBRM, Victoria, Inverness, Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou,
Guysborough, HRM, Kings, Lunenburg, Digby and Shelburne. Every record was of one-to-two birds with the exception of
five birds found June 2 at the Brookfield Wetlands, Col (ROH) and 6 and 33 birds July 19 and 27 at Cherry Hill Bch., Lun
(SJF). AMERICAN WOODCOCK was reported from only eight locations in Inverness, Antigonish, Guysborough, HRM,
Lunenburg, Kings and Yarmouth. Most reports were of single birds.
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was seen five times during this period in Digby, HRM, Shelburne and Yarmouth. The only
large counts were from two whale-watching trips out of Brier I., July 20 (200 birds, Keith Lowe) and July 26 (1000 birds,
AAD). RED PHALAROPE was seen on three whale watching trips out of both Brier I. and Tiverton, Digby, July 20-26 (10
birds estimated by Keith Lowe, 1000 by Marc Chelemer, 10,000 by Alix D’Entremont). Alix D’Entremont and friends must
have had a wonderful trip on July 26.
This image of three RED and three RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, July 16 off Brier
I., nicely captures their distinguishing field marks [Photo: Ron d’Entremont]
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18 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Gulls through Alcids
By Eric Mills
The birding highlight of the summer period was produced by Hurricane Arthur which originated as a low-pressure cell over
the southeastern USA and entered the North Atlantic on June 28. It then began to intensify north of the Bahamas and reversed
direction, tracking offshore of the s.e. USA and making landfall in North Carolina south of Cape Lookout on July 3 as a
Category 2 hurricane with wind velocities of 160 kph. It then moved out to sea again, weakening south of Cape Cod to extra-
tropical cyclone strength (average winds less than 119 kph), and early July 5 made landfall almost exactly at Meteghan,
Digby, before crossing the Bay of Fundy and south-central New Brunswick the same day with peak gusts up to 130 kph (see
illustration of its path below).
Damage on land in Nova Scotia was significant, including widespread and long-lasting power outages, and parts of New
Brunswick were even harder hit. The only bright side was the bird fallout that resulted, mainly in s.w. Nova Scotia, where
there were probably more birders out to look for storm-strays than after any previous tropical storm. (See
for the flavor of the event from viewing
points at the extreme s.w. of the province). As tabulated in the following pages, the results of the fallout were outstanding
beginning July 5, 2014 when Arthur made landfall in western Nova Scotia.
The track of Hurricane Arthur from ca. June 28
to July 7. The landfall in NS was at Meteghan,
Digby, where the change of symbols indicates
weakening of the storm to a post-tropical
depression. The only landfall before NS was at
Shackleford Banks, just south of Cape Lookout,
North Carolina. Circles represent the storm as a
hurricane, triangles as a post-tropical storm.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Tabulation of the seabirds of Post-tropical Storm Arthur, beginning July 5, 2014 when it made
landfall in western Nova Scotia. Figures in italics beside the totals for each species are the
number of individuals reported during an earlier storm, Hurricane Earl in early September 2010.
WILSON’S STORM-PETREL – 7 (Earl: 32+)
July 5 nr. The Hawk, CSI 3 David Bell
July 5 Eastern Passage, HRM 1 DGA
July 5 Cow Bay, HRM 3 DGA
LEACH’S STORM-PETREL – 8 (Earl: 500+)
July 5 nr. The Hawk, CSI 8 David Bell
LAUGHING GULL – 900+ (Earl: ca. 3000)
More than 900 individuals reported, nearly all between s.w. Digby and the Halifax area, probably representing
several thousand carried to NS by Arthur. Numbers peaked about July 8, were noted as “decreasing” by July 11,
and as “few remaining in the southwest” on July 19, although a few remained in Yarmouth (town) into
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 19
September and later. Peak numbers by date were: 20 at Lockeport, Shel, July 5; 45+ near The Hawk, CSI, July
5; 60+, Victoria L., Queens, July 6; 46+, Tusket/Yarmouth area, 7-8 July; 100, W. Pubnico, Yar, July 8.
BRIDLED TERN- 1 (Earl: 1)
July 5 Conrad Bch. PP, HRM 1 ad. DMW
BLACK TERN – 4 (2010 -12)
July 5 Cow Bay, HRM 2 (1 ph.) DGA, DAC
July 5 Hirtles Bch., Lun 1 imm., ph. KEL
July 5 Hemeons Hd., Shel 1 AVM
LEAST TERN – 2 (Earl: 5)
July 6 Kingsburg, Lun 1 JAH
July 7 Matthews L., Shel 1 AVM, R. Crosby
ROSEATE TERN -3 (Earl- 6)
July 5 Murrays Cove, Shel 1 David Bell
July 5-6 nr. The Hawk, CSI 2 Mike MacDonald, David Bell
COMMON TERN – 235+ (Earl: 625)
July 5 Riverport, Lun 5 ad. ELM
July 5 Kingsburg, Lun 5 KEL
July 5 Cole Hbr., HRM 4 Keith Lowe
July 5 Daniels Hd., Shel 2 Mike MacDonald
July 5 The Hawk, CSI 30 David Bell
July 5 Murrays Cove, Shel 15 David Bell
July 5 Shag Hbr., Shel 15 David Bell
July 5 Pubnicos area, Yar 45 David Bell
July 5 Bunker I., Yarmouth 1 JOK
July 5-7 Hemeons Hd., Shel 4-8 AVM
July 6 Eastern Passage, HRM 10 Mira Furgoch
July 6 Lunenburg shores 6+ ELM
July 6 Kingsburg, Lun 10 David Bell
July 6 Rose Bay, Lun 2 KEL
July 6 Lockeport, Shel 4 David Bell
July 6 Louis Hd., Shel 8 AVM
July 6 Baccaro, Shel 15 David Bell
July 6 CSI 25+ David Bell et al.
July 6 Yarmouth Bar, Yar 6 David Bell
July 7 Conrad Bch. PP, HRM 2 DMW
July 7 Eastern Passage, HRM 10 KST, Chris Peters
July 7-8 Cow Bay, HRM 3-7 Chris Peters, Keith Lowe, m.obs.
ARCTIC TERN – 65 (Earl:16)
July 5 Kingsburg Bch., Lun 1 ad. ELM, AHM
July 5 Kingsburg Bch., Lun 2 David Bell
July 5 Hemeons Hd., Shel 1 AVM
July 5 Murrays Cove, Shel 10 David Bell
July 5 The Hawk, CSI 1-15 David Bell, Mike MacDonald
July 5 Shag Hbr., Shel 3 David Bell
July 5 Pubnicos area, Yar 13 David Bell
July 6 Baccaro, Shel 8 David Bell
July 6 CSI 10 David Bell
July 7 Hemeons Hd., Shel 2 AVM
FORSTER’S TERN – 35 (Earl: 96+)
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20 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
July 5 CSI 13, mainly ad. David Bell
July 5 Cripple Creek Wharf, Shel 2 AAD
July 5 Murrays Cove, Shel 3 David Bell
July 6 Kingsburg Bch., Lun 1 KEL
July 6 Hirtles Pd., Lun 2 ad., ph. ELM, KEL, David Bell
July 6 Conrads I., Rose Bay, Lun 1 KEL
July 6 Riverport, Lun 1 ad. with Common ELM
July 6 Crows Neck Bch., Shel 4 David Bell
July 6 Bulls Hd., Shel 1 AAD
July 6 Mavilette Bch., Digby 1 CLS, CSS
July 7 Lr. Rose Bay, Lun 2 ad., 1 imm., ph. ELM, Bruce Stevens
July 8 Conrads I., Rose Bay, Lun 1 Phil Taylor
July 11 Cow Bay, HRM 2 DGA
July 12-13 Cherry Hill Bch., Lun 1 DAC, Keith Lowe, KEL
GULL-BILLED TERN – 16 (Earl: 7)
July 5-7 South Side Bch., CSI 3 David Bell, AAD
July 6 Stony I., CSI 2 Mike MacDonald
July 6-7 Hemeons Hd., Shel 2 Jane Alexander, AVM
July 6-7 Mavilette Bch., Digby 2-4 RDE, AAD, CLS, CSS, LNE
July 6-7 Salmon R., Digby 1 RDE, AAD
July 7 Matthews L., Shel 2 AVM, R. Crosby
July 11-12 Cherry Hill Bch., Lun 2 ad. KAM et al.
SANDWICH TERN – 7 (2010 – 9)
July 5 Lr. LaHave, Lun 1 fall ad., ph. ELM
July 5 The Hawk, CSI 1 ad. David Bell
July 6 nr. Yarmouth Bar, Yar 2 CLS, CSS
July 6-7 Matthews L., Shel 1 Rob’t Turner, AVM, R. Crosby
July 8 Conrads I., Rose Bay, Lun 2 CJF, Alan Covert
CASPIAN TERN – 1 (2010 – 18)
July 5-6 Daniels Hd., CSI 1 CST, David Bell
ROYAL TERN – 38+ (Earl: 36+)
July 5 Hirtles, Kingsburg Bchs., Lun 1 ad., ph. KEL, ELM, AHM
July 5 Daniels Hd., CSI 1, ph. CST, David Bell
July 5 E. Chezzetcook, HRM 1 ad. KST, CHP
July 5 Hartlen Pt., HRM 1 DGA
July 5-10 Cow Bay, HRM 1+ DGA et al.
July 6 Big I., Pict 1 ad. KJM, STV
July 6 Hirtles Pd., Lun 1 ad. ELM
July 6 Hirtles Bch., Lun 2 David Bell
July 6 Kingsburg Bch., Lun 2 KEL, David Bell
July 6 Cow Bay, HRM 1 Bruce Stevens
July 6 Crescent Bch., Lun 1 RBS
July 6 Petite Riviere, Lun 1 ELM
July 6 Louis Hd., Shel 1 AVM
July 6 Hemeons Hd., Shel 2 AVM
July 6 The Hawk, Daniels Hd., CSI 2 David Bell, Mike Drenth, AAD
July 6 Smithsville, Shel 3 David Bell
July 6 Yarmouth Bar, Yar 3 CLS, CSS
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 21
July 6 Pembroke Bch., Yar 1 CLS, CSS
July 7 Lr. Rose Bay, Lun 2 ad., ph. ELM, BRS
July 7-10 Cow Bay, HRM 1 ad. D. Hippern et al.
July 8 Matthews L., Shel 2 AVM, R. Crosby
July 9 Cole Hbr., HRM 1 Keith Lowe
July 9 Louis Hd., Shel 1 AVM
July 12 Hirtles Pd., Lun 1 ad. ELM
July 12 Zinck Pt., Kingsburg, Lun 2 ad. ELM
BLACK SKIMMER – 75+ (Earl: 226+)
July 5 Overton, Yar 1 JOK
July 6 Seal I., Yar 12-15 Chris Mills
July 6 Yarmouth Bar, Yar 5 David Bell
July 6 Cape Fourchu, Yar 4 JOK
July 6 Bunkers I., Yarmouth 1 JOK
July 6 Overton, Yar 5-7 RDE, AAD, CLS, CSS
July 6 Salmon R., Digby 1 RDE, AAD
July 6-8 Mavilette Bch., Digby 14-22 RDE, AAD, CLS, CSS
July 7 CSI causeway, Shel 1 LNE
July 7 The Guzzle, CSI 1 Mike MacDonald, LNE
July 7 Overton, Yar 3 LNE
July 9 Surettes I., Yar 2 RDE, Sharron Marlor
July 12 Mavilette Bch., Digby 15 JAH, KEL
July 13 Cape Sable, Shel 1 AAD, Lou-Anne Bidal
July 18-19 Pinkneys Pt., Yar 12 feeding AAD et al.
July 24 Mavilette Bch., Digby 2 STV
PARASITIC JAEGER – 1 (Earl: 11)
July 5 The Hawk, CSI 1 imm. David Bell
LONG-TAILED JAEGER – 1 (2010- 2)
July 5 Hirtles Bch., Lun 1 imm., ph. KEL
These adult Laughing Gulls
were part of a group of about
60 feeding voraciously on
kelp flies on the beach at
Victoria L., near Liverpool,
July 6, 2014, the day after
Arthur. [Photo: Eric Mills]
LAUGHING GULL outnumbered all other storm strays by an order of magnitude and was no doubt under-counted, for it was
hard to find a place along the shore from at least Lunenburg to Brier I. that did not have at least a few. Yarmouth Harbour,
with nearby fast-food restaurants, proved to be a big draw for these human-adapted gulls, and a few remained in that area
through August and one beyond late September.
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22 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Apart from Laughing Gulls, Arthur gave us a wonderful display of terns, the most exciting of which was a BRIDLED TERN
found by Dottie Welch, not photographed, but with convincing details [see below]. This is only the province’s second record.
BRIDLED TERN. “On July 5 we were walking back from Conrad Beach [HRM] in midafternoon
just after tropical storm Arthur had passed by with significant wind still blowing. The tern flew
toward us and landed briefly on the rocks along the side of the road near the park gate just below
us. We had binoculars but we did not have a camera with us. . . . We could see clearly its grey
back, white breast, and black head with white stripe above eye and white collar. When it flew
across towards the rocky shore across the cove we could see the wide white edges on both sides of
the tail. . . . I looked for it again at dawn on the next few days without success.” [Dottie Welch]
Also attributable to the storm were the following terns: 2 LEAST; 16 GULL-BILLED; 1 CASPIAN; 4 BLACK; 235
COMMON; 65 ARCTIC; 35 FORSTER’S; 38 ROYAL; and 7 SANDWICH (one of the first storm-driven birds reported on
July 5 was a Sandwich Tern); and, giving them honorary tern status, at least 75 BLACK SKIMMERS.
The immature LONG-TAILED JAEGER found and photographed by Kevin Lantz on the morning of July 5 at Hirtles Bch.,
Lun, was an unexpected and interesting find.
Nearly all the Laughing Gulls and terns reported appear to have been adults, or at least beyond the juvenile stage. This
perhaps is not surprising as their arrival here was the result of such an early storm, and in marked contrast to the fallouts after
late summer and fall hurricanes in the past. The fallout from Arthur was remarkably restricted geographically, limited to the
area from just east of Halifax around the South Shore into Digby (where the shortage of observers probably accounts for the
dearth of reports from that county). Remarkably few Arthur-driven strays made it into New Brunswick, for example: a Royal
Tern at Machias Seal I. July 7; several Laughing Gulls near Grand Manan July 12; one as far as Miscou I. in north-eastern
NB July 26; plus Black Skimmers s.e. of Fredericton July 10 and at White Head I. July 11; on the Fundy shore east of St.
John July 15; and on Miscou I. July 19-24 (with thanks to Jim Wilson for this summary). Many birds left rapidly. During
limited sea-watching beginning July 5 I noted a steady south-westward movement of Laughing Gulls and (much less
abundant) Royal Terns that began immediately after the storm and lasted for about a week. Exactly two weeks after Arthur,
on July 19, Dave Currie and I did a survey of South Shore hotspots for remaining storm strays. We found nothing but a few
Laughing Gulls. Most of the displaced birds had moved rapidly south, nearly all of them within a week (see dates in table
above), as was noted first in our area after Hurricane Gladys in October 1968. (See Eric Mills, 1969. Hurricane “Gladys” and
its effect on the Maritime Provinces. Nova Scotia Bird Society Newsletter 11 (1): 6-16). Such an early tropical storm is almost
unprecedented, so direct comparisons with other hurricanes or post-tropical storms are difficult and probably not very
meaningful. Nonetheless, there are interesting things to be learned about location and timing by comparison with Nova
Scotia’s previously best-documented tropical cyclone, Hurricane Earl in early September 2010. (See track below; and for
more on the birds, see: Brinkley, 2011. Atlantic Provinces & St. Pierre et Miquelon. North American Birds 65 (1): 30-35).
Hurricane Earl from its origin off West Africa in late
August 2010 to its disappearance as a North Atlantic
depression off southern Labrador on Sept 8. Note that
it passed close to the arc of the Lesser Antilles and to
Puerto Rico and that its first direct landfall was in s.w.
Nova Scotia early on Sept 4. It was significantly more
powerful than Arthur, but its track was farther
offshore. Symbols as in the previous figure showing
the track of Arthur. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Note first the differences. Earl was a wide and powerful storm maintaining hurricane Category 1 strength (at least 120 kph)
right up to its first landfall near Western Head, Queens, about 10 am ADT Sept 4, 2010. Thus its ‘reach’ along the U.S. s.e.
coastline was likely at least as great as that of the smaller and weaker Arthur, which was closer to shore. Earl moved
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 23
northward about 140 km off Cape Hatteras, NC, whereas Arthur made landfall south of Cape Hatteras and left the coast near
it. It is difficult to ascertain the origin of some of the Earl birds not seen after Arthur, such as Magnificent Frigatebird, Brown
Pelican, Snowy Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Marbled Godwit; but at least some, notably the Frigatebird and Snowy Plover,
probably came from the Antilles (also possibly the Brown Pelican, a species seldom associated with hurricanes). There were
also much larger counts after Earl of Leach’s Storm-Petrels, jaegers, and even a South Polar Skua, all attributable to post-
breeding dispersal, not a factor for most seabirds in early July.
The similarity between the two storms is striking when terns and skimmers are considered, with the exception that there
appear to have been many more immature birds (mainly juveniles) among the captures by Earl in 2010, partly a result of the
later season and partly due to storm intensity. But if the numbers differ, the roster after Earl is similar and can be seen by
comparing my table and text to pp. 34-35 in Brinkley, 2011, cited above. Although many observers did not record the ages of
their birds, observations indicated that many Laughing Gulls and Black Skimmers brought by Earl were juveniles. Their
presence along the U.S. s.e. coastline in September, along with the strength of Earl, likely account for the larger numbers of
most species picked up and transported by the 2010 storm. As for the single Bridled Tern in each storm, this species has a
post-breeding pelagic range extending significantly farther north than Sooty Tern, and could have been picked up anywhere
between the Antilles and the offshore waters of southern New England.
Birds not attributed to a tropical storm may seem anti-climactic, but their significance in the great scheme of things is
probably larger than that of storm-driven strays. For example, after David Bell’s sighting of a BLACK-LEGGED
KITTIWAKE on June 15, several groups on whale and seabird cruises noted nests of this species on one of its few South
Shore strongholds, Pearl I., Lun, during the last week of June (fide BLM, JAH). The first BONAPARTE’S GULLS of
summer were five found June 7 at Big (Merigomish) I., Pict (KJM), and by June 19 there were 35 immatures in the area
(KJM et al.). Well before the massive influx with Arthur on July 5, an immature LAUGHING GULL was found on Big I.,
Pict, June 7, followed by an adult there, June 19-25 (KJM), and an adult was at Hemeons Hd., Shel, July 2 (AVM).
Thereafter, the few usual summer vagrants were submerged by a tidal wave of storm-driven birds. Five to six RING-BILLED
GULLS at Big (Merigomish) I., June 19 (KJM) could have been summering.
ICELAND GULLS lingering from the very large winter 2013-2014 population on CBI (rather than early arrivals) were: one
June 1 at Inverness, Inv; three immatures June 3 at North Sydney, CBRM (DBM); and one June 24 at Polletts Cove, Inv
(PHT). Certainly notable was a summering 3rd
-year GLAUCOUS GULL at Florence, CBRM, June 14 (DBM). LESSER
BLACK-BACKED GULL was noted twice: a 1st-summer bird June 19 at Seal I., Yar (David Bell et al.) and a 3
rd-cycle
individual July 4 at Arisaig, Ant (KJM).
Breeding BLACK TERNS were noted in the E. Amherst and Eddy Marshes, Cumb, several times between June 7 and July
29. “Dozens” of COMMON TERNS July 20 at Lr. W. Pubnico, Yar, seem to have represented the movement of adults and
juveniles away from breeding islands. ARCTIC TERN was found on colonies June 21 at Pearl I., Lun (BLM), and June 22 at
Sambro I., HRM, and 20 were seen flying west at sea north of Brier I. on June 27 (ELM).
The LONG-TAILED JAEGER (see table above) was among the rare finds courtesy of Arthur (see photo p. 27); they are
rarely seen inshore. Two SOUTH POLAR SKUAS were photographed July 11 off Brier I. (Penny Graham).
Nova Scotia could offer nothing as spectacular as the Tufted Puffin found and photographed June 17 by Ralph Eldridge on
Machias Seal I., NB, and then seen off and on for several weeks thereafter on or around the island. But there were interesting
and useful observation of our local alcids. On June 29, a few adult COMMON MURRES were reported off Brier I. (ELM)
and at their breeding areas on Green I., Yar (AAD), and Pearl I., Lun (RBS et al.). RAZORBILL, which seems to have a
successful breeding season in the area, was reported from the Bird Is., Vic, and Pearl I., Lun, between June 1 and July 20.
Alix D’Entremont found ca. 150 on each of Outer Bald I. and Green I., Yar, June 29. Richard Stern reported the unusual sight
of small groups July 30 on the water off Parkers and Delaps Coves, Anna, well inside the Bay of Fundy. BLACK
GUILLEMOT was not widely reported, but Blake Maybank estimated 250 adults and 200+ nests on Sambro I., HRM, June
22, and Alix D’Entremont found 70 on Green I., Yar, June 29 and 80+ in a colony on Peases I., Yar, July 20. Late-June
counts of adults suggested there were some 40-60 ATLANTIC PUFFIN nests on Pearl I., Lun, and a week later, Jane
Alexander estimated 20 individuals in the small colony on Ram I., off Hemeons Head, Shel. Forty breeders were on Green I.,
Yar, June 29 (AAD). June-July counts at the Bird Is., Vic, ranged from 300 to 500. At sea off Brier I., adult puffins were
frequent in June and July, but it is unknown if they were nesting birds foraging far from the colonies in Yarmouth and on
Machias Seal I., NB, or failed breeders, or non-breeders.
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24 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
Below and on the next two pages is a portfolio of some outstanding images of outstanding birds delivered by Hurricane Arthur.
This rather grumpy LEAST
TERN was photographed
July 7 at Matthews Lake,
Shel. [Photo: Russel Crosby]
A GULL-BILLED TERN
put on a good show June 6 at
Mavilette Beach, Digby.
[Photo: Ron d’Entremont]
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 25
Except after hurricanes, we
don’t usually see summer-
plumaged adult FORSTER’S
TERN, like this one July 5 on
CSI. Its black-tipped bill and
pale primaries are distinctions
from our regular Arctic and
Common Terns. [Photo: Alix
D’Entremont]
This subadult SANDWICH
TERN, looking a little worse
for wear, was found July 6 at
Matthews Lake, Shel. [Photo:
Robert Turner]
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26 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS Volume 56, Issue 4
BLACK SKIMMER is
elegant when skimming,
not so much when
lounging. This one was
found July 6 in the waters
behind Mavilette Beach
PP, Digby. [Photo: Alix
D’Entremont]
A series of rapid-fire photos,
a selection of which is
combined here, served
unmistakably to identify a
rare fly-by LONG-TAILED
JAEGER, July 5 at Hirtles
Bch., Lun. [Photo: Kevin
Lantz]
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Volume 56, Issue 4 NOVA SCOTIA BIRDS 27
Pigeons through Woodpeckers
By Graham Williams
The summer season came and went without any sightings of rare pigeon or dove species, but ROCK PIGEON and
MOURNING DOVE were no less abundant than usual.
This was a good season for cuckoo sightings. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO,
rare here in summer, was reported from two locations. Hillary Dionne nicely
photographed one of these elegant birds June 28 on Big Tancook I., Lun, and
Gabrielle Beau reported hearing one calling June 26 at the Amherst Point
Marsh, Cumb. The more routine, but still uncommon, BLACK-BILLED
CUCKOO was reported from six locations, all between June 24 and July 2.
Ronnie d’Entremont found and photographed his first Nova Scotian Black-billed
Cuckoo (image at left) June 24 at Roberts I., Yar, the same day that David
Currie had one in his Dartmouth yard, and Ann Doull had yet another in her
South End Halifax yard! Were these wandering non-breeders or failed ones? A
few days later, June 30, Angus MacLean had one singing near his property in
Coldbrook, Kings. The remaining two sightings also came from Kings.
Reports of BARRED OWL and GREAT HORNED OWL were from
widespread localities this summer. Counts of ones and twos were the norm, but
several observers reported evidence of owlets and successful breeding. Diane
Cloutier-Wilbur was fortunate enough to host seven Barred Owls at once, July
27-28 in her backyard at Hammonds Plains, HRM,
Boreal Owl reports were lacking as usual, although they may still nest sparsely at remote northern locations. However,
Randy Lauff reported that NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS were very successful in a few monitored nest boxes. Nests in
Upper Springfield and Alder River (both Antigonish) fledged six and three young respectively. Two additional nests in Bay
St. Lawrence, Vic, fledged six and five young. These nests were said by Randy to be his “only successful nests in three
seasons”. This was likely due to an abundance of prey this summer, as it was also noted that prey stores were large within the
nest boxes, “often with over ten items in the nest.” Hopefully this bode well for other unmonitored owl nests in natural
cavities around the province. Short-eared and Long-eared Owl reports were absent from the summer period, as they often are,
as were reports of SNOWY OWL, except for two individuals that were found dead. The first was a recently deceased
individual recovered June 12 in the Pollys Cove area, HRM, which “seemed emaciated, and so perhaps died of starvation”
(BLM). The second, reported by David Bell, was “a long dead Snowy Owl, likely a remnant from last year’s invasion” found
June 16 on Seal I.
COMMON NIGHTHAWK returned right on schedule in late May (see last issue) and sightings quickly became widespread
in June and July, with reports from every mainland county and CBRM. Counts on eBird ranged from one to seven individuals
over the season, rather few compared with decades ago. The breeding population of this species has decreased by roughly
80% here since 1970 (BBS), and we only see them in numbers as migrant flocks in late summer.
CHIMNEY SWIFTS were well monitored over the summer season at several known roost locations, and overall counts
seemed to be slightly higher than last season. The Regional High School in Middleton, Anna, boasted the highest seasonal
count of all, with 517 swifts