<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><b>APR. 14, 2009</b> - New Minas Ducks Unlimited pond (Middle Dyke Rd. by Cornwallis River): no interesting birds, but there were conspicuous <b>MOUNDS OF EARTH</b> on the north bank and north dyke -- probably from <b>STAR-NOSED MOLES?</b>?</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Port Williams sewage ponds: only 2 pairs of <b>CANADA GEESE</b> and 2 pairs of <b>MALLARDS</b>.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><b>APR. 16, 2009</b> -- "My" adult <b>WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW</b> (since March 14/09) is still in and around my yard, along with at least one white-throated sparrow, plus 2+ song sparrows, 10 starlings, 4 blue jays, 3 bl.-c. chickadees, 2 pheasants (cock crowing often), 3 mourning doves, a red squirrel, etc.?</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Port Williams sewage ponds: yesterday Richard Stern saw 5+ <b>TREE SWALLOWS</b>, but today's strong and cold north-northeast wind has them inactive or not here; 3 m/f pairs of <b>MALLARDS</b> present plus 3 extra males, <b>AND</b> one m/f pair was <b>SHALLOWLY DIVING</b> in the south pond. In King's County it's not unusual to see green-winged teal, black ducks, and mallards <b>DIVING</b> as a foraging method, despite the fact that all of these species are<b> "surface-feeding" vs. "diving" ducks</b> -- just goes to show that we should never expect living critters to conform to our invented categories!</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><b>APR. 18, 2009</b> - <b>CARDINAL singing</b> "merrily" just east of our yard -- how I love that cardinal song! </font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Pat & I heard and then saw a large <b>MERLIN</b> (female), first flying and then perching in a coniferous tree at the corner of Chestnut Ave. and Queen? St. -- it sat there for at least a half-hour -- no obvious stick nest in those two trees. Yesterday in late afternoon I saw a <b>MERLIN</b> in a probable display flight -- round and round over approximately the same area. Also yesterday I heard an <b>AM. ROBIN singing</b> repeatedly just before dusk, along with a cardinal.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Also 2 different <b>N. FLICKERS</b> calling west and northwest of our home.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Second<b> Spring-like day</b> in a row of bright Sunshine and no clouds, but still cool with a stiff north wind -- high of 9 C. Nice day compelled me to drive around a bit locally. No swallows definitely seen, but I'll bet a few are in our area.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Port Williams sewage ponds: nothing of note beyond a couple of mallards.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Van Nostrand's Ponds (Starr's Point): 100 <b>CANADA GEESE</b>, 5 male <b>RING-NECKED DUCKS</b>. I saw Judy Tufts there, but didn't know she had spotted a NECK-COLLARED CANADA GOOSE that had been banded in Greenland! </font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Canning Aboiteau (Habitant River): 200 <b>CANADA GEESE</b>, 12+ <b>GREEN-WINGED TEALS</b>.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Harris' Pond (Canning): a <b>single CANADA GOOSE </b>on north shore (suggests perhaps a mate on a nest nearby?); a single male <b>COMMON MERGANSER</b>, 2 male <b>RING-NECKED DUCKS</b>, 2 black ducks, and at least 10 basking <b>PAINTED TURTLES</b>.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Southeast of Canning:<b> ASPEN POPLAR</b> catkins opening/open. And <b>AMERICAN ELM</b> flowers open at Acadia Univ. Arena parking lot.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">Canard Pond: 8 <b>N. SHOVELERS</b> (3 m/f prs + 2 males), 2 <b>N. PINTAILS</b> (m/f pr), 5 <b>AM. WIGEONS</b> (2m,3f), and at least 24 <b>GREEN-WINGED TEALS</b> -- most of the latter were foraging actively by "tipping up" (bums to the sky). I MAY have seen a <b>TREE SWALLOW</b> flying by, but the sighting was very poor and brief. Also present were lots of <b>GULLS</b>, mostly or all herring and great black-backed. </font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">New Minas Ducks Unlimited Pond (adjacent to Cornwallis River): 3 <b>COMMON MERGANSERS</b> (a m/f pr + a f), and a lovely male <b>N. HARRIER</b>.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; ">In the evening at home I noticed a <b>FOX SPARROW</b> at our feeders.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; min-height: 16px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Arial" size="4" style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Arial; "><b>APR. 19, 2009</b> - We saw at least 3 <b>N. CARDINALS</b> at home, and the 2 males chased one another. We only saw one female, but perhaps there are two? And the <b>FOX SPARROW</b> is still present, both in morning and evening. Also at least 3 <b>white-throated sparrows</b> present, etc., and still a<b> NORWAY RAT</b>. </font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4">Cheers from Jim in Wolfville</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><br></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial" size="4"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Jim (James W.) Wolford</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">91 Wickwire Ave.</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">B4P 1W3</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">phone 902-542-9204</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">e-mail <<a href="mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; ">"In wildness is the preservation of the world" -- Henry David Thoreau</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Helvetica" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br></span></font></div></font></div></div>
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