A few housekeeping items to get out of the way: The winter count period ended on February 28, I’ll give everyone a couple weeks to get their lists to me, e-mail is preferred but you could mail them in as well. I’ll cut off submissions on March 15 to give me time to include them in the column on March 20. So far the accumulated list is 44 species, but this is from everyone who has contacted me, so if your list isn’t nearly that high, join the club, mine isn’t either. It was a slow winter feeder wise, but you guys did manage to come up with some great lists and even a couple rarities. The list is on our website under articles, (easier to find now).
I have some really incredible photos from readers, some of you guys may have missed your calling. If you’ve ever tried wildlife photography you’ll know how hard it is to get such super quality pictures. I’ve made sub-albums within the “Contributed Photos” album for individual photographers who’ve sent in numerous shots, click on slideshow and enjoy.
I’ve had numerous calls about the eagle sightings along the highway just outside Sussex, the consensus is they are hanging out at the Cardwell Farms composting facility. I’ve had reports of as many as 28 at one time but the numbers fluctuate depending on the daily menu. Usually the facility receives marine waste twice a week, they never know what days the fish will arrive but it doesn’t take the eagles long to notice, they probably follow the truck down the highway. Unfortunately the best viewing is right in the site, people and groups are welcome but it’s asked that you call ahead first to make sure there is an escort available and that there are some eagles present. A camera club and a nature club are currently trying to line up a visit. Personally, I’d wait until they are open Saturday mornings to the public and check out the birds and pick up a few bags of certified organic compost.
In there own small way Cardwell Farms are contributing to the increased eagle population. First by feeding them throughout the winter, which is no doubt helping some, especially the youngest, survive. Secondly by promoting the use of organic fertilizer, decreasing the need for pesticides in crops, which is the reason for their initial demise. Eagles live long and eat high in the food chain so these chemicals will build up in the eagles body, (most humans have the same problem).
Now I’m wondering where the eagles are on the days they’re not at Cardwell Farms, several people mentioned a pig farm nearby that possibly put out dead animals and the Westmoreland Albert Solid Waste Facility is quite close as the eagle flies. We aren’t that far from the Annapolis Valley either if an eagle “felt like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight”. I think I heard one humming that jingle while flying over our house in a southerly direction. I’m going to ask around to see if anyone is studying how far local eagles will travel in winter to find food. Has anyone noticed any banded eagles?
Quite a few have reported Golden Eagles from here and other places, I’m not saying it’s impossible but all the pictures I’ve been sent so far are immature Bald Eagles. Check the guides carefully, the white pattern on an immature Golden is in distinct patches on the wings and tail, the immature Bald’s white is dispersed over the body. I’ve had people say, “It was bigger than a Bald Eagle so it must have been a Golden.” Again check your guide carefully, the Golden is actually slightly smaller than a Bald, but at a distance that would be impossible to differentiate unless they happened to be flying together. Also remember that an immature raptor is larger than the adult and a female is larger than a male. So a noticeably larger brown bird is likely an immature female.
Don’t give up the search for the elusive Golden Eagle just because I’m a pessimist, there are several confirmed sightings in New Brunswick every year, a lot of them in the Albert County area and most of them by David Christie and Mary Majka on their grocery run over Caledonia Mountain. I’ll check it off my list someday though, maybe I’ll go hitchhiking on rte 915 next grocery day.
I’ve had several species of birds take advantage of my compost pile, crows, grackles and jays often find a bread crust; robins, waxwings and warblers will find fruit pulp; and maybe the most interesting and overlooked are the numbers of flycatchers that take advantage of the insect population around the pile. I’ve noticed various warblers, flycatchers, waxwings and best of all hummingbirds catching flies close to the composter. The hummingbirds will often perch on the wire cages that make up my composting bins. I’ve even tried exposing some red wigglers for robins but haven’t noticed any partaking. We also have a resident snake who enjoys sunning him or herself on top of the pile, getting warmth on both sides at once.
An eagle though, I may have to expand my composting operation... (You know your getting really old when you list composting as one of your hobbies, as if Birding isn’t bad enough).
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