Glossy Ibis

Rare Wading Bird Visits Keswick

Glossy Ibis

A tall wading bird has been visiting the Keswick area for the last 5 days.  It is 58 cm long (23 in) and is very dark in colour.  At a distance it looks black.  Yesterday it was feeding with about 20 Ring-billed Gulls and 2 Black Ducks in flooded fields off Tripp Settlement Road.  

The Glossy Ibis (Pleagadis falcinellus) is a rare 'vagrant' to this area.  In ornithological parlance that means it is a species that wanders out of its normal range.  Normally it is a permanent resident of Florida and the Gulf Coast.  It moves northward in summer to breed as far north as occasionally southern Maine.  It also is found in Eurasia, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands, Africa, and Australia.  

Before 1900 this species was extremely rare here.  It gradually became more abundant as the twentieth century progressed.  It is thought that the original birds accidentally appeared here from Africa in the 1800s (much like the Cattle Egret).  There were a few sightings in Florida and the Caribbean Islands in the 1800s.  There is an early breeding record from Orange Lake, Florida in 1913.  We have records of a bird appearing in Pictou County, NS in 1856 and one in Montreal in 1900.  The one in NS from 1856 is most likely a bird blown off course from Europe.  The one from Montreal was likely a bird from the newly developing North American population.  The first reports for New Brunswick were in the 1950s.  The first one I ever saw was in the early 1960s at Saint Andrews.  

Glossy Ibis

The Glossy Ibis nests in trees and is pugnacious towards other birds.  It drives away other ibises and herons that might be nesting near it.  It is loving and attentive to its mate and offspring, often caressing them by bill rubbing, cooing and exercising mutual grooming.  There are usually 3 or 4 offspring.  They feed by probing the mud for crayfish, invertebrates, frogs, fish, and plants.  In the south they eat a lot of snakes and are thought to assist in snake control.  They have never bred here but there was one unsuccessful attempt on Manawagonish Island, off Saint John in 1986.  

Glossy Ibis

Like herons, ibises fly with their necks outstretched.  Their decurved bills are often visible as they fly by.  The Glossy Ibis is no songster.  It utters a guttural screeching sound as well as its soft cooing to its mate.  

As the photos show, this bird is beautiful.  Its head and breast are a deep chestnut colour.  The wings look black but actually are iridescent blue and green.  The bill and legs are grey.  The eye is black and there is a fine bluish white line around the bill base which does not extend around the eye.  Both genders look alike.  The young are mottled grayish in the head and neck.  It is a species that needs to be distinguished from the White-faced Ibis which lives in western North America.  

It is interesting that we usually get one or two individuals here every spring.  This would indicate it is expanding its range.  The bird shown in the photos above is an adult in breeding plumage.  Hopefully it will find a mate and we will be able to record a successful breeding and raising of young for this year in New Brunswick.

Easter 2017

An Easter poem

Golden daffodils

Pastel blossom

Tiny parasols opening on the chestnut tree

A lovely Narcissus bathing in the sun

Tiny eggs

and more blossom

one can never have enough blossom!

Spring green pleated leaves just unfurling

and a field of cheerful daffodils

A nest of feathers, new this year

and blue ones too from other years

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter with sunshine and flowers

and chocolate bunnies too!

Point Lepreau Bird Observatory

Counting Migrating Sea Birds

Migrating Sea Ducks

This week we volunteered at the Point Lepreau Bird Observatory counting migrating sea ducks.  This is a scientific project sponsored by the Saint John Naturalists Club for the last ten plus years.  They have built a small building literally on the 'point' of Lepreau in which 1-3 observers scientifically count the migrating sea birds that are flying past.  Counts are done in 4-hour segments during which birds are counted in alternate 15-minute intervals.  The count extends over about 8 weeks from late March into May.  The photo above shows what is observed as the counters determine numbers and species of the birds passing quickly by.

Black Scoters 

Most of the birds passing the point are Black Scoters as shown in the photo above.  The males have a bright orange blob on their bill.  The female is a dull brown with a beige cheek patch.  Two other species of scoters are also seen in numbers, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters.  See the Surf Scoter male below.

Surf Scoter Male

Common Eider Male 

Also migrating past the point in large numbers are Common Eiders.  Shown above is the black and white male.  The female is a cinnamon brown.  Their flocks look multi-coloured with the black, brown and white colours.

Brant, a smaller member of the goose family, also migrate past the point, though in smaller numbers than the scoters and eiders.  See the brant shown below.  These brant were photographed at Maces Bay where they had landed to rest and feed before moving on past Lepreau and up the Bay of Fundy.

Brant

In far fewer numbers (up to 10 or 12 per day) are the Harlequin Ducks.  These are small ducks that like to feed in the surf.  They are a beautiful dark blue and orange in the male and dark grey in the female and are about the size of teal.  See below how beautiful they are.

Harlequin Duck Male

We often see the hardy Purple Sandpipers which overwinter here along open coastal waters.  They fly by in tight small flocks and often land on the exposed rocks at the point.  They really are a dark purple colour as seen below.

Purple Sandpipers

In addition, we usually see a smattering of land birds.  Common are the sparrows which fly in and rest and feed at the point.  We put out seed for them and they usually stay a couple of days before moving inland.  Often seen are Song Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Savannah Sparrows, and this week we had a Chipping Sparrow.  See below.

Chipping Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Often raptors fly in from over the ocean as they return from their wintering grounds.  Others stop by often to try to feed on the birds newly arriving at the point.  Often seen are Northern Harriers, Merlins, Kestrels and sometimes a Peregrine Falcon.  This week we saw a Merlin and an American Kestrel as seen below.

American Kestrel

Merlin

The Point Lepreau Sea Bird Counting Project is providing a large amount of useful data.  Many people are involved, both volunteer and paid staff.  On the day we were there during one 4-hour count period we tallied about 3300 birds.  That is lower than some days but more than many others.  Since we count only 50% of the time we could estimate that 6600 birds passed the point during that morning.  Our data is now being used by ornithologists and other scientists and when lumped with the data from other sea bird counting stations along the Atlantic flyway, they form a large bank of useful data.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Visitors from Europe

Lesser Black-backed Gull [Internet Photo]

 The Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fucus) is a visitor from Northern Europe which is seen in our area fairly frequently at this time of year.  A flock has moved up the Saint John River this week.

This species was first reported from Grand Manan in 1968 and 1975.  Since then it has gradually become more common, now found annually along the Bay of Fundy and up the Saint John River as far as Fredericton.  It is usually seen between March and May and then between September and November.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

The Lesser Black-backed Gull is one of the larger gulls, but smaller than the Herring or the Great Black-backed Gull.  It is 54-64 cm (21"-25") in length compared to the Herring Gull which is 56-69 cm (22"-27") and the Great Black-backed Gull which is 64-79 cm (25"-31") in length.  To identify this species you have to distinguish it from the Great Black-backed Gull.  It is smaller as the numbers above indicate.  Its back or mantle is often more grayish black than the pure black back of the Great Black-backed Gull, its head is smaller and the beak is shorter and less robust.  Its dark wings show one or two white spots on the outer primaries.  It has a clear lemon yellow iris with a reddish orbital ring.  Its legs are yellow or orange.  The Great Black-backed Gull has a very large beak, an olive to pale-yellow eye and pink legs.  

Lesser Black-backed Gull

The photo above shows a Lesser sleeping with an adult Great Black-backed Gull behind.  Note the size difference.  The photo was taken in poor light so the leg colours are not discernible.  

Lesser Black-backed Gull

The photo above shows the yellow legs and the size comparison with the Herring Gulls and the single Great Black-backed Gull with which it is grouped.

The Lesser Black-backed Gull breeds in western Greenland and appears to be a non-breeder in this area.  They like to associate with Herring Gulls and prefer the same feeding areas:  beaches, dumps, fishing harbours, lakes, parking lots, and intertidal waters.  It often feeds offshore over shelf areas.

Yesterday, April 5, a large group of these gulls was seen at Fredericton where they were associating with Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.  Twenty-two were counted with the likelihood of many more out of identification range.  This is an unusually large number for this species.  Obviously it was a migrating flock.  They were mostly all adults.  It is hard to believe these birds are non-breeders.  I wonder if they were headed to a breeding area we don't know about.  An exciting find and a beautiful species to observe.

Home to Home Adoption Program: Rally and Uno

Rally and Uno were taken in by a Good Samaritan out of the kindness of her heart. Now, she wants to help them find families to call their very own through Animal Friends Home to Home Adoption program. Could you give one of these lovable guys the gift of a loving home?

Rally

Rally is a 4-year-old Mountain Cur dog. He is an energetic and lovable boy who can be found bouncing around outside one minute and sound asleep on your lap the next. He absolutely loves people and is one of the friendliest pooches you'll ever meet. Rally is also housebroken and neutered. Now, he just needs a loving family to give him the attention he deserves and the love he needs.

Uno

Uno is a 4-year-old Bulldog mix. He had a tough start to life when he was found abandoned with a broken leg while he was a puppy. Sadly, his veterinarian believes the break was likely from abuse. Thankfully, his leg has been all fixed up and he has since thrived, transforming into a goofy, lovable "lap dog" who loves everyone he meets. Uno is neutered, up to date on all of his vaccines and can't wait to find his perfect family!


If you can give Rally or Uno the loving family they deserve, contact Jennifer at maitlandjennifer@yahoo.com.

Time is Tick-ing Away – Is Your Pet Protected Against Lyme Disease?

By Eleanor Miller, Senior Animal Wellness Coordinator/Medical Coordinator



April is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and with the warm weather just around the corner, Animal Friends wants to be sure you have everything you need to protect your pets. Lyme disease can quickly become a serious issue not only for the animals in your life, but for you.

Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing diseases transmitted by insects or other organisms in the United States. As the summer months quickly approach, it’s important to protect your pets against this debilitating disease. Lyme disease is more commonly found in dogs, but your cats, rabbits and other pets are also at risk of contracting it.

Because western Pennsylvania has plenty of densely forested areas and no shortage of wildlife living right in our backyards, it is among the areas where Lyme disease is most prevalent. As the temperature climbs, larvae that have spent the winter months dormant grow into adults that can transmit Lyme disease through a bite. The tick must already be infected and remain attached for at least 48 hours for transmission of the bacteria to take place.

Once infected, animals may experience intermittent lameness, fever, swelling of joints, loss of appetite, swelling of lymph nodes and lethargy. In severe cases, animals may even experience an acute onset of renal failure. While the symptoms can be managed medically, there is no cure for Lyme disease. The single most important thing you can do for your pet is to provide preventatives. There are also vaccines that will protect your four-legged family members against Lyme disease. Although they won’t prevent the disease from taking hold entirely, they can help to lessen the symptoms if the bacteria is introduced.

Thankfully, Animal Friends offers Lyme vaccines and flea and tick preventative treatments through our Low-Cost Vaccine Clinics. Don’t wait until it’s too late! With a mild winter coming to a close, flea and tick season is expected to be more severe and arrive sooner. Protecting your pets now could save them (and you!) from a lot of pain and discomfort down the road – not to mention your vet bills!

If you would like more information about tick prevention, Lyme disease and for a full schedule of Low-Cost Vaccine and Microchip Clinics, contact Animal Friends at 412-847-7004 or visit ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org/Vaccine.

Red Blinds and Pink Blossom. Scene & Story: March 2017

This colourful scene totally captured my attention when I was out at the end of March practicing for a new challenge - and it has nothing to do with photography! 

The red blinds were eye-catching all alone, but with that gorgeous bright pink blossom with the branches spreading right across them, it was irresistible!

I even got a window reflections of the flowers and a hint of the beautiful blue sky!

Did you ever think that red and pink looked so good together?

So what is this new challenge all about?

It's one that I haven't done in too long a time!

Now the warmer, and mostly drier, weather is here,

I decided that I would walk 10.000 steps a day. To encourage me further,

 I invested in an activity tracker which measures more than just steps.

When I reach the 10.000 mark each day, I get stars and rockets and fireworks

on my Fitbit tracker screen! That's so encouraging and makes me laugh!

The next part of my challenge is to walk the quarter-marathon (10.54 km/6.55 miles)

that will be taking part on Sunday 23 April in the city of Lausanne where I live!

The last time I did it was in 2007 and I managed a timing of 1hr32!

This year the route is different and there seems to be more uphill parts

which makes it more challenging!

I have been out training and working on improving my stamina and practicing uphill walking around my city, down by the lake and in the parks. This is a very hilly city!

The photograph of the blinds and the blossom was taken when I was out practicing

after a tough climb uphill. So I was happy to pause in my training and catch my breath.

So lucky too, that I'd managed to fit my pocket camera into my waist pouch!

As I reluctantly left this beautiful scene to continue my rapid walking,

I looked back one more time and caught the upper part of the blossoming tree

 against the blue of the sky!

I knew you wanted to see that as well!

All we need now is dry weather to make our Walking Event the best ever 

and a cooling breeze wouldn't go amiss either!

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Joining our Scene and Story link-up at Paisley Rain Boots

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Taking a blogging break.

I seem to be busy with so many other things right now.

See you all again soon!