Day 158, Sat. Sept. 8, 2018— Good birding on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.

Short Billed Dowitchers along Joli Wetlands.

   As indicated yesterday, the goal was to see some of the south shore that was south of where we were in the campground. There are so many bays and coves that when naming roads the Nova Scotians reuse the name “Wharf Rd.” many times, so in three towns in a row there might be a “Wharf Rd.” and of course they all lead to the wharf, usually where the boats are kept in the docks and harbour.

One of the interesting wildlife areas that we found was the one named ‘Port Joli’ about 15 minutes from our place.  It is the head of a large bay that has a natural tide marsh that extends for a number of kilometers and can be seen from the road that is adjacent. This allows a number of opportunities to park along side of the road, get out the scope and note the birds that were feeding there.  We did this at least three times noting more than a dozen species in the process. Some of them at this marsh and tidal zone were: SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BELTED KINGFISHER, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WILSON’S PHALAROPE, WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPER, and SOLITARY SANDPIPER. That last one just came in after I had started to take down the scope. I quickly put it up again and was able to identify it. It is a beautiful bird and does like to be left alone.

Same

A litte closer

We continued to poke in to another  ‘Wharf Rd’, and found a few boats ,some gulls and cormorants, but little else.

Moving further on route # 3 to East d’ Herbert we had just about reached the shore when I stopped the truck as we saw lots of activity. Many birds were using the great habitat of the tall spruce trees,  apple trees and a few service berry bushes. Here we identified the ; BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE, AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, NASHVILLE WARBLER, YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER, CEDAR WAXWING, CAPE MAY WARBLER, NORTHERN PARULA, NORTHERN FLICKER , COMMON YELLOWTHROAT,  and a  REDSTART.

The Bay at l' Herbert East

The road into l'Herbert

A new boat being constructed while we watched

The small harbor (8 boats) at l' Herbert

Most of the harbours have huge rock dikes

A view of the Mouton Harbor

One of teh single dock wharfs at Mouton

 Pretty good haul for a few hours work. In the bushes by the water were SAVANNAH SPARROW and  SONG SPARROW.  We ate lunch there,  but the birds must have had lunch at the same time, as they disappeared.

Another sojourn was to Mouton Harbor that ended up being a great photo op.  for the boats there, but no new birds. This is much lrger harbour with a place for 25 boats or more.

The inner harbour at Mouton.

At East d’ Herbert I thought what I saw was a young Bald Eagle in the distance. We noted it, but when I got home and saw the video that I took, it was not a young Bald Eagle but a well developed OSPREY.  To be sure is to BE SURE!

It was a good day,  temps hit 70 F and a light breeze, although it was mostly cloudy. The day  ended with trip for gasoline and groceries in Liverpool . That was followed by one of my favorite  suppers on the trip …taco salad.

Tomorrow we may head again south to Cape Sable or Baccaro Point.