Birds of the park

It stood there alone, surveying the scene, a lone sentinel on an eroded promontory. One could easily miss it with the naked eye but a walk along Orby Head and a camera lens helped bring it into focus. A Great Cormorant kept a silent vigil in a place where many Double-crested Cormorants usually gather. It looked regal more than lonely there and doesn’t move as I watch for several minutes.

A few weeks later, Double-cresteds were at the same location at Orby Head. The crests on the sides of their heads are obvious on these males.

During our first visit to the park in early April this year, we had a picnic under a maple tree which had several Black-capped Chickadees busy flitting around its branches. Unlike our experience of chickadees in more recent days on the trails, these chickadees were silent.

We hear woodpeckers in the trees around the Grove every time we visit. On one occasion, I saw this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on a nearby tree, more exposed than usual. It looks like its markings were painted on. 

It flew away and within seconds a mature Bald Eagle flew overhead. 

Common Grackles on the railing to Cavendish Beach were noisy, stopping briefly after doing aerial acrobatics, both gazing skyward.

Gulls in the waterways of the Homestead Trail soar on the wind. We recognized a Ring-billed Gull among them.

We’ve seen pairs of Mallards in the national park in several areas, including MacNeills Pond, Cavendish Grove and on the Homestead Trail. A pair was hanging out with the gulls.

Red-winged Blackbirds love Cavendish Grove with all the bulrushes/cattails there. The males are chatty and like to sit in nearby trees and survey their domain. The females are more elusive. This male shows a hint of red.

Finally, it could be sad news about the geese in the Grove. The goose which was nesting on an island in the pond is off the nest and there aren’t any goslings. 

This nest looked rather exposed to us, compared to those on a similar island in previous years. We fear the worst happened. The last time we visited, twice during the day we watched the proceedings, hoping to see goslings. This pair could be the couple which hung out in this location by the pond before nesting began.

Meanwhile at the opposite side of the pond, a goose and some mallards appear to tolerate each other. 

My husband and I enjoy the birds every time we visit the national park on Prince Edward Island.