A week with birds

Last week was a great week for photos. It started with the sighting of our first Great Blue Heron in the salt marsh. 

Such a welcome sight! I didn’t walk much that day, watching the bird instead as it stealthily captured tiny fish in the stream. 

Later, from the bridge nearby, the bird added lots of interest to a familiar scene.

As I proceeded along the boardwalk, I looked back to the stream and the same bird was along the shoreline of Bedeque Bay. 

Welcome back, Great Blues!

Another fascinating experience this past week involved Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Early last week, I heard tapping as I passed an area of woods along the boardwalk which I had never explored. I followed a path towards the tapping and discovered this male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drilling a huge hole in a tree. 

The next day, a female Sapsucker worked on the same hole. 

I suspected they were drilling a cavity for a nest.

On the third day, the male was back and worked diligently, often its top half disappeared into the tree as below.

Since then, I haven’t seen the birds though I check every day. 

The stream through the salt marsh has male Mallards these days, as the females tend nests this time of year. This Mallard looks pleased with himself as he called out to someone.

One fine day last week, the sky was full of jets, many looking to have followed great circles across the Atlantic. I cannot determine if this is an Air Canada jet or one from another carrier.

Magnolia began to bloom last week in Summerside. One place we like to visit is the local homemade ice cream shop which has a lovely garden with Magnolia trees. One was in bloom and we enjoyed their ice cream and the tree while we sat in the garden.

There is another tree about to bloom there this week…

Saturday we packed a picnic and headed to Cavendish to see if the Bald Eagles were feeding on the fish migrating upstream to spawn. Clarkes Pond is one place in the National Park where one can see the Eagles resting among the trees after they’ve had their fill of fish from the pond.

We weren’t disappointed as this adult Eagle was resting in an old snag

and nearby, a younger Eagle with immature feathering, sat with its head on a swivel looking backwards as I photographed it. 

Great Blue Herons and Osprey flew overhead as well while along the sand on the far side of the pond, Double-crested Cormorants looked like they were satiated too.  

I also saw a Gray Catbird in Cavendish that day.  This is not a common bird on Prince Edward Island and it was the first time I saw one. It entertained me for several minutes with its beautiful song.

Our last stop on Saturday was at an Osprey nest we chanced upon another day we were out and about last week. This one is in the countryside, on a pole along a red dirt road, surrounded by fields. 

This nest is huge and well maintained compared to the smaller Osprey nest at Cavendish.

Finally on Sunday, we smiled at the sight of this Elbows Up sign placed on this birdhouse along the boardwalk. 

Birds, including migrants, are urged to be watchful during these uncertain times! 

Have a great week!