Animal friends

Our walks along the boardwalk aren’t daily any more because we are cycling the trails as well. However sometimes when we are on the boardwalk, we see Great Blue Herons which are always a treat. One morning last month, we happened upon a heron feeding in the marsh.

It took off along the shoreline.

Further along the shoreline, we saw it had met up with a companion and the two stood motionless in the water. They are such elegant looking birds.

On one of our more recent visits to the boardwalk, we were on the way to the car when we heard a ruckus. It took a minute or so to discover the source.

Three birds, two blackbirds and a woodpecker were harassing a crow.

The woodpecker left and two more blackbirds joined the harassment.

Eventually two of the birds made the crow fly off. 

You can see the birds harassing the crow in the 15 second video here.

I saw a similar story on-line recently. Someone photographed as a raven stole eggs from nests and several species of birds ganged up on the raven to drive it away.

There are numerous blackbird nests among the reeds, grasses and shrubs in the area where I spotted them harassing the crow. 

Finally, we had the grand-dog, Georgie with us recently at the boardwalk. She enjoys watching the animals, especially the rodents.

We always give her time to watch and she invariably, 

though unsuccessfully, attempts to chase them. 

Her face is a study in concentration. 

The animals around us provide much to see and enjoy.

Back at the Grove

When we arrived at Cavendish Gove and exited the car, a tree on an island in the pond had noisy grackles and blackbirds competing for loudest bird in the area. By the time I could take a photo, there were only a few left in the tree.

We had a pleasant surprise too. One pair of Canada geese had six goslings. Already this spring, one nest hadn’t any survivors. Over the past number of years though, my husband and I have seen two sets of goslings in the Grove, so we shouldn’t have been surprised to see one goose family there this year, which was great!

Canada geese are such wonderful parents. It is always fascinating to watch them, as both parents stay involved with the goslings, unlike some bird species. One parent leads the goslings around and the other stays behind, protecting the young ones from potential predators or from straying away.

As we watched, one adult led the six balls of yellow fluff and dabbled on the way, the goslings behind watching the upended bottom of the parent. 

After a short interval among the grasses along the shoreline that adult headed back into the pond followed by the goslings and the other parent. One gosling had taken the lesson seriously and dabbled a bit too. They are fast learners.

In the nest area, both parents were settling in as the young ones did the same.

Meanwhile, Gadwalls and Mallards swam around the pond, dabbling as well. 

They co-exist nicely with the geese as we’ve seen before in the Grove.

                                               Double dabblers:  Gadwall left, Canada Goose right

Elsewhere in the park, the Cavendish sandspit has been closed to visitors for the summer to protect the nesting Piping Plovers I mentioned a few posts previously. An article by the island’s CBC station can be seen here.

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.

Feathered friends

The salt marsh which is sometimes a pond along the boardwalk is changed again. A recent storm removed the seaweed and sand which provided a dam at the mouth of the pond. Now the pond is gone and a stream is back in its place. You can see the opening to the harbour in the photo.

The poor American Black Ducks which call the area home don’t have enough depth to swim in places. Now we see them on the beach most days. Another storm is required to wash seaweed and sand back into the opening in the natural dam. I hope the ducks get their home back in their favourite condition soon.

Late in March, a pair of Kildeer were back in the marsh area. A pair hung out there last summer. Could they be the same birds? 

One day recently, this Hairy Woodpecker was interested in the senior taking her photo. 

The American Robins were back on the island during the last few days of March.

A Black-capped Chickadee landed on the bridge while I was there. I placed my hand in my pocket and the little bird flew around my head. I imagine it expected some food.

Mourning Doves like to pick seeds off the bridge when there aren’t any walkers around.

Dozens of Song Sparrows sing their greetings all along the boardwalk. Several were busy on the bridge collecting seeds one day. These tiny birds have powerful voices and their songs fill the air.

Tree Sparrows continue to visit the bridge as well.

A Red-winged Blackbird  finally stood still long enough for me to photograph him. We have heard their chatter for a few weeks.

The Blue Jays along the boardwalk are always talkative. Their voices dominate any choir.

A Herring Gull 

and a Ring-billed Gull 

are from a flock of various gull species enjoying the harbour these days.

The harbour/boardwalk area is an avian paradise despite the cold so far this spring.

Wild beauty

The wildflowers along the boardwalk have yet to be too adversely affected by the cold and dark of autumn. 

Though the greens are not as brilliant now and many plants have gone to seed, the plants make a pleasing border. 

They are tall, having achieved their height in the long, hot summer days. The border catches the eye.

The city has planted and maintains wild rose bushes along the path. The rose, pink and white blooms are gone now, except for an occasional straggler. Numerous rose hips replace them, some quite large, others more numerous on a bush but tiny.

One group of rose bushes is almost devoid of rose hips. 

There are open hips exposing some seeds on rocks across from these bushes. 

Were the fruit-eating birds such as waxwings, blackbirds and thrushes eating at this table?

Bulrushes present in wet areas are dried out now, having had their brief few green weeks in the sun. The blackbirds enjoy their company either way.

In the harbour, hundreds of geese are gathered in the sand at low tide. They have muted conversations until one talks of leaving and then a loud discussion ensues prior to take-off, as others decide to join the exodus. Similarly, landing geese are noisy as they glide in on the breeze, staking a claim on a landing spot.

Gulls young and old strut their stuff on the exposed sea bed as they forage for food.

In the stream, the neighbourhood yellow legs is swimming around which is an unusual sight for that wader.

The leaves are changing colour now, a huge difference from last week. The breeze shakes a few more from the branches as we walk by.

In our little city, natural beauty is easy to find.