After our picnic at Kildare Capes, as mentioned in my last post, my husband and I continued along the northwest coast to Tignish Shores. This beach is one we like to visit to watch Northern Gannets in the spring diving for food off-shore. It is a great place for a walk and we always meet locals as they enjoy their daily walk on this iron-rich sand.
The beach is just east of a boat basin and part of the wind farm on the northwest coast is visible in the distance. The decorative lighthouse in the nearby park is visible from the beach as well.
The sand dunes in this area were devastated by Fiona
and the marsh behind the dunes shows how far the storm surge moved inland.
On that beautiful autumn day, the breeze was enough to provide some fun for the gulls as they sailed above us over the length of beach. Some Buonaparte’s Gulls haven’t migrated south yet. As is usually the case, gulls landed at the mouth of the stream which crosses the beach and empties into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Today they have company as a tractor moves sand around the area of the stream.
While we don’t know for sure, we can speculate that a shift of sand as a result of Fiona necessitated human intervention. A tractor moving sand on a beach is an unusual sight on the island.
A nice surprise was the presence of some migratory birds which stop by the island on their way south for the winter. Most are gone by mid September. However, this day a Sanderling fed along the beach
as did a White-rumped Sandpiper.
I watched the birds as I walked both ways on the beach, wondering how they would manage to fly south alone and wished they’d join forces for what lies ahead.
Meanwhile in the water just off shore, three Red-throated Loons floated around
as a seal swam nearby.
Can you see the seal’s head?
There was something else in the water but I couldn’t manage a photo.
Island beaches are a source of wonder!
