[rec.birds] Nova Scotia

willner@cfa.HARVARD.EDU (Steve Willner, OIR) (07/27/90)

Any advice for birding Nova Scotia in August (5-13th) would be
appreciated.  Locations, species, or anything else of interest.
Thanks.
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Steve Willner            Phone 617-495-7123         Bitnet:   willner@cfa
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA                 Internet: willner@cfa.harvard.edu

dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca (David Graham) (07/28/90)

In article <405@cfa.HARVARD.EDU>, willner@cfa.HARVARD.EDU (Steve
Willner, OIR) writes: 
> Any advice for birding Nova Scotia in August (5-13th) would be
> appreciated.  Locations, species, or anything else of interest.
> Thanks.

The ferries to Yarmouth (from Maine) and Digby (from New Brunswick) 
should turn up lots of shearwaters, storm petrels, alcids, gannets and 
so on. It may be early for phalarope migration, which is supposed to 
be spectacular in the Bay of Fundy in later summer/early fall. Head of 
the Bay (Minas Basin to Sackville, N.B.) has incredible shorebird 
migrations which should be in full swing by the time you get there. 
Tantramar Marsh (Sackville) is a super location. Sackville also has a 
wonderful inn, called the Marshlands (not the motel of the same name). 
Fundy N.P. (in N.B.) has the world's best tides and not bad birds,
including B.B. Woodpecker and Three-toed Woodpecker, and many
warblers. Kejimakujik N.P. (southern Nova Scotia) provided us with one
of our great birding memories: a Barred Owl perched at head height a
few metres away for what seemed like forever before it floated off
over the lake at dusk (not to mention Snapping Turtles on the beach).
Wonderful fresh scallops in Digby. Nice province, Nova Scotia. 

Hope you have a great trip.

> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Steve Willner            Phone 617-495-7123         Bitnet:   willner@cfa
> Cambridge, MA 02138 USA                 Internet: willner@cfa.harvard.edu
-- 
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   David Graham                                  dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca  
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lawson@extro.ucc.su.OZ.AU (P Lawson) (07/30/90)

From article <108508@kean.ucs.mun.ca>, by dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca (David Graham):
> Any advice for birding Nova Scotia in August (5-13th) would be
> appreciated.  Locations, species, or anything else of interest.
> Thanks.
> 

   From the town of Big Brador (between Baddeck and Sydney just off the
Trans Canada Highway near the Seal Island Bridge)  there is a boat which
does trips out around Bird Island.  It's well worth the trip if it is
done in the right season.  It's the only place that I've seen Puffins
and for that alone I'd recommend it.

   There are also Bald Eagles and Ospreys on Cape Breton, but there is
no guarantee that you'll see either.  

   Good luck,
                Peter.