'Das Beste' Berichte/Best of Europe

Vogel des Jahres / German Bird of the Year 2001

(click on pic for infos)

Birding the Americas Trip Report and Planning Repository

   Blake Maybank

LEGEND: Date format dd.mm; 05.07 = 5 July/juillet.
Ind. = individuals.
> = present for at least the previous week
>> = present for at least the previous two weeks
>>> = present for at least the previous month
=?= = may still be present (updates requested)

Date: 18 January 2001

This report contains bird news of potential interest to European birders.
The focus is on rarities, and significant passage migration. Most sightings are preliminary, awaiting documentation and assessment. Nomenclature as per the American Ornithologists Union.

You are invited to contact me for information on birds and birding in Canada and North American (address at end of report).

Winter Birds

The main anomalies so far this winter have been:

1) the lack of Bohemians and the large flocks of Cedar Waxwings Zedernseidenschwanz (Bombycilla cedrorum)

2) the large number of Purple Finches Purpurgimpel (Carpodacus purpureus) that appeared during the Christmas period at most feeders and are still with us;

3) White-throated Sparrows Weisskehlammer (Zonotrichia albicollis) numerous at certain feeders and strangely absent from many others.

Rarities

** Pied-billed Grebe Bindentaucher (Podilymbus podiceps) [Grebe a bec bigarre]
One at Pleasant Lake, Yarmouth County and at Blanche (near bridge), Shelburne Co.

** Mute Swan Höckerschwan (Cygnus olor) [Cygne tuberculé]
<<<13.01 1 immature at Freeport or Westport. Initially reported from the French Shore but moved to the vicinity of Brier Island, New Year's Eve. This is the first record for the province of an individual considered to be from an established population, likely from the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S.

** Wood Duck Brautente (Aix sponsa) [Canard branchu]
Two males are a regular at Sullivan's Pond. Another male at the Kinsman Pond in Truro.

** Eurasian Wigeon Pfeifente (Anas penelope) [Canard siffleur]
At Tufts Cove (sometimes two) or Sullivan's Pond; in Yarmouth, also sometimes two, and; one at the Trenton Power Plant.

** Tufted Duck Reiherente (Aythya fuligula) [Fuligule morillon]
One in Dartmouth area, sometimes at Sullivan's Pond, and; one at the Pictou Causeway.

** Barrow's Goldeneye Spatelente (Bucephala islandica) [Garrot d'Islande]
Reliable at the mouth of the Sackville R., Bedford Basin (3 males); the Tidal Plant at Annapolis Royal (up to 5), and; at the Pictou Causeway (7). Reported occasionally from other locations.

** Gyrfalcon Gerfalke (Falco rusticolus) [Faucon gerfaut]
One (perhaps 2) have been reported from the Yarmouth area. Last reported on Jan. 1. One also around the Head-of-St-Margaret.

** American Coot Amerikanisches Blässhuhn (Fulica americana) [Foulque d'Amerique]
One occasionally at Sullivan's Pond.

** American Woodcock Waldschnepfe (Scolopax minor) [Becasse d'Amerique]
At CSI (but not recently) and Lydgate (near Lockeport), Jan. 10-15.

** Thayer's Gull Polarmöwe Unterart thayeri (Larus thayeri) [Goeland de Thayer]
15.01 One at the former Volvo Plant (Pier 12?), Halifax since Dec. 12. Probably same individual as last year.

** Mew (Common) Gull Sturmmöwe(Larus canus canus) [Goeland cendree]
Found on the Halifax CBC and seen occasionally since. No certain location, it seems. Another seen on the Pictou CBC, has been in the Weir's Gut area (near Caribou) since a month. No later reports.

** Ivory Gull Elfenbeinmöwe (Pagophila eburnea) [Mouette blanche]
27.12 One immature found on the St. Peter's CBC. Not relocated.

** Snowy Owl Schnee-Eule (Nyctea scandiaca) [Harfang des neiges]
Can be found on Cape Light where four (!!) are hanging out.

** Northern Hawk-Owl Sperbereule (Surnia ulula) [Chouette eperviere]
16.01 1 at Chebogue Point/Bunkers Island (near Yarmouth)

** Red-bellied Woodpecker Carolinaspecht (Melanerpes carolinus) [Pic a ventre roux]
There are singles in Yarmouth, in Shelburne, in Birch Cove Park, and in Cole Harbour.

** Northern Wheatear Steinschmätzer (Oenanthe oenanthe) [Traquet motteux]
31.12 One at Port Morien, stayed briefly

** Pine Warbler Kiefernwaldsänger (Dendroica pinus) [Paruline des pins]
One (a probably returnee) at Edward St., Dartmouth.

** Eastern Towhee Rötelgrundammer (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) [Tohi a flancs roux]
13.01 One still at a feeder in Middle West Pubnico

** Bullock's Oriole (?) (Icterus bullockii) [Oriole a ailes blanches]
<<<16.01 One 1st. fall male at Purcells Cove since Dec. 3. May last the winter. (This is the third confirmed sighting for the province).

Blake Maybank,
144 Bayview Drive, White's Lake
Nova Scotia, B3T 1Z1, Canada
(902) 852-2077

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