Report created by Paul Martin, Shorebird Counter and Educator for the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project with the Saint John Naturalists Club.
Start Time: 2:10 PM
High Tide: 3:45 PM
Finish Time: 6:45 PM
Weather:
Start: 27°C, Clear, Intermittent Fog, Wind 26 km/h SSW
Finish: 22°C, Clear, Fog, Wind 26 km/h SW
Board Walk (2:14 PM) – Birds Observed: View eBird Checklist
Double-Crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, American Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Semipalmated Plover, Peeps, Greater Black-backed Gull, Least Sandpiper, Northern Harrier
Marsh (2:42 PM) – Birds Observed: View eBird Checklist
American Herring Gull, Canada Goose, Least Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Savannah Sparrow, Peregrine Falcon, American Crow, Bald Eagle, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, American Black Duck, American Goldfinch
Main Beach (3:26 PM) – Birds Observed: View eBird Checklist
American Herring Gull, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Double-Crested Cormorant
Mudflats (4:46 PM) – Birds Observed: View eBird Checklist
Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Common Eider, Great Blue Heron, Double-Crested Cormorant, American Goldfinch, American Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull, Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, American Black Duck, Nelson’s Sparrow, Osprey
Notes:
Due to the fire ban, Irving Nature Park has restricted vehicle access to the parking lot outside of the gate to Taylor’s Island. Visitors were allowed to use the trails at their own risk.
The majority of sandpipers were using the marsh, with only a small number on the beach. Observed one large flock of 50 flying over the water and a small flock of 17 on the beach.
People Engaged: 38
Total People on Beach: 95 (the majority were sitting by the two parking lots and not moving down the beach)
Dogs Leashed: 5
Dogs Unleashed: 0
Kites: 1 (flying near parking lot; understood reasoning not to fly where birds are located)
Fisherman: 1 (fishing over by mudflats; didn’t care if disturbing birds)
Counter/Educator: Paul Martin
The Shorebird Conservation and Education Project is supported by our funders at the NB Wildlife Trust Fund, the NB Environmental Trust Fund and Birds Canada.