Report created by Paul Martin, Shorebird Counter and Educator for the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project with the Saint John Naturalists Club.
Start time: 7:00 am
High tide: 9:05 am
Finish time: 11:30 am
Weather:
Start: 7°C, clear skies, wind 11 km/h North
Finish: 18°C, clear skies, wind 9 km/h NNE
Board Walk (7:00 am) – Birds (13 species): View eBird Checklist
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Common Eider, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, American Herring Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Tree Swallow
Marsh (8:00 am) – Birds (14 species): View eBird Checklist
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Osprey, American Crow, Common Raven, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow
Main Beach (9:40 am) – Birds (5 species): View eBird Checklist
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Bald Eagle
Mudflats (10:45 am) – Birds (16 species): View eBird Checklist
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Hudsonian Godwit, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Bald Eagle, Peregrine, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron
Notes:
The numbers of sandpipers on the beach are beginning to increase, but I’ve also noticed a good number of peeps of all three species staying in the marsh, some close to the sandy area and some further in amongst the tall eel grasses. Also, large numbers of peeps were moving into mudflats at low tide from Lorneville. For some reason, the Saint Rests Beach doesn’t seem to be overly active, maybe the displacement of rocks this year?
- Tomorrow, 7:30 am, the first group from the Maritime Forestry School along with instructor Adrian are showing up to assist in survey.
- Reported dead birds and have had feedback, will send it to Hank. The goose moved on, it wasn’t as ill as I thought.
- Today, there was a twin engine plane that flew over the marsh really low; I wondered if it was Canadian Wildlife Service.
- There were some birders who walked through the marsh right before I did my count, they scared a lot of birds up. I talked to them about the importance of giving the birds space in the marsh, at high tide on the beach, and that I had permission to be in the marsh but it isn’t actually allowed by Irving.
- Due to the fire ban, Irving Nature Park has restricted vehicle passage to the parking lot outside of the gate to Taylor’s Island. People were allowed to use the trails at their own risk.
People Engaged: 8
Total People on Beach: 7
Dogs leashed: 2
Dogs unleashed: 1
Kites: 0
Fisherman: 1 (arrived to fish at low tide, asked about the sandpipers, and I encouraged him to choose to fish over towards East Beach or near the Flags Parking Lot if there at high tide)
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.