Report created by Paul Martin, Shorebird Counter and Educator for the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project with the Saint John Naturalists Club.
Start time: 10:00 am
High tide: 12:01 pm (7.5 m, plus large surf pounding beach)
Finish time: 3:00 pm
Weather:
Start: 18°C, passing clouds, wind 17 km/h North
Finish: 25°C, partly sunny skies, wind 33 km/h North
Boardwalk (9:50 am) – Birds, 16 species: View eBird Checklist
American Black Duck, Common Eider, Black-bellied Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, Merlin, American Crow, Barn Swallow
Marsh (10:52 am) – Birds, 19 species: View eBird Checklist
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Pectoral Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Harrier, American Crow, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Tree Swallow, Common Raven, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow
Main Beach (11:50 am) – Birds, 9 species: View eBird Checklist
Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, American Herring Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Savannah Sparrow
Mudflats (1:36 pm) – Birds, 13 species: View eBird Checklist
Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, American Crow
Disturbances to birds:
At the boardwalk I witnessed a Merlin take a peep. On the mudflats there were multiple birds of prey. I witnessed a Northern Harrier hover over 100 peeps and then dive at them. I watched two Peregrines make constant runs at the peeps on the beach and in the air. I had a dog owner put his dog on a leash, then after talking with him about giving the birds space, he walked with the dog directly through the birds, with the dog trying to chase them. Later at the mudflats the same dog and owner (dog off leash) appeared again.
At least half the people I talked to, after telling me they understood about the sandpipers needing rest, continued on their way walking directly through the birds without even stopping. The surf was pounding the shore, which had the birds quite restless on top of other disturbances. I feel that with the fire ban, the beach is being used more frequently, especially by dog owners. People’s attitude towards being asked to watch where they walk is being tested due to the closure of parks, woodlands, and some campgrounds.
The heavy surf made access to the beach restricted to the main beach, as surf was pounding East Beach right up to the cliffs. At the mudflats a Harbour Seal was out on the bay near the opposite bank.
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: 14
Total people on beach: 40
Dogs leashed: 2
Dogs unleashed: 3
Kites: 0
Fishermen: 0
Counter/Educator: Paul Martin
The Shorebird Conservation and Education Project is supported by our funders: the NB Wildlife Trust Fund, the NB Environmental Trust Fund, and Birds Canada.