Report created by Paul Martin, Shorebird Counter and Educator for the Shorebird Conservation and Education Project with the Saint John Naturalists Club.
Start time: 2:00 pm
High tide: 4:05 pm (7.3 m)
Finish time: 7:00 pm
Weather:
Start: 21°C, Passing Clouds, Wind 26 km/h SSW
Finish: 18°C, Sunny, Wind 22 km/h SSW
Boardwalk (2:06 pm) – 9 species: View eBird Report
Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Merlin, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Song Sparrow
Marsh (2:28 pm) – 14 species: View eBird Report
Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Black-bellied Plover, Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Merlin, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret
East Beach (3:21 pm) – 8 species: View eBird Report
Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Sanderling, White-rumped Sandpiper, Bald Eagle, American Herring Gull, Double-crested Cormorant
Main Beach (4:29 pm) – 6 species: View eBird Report
Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, American Herring Gull, Savannah Sparrow
Mudflats (5:34 pm) – 17 species: View eBird Report
American Black Duck, Common Eider, Ruffed Grouse, Ring-billed Gull, Bonaparte’s Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Great Egret, Northern Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, American Crow, Common Raven
Disturbances to birds:
- Northern Harrier on marsh and mudflats harassing peeps
- Merlin chasing peeps on marsh, mudflats, and beach
- Bald Eagle soaring low over East Beach constantly
- Peregrines on beach and mudflats constantly chasing peeps
- Human: 3 dogs on long leashes, still harassing some birds
Notes:
- With the woods open, gates are open and more people going directly into park, fewer on beach
Engagement & Activity:
- People engaged: 32 (many on boardwalk)
- Total people on beach: 21
- Dogs leashed: 9
- Dogs unleashed: 0
- 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.