nature notes

A warm hello to anyone who may read this, my very first ever blog post. It is my intention to use this space to share what’s happening in Cape Breton’s natural world and any comments, you, the potential reader may have, will be gratefully accepted.

Coltsfoot

Spring has come onto the Island and slowly, every so slowly, things are beginning to happen. Continuing cool temps and little sunshine have hampered early bloomers such as Eipgea Repens, better known as Trailing Arbutus or Mayflower, Nova Scotia’s provincial flower, from budding but Coltsfoot, never afraid of the cool and damp, made its appearance several weeks ago in protected areas of towns and villages. it is just now appearing along roadsides and in the wilder places. Daffodils and Narcissus have begun flowering in wild and landscaped places, a lovely shot of yellow in an otherwise drab, early-spring landscape. Hardwoods are budding but it will still be some time before leaves begin to unfurl.

Ring-neck Duck

Not really a negative for me as I am an avid birder and this is the very best time of year for observations of inbound migrants. Indeed, a recent field trip out here in Victoria county, south of Smokey, provided some excellent sightings of returning bay ducks including Green-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck. The mating American Kestrel were a treat, to be sure, as were the 4 Common Snipe wheeling above the calm waters of the Bras d’Or. The family of American Bald Eagle provided an excellent photo op for, not only the field trippers, but interested island-visitors who stopped on the roadside to find out what it was we were all focusing on with binocs and scopes. The best sighting, personally, was all-too brief – a Chimney Swift spotted by a member of our group and quickly identified by its unique flight pattern. A lifer for me! Our group observed or heard a total of 37 species on a route that took us from Nyanza to Big Harbour then on to South Gut St. Ann’s and included the season’s first Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Tree Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Swamp Sparrow (heard but not seen). Not bad for the end of April!

White-tail Deer

Other nature notes: 4 White-tailed Deer crossing the highway a few weeks back. I am relieved to report they were a little thin from the hard winter but their coats were thick and glossy which means they were able to cope with the incredible snow-load experienced in this end of the country. Spring peepers have begun to sing and a few Wood Duck and n. Leopard Frog were also heard while combing the country-side for our feathered friends.

Until next time – B. Kent