Eastern Bluebirds Nesting

Posted by Eric Mills from NatureNS
This afternoon I found a newly-fledged E. Bluebird with an adult in downtown Westport, not far from where a pair was prospecting in June.

This confirms breeding in the Brier I E/Freeport square for the new atlas and is close to under the wire.

Eastern Bluebird

On my way to the library i noticed on the telephone wire 1 Eastern Bluebird.

Eagle, Northern Harrier

Just had a note from Julie who lives in Freeport. She sighted a northern harrier and a bald eagle on my walk along the shore on the "fundy view trail" today

Seabirds and Seal

Here is some pictures i took today on the cruise of some seabirds we sighted.

Whales and Seabirds on the Bay of Fundy

HI Everyone
What a beautiful day in Brier Island today. I helped my husband out on the boat this morning whale watching. We sighted four humpbacks. The first ones we came to were off Batson's Buoy and it was Littlespot with a whale who has a scientific number #8324 but no name as of yet. They were friendly and came up to our boat to take a closer look at us by spyhopping next to our boat. We also had 2 minke whales one below us and one above. We also sighted lots of porpoises and 2 grey seals. AS we sailed further out we came across two old favorites Cirrus and Flash having an afternoon siesta. Lots of seabirds around today. Some sighted on our cruise was:
Sooty and Greater Shearwaters
Wilson Storm Petrels
Northern Fulmars
Phalaropes
Common Murre
Noticed lots of feed in the water and some moon jellies to.
All in all it was a great day to be on the water!

Foggy

Today was foggy and dreary but the whale watch went out and sight humpback whales! Tom Goodwin from ocean explorations was going on a shore trip to see the seals and came across some humpbacks close to shore near bear cove so the day was saved by Foggy and Peajack!

Gooseberry Cove

I thought i would post some pictures of my hike the other day when it was gorgeous sunshine and nice summer temperatures. Today of course it is dreary and foggy. Last night we had a terrible lightning and thunderstorms that my dogs do not enjoy. I would rather look at beautiful weather so i wanted to share these photos with you.

Right Whales and Humpbacks

Hi Everyone
Just got a report that there was a mother and calf Right whale by Northern Light and working close to the shore going towards Western Light near Brier Island. Also off Northwest ledge near Brier Island was 4 humpbacks. Foggy and Peajack were traveling together and Mogul and Gremlin were also in the same vicinity.
June

Bonaparte's Gull

Last Night i had a chance to go to pond cove. While walking along the beach i sighted a Bonaparte's Gull riding the surf and ducking its head picking out food with its beak.

Orchids and beautiful landscapes

Not to waste a beautiful day i went for a hike at seal cove to try and find Blinks- Montia fontana and to my delight i finally found them! On the rocks i could hear the grey seals that had hauled up to bask in the sun moaning their mournful howls. Some eider ducks were taking their brood out for a swim.The smell of wild roses and sea salt was in the air! Then i decided to go to Western light and found three bog orchids in bloom. Dragon's-mouth, rose pogonia and grass pink.

Seabirds

Here is some pictures of the seabirds we sighted yesterday on our whale watching cruise.

Minke and Fin Whale sightings!

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day so i decided to go out whale watching with my husband. Although it was a long distance to go (23 miles out and back from Brier Island) we had an incredible sighting of a minke whale breaching several times in the waves! Then 7 fin whales working as a group were sighted feeding. We even had one come out right beside the boat! You can really see how large these whales are when you are treated to a close encounter like we had yesterday. The seabirds we encontered yesterday was: Greater and Sooty Shearwaters, Puffins, Phalaropes, Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannets, Wilson Storm-petrels,and a common tern. Here are some pictures i took of our cruise yesterday.

Northern Light Birds

Going through the wood path at Northern Light to get to the shore many birds were in amongst the conifer trees and alders. Here are a few i sighted this morning on my hike. On e even had a bird band on its leg! Maybe it was even banded at Northern Lights Bird Migration banding station.

Northern Green Bog Orchid

Platanthera hyperborea- Northern Green Bog-orchid
What a beautifull day! Its great to see the sun no fog or wind! Went for a hike to Seal Cove and sighted the Northern Green Bog Orchid in bloom. THis is a tall plant with green flower clusters. It was growing in amongst the Blue flag in a seepy area.

Finally back in Nova Scotia from Boston!

Hello Everyone
Sorry i haven't posted anything this past week i have been in Boston on Thompson Island at the Gulf of Maine Institute youth conference. While i was away my friend Jim had a chance to visit Brier Island and found these plants in bloom. He sighted a pitcher-plant that was lemon yellow (doesn't have any red pigment) Blinks (Montia fontana,white-flowered plants of Mertensia maritima.
Will try to get out hiking this week to see what is around. My husband who is a captain for Brier Island Whale & Seabird Cruises has been sighting minke whales, fin whales.He also noticed alot of seabirds around such as wilson's storm petrels. Northern Fulmars, a couple of puffins, northern gannets,lots of manx shearwaters, greater shearwaters, and sooty shearwaters.