A Fine Day for a Mistle Thrush

It was actually Day 89 according to Peter Gadd, finder of such a rare bird.  Even though he said the bird hadn’t appeared until after 11:00am the last few days, I decided to come early, just in case it was the perverbial early bird.  Well, it was.  The Mistle Thrush arrived shortly after I arrived just after 8:30am and hid in the dense branches of a tree, where I wasn’t able to get any kind of good photo.  It vanished for nearly an hour and then returned just before Peter was heading home to report the arrival to NARBA.  This time, the bird did not disappoint and posed in the sun eating berries for about 15 minutes while he and I and a gentleman from St John, took photos.  The temperature wasn’t exactly warm, but it was nice enough in the sun that we all enjoyed being out on such a glorious February day, seeing a species of bird that, once it’s gone, might never be seen in North America again.

Afterward I heard to Halifax hoping to find a Dovekie, but the next two days were gloomy and rainy and though I did see a good variety of birds, I saw no Dovekie.  However I did get the rain soaked thrill of seeing a swimming Bald Eagle in the harbor near Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.  Apparently, eagles sometimes misjudge their attack on a fish and paunch into the water, seemingly forceing them to swim for shore.  Anoteher eagle looked on with detached interest, as its mate swam for shore.  I looked away at one point, searching for a Dovekie in the rain and fog, and when I looked back, the swimming eagle was gone.  I hope, not drowned but just climbing back to shore in a different spot from where I was looking.

All, in all, I’d say this was a successful and worthwhile trip, and when the Mistle Thrush gets added to the ABA list, that will be an added bonus.

Next Stop, Tampa Bay, Florida.  I’ll be there about 5 weeks and hope a few tropical rarities show up, especially on one of my few days off.