Wilson's Snipe

I got back to Wilkin's Field this afternoon for just over an hour. I was pleased to find almost 20 different species, especially two that I looked extra hard for. Gilbert Bouchard had reported through ebird that there was a Sora and American Bittern there Friday evening. I found them both (no picture of the Sora and blurry one of the American Bittern flying away) so thats two more to check off of my life list! (126 for the year, 139 for life in NB) There were 3 Wilson's Snipes and I did get a decent picture of one that I have posted below.

Chimney Swifts

Last night, I got to see Chimney Swifts for the first time. I was in the Fredericton area and met up with Don Gibson. After reading this post from Nature NB http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/NatureNB/1420748?year=2013, I asked Don if he could show me where they were. He didn't think they were still there so we were both pleasantly surprised to get to watch more than 80 of them for about twenty minutes. I posted a short clip below where you can hear them and if you look closely, see them flying about (it was past 9:30 and the sun was already down).

Nest

Some of my students found this bird's nest today. I saw a Yellow Warbler hanging around and after looking at different pictures for comparison, that is my best guess as to who the egg and little one's belong to.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

For the past half hour, I've been going through the most recent pictures that I have taken. I just figured out that I saw a Northern Rough-winged Swallow last week when I saw all the Tree, Bank and Barn Swallows. Now I just need a picture of a Cliff Swallow and to find a Purple Martin.....

1) Rough-winged 2) Barn 3) Bank 4) Tree

Black-crowned Night Heron & Eastern Wood-Pewee

I was determined to add to my life list today since I knew I had at least 2 hours to look around. After searching for those two hours along the Grafton Shore Road, I did find over 20 different species, but none were new. It was past 3 so I knew I should be getting home as my boys would most likely be up from their naps. As I was walking towards my car I continued to search and happened to see my first Black-crowned Night Heron (not an American Bittern) and Eastern Wood-Pewee. I'm now up to 112 for the year and 127 for life!

*Thanks to Merv Cormier for the correction! I was looking very hard for an American Bittern that I just assumed thats what I had found. I can't say enough how great its been to be a member of http://birdingnewbrunswick.ca/

Cedar Waxwing

I found my first Cedar Waxwings a few days ago along the St.John River. There were about a dozen of them sitting in a tree. This picture is from a few years ago close to my in-laws cottage on PEI. This is when I first started to really get interested in taking pictures of birds and it remains my favorite picture of a Cedar Waxwing that I have taken so far.

Last night I got out birding for a few minutes and found a few Bank Swallows mixed in with over 20 Tree Swallows along the St.John River in Woodstock. I know a nesting spot over on PEI where I've seen them many times before, but had yet to see any in NB until last night. I should also mention I saw my first Red-eyed Vireo of the year yesterday when I went out for a short walk along a trail in Nackawic.

These 3 birds have brought my total up to 110 for the year just in New Brunswick.