These photos are of my second encounter with a Black-necked Stilt. This bird is a a true rarity whereas most of the birds reported as rare on the Nova Scotia Rare Bird Alert are just uncommon, annual regulars and even common birds. 

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt 601 Black-necked Stilt 602 Black-necked Stilt 603 Black-necked Stilt 604 Black-necked Stilt 605 Black-necked Stilt 606 Black-necked Stilt 607

I enjoyed an early morning hike on the coastal barrens. The highlight was a Pectoral Sandpiper. A short down curved bill and abrupt breast demarcation are field marks for this sandpiper.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper 11 Pectoral Sandpiper 12 Pectoral Sandpiper 13 Pectoral Sandpiper 14 Pectoral Sandpiper 15 Pectoral Sandpiper 16

Pectoral Sandpiper with Semipalmated Plover Pectoral Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover 10 Monarch Butterfly(I met this guy along the way as well) Monarch Butterfly 500

I revisited the Marbled Godwit and obtained better photographs. The technique for approaching a bird is:

-walk obliquely towards the bird, not directly, and avoid eye contact;

-stop after a few steps and if the bird is not startled take some photos and move a few more paces, repeat;

-when the bird or guard birds become alarmed they will stand up and look at you so stop;

-take photos, wait and move again a few paces obliquely towards the bird;

-if the bird starts walking then stop. Your as close as your going to get;

-if the bird or guard birds startle and fly you can turn in your birder/photographer credentials and find another hobby.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit 208 Marbled Godwit 209

Marbled Godwit 203 Marbled Godwit 204 Marbled Godwit 205 Marbled Godwit 206

Glossy Ibis does not photograph well in gloomy conditions. Bright reflected light brings out its glossy sheen nicely. Also, gloomy conditions almost always produce noisier photos and I despise noise. Unfortunately noise reduction flattens the image and detail is lost. It's always a compromise.

Glossy Ibis

Glosssy Ibis 200 Glosssy Ibis 201 Glosssy Ibis 202 Glosssy Ibis 203 Glosssy Ibis 204 Glosssy Ibis 205 Glosssy Ibis 206 Glosssy Ibis 207 Glosssy Ibis 208 Glosssy Ibis 209 Glosssy Ibis 210

The Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid is our latest blooming orchid, often blooming until the first hard frost. Inconspicuously it grows on dry disturbed ground and can be identified both by its late blooming but also the namesake yellow tongue on the lower petal.

 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid

Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 100 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 101 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 102 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 103 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 104 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 105 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 106 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 107 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 108 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 109 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 110 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 111 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 112 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 113 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 114 Yellow Ladies'-tresses Orchid 115

I photographed the Marbled Godwit from a fair distance so the photos are severe crops. There was a clutter of gulls around the shore that provided notice to the Marbled Godwit of interlopers, like me. Perhaps I will try at dawn's first gleaming.

I have a story about this remarkable bird. I was driving my Bronco along the ridge of a dyke north of Oak Hammock Marsh, Manitoba, one summer when a Marbled Godwit appeared and charged my Bronco stopping about 10 metres in front and sat there glaring and squawking at me. Well, OK, I said to myself I must have been bad. Sure enough a few minutes later another Marbled Godwit, presumably a female, led a parade of young Marbled Godwits across the road in front of my Bronco. After the parade passed by I was permitted to continue.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled Godwit 13 Marbled Godwit 11 Marbled Godwit 12

The Black-necked Stilt, an elegant shorebird, is reported irregularly. It's probably an annual regular but that is impossible to prove.

It may or may not have dropped out of Dorian's eye. The Marbled Godwit, American Avocet and Glossy Ibis are also irregular visitors. I photographed two Glossy Ibis today but that will be on a later posting....I'm always behind this time of year as I try to take advantage of the fair weather.

Black-necked Stilt

Black-necked Stilt 100 Black-necked Stilt 101 Black-necked Stilt 102 Black-necked Stilt 103 Black-necked Stilt 104 Black-necked Stilt 105 Black-necked Stilt 106 Black-necked Stilt 107 Black-necked Stilt 108 Black-necked Stilt 109 Black-necked Stilt 110 Black-necked Stilt 111 Black-necked Stilt 112 Black-necked Stilt 113 Black-necked Stilt 114 Black-necked Stilt 115 Black-necked Stilt 116 Black-necked Stilt 117

During a rather strenuous three hour hike at times through nose high brush and grass I managed to photograph some sunrise photos from Shoal Point. The harvest moon was photographed  a few nights before.

Sunrise Over the Atlantic Ocean

Sunrise over the Atlantic 100 Sunrise over the Atlantic 101 Sunrise over the Atlantic 102 Sunrise over the Atlantic 103 Sunrise over the Atlantic 104 Sunrise over the Atlantic 105

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon 300 Harvest Moon 301

I've encountered even more warblers at my favourite warbler trap(not Hartlen Point). Previously seen were Yellow-throated Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler. Worm-eating Warbler(a ludicrous name for an elegant bird), Yellow-throated Vireo and Prairie Warbler have also been seen but not photographed. 

Kentucky Warbler

Juvenile with yellow spectacles showing and the beginning of black articulars(a single black stripe). It's all  unmarked yellow below with an plain greenish-olive back. 

The poor photo quality and low light in the woods does not help plus a very severe crop, perhaps 10% of original frame. Kentucky Warbler(juvenile) 10
Blackpoll Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler 300

Blackpoll Warbler 301 Blackpoll Warbler 302 Blackpoll Warbler 303

Cape May Warbler Cape May Warbler 100 Cape May Warbler 101

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chesnut-sided Warbler 250

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat 350

Northern Flicker  Northern Flicker 150

Red-eyed Vireo

Chestnut-sided Warbler  Chestnut-sided Warbler 300

Common Yellowthroat  Common Yellowthroat 300 Common Yellowthroat 301 Common Yellowthroat 302 Common Yellowthroat 303 Common Yellowthroat 304 Common Yellowthroat 305 Common Yellowthroat 306

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron 400 Great Blue Heron 401

Ring-necked Pheasant  Ring-necked Pheasant 100 Ring-necked Pheasant 101

Black Skimmers dropped out from the eye of Hurricane Dorian(post tropical storm with hurricane cat 2 winds technically) into Nova Scotia.

They are desperately trying to find food; eels, fry and frogs from a Nova Scotia salt marsh. I hope this group of eight birds can make it south.

Photos are shot at 6400 ISO, not the best, but it was gloomy and the birds were moving fast so I had to maximize shutter speed at the expense of image quality.

Black Skimmer

Black Skimmer 100 Black Skimmer 101 Black Skimmer 102 Black Skimmer 103 Black Skimmer 104 Black Skimmer 105 Black Skimmer 106 Black Skimmer 107 Black Skimmer 108 Black Skimmer 109 Black Skimmer 110 Black Skimmer 111 Black Skimmer 112 Black Skimmer 113 Black Skimmer 114 Black Skimmer 115 Black Skimmer 116 Black Skimmer 117 Black Skimmer 118 Black Skimmer 119 Black Skimmer 120 Black Skimmer 121 Black Skimmer 122 Black Skimmer 123 Black Skimmer 124 Black Skimmer 125 Black Skimmer 126 Black Skimmer 200jpg

HMS Queen Elizabeth paid an inaugural visit to Halifax. It motored past our home but due to trees I was unable to obtain good photos. I rushed out to Ferguson's Cove and obtained decent images there albeit under  grey sky.
 

HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead ship of the Queen Elizabeth class of aircraft carriers, the largest warships ever built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and capable of carrying up to 70 aircraft.^[17] She is named in honour of the first Queen Elizabeth, a World War I era super-dreadnought, which in turn was named after Queen Elizabeth I. The carrier Queen Elizabeth will carry her namesake ship's honours, as well as her Tudor rose-adorned crest and motto.^[1]

The ship began sea trials in June 2017,^[18] was commissioned on 7 December 2017 and is scheduled to enter service in 2020. Her first commanding officer was Commodore Jerry Kyd, who had previously commanded the carriers Ark Royal and Illustrious.^[19]

Queen Elizabeth has no catapults or arrestor wires, and is instead designed to operate V/STOL aircraft. The air wing will typically consist of F-35B Lightning II multirole fighters and Merlin helicopters for airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare. The design emphasises flexibility, with accommodation for 250 Royal Marines and the ability to support them with attack helicopters and large troop transports such as Chinooks. She is the second Royal Navy vessel to bear the name Queen Elizabeth, and is based at HMNB Portsmouth.^[20]

Some of these birds were blown in by the eye of Dorian, others are normal local birds and a few migrants from central Canada.

Prothonotary Warbler

These crops are about 3% of the original frame hence the milky appearance.

Prothonotary Warbler 100 Prothonotary Warbler 101 Prothonotary Warbler 102

Black-and-White Warbler

Black-and-White Warbler 200 Black-and-White Warbler 201 Black-and-White Warbler 202 Black-and-White Warbler 203 Black-and-White Warbler 204 Black-and-White Warbler 205 Black-and-White Warbler 206 Black-and-White Warbler 207 Black-and-White Warbler 208

Common Yellowthroat-a young male Common Yellowthroat 400 Common Yellowthroat 401 Common Yellowthroat 402

Forester's Tern Forester's Tern 10 Forester's Tern 11 Forester's Tern 12

Laughing Gull  Laughing Gull 120 Laughing Gull 121 Laughing Gull 122

Magnolia Warbler Magnolia Warbler 200 Magnolia Warbler 201

Prothonotary Warbler Prothonotary Warbler 50 Prothonotary Warbler 51 Prothonotary Warbler 52

Purple Finch Purple Finch 100 Purple Finch 101 Purple Finch 102

Red-breasted Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser 100 Red-breasted Merganser 101 Red-breasted Merganser 102

Red-eyed Vireo

Yellow Warbler

This is a strongly backlit photo.

Yellow Warbler 200 Yellow Warbler 201

Yellow-rumped Warbler  Yellow-rumped Warbler 200 Yellow-rumped Warbler 201 Yellow-rumped Warbler 202 Yellow-rumped Warbler 203 Yellow-rumped Warbler 204

Yellow-throated Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler 100 Yellow-throated Warbler 101 Yellow-throated Warbler 102 Yellow-throated Warbler 103

Dorian was a disaster for humans and birds with a lot of property damage in Nova Scotia. For a time almost all of Nova Scotia was without power.

Hundreds of thousands, likely millions of birds, died when bashed against rocks or drowned in the sea after exhausting all their energy.

I did not photograph property damage but I did photograph birds but sadly many of the survivors will still die from starvation. I try to help the Laughing Gulls by feeding them chopped up wieners. They know when I'm coming and land on the pavement near my car, currently about 50 individuals. Hopefully they will move south if they can recover enough strength.

There will be additional postings of warblers and Black Skimmers trolling. 

Some of these birds are immature and bashed up so if I erred in IDs send me an email [email protected]

American Avocet

American Avocet 10 American Avocet 11 American Avocet 12 American Avocet 13 American Avocet 14 American Avocet 15 American Avocet 16 American Avocet 17

Barn Swallow  Barn Swallow 20

Black Skimmers

I will post lots more photos in the coming days as they try to fish in the salt marshes. There are eels, frogs and fry on the menu if they can catch them. Black Skimmer 10 Black Skimmer 11 Black Skimmer 12 Black Skimmer 13 Black Skimmer 14 Black Skimmer 15

Common Tern and Black Tern  Black Tern and Common Tern 10 Black Tern and Common Tern 11

Black-bellied Plover Black-bellied Plover 10 Black-bellied Plover 11

Caspian Terns Caspian Tern 10 Caspian Tern 11

Cliff Swallows, well maybe since it is hard to tell as they are so bashed up from Dorian  Cliff Swallow 100 Cliff Swallow 101

Common Tern

Common Tern 10 Common Tern 20

Common Tern and Black Tern Common Tern 21

Common Tern Common Tern 100 Common Tern 101

Portuguese Cove

 30-40 foot waves were breaking along the shore here. Dory at Rest 10

Double-crested Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant 100 Double-crested Cormorant 101 Double-crested Cormorant 102

Fawn Fawn 10 Fawn 11 Fawn 12

Herring Gull Herring Gull 100 Herring Gull 101

Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate F362 

Heading to open water at the fringe of Dorian
 

Laughing Gull Laughing Gull 100 Laughing Gull 101 Laughing Gull 102 Laughing Gull 103 Laughing Gull 104 Laughing Gull 105 Laughing Gull 106

Day Before Dorian in Portuguese Cove  Portuguese Cove 10 Portuguese Cove 11 Portuguese Cove 12

The Day After Dorian in Portuguese Cove  Portuguese Cove Beach Hut 10

Sambro Island and Light  Sambro Island after Dorian 10 Sambro Island after Dorian 11 Sambro Island after Dorian 12

Sanderling Sanderling 101 Sanderling 102

Semipalmated Plover Semipalmated Plover 100 Semipalmated Plover 101

Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper 102

Solitary Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper 200

Whimbrel Whimbrel 20 Whimbrel 21