Page 42 - August Birds in Cape Breton, 1893

ISSUE : Issue 49

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1988/8/1

making heard. Although, on many other occa? sions, I saw representatives of this spe? cies in various parts of Cape Breton, I was unable to find any of its near kindred. No purple grackles, redwings, cowbirds, bobo? links, starlings, or orioles crossed my path; yet I saw much territory in which they might, for all I could see, have been very happy, and in which song, swamp, and savanna sparrows, Maryland yellow-throats, and similar birds appeared to be established. Cape Breton is unquestionably a favorite resort of woodpeckers, including the flick? er, hairy, downy, yellow-breasted, and black-backed, and I doubt not the pileated also, although I was not fortunate enough to see or hear him. Flickers were common. jMim post M P.O. Box 1705 562-7056 243 CHARLOTTE ST. SYDNEY, N.S. BIP 6T7 Ready Made Crafts * Bridal Fabric * V.LP. Pre-Printed Cotton Fabric * Designing & Manufacturing of Bridal & Formal Wear HOURS 10 - 5 Monday-Saturday (LAY-AWAYJ and consorted much with robins, as they do in New Hampshire during their autumn migra? tion. The hairy woodpeckers were most abun? dant near highways, where they frequented the telegraph poles and snake fences. As I write, I cannot recall seeing a hairy wood? pecker anywhere except upon the poles and fences close to roads, but I saw many in those favored places. They were noticeably tame, as most of the Cape Breton birds were, and allowed me to drive close to them, while they tapped gayly upon the bleached poles, or scrambled over, through, and under the fence sticks. Downy woodpeck? ers were less conspicuous, and of the yel? low-breasted I saw only one. He was a young male that had been tapping alder trunks in a thicket growing upon very damp ground, on the edge of the Southwest Margaree, near the point where it escapes from the broad waters of Loch Ainslie. Nearly a dozen trees had been bled by him or his family. As soon as I entered the thicket he flew away; and although I awaited his return as long as time permitted, neither he nor any other woodpecker or humming-bird came to the sap fountains. One of the birds which I most wished to see in the northern woods was the black-backed, three-toed woodpeck? er. I searched for him near Baddeck, at Loch Ainslie, and on my journey northward from Baddeck to Ingonish, but he did not appear. One morning, during my journey southward from Cape Smoky, I arose very early and visited the beautiful falls and canon of Indian Brook, which are about twenty-five miles north of Baddeck. In the deep woods near the falls I met three of these sprightly birds. I had concealed my? self among the bushes to call birds around me, and was watching Hudson's Bay titmice, commmon chickadees, flickers, wary wood- wise robins, juncos, and a few shy war? blers, when a woodpecker cry, manifestly not made by a flicker, rang through the woods. High up on a blasted tree was a me? dium-sized woodpecker, somewhat resembling a sapsucker in attitude and air of being up and a-coming. I squeaked more vigorously, and he came nearer. Then a second and a third arrived, and all of them approached me with boldness born of curiosity and in? experience. They scolded and hitched up and down tree trunks, flew nervously from one 150 YEARS OF SHIP REPAIRS TRADITION Good People Sea & Shore Services Inc. "You are welcome to be served by long tradition and high quality." Ship & Industrial Repairs ?? Dry Docking (1 COOT) ?? Diesel Engines Repairs & Rebuilding ?? Propeller Repairs Welding ?? Carpentry ?? Diving Services ?? Fueling Station Carmel Ship Supplies If we dont have it. We can get it! If we can't get it, It doesn't exist! Complete Stock of Fishing & Fish Plant Supplies SERVING THE INSHORE AND DEEP-SEA COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN 255 Commercial Street, NORTH SYDNEY, Nova Scotia (902) 794-4741 1362 Main Street, LOUISBOURG, Nova Scotia (902) 733-2209 255 Commercial Street • North Sydney DAY: (902) 794-4741 (office) ~ CALL 24 HOURS A DAY ~ NIGHT: 794-8235 or 794-4338 or 539-8634

Cape Breton's Magazine