Birds of Nova Scotia

Today's blog is a photo- fest from Nova Scotia, courtesy of my friend Ronnie d'Entremont.   Ronnie was gracious enough to take me birding a couple of times during my recent visit, and he shared some of the best spots and best birds to be found in the area. 

Ronnie got excellent photos of the Atlantic Puffins carrying food for their young.

Stunning, is it not?  How he got these shots from a bouncing boat, I'll never know.

 A fly-by Atlantic Puffin, carrying food.  This must be the closest thing on earth to a flying penguin.

Red-necked Phalaropes

 We were thrilled to see a small flock of Red-necked Phalaropes as we were returning from the puffin trip.  This is not a bird commonly seen in southern Nova Scotia.  They were migrating through in a group, nine birds in total.  The dark under-wing shot is diagnostic.

Hudsonian Godwit

Hudsonian Godwits are the default godwit for this area.  Their migration path often brings them through these shores and islands. We saw four at one time, which was a breath-taking sight.  Thank you to Ronnie for sharing your amazing photography with us.

Ronnie d'Entremont

And here is my photo of Ronnie on the shores of the Cape Sable Lighthouse Island, N.S.  The crystal clear waters and white sand beaches have a surreal beauty of their own.

My thanks to Ronnie for his excellent services as a bird guide, and the added bonus of a trip to The Historical Acadian Village of Nova Scotia, to be featured in the next blog.