Robins, Waxwings, Great Blue Heron and more.....

Fifteen centimeters of fresh snow overnight has plunged us back into a winter landscape after several days of mild temperatures and ever increasing amounts of bare ground. Yesterday was a beautiful day and I was out birding and photographing for much of the day. Below are a few photos plus some updates on birds from yesterday. Click on any of the photos to see a larger version.

Only one SNOWY OWL could be found from the Point du Chene wharf at mid-day and it was on a piece of ice that drifted eastward and eventually disappeared down the coast. Most of the ice immediately around the wharf and between the wharf and Shediac Island disappeared overnight in the mild temps and southwest winds.

The NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (below) was still at its' post in the bushes lining the driveway at the Acadie Optometry Clinic on Main Street.

A lingering GREAT BLUE HERON (below) was hanging out along the shore below the giant lobster and then flew off toward Cornwall Point where is was later seen standing on the ice under the Route 15 bridge at the end of Cornwall Point Road. This heron was first noted on Christmas Day by Sam Pellerin in the first creek along the Cornwall Point Road - the first Great Blue Heron reported locally since November.

Berry-eating birds were very much in evidence along Greenwood Avenue and Stead Lane on Monday, including many AMERICAN ROBINS, CEDAR WAXWINGS and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. Here are two photos of some robins drinking from pools on Stead Lane:

Here's a flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS with two Cedar Waxwings on the right. The Cedar Waxwings are smaller, less gray below and lack the rusty undertail coverts of the Bohemian Waxwings:

Here's a pure flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS:

While at the Point du Chene wharf at mid-day I photographed this GRAY SEAL that kept popping up for air just off the end of the wharf:

Finally, I took this photograph of several men out on the ice on the Scoudouc River from Cornwall Point looking toward Shediac's Hotel de Ville / Town Hall (in the background). They had cut holes through the ice with chainsaws and were raking the bottom, presumably for quahogs?? UPDATE - Thanks to Dwayne Biggar for correcting me. These men are actually using spears to catch American Eels.