Interested in birding?
An easy way to get a taste of the birding world is by joining the Nova Scotia Bird Society Facebook Page and joining the society itself. The society organizes regular field trips throughout the province and non-members are welcome.
Cost for a one-year membership is $20.
View a free sample of the bird society magazine at this URL: https://nsbirdsociety.ca/seawatching.pdf
“A frigatebird flew by over the water as I hung sheets on the clothesline one day. I had a western flycatcher down the road a few years ago and gull-billed terns after a hurricane. The Hawk, Matthew’s Lake at Hemeon’s Head (Black Point) are teeming with migrants this time of year.”
She also loves to visit the Little Harbour area, West Head in Lockeport and Blanche in Shelburne County.
The area she monitors for piping plovers recently had nest predation or washout from storms, but she helps when she can in other areas and with the banding of chicks at Louis Head.
She depends on several different birding apps, including the Audubon app (she is a board member of the organization).
The Sibley app is useful if she is stuck on an identification and she likes the iBird Pro app, which is quick and easy to maneuver.
Alexander used to keep a life list but now tends to spend more time in observation of bird behaviour than she does listing them.
However, she does post unusual species, or those observed on trips, on the eBird site.
“Since I’ve travelled many places in the world I would guess my life list would be over 2,000 by now,” she said.
The Christmas bird counts are on her annual to-do list.
“I’ve done two in Nova Scotia but usually I’m with family in New York state at that time of year and I have been doing that count for almost 50 years. New York has a greater number of species in the winter since it is more southerly.”
Jane Alexander’s book, “Wild Things, Wild Places, adventurous tales of wildlife and conservation on planet earth,” is now available in paperback, in some local libraries and bookstores and on-line.