Piping Plover Charadrius melodus
This bird is between six to eight inches
in size.At every stage of this bird's life, the head and breast are white.
Mature birds have a beige-coloured back and a black "head band".Another
black band runs across the mature plover's breast.Immature Piping Plovers are duller
in color. In his book, Birds of Nova Scotia, Robie Tufts defines the Piping
Plover's call as "a soft, flute-like pipe-pipe-pipe-pipe repeated at short
intervals". Breeding range includes the eastern coastline and central area of
North America. This plover does not spend a great deal of time on nest preparation.
Nests tend to be no more than a mere depression in the sand, above the tideline with
sparse linings consisting of seashells and decaying vegetation. Both the nest and
plover inhabit white sand, which blends in with the Piping Plover's natural colours for
camouflage. White sand beaches are also recreational centres for humans.Due to
human interference, this bird has being officially
declared endangered by the Committee
on the Status of Endangered Wildlife (CSEW) since 1985. Signs have been placed in
some white sand breeding areas warning people to go no further. When a Piping
Plover's nest is approached, a series of diversionary tactics are employed, initially by
wide circling of the intruder and plaintive calling, then finally a "limp" is
faked, as the Plover tries to lead its enemy away from its nest.Usually, four eggs
are laid between the middle of May to late June.
Herring Gull Larus
argentatus
The Herring Gull is a large gull at 23 to 26 inches. Breeding birds are mainly white overall,
with black-tipped wings and grey back. Eyes are yellow. A small, almost indiscernible
red dot can be found on the Herring Gull's lower jaw. Non-breeding or wintering birds are
duller in colour with grey-white streaks. Immature birds are grey in colour overall.
The National Audubon Society defines the Herring Gull's call as "a loud, trumpeting keeyow,
kyow-kyow-kyow". The Herring Gull can be found in abundance along any coastal
area in Nova Scotia. Generally a scavenger, it has no particular food preference. A
permanent or stay-resident bird, this gull has no migratory compulsions. However,
if an individual gull is so disposed toward travel, it will most likely winter along the
eastern coast of the United States. Breeding range includes most of Canada and
all coast lines. Nests are found low to the ground along with other nests;
occasionally in trees. Two to three eggs are usually laid, as early as mid-May. The
Herring Gull has been placed under the protection of the International Migratory Bird
Convention ever since the year 1917. Since then, this gull has increased greatly in
population, to the point of becoming a serious threat to other bird species such as the
terns.
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
One of the largest gulls at an average of 30 inches in size, this bird has
a black back, and a white underbody when mature. A red spot can be seen just under
the tip of its long slightly curved beak. An immature Great Black-backed Gull will
have speckled black spots on head and back. The black spots are larger and darker
toward the tail end of the immature gull. The National Audubon society defines the call of
this bird as "a hollow skow or skowp, much deeper than the call of
the Herring Gull". This bird is found mainly along the coastlines intermixed
with the aforementioned Herring Gulls. Nests are clustered in groups on the
ground usually on an island, containing two-three eggs laid as early as May. Breeding
range includes the eastern coastline of North America starting from northern Labrador, Newfoundland to the southern coastline of the United States.
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
One of the largest ducks, the Common Eider is 24 inches in average size. The head of a mature male is mostly white, with a black mask flaring back over the eyes
and a long sloping beak with a spade-like hook at the tip. The back of the mature
male is white. Tail, wingtips, and wing flaps are black. Females are similar to
males in shape, but are light brown overall, with a white beak. Female flanks are
brown with mottled black stripes. Immature males are dark brown, with a white breast
and pale-coloured head. The National Audubon Society defines the courting male's call
as "a low moan." The Common Eider is mainly found along rocky island
coastlines toward the open sea. Nests are usually found on islands, and the
upbringing of offspring is communally shared among females. One oddity that may be an
unique characteristic is the use of their own feathers to construct nests. Nests are
found on the ground in a sheltered area that strongly blends with the female eider's
brownish colours for camouflage. Eggs are usually five in number, and are laid in
June until late July. Diet is shellfish, for which the Common Eider is capable of diving, due to a heavy bone structure. Breeding range includes Alaska, all of Canada,
and the northeastern portion of the United States. Wintering range consists of two
relatively tight clusters, one on western Canada's shoreline, continuing into Alaska's
coastline, and another on Nova Scotia's and Labrador's shoreline.
