cormorant fishing at Scots Bay


Aquatic, Wetland and Shore Birds





black-bellied plover in winter plumage





dunlin at Cook's Beach, Yarmouth County





marbled godwit (an occasional migrant to our region) with black-bellied plover





greater yellowlegs (the light was glaring on the rock that afternoon and I'm not happy with this shot, but it will have to do until I can get another one)





ring-necked plover (also called little ringed plover) near Pinkney's Point at Cook's Beach




plover and friend (least sandpiper) - nicely camouflaged!






heading toward the water





handsome sandhill crane, which appears to be expanding its range and is being seen
more and more often around wetland areas in NS (Shubenacadie Park)




a delightfully-marked puffin near Green Island in the Tusket chain





four puffins take it easy on the tranquil waters off Green Island




black guillemot with its meal (photo taken from quite a distance away)






juvenile double-crested cormorant (fresh-water pond)




A passing gull spots the splashing of a loon and pauses to investigate.



After submerging the loon, the thief makes off with his prize - a large eel.




If loons spoke English, this one would be delivering a string of curses as it watches its catch fly away!




a common loon glides peacefully on a lake in Yarmouth County





three mallard drakes "batching it" on the Annis River during mid-spring





great blue heron in Gardners' Mill





pelagic birds - great northern gannet, cormorants, male eider duck



Canada geese



wood ducks - two males, one female



juvenile osprey, our provincial bird - also called a fish hawk





mallard, herring gull, female merganser




Canada Goose flanked by mallards; in the photo at right, the birds are mating in the river



Canada goose gosling at left; mallard duckling at right




spectacular plumage of the male wood duck, Annis River




juvenile herring gull, Port Maitland, NS




barnacle goose, an occasional visitor from more northern regions (Shubenacdie Park)




mallard duckling





cormorant in the rapids below Tusket Falls dam, Raynardton



American Wigeon - an uncommon winter resident in NS



Greater scaup, Yarmouth Harbour (February, 2011)



Lesser Scaup (females) - Yarmouth Harbour, February 2011



Common Merganser (males) on the Tusket River - February 2011



Red-breasted Merganser (male) - Yarmouth Harbour (January, 2011)



Three Buffleheads (male in the middle) - Yarmouth Harbour (January, 2011)



Hooded Merganser (male) - Yarmouth Harbour, January 2011



Female common merganser eating a white sucker - Tusket River, January 2011 (shot taken from some distance away)