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Message: <blockquote data-quote="StuartReeves" data-source="post: 1290948" data-attributes="member: 12155">Day 2, Brier IslandFirst light saw me at Northern Light, the northern tip of the island, known for its early movement bird movements. There was not a breathe of wind, and the early morning light combined with the eerie howling of the seals on the rocks nearby made for an incredibly atmospheric setting. As the sun rose birds started to appear in the small spruce trees of the headland. It made for some challenging but exciting birding, having to identify unfamiliar warblers on brief views. The birds flicking through In quick succession included Yellow Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, and Black-throated Green Warbler; every one a wee cracker. Birds were regularly flying up from the bushes and heading to the point, only to turn back and drop back in to cover, and occasional birds fell victim to cruising Sharp-shinned Hawks which were also migrating out. Northern Flickers were also showing the same migratory urge, looking both incongruous and spectacular as their colours caught the early morning sun as they dived back in to cover.After a fine breakfast, waders were next on the agenda, at a tidal pond and cove on the western side of the island. Having dipped spectacularly the previous day, my particular target here was Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Arriving at the beach, I flushed a group of Turkey Vultures off of their breakfast, a dead baby seal. My first chance at my target almost met the same fate as the first waders I saw were a small group flushed by a Merlin which singled out the smallest bird in the group and gave chase. Once the waders settled down, I initially found Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover and Sanderling. These were then joined by two smart juvenile Baird’s Sandpipers. Then a flock of Semi-palmated Plovers joined the group, and tucked in amongst them were two of my target Semi-palmated Sandpipers. I also got to play the traditional BF game of guess the Yellowlegs, as two distant birds had me confused, before closer views showed them to be two Greaters. I think…</blockquote>

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