Birding Long Pond, St. John's, NL

Knowing where to bird is really important when in an area for only a short while. This is the first of a series of brochures I am preparing to guide birders new to the area to find the most birds possible. Feedback is welcome.

Birding Long Pond, Pippy Park, St. John’s, Newfoundland

                               Northern Goshawk

Table of Contents

Birding Long Pond............................................................. 1

Bird Sightings.................................................................... 2

Year-round Species........................................................... 2

Regular Seasonal Species................................................... 2

     Occasional Species....................................................... 3

     Rare Species................................................................. 3

Good to Know................................................................... 3

Long Pond Hotspots........................................................... 4

      West-end Bird Blind...................................................... 4

      Outdoor Classroom....................................................... 4

      East-end Shelter........................................................... 4

Nearby Birding Areas.......................................................... 5

For More Information.......................................................... 5

Birding Long Pond #1 Birding Hotspot in St. John’s, NL The woods and waters of Long Pond, accessible by a 2.9 km walking trail, yield more species of birds than any other single location in St. John’s. 100 Species and Counting Spanning twenty years (1994-2014), more than 100 species of birds have been spotted around Long Pond.

1

Bird Sightings Sources One hundred species have been reported at www.ebird.org and/or through the Google Discussion Group – NF Birds from 1994 to 2014. While this count is not exhaustive nor the “official count,” it can be considered an excellent overview of birds seen and months recorded. Year-round Species ·       Ducks: American Black Duck and Mallard ·       Woodland Birds: Dark-eyed Junco; Black-capped Chickadee; Boreal Chickadee; Red-breasted Nuthatch; Blue Jay; Golden-crowned Kinglet;  American Goldfinch; American Robin; European Starling; Northern Flicker; and Herring Gull. Regular Seasonal Species ·       Spring and Summer: American Bittern; Song Sparrow; Swamp Sparrow; Fox Sparrow, Yellow Warbler; Yellow-rumped Warbler; Blackpoll Warbler; Northern Waterthrush; Black and White Warbler; Wilson's Warbler; Black-backed Woodpecker; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Wilson's Snipe; and Osprey. ·       Fall and Winter: Brown Creeper; Cedar Waxwing; Greater Scaup; Lesser Scaup; Tufted Duck; American Wigeon; Eurasian Wigeon; Northern Goshawk; Northern Pintail; Bald Eagle; Pine Grosbeak; Pine Siskin; Purple Finch; Belted Kingfisher; Ring-billed Gull; Black-backed Gull; and Iceland Gull.

2 Occasional Species American Coot; Bank Swallow; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; Bufflehead; Canada Goose; Palm Warbler; Orange-crowned Warbler; Redstart; Hooded Merganser; Northern Shrike; Pied-billed Grebe; Ruffed Grouse; Savannah Sparrow; Northern Shoveller; Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; Magnolia Warbler; Ovenbird; Hermit Trush; Black-bellied Plover; Semipalmated Plover; Common Tern; Great Horned Owl; and Spotted Sandpiper. Rare Species Clay-colored Sparrow; Great Blue Heron; Great Egret; Great Crested Flycatcher; Marsh Wren; Lark Sparrow; Redwing; Lincoln's Sparrow, Little Blue Heron; Laughing Gull; Common Moorhen; Redhead; Gadwall; and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Good to Know There are several resources and services in the area to make the birding experience more enjoyable. ·       Parking is available by the Fluvarium off Nagles Place. ·       Camping is available at Pippy Park from May through October. ·       The Fluvarium offers a variety of Nature programs for children. ·       Nearby, MUN Botanical Gardens hosts a free bird walk every second Sunday morning from May through October at 8:00 a.m., led by knowledgeable volunteers. ·       A copy of the Newfoundland Bird Checklist is available at the MUN Botanical Gardens off Mt. Scio Rd. ·       Long Pond trails are groomed year-round. ·       A bird blind is available on the west end of Long Pond to enhance waterfowl viewing.   3 Long Pond Hotspots West-end Bird Blind Outdoor Classroom Area The bird blind is located at the west-end of Long Pond and overlooks a natural wetland habitat. Great Egret, Great-blue Heron, American Bittern, American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Mallard, American Black Duck, and woodland birds have all been seen from this hide-away. A variety of woodland birds cluster in the area of the outdoor classroom. The berries and cones attract numerous species like Cedar Waxwings, American Robins, chickadees and sparrows, including a Clay-colored Sparrow. A Brown Creeper has also been spotted along the walkway to the classroom. East-end Shelter The south-east corner of Long Pond is the best location to view Yellow Warblers and American Goldfinch. From this east-end shelter, it is also possible to see sparrows and other warbler species.

Nearby Birding Areas Connected by way of a first-class network of walking trails (St. John’s Grand Concourse), there are several other good birding areas in East-end St. John’s. These locations include: ·       Kent’s Pond. ·       Rennie’s River Trail. ·       Quidi Vidi Lake. ·       Virginia River Trail. ·       Kenny’s Pond. For More Information:  www.pippypark.com                   www.grandconcourse.ca                          www.fluvarium.ca                www.birdingpal.org/newf.htm  Boreal Chickadee                                     Great Egret

Note: Anyone interested in ordering a print copy of this in pamphlet format, please contact me via the form on the lower right of this blog screen. My brochure formatting did not import well into the blog. Much undo spacing and poor alignment here.