Birds of Porters Lake
What has actually been seen around Porters Lake: 291 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 291 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 119,824 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 98 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.6 h / 8.8 h
What the records say about Porters Lake
291 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Porters Lake (Nova Scotia) since 2010, across 119,824 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, American Herring Gull and Song Sparrow.
The records split between backyard birds (59%) and waterbirds (36%), so a feeder in Porters Lake sees the familiar American Crow, Song Sparrow and Black-capped Chickadee, while American Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle and Osprey.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 2.8 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and breeding arrivals), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Lake Echo, 3 mi to the west, has a similar number of species on record (289 against 291).
Daylight runs from 15 h 35 min at midsummer to 8 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:30 AM in mid-April and 5:27 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Porters Lake
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 5,693 |
| 2 | American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus | 4,567 |
| 3 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 4,546 |
| 4 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 4,532 |
| 5 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 3,635 |
| 6 | American Black DuckAnas rubripes | 3,484 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,459 |
| 8 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 3,304 |
| 9 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 3,232 |
| 10 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 2,942 |
| 11 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 2,696 |
| 12 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,370 |
| 13 | Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus | 2,123 |
| 14 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,931 |
| 15 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 1,930 |
| 16 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,882 |
| 17 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 1,820 |
| 18 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 1,736 |
| 19 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 1,714 |
| 20 | Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca | 1,690 |
Records by month
What to put out in Porters Lake
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- Mourning Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower
Seasonal bird notes for Nova Scotia
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for Canadian backyards. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit backyards in Porters Lake?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Porters Lake are American Crow, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch and Blue Jay, based on 119,824 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Porters Lake?
291 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Porters Lake?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 5:27 AM.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.