May Long in Timmins, ont

Hey Everyone,

The following are notes from my trip to Timmins,ont.


Day ONE (05/21/10)


Today was my first day in Timmins and it was pretty good.

On the way up 5 out of our 6 stops had Tree Swallows. On one of our stops I was also able to hear two Blue-headed Vireos(L) and see one up close. Other sightings on the way up where:

Turkey Vulture 1
8 Evening Grosbeaks


When I finally arrived in Timmins my first sighting was a White-crowned Sparrow.

Along with:

20 more White-crowned Sparrow
15 Purple Finches
1 American Three-toed Woodpecker
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
25 European Starling
1 Red-winged Blackbird
8 Tree Swallows
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler
8 Killdeer
2 Savannah Sparrow



1 Chipping Sparrow



6 Bonaparts Gull



I first saw a Killdeer on the beach alone and I decided to follow him after a child flushed him. When I found him again my intentions where to take some pictures of him. Those intentions quickly changed when I heard him calling to a mate and saw her do her broken wing display. For those of you who don't know Killdeer will fake a broken wing when a predator approaches the nest. It's quite a ingenious tactic just think, if you’re a hungry predator you will follow the easy meal. The purpose of this is to lure prey from the nest to avoid the eggs from being eaten or destroyed. So as I said my intentions quickly changed I said to myself "I have to find that nest". I looked and looked and Looked and followed her a little and turned around and looked more. I know the general area the nest was in but I could just not find it.











So I had to rethink my approach, I decided to go back and start from where I saw the first Killdeer. A now there were four Killdeer ...... Ohh boy I said to myself.... what now? well I went back to where the mother was doing the display and looked more as she did it AGAIN. AND NOTHING. So I got frustrated and went to the camper to read some nesting facts about killdeer. But on the way back I had THREE Killdeer simultaneously doing the display I could not believe it.... So I gave up and went for an A.T.V ride. On the way back I decided to go where she was doing her display because I noticed that the bikes did not bother her as they zoomed by. She was more focused on me then anything. So what do you know I drove in and up goes the mommy but this time SHE WAS ON THE EGGS!! Yay! There were two speckled eggs on top of wood chips so they must have just started about a week or so ago.







My thought is that the others were just aiding the female by trying to get my attention and pulling me away from the nest. They only did this once and then disappeared so only one nest. I'm happy that I found the nest now I can keep an eye out for bikes coming in its direction. Unfortunately I don't think this nest will be successful as I won't be here for 30 days to watch it. It's so well hidden that I knew what I was looking for and saw the signs but could still not find it. I imagine that someone will by accident change the outcome of this nest. But that's the unfortunate thing sometimes birds just pick horrible places to nest. They don't see danger around the corner.







Day TWO (22/05/10)


Today’s sightings:
Blue Jay 1
American Robin 1
Killdeer 4
Long-tailed Duck 40-50
Common Loon 4





Tree Swallow 4
European Starling 8
Northern Flicker 1



Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
1 female mallard + 12 chicks





Savannah Sparrow 1



Common Grackle 1



American Crow 1
Chipping Sparrow 1 * seen with nesting material in mouth

The Tree Swallows here seem to be accepting Purple Martin boxes as their own. Out of the two Martin boxes here one pair has taken over one condo of 14 holes and the other remains empty because it seems to be too close to the one they are using. I was able to poke a mirror into the cavity that they are using and all I could see was feathers. I did not see any construction going on in that box so I assume they made it before I arrived. I'm convinced that there will be an egg tomorrow because the pair was seen mating today also. I'm intrigued to see what will happen when the Purple Martins arrive. Because I don't think the colony will allow Tree Swallows the nest near them or vica versa.






Day THREE (23/05/10)


Sightings:
Pileated woodpecker 1



Killdeer 7
Purple Finch 1
American tree-toed Woodpecker 1
Northern Parula 7












Magnolia Warbler 1
European Starling 6
Tree Swallow 6
Broad-winged Hawk 1
Bonaparts Gull 3


I'm begging to think there are more Killdeer nests near other or where more nest. It seems like every time anyone approaches the mother does some alarm calls and many -others respond and come in. It's like they have a large protection system that works like a well oiled machine. I would be surprise if there still are other nests because the others don’t seem to act like the mother. They lie down and hide but get up and fly away as soon as they are approached as opposed to doing the display. They only seem to do it when the female on the nest calls them in. I had seven birds today calling and some doing the display but like I said the only do so when I’m by the know nest. I have walked where I thought the other nests where and nothing seems to happen just one or two birds running or fling away not doing to display.

I have been lucky enough to have found a way to watch the nest without disturbing the parents and or its protectors. I noticed that A.T.V's really don't bother them. It makes sense as vehicles like this are pretty well a mystery to them. Which goes to show you that besides for humans other aspects of the human world are completely new to them. It seems like the human world is developing too fast for them to catch up. It is likely that Killdeer and other birds have become accustom to humans over many years and developed displays such as the one they perform. Things such as ATV's are completely foreign to them. Although it isn’t terrible that they don't move right away. They have a better chance of the eggs not getting plowed because someone may see the bird first. I did however put a large rock behind the nest to deter four wheelers for driving over it. Altogether I feel with the protection system and the rock this nest has a better chance of surviving than I originally thought.

Today there were still two eggs today which is unusual because they typically lay four eggs. It seems like they are incubating already also. I’m not sure how often they lay their eggs but according to Easterns birds' nests the time between laying varies so we could have more eggs. Hopefully I will see the third egg before I leave.






Day FOUR (24/05/10)


Today’s sightings (Timmins):

Purple Finch 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Blackburnian Warbler 3





Magnolia Warbler 2



Northern Parula 3
Red-eyed Vireo 4
Killdeer 4

Sightings on the way back:

Broad-winged Hawk 1
Turkey Vulture 2
Canada Goose 2 + 3 chicks



Sightings on the box check:

American Robin 1
White-throated Sparrow 2

On our way back from Timmins we checked our Bluebird boxes. Nothing still, I was thinking hopeful as I got a report of a pair in Nipigon. (Thanks Rob) Although when we were out there we heard a Pileated Woodpecker and I figured that a nesting cavity must be close by. So we drove for half an hour in we saw a few suitable cavities but none where active. So tired and disappointed we headed home. But on the way I saw a Pileated hole in a power pole, then I saw another and another until I saw a head sticking out of one. And what do you know I was mama Pilly on the nest. It was fun to watch her stick her head in and out. I can't wait to see when there are 4 or 5 little heads sticking out too.





Thanks for reading,