North Shore Bird & Nest Watch

Here's what you missed!!

2011-05-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!!

My favourite time of year is among us!!

It’s clear we will have several nesting sites this year. Nest construction for Tree Swallows has begun just today, however its apparent territory battles are still happening distracting some pairs for building. But let's start from the beginning......

On April 5 my Tree Swallows Pika and Zip arrived. They claimed the box immediately. This year I enlarged the holes on all of the boxes to 1 1/2"; some were smaller in attempt to attract Nuthatches and Chickadees. Two boxes were re-drilled and placed in the same yards as last year. Disappointingly these two houses are almost directly around the block from one another; this is where the territory battles are occurring. Using judgement I thought the distance between the two boxes was over 100 yards, a sufficient distance for Tree swallow pairs. I knew for sure I had one pair as I saw them at the box, since then I have only observed them flying around the box. Today I spent my lunch hour investigating what was going on and was surprised, happy and disappointed at the same time. It's clear there are two pairs in the area; however it appears they won't be settling down anytime soon. I’m not even sure what was happening to be honest... At first there were four birds chasing one another then there were two. What surprised me was the bird that kept clinging was a second year and not in full adult plumes, perhaps one of last year’s chicks. It appeared the bird was trying to enter the box but could not fit. While that bird was doing that another was sitting close by and would occasionally jump onto the clinging bird and visa versa. My best guess is that these two were both females, at least I hope. The younger bird was poking its head into every box in the area but focused more on mine. Another thing that grabbed me was how unsure this young bird seemed flying low and unable to cling one of the boxes. I’m crossing my fingers that these two pairs will buckle down and start building in the two boxes with minimal fighting. However if both pairs don't stay I’d prefer the older pair to stay. I don't think such a young unsure parent would have a full clutch; it would not be unlikely that none of the eggs would even be fertile, but you never know....

UPDATE*** (21/05/11)
Still days later the territory battles continue…. However it is clear the older pair is winning. They are able to chase off the younger pair however they consistently return to fight. I for the first time even saw two birds fight all the way to the ground; it was quite something to see. The younger bird was also seen at Pika and Zip’s box. As for Pika and zip’s nest there current construction rate is about one or two needles and day. It seems they have become involved in this territory dilemma causing them to build slowly. I hope these disputes are settled soon so we can get on with the season. However on another note, our pair at another location are blowing all the other Tree Swallow pairs out of the water when it comes to nest building. They started building on (19/05/11) the same day as Pika and Zip however in just three days there nest is about 1/3 of the way completed.

Pkia and Zip's slow building

1/3 completed nest

As a way to increase box usage this year boxes that I placed in the bush were coming down and being moved, or so I thought.... Two boxes I had the intention of taking down for sure had a little surprise in them for me. Both contained lichen, moss, bark pieces, small leaves and small sticks. This was a great discovery for me as I know this will be a new species for us. My prediction is that a Black-capped Chickadee pair is working on both of these boxes; however it could be a Red-breasted Nuthatch pair or even two different pairs. Like everything else going on this season we will have to wait and see what happens…

Stay tuned a new update will come soon

Thanks for reading,

Wave of Harris's Sparrows on the North Shore

2010-09-24T15:42:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone,

Well it seems like the parade of Harris's Sparrows continues on the north shore. Just minutes ago a new Harris's arrived at my feeders! Michael and Martha of North shore Nature now have three, and Susan Fagan of Dorion now has one also!

It appears that they seem to be extending their migration range this year just slightly. There range as I said usually just touches Thunder Bay, Ont.

(Map taken from http://www.allaboutbirds.org/)

Harris's Sparrow in Dorion, Ont

Harris's Sparrows in my yard.

Thanks for reading,

Harris's Sparrow in Marathon!!

2010-09-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!!

Some pretty exciting news, today I had a Harris's sparrow visit my feeders!! My dad first noticed a bird with a longer tail. Without knowing this I came home and saw a larger sparrow looking bird feeding on the ground. A few things I noticed where that its body was larger than the Dark-eyed Juncos and other sparrows at my feeders and that its tail was also longer. It also had patches of black on its chest.

It's not a rare bird in our area but it's a nice one for sure. Its normal migration range is just touching Thunder Bay. Oddly enough when I called Michael of North Shore Nature he too had a Harris's Sparrow in his yard today. After comparing pictures we determined that they are not the same individual.

(Map taken from http://www.allaboutbirds.org/)

As for other guests at our feeders we are getting:
American Goldfinches
Savannah Sparrows
White-throated Sparrows
White-crowned Sparrows
Black-capped Chickadees
Common Grackle
And a single Blue jay now and then

We are planning on renovating our feeders this fall before all the counts and Project Feeder Watch. Hopefully we will attract more birds for Feeder Watch.

Many of you may be wondering why there have been so few posts this summer/ fall, well to be honest I have not been doing much birding. At the begging of the season I encountered a few bears in the bush so I decided to hang up the hiking boots for a while, but not to worry they will be coming out very soon.

Thanks for reading,

Chipping Sparrow Surprise!

2010-08-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Well it seems like this week the birds are trying to tell me they are not done nesting yet. Today there was a lot of noise in one of my neighbour’s trees that overhangs in our yard. So I went outside to see what was going on, only to hear lot's of peeps. So I just happened to put down the right branch and right there was a little nest. Once I got on a ladder I saw three chicks ready to leave the nest. Sparrow's but what kind of sparrow? My first thought was Song but this is not the area where they have been hanging around. So what other possibilities where there then? Well the nest was much smaller and a lot less bulky, along with the chicks being much smaller. I thought Chipping Sparrow! But they looked very similar to the Song Sparrow chicks. Not seeing any parents around I made no assumptions.

Later I returned and checked the nest then BAM! All the chicks exploded from the nest. I was not too worried as the parents clearly wanted them to leave. The fecal sacks where not being removed, and the chicks had been crying for food all day. I did not want the chicks to get stepped on or picked up so I gathered them all and put them in one of my neighbour’s large pine trees.

Later on the chicks began flying from place to place and were seen in my neighbour’s garden. That's when I saw mommy with a mouth full of food. Turns out they were indeed Chipping Sparrows. Later one was seen in another neighbour’s yard, they contacted me because they thought it was injured. Everything seemed to be okay with him though eating and hopping around a little.

I assume that there may have been five chicks and some left, hence all of the noise. Also explaining why no parents got mad at me when looking at the chicks.

Some readers may wonder what to do if you find a chick well if it's okay and not injured LEAVE IT ALONE! Chicks found hopping around likely have just left the nest and are learning to fly. Don’t worry parents follow and feed the chicks till they can do so themselves. If it is injured contact your local MNR office and ask for wildlife rehabbers in your area. They should be able to help you and your little feathered friend.

Thanks for reading,

Nesting not done yet.....

2010-07-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday my aunt told me she thought she had a nest in her flower pot. Every time she would water the plants a bird would come out. So I went and looked today and as soon as moved the plants sure enough momma jumped to the ground and opened her wings. A sure sign that there was a nest in there. When I got on the step ladder I saw three newly hatched chicks, eyes still closed. Can anyone guess what species they where? Well here is a hint they usually always nest on the ground. Well it was a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos, the third pair of the year! I'm so use to seeing their nests on the ground but apparently nests in window ledges, and in hanging flower pots or light fixtures are just as common as ground nests.These chicks will likely be gone in under two weeks.

Thanks for reading,

Bank Swallow update

2010-07-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Today we visited our Bank Swallow colony and finally saw some action. When we first arrived it was quiet no Bank Swallows, just some noisy Kingfishers which I predict are nesting in other close banks. But after a few minutes passed we began to see some individuals flying around. When we got down to the site there was lots of action above the bank. There where anywhere from 20-40 pairs flying around. The adults where pretty shy and would not come down and feed the chicks. They would come as a big group then disappear all of a sudden, presumably down to the river to feed.

We sat in the bush and watched for about two and a half hours. With a little patience we were able to see several chicks, and we even saw two fledge. It has been quite the wait but it was very nice to see these guys once and for all.

Front and back of Swallow Bank

For fun I decided to mark a picture with new nesting burrows, active burrows, and active reused burrows on the front of the bank. While looking over footage of adult’s flying in and pictures of the chicks I began the two and a half hour task of plotting the nest sites as accurately as possible. I used a photo taken in March of the face of the bank and added the above. Red dots for new burrows, green dots for new active burrows, and black arrows for active burrows that where being reused from past seasons. I was quite pleased to find that 26 new burrows had been made, four of them being active, and eight old burrows had been reused and where active. Being so late in the season the results for burrows that where reused most likely is not 100% accurate. But on our visit in late May early June there was no activity. Furthermore one or two new burrows could have been skipped because of their location in a shaded part of the bank. What I mean by that is some area appeared to be cracks or indents could have indeed been burrows. Only the front was surveyed because only the front of the bank was being used.

Each individual site that was active on our visit (07/26/10) was labelled with a letter and number. I hope to be able to make a spread sheet and record new data from active holes in the bank every year. Below is a photo of the bank from mid March, the one mentioned above, with the marks on it.

Once again the:

The green dot means a new burrow that was active.

The red dot means a new inactive burrow.

The black arrow means an old burrow that was actively being reused.

Here is exactly what we saw at each one:

A-001 ~§~ Adult flew in and out.

A-002 ~§~ Adult feeding chick(s)

A-003 ~§~ Adult flew in.

A-004 ~§~ Adult flew in and out several times.

A-005 ~§~ One chick seen.

Adult seen griping edge and feeding one chick.

Two chicks seen.

Two chick’s fledged and another appeared.

A-006 ~§~ Three chicks seen.

A-007 ~§~ Adult flew in.

A-008 ~§~ Chicks heard and adult seen going in.

A-009 ~§~ One chick seen.

A-010 ~§~ Adult seen going in.

A-011 ~§~ One chick seen.

A-012 ~§~ Two adults seen one gripping burrows edge, and one inside.

Five little heads (A-005 and A-006)

Scratches from the Cliff Swallows on nesting bank

We also stopped at another supposed nesting site. All we saw where two adults come out of burrows and there was no significant evidence to support nesting. There were about 50-80 holes at this site. I suspect that this is a roost site for the colony we had been visiting.

One of the two roosting banks (the other was in a natural bank and was further away)

On our way up we stopped at Melgund Lake, and had some nice sightings. Just standing in one spot we saw a juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a Northern Waterthrush, an American Robin, and some Pine Siskin’s.

Thanks for reading,

Feeders Back Up!

2010-07-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

I recently put my feeders back up after the Tree Swallows where done nesting. I have been pleasantly surprised at how many American Goldfinches are coming in for a visit. About eight at a time, which is unusual for me. I'm a little worried that the local Merlin will take them away as he has been swooping down through the feeders when no one is there. I think it’s time to get some trees for protection.

Thanks for reading,

Loons of White Lake

2010-07-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

I recently received some AWESOME pictures of a Common Loon gathering at White Lake Provincial Park. Over Fifty Loons where counted in Lampey Bay on July 5th at around 5:00PM. Thanks for the photo's Chiz!

Gatherings like this are not totally unusual in the summer but are a great sight especially one of this size.

Thanks for reading,

Everyone meet Scoot and Tipper

2010-07-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

A few Days ago we took our third Canadian Lakes Loon Survey trip. We were pleased to see that both eggs hatched. It took us longer than usual to spot the Loons, in fact we spotted the Common Goldeneye family first.

When we first arrived we went to the nest all we saw where egg fragments. Then as we went down the finger that the Loons nested in we saw the Goldeneyes. They are nearly similar in appearance to mom now and are growing rapidly. Although I was happy to see the family I was a little troubled at the fact that only four chicks where seen. Perhaps the others were just hiding or perhaps survival of the fittest had taken its course.

As we finally came to the last finger of the lake, the one the goldeneyes where first seen in, we finally saw the two babies and mommy. We both assumed that this finger of the lake is good for feeding as we have seen lots in it including a Great Blue Heron. Perhaps small fish and whatnot thrive in this section of the lake making it a feeding ground for these birds.

As you can see from my title the results for to Loon Parents names have come in. The male is Scoot and the female is Tipper. The names for the chicks where disscussed and picked on our last trip. Their names are Chapline and Pepper. We chose Chaplin names because of the black and white charlie chaplin movies. And I chosse Pepper from 101 Dalmations because of course dalmations are black and white.

This year our nestbox project did not go as well as planned, the main reason being placement of the boxes. As I said in my last post many boxes will be moved and bigger holes drilled. Many will be placed in town as they seem to be more successful in urban locations. My plan for next year is to add a new nestbox or two to our project targeting a new species. I have set up a poll as to what boxes people would like me to try next year. The targeted species options include: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Northern saw-whet Owl, Barred Owl, and House Wren. Cast your vote HERE

Some good news everyone! A pair of Eastern Bluebirds has nested in town this year! Although I did not see the little buggers they apparently successfully fledged young. I would like to thank Martha and Wayne for bringing this to my attention.
*I will have a pair in one of my boxes next year :p

That's all for now, thanks for reading

Farewell Pika, Zip, Astro, Scamp, Swoop, Trooper, and Jupiter...

2010-06-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Well it's been quite some time since my last post and Pika and Zip's children have graduated from nestlings to fledglings. A few days before they left I decided to name the little ones Swoop, Scamp, Trooper, Astro, and Jupiter. Since I'm not qualified to handle the little ones for banding or any reason I simply placed a dot of colour on their throats to tell them apart. I used completely safe washable non-toxic crayola markers which will come off with the slightest amount of water. I would not use anything else that would harm or stain their feathers. In fact I'm so confident these markers are completely safe I would drink to ink. The process was quick and easy, in fact Pika and Zip sat and watched me.

I was gone to camp for the week-end and missed the little guys leave. I'm convinced they left on Friday as they where poking their heads out before I left that afternoon. When I came back there was just poop left for me. I was hoping they would stick around so I could see them but so far no sign. The box has been cleaned out and is ready for the other pair that has been in the area. But so far no takers.

A few days before the chicks left something very odd happened. I was outside with Pika and Zip flying above me all of a sudden another Tree Swallow appeared not that unusual. Then another appeared Pika and Zip where not overly agitated a few dives at them here and there but not chasing them away. I suspect one individual from this pair was the female that has landing next Pika and Zip. Then all of a sudden I saw a brown head stick out of the box. But there was no colour on it as I approached it flew out and I thought it was a chick. It was a little smaller than the others fling around, but I checked the box and there were still five chicks. Turns out this was a one or two year old female that was in inspecting our box. She must have slipped in without me noticing.(or Pika and Zip) As I looked up again there were even more Tree Swallows as I counted I could not believe there were NINE Tree Swallows! I was wondering what would cause them to gather like this then I saw that there was a Broad-winged Hawk off in the distance. Soon after the Hawk was gone so where all of the visitors.

Last picture of Pika and Zip

Day one

Day Four

Day Five

Day Thirteen

Day Twenty

Day Twenty

Day Twenty-three

Day Twenty-four

Day Twenty-six

*Note the pimple on the rump of the birds this is known as the "preen gland"

The preen gland secretes an oil when it is pressed by a bird's beak.

The oil can then be spread onto feathers as the bird draws them through its
bill one by one.

It was once thought the oil helped waterproof feathers, but now it's believed
the oil acts mainly as a conditioner that prevents feathers from becoming
brittle and keeps skin supple. It may also have antibacterial and antifungal
properties.

Day Twenty-seven

Day Twenty-eight

Day Thirty-two

Day Thirty-seven

Day Thirty-seven

Since my last post I also found another Dark-eyed Junco nest. There were five chicks in it ready to leave. I came back two days later and they were gone.

The boxes this year seem to not be doing as well as I anticipated. The smaller holed boxes seem to attract hornets in live trees and squirrels have been nibbling at one also. Some will be moved and others will be re-drilled with larger holes. The next step for our project will be Barred Owl nestboxes. Hopefully we can make one or two this summer and perhaps put a camera in one so I don't get attacked by a Barred Owl when checking for ocupancy, eggs, or young.

This week-end I went camping in Beardmore, Ont at Poplar Lodge Park and had some EXCELENT sightings. Here are my notes from there:

02/07/10

4:45pm ~§~ Double-crested Cormorant seen standing on a rock in Helen Lake

8:10pm ~§~ Great Horned Owl seen being mobbed by two American Robins who have a nest nearby.

10:30pm ~§~ Adult Great Horned Owl flushed off ground along with two Great Horned owlets who perched close by.

03/07/10

5:35 - 7:00 am ~§~ When I walked along the shore these where my sightings:
Killdeer ~§~ 3
Bonaparte’s Gull ~§~ 2
Common Merganser + five chicks
Pileadted Woodpecker ~§~ 3
Great Horned Owl + two owlets seen @ 5:35am and 7:00am

03/07/10

Great Horned Owlets seen at 11:00 am and pm.

04/07/10

On a trip down to the river I saw:

Bald Eagle ~§~ 6
Double-crested Cormorant ~§~ 2
Pileated Woodpecker (heard close by most likely a nesting cavity close by)
Belted Kingfisher ~§~ 4 (a few nesting cavities where in sand banks by river)

A Peregrine Falcon! Was seen diving at Gull's on beach in the evening.

Great Horned Owlets seen around midnight.

Here are some of the pictures taken this week-end:

Thanks for reading,

Right on time......

2010-06-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Just like I predicted the Tree Swallows Pika and Zip eggs have hatched. Only five so far, and like I predicted one is indeed infertile. It could still hatch but I doubt it will. Being my first time seeing Tree Swallow chicks I could not believe how small they where! A little bigger than the size of a dime!

Thanks for reading,

Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, Good news, and Hatch Tomorrow?

2010-06-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Today we did our second CLLS trip. We had a great day and had the opportunity to see the eggs, the mom on the eggs, and the dad. It was a little windy but very nice. On our last check we only spotted one loon, three Great Blue Herons, one Common Goldeneye, and a Broad-winged Hawk. This time we went back into the part of the lake where we saw the Goldeneye and where we had the close-up with the Heron. As we went in we noticed there was a Goldeneye and up came four chicks plus 3 stragglers. They must have nested in a nearby cavity.

I was thinking I am going to name my pair of loons and use the same names every year, as they usually return to the same lake. If you would like to vote you can do so
Here

Last week I did a post about the Song Sparrow chicks leaving the nest. Well some good news today I saw three chicks that have made it to 18 days of age. They where first heard calling the as I approach I knew it was them. Darkly streaked breasts and short stubby tails. The parent was as always not too happy with my presence. But I was stuck in the moment; I could not believe that these are where same guys I saw only 15 days ago. With just patches of fur and eyes completely closed. The little ones willing to accept food from me like I was there parent. Lots of people always ask me why I enjoy birds. Well quite simply magical moments like this are what make birding so amazing. At the time you don't think about daily stresses and whatnot. I'm very glad I found a hobby like this. Its incredible what you can see and hear when you take the time to do so. Things you never thought existed appear before your eyes. To me the bird world is amazing!

Over the next 18-20 day the Song Sparrow chicks will leave for good. Between now and then mom should be picking another nesting location and constructing a new nest, presumably close to the first. I'll have to watch her closely to see where our next clutch will be.

So as the Song Sparrows grow bigger the Tree Swallows Pika and Zoom are preparing for their first clutch to hatch. The clock is ticking and the eggs should all hatch between tomorrow and Wednesday. Convenient timing they have just before my exams! Yay! We just have to wait and see......... Tick .........Tock

Pika with a snack

Some Pictures taken this week:

Thanks for reading,

Going,Going.......GONE!!

2010-06-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Well it's been over a week and the Song Sparrow chicks have left the nest! I was able to visit at the right time and witness the first leavening. Before I lifted up the branch to look I stood back and saw the little one moving around then he made the big leap. In an instant he was gone. But I was worried that he left because he may have seen me. He did not have his full feathers in yet and I felt that he was a goner because of this. I decided to look for him because when he jumped he jumped right below into the shrub, and like I said I thought he was too young to go. After no luck I left and came back an hour or so later and checked the nest all four nestlings remained until one let out a few notes and they all exploded from the nest. Just like there sibling they were gone in an instant. At that point I figured they were all too young to go and it was my fault but there was nothing I could do about it. (I already got a rash from looking for the other one) So I went home and did some reading, it turns out Song Sparrows leave the nest at 10 days of age. And what do you know...They where three days old when I found them on the 30th let's see 31,1,2,3,4,5,6 EXACTLY ten days. I felt so relieved! Anyhow after figuring that out I watched the shrub from close by and heard the chicks calling and saw one of the parents going into the shrub with food. So I decided to see if I could go get some pictures of the chicks. It did not take very long to find them as they were quite vocal. I soon came to the realisation that they could climb up and down and all around in this very thick shrub. I got some beautiful shots and left for the night.

Well it's been four days now and I have heard no chicks nor have I seen any. The parent's fire some alarm calls all the time so I hope that means they are still alive. I hope to see some of these guys in the near future. All I can do is let nature take its course with these little ones and I'm wishing it's for the better. __________________________________________________________

The Dark-eyed Junco's have also left the nest and have not since been seen. Hopefully these guys are doing okay too. Here are some photo's of the little ones (thanks Shauna):
Dad

Parents

Day 8

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Last to leave

Exploring

Thanks for reading,

The Votes are in !!!

2010-06-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

The votes have been counted and I would like you to meet.......

.................................................And.................................

* A big thanks goes out the all who voted!

It seems like we will be having more than 5 eggs! Yesterday the pair of Tree Swallow's where seen copulating several times including this time in front of me:

Tree Swallows can have anywhere form 2-8 eggs.It seems as thought our pair will have 6 or more at least. Pika seems the be on the eggs more and more lately so there should be only one more egg but who knows.

Yesterday there was an intruder in the area that stayed pretty well the whole day. Poking his/her head in and out of our box and other sounding boxes, just aggravating Pika and Zip.

Interestingly enough the pair that nested in the area last year apperently had three parents. I'm not sure if it was two males or females. My best guess would be female because that allows her to put some of her eggs in the box and have less parental duties and incubation.

Thanks for reading,

Song Sparrow nest !!!

2010-05-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Today I had the chance to go look in the yard that I believed the Song Sparrows were nesting in.(Thanks Anita) I took a little searching but we pinpoint the nest to a large low bush. I was looking on the ground for it but saw nothing. But I did see something moving the bush. I finally picked up the right branch and there they were five tinny tiny chicks only a day or two old. Their eyes where completely closed and they opened there mouths as soon as I moved the branch.

Thanks for reading,

NEST'S!

2010-05-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

The Robins nest I posted about a while ago now has four eggs in it. On my visit this Tuesday the nest was unattended. I waited close by and nothing came back. Hopefully everything is okay and we see chicks soon.

Speaking of chicks I got a report of a nest on the ground with four chicks in it. I figured Dark-eyed Junco and that's what it was. The chicks are on their 9th day now and should be leaving the nest sometime this week. Typically they leave the nest at 10-13 days of age.

Mama Dark-eyed Junco

Our box in the yard now has three eggs in it! I'm expecting one or two more eggs perhaps three.

Dad

Dad

mom on the eggs

Voting for the parents names is still open visit: Here to cast your votes.

Also one of our boxes out in the bush, which was perhaps an Eastern Bluebird, is another Tree Swallow pair. On our way to Timmins on May long we stopped to check the box and sure enough it had feathers in it. Today I returned and there was one egg in it.

Day Three

Day seven

Day Sixteen

Day sixteen

Thanks for reading,

Tree Swallow parent naming.....

2010-05-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

It looks like our pair is here to stay! The nest seems to be complete and the parents also seem to be getting ready if you know what I mean. Dad was hoping on top of mama yeasterday and both went in the box today twice which is unusual during nest building. Let's just say I'm about 90% sure they were doing what I think they were doing.

Anyhow before we have some eggs I figure we would name the parents. Please vote Here

Mama on the nest

Mama pika-boo-ing

Dad looking out

Also it looks like Stump has returned with his new tail and all. I was a little worried that he was not coming back but it looks like he has:

Bye for now,

May Long in Timmins, ont

2010-05-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

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,

American Robin nest!!

2010-05-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I got a report of a Robin nest (thanks Deb) a few days ago with one egg in it. I took a visit to it today and it had 3 little eggs barley visible through the cracks of the deck. Here it is:

I expect that this will be the usual clutch of four as incubation was on and off today. There could possibly be 6 but most often 4 is the magic number. Incubation should last 11-14 days. Nestling should be out of the nest by 14-16 days of age. Young may be cared for by the male while the female build new nest for second brood.

I will be visiting the site every 3 to 4 days I'll keep everyone posted on the nest happenings.

Thanks for reading,

Dorion Bird Festival, Lifers, and CLLS

2010-05-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Lot's going on lately so here we go I'll start form the festival and end with today’s Canadian Lakes Loon survey and sightings.

The Dorion Bird fest was great! Nice people, delicious meals, great advice and tips. A shout out goes to the Fest organizers, hats off to the wonderful success. I had a great time! And I even won a Sibleys!!

Me with my new Sibleys

Anyhow here are my lifers from the Fest:

American White Pelican
Tundra Swan
Sandhill Crane
Lesser Yellowlegs
Marbled Godwit
Bonaparte's Gull
Red-eyed Vireo
Tennesse Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler

Eleven in all but that wasn’t it when I got home there were four more lifers at Michael and Martha's feeders of North Shore Nature

Here is what they had:

Lincoln's Sparrow
Clay-coloured Sparrow

Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting

On the way up I also picked up House Sparrow on my life list. There were several of them in a gas bar in Thunder Bay. Around 6-8 pairs were nesting under lights on the carport.

And last but not least I saw a Baltimore Oriole on Monday.
So all together 17 Lifers in the past four days not to shabby. ;)

On the way back home I checked one of my Bluebird boxes and was happy to see what I saw. NO FEATHERS just some weeds and grass which I thought could just be Tree Swallows. Maybe (cross fingers) it could be Eastern Bluebirds because when I checked my box at home I saw our pair of Tree Swallows had already added about a dozen feathers. Also lot's of pine needles, and they have just begun. I was able to take another trip out to check the area for action around the box.(Thanks to Michael) Nothing was happening so I checked the box and the grass had defiantly been rearranged into a circle. So if this nest is just Tree Swallows it's strange that two different pairs are making nests out of two different things and ways.

Eastern Bluebird nest?

Tree Swallow nest

This morning I was surprised to have a Black-capped Chickadee visit the yard as I took all of our feeders down for the Swallows. It turn out the little guy was there to check the Tree Swallow box he poked his head in and left. I hope he found the two boxes up the street that I put up for him. Thanks to the clue left behind I can say the one of the Chickadee boxes was inspected by someone. On the edge of the hole of the box there was a little tiny feather probably left by a Chickadee.

I also visited the cavity that the Chickadees have been making and unfortunately something ripped it right open. I'm not sure what did it but luckily I don't think they had eggs yet. They could have had eggs and a Jay or raven raided the nest for them but I hope that's not the case.

Today I also watched Starlings pick up tons of feathers I laid on the lawn. It was quite funny they would pick all of them up and have a beak full of feathers. On the note of Starling's it seems like all of the nesting sites have nestlings now and I even found one of their shells that was dropped on our lawn. Most would probably think it was a robin egg because of the colour but starling eggs are a little more robust than Robins.

And last, today on our first CCLS (Canadian Lakes Loon Survey) visit we were able to see one Common Loon, THREE Great Blue Herons, one Turkey Vulture, one Broad-winged hawk,Two Yellow-rumped Warblers, and one unidentified white hawk like bird.

Here is the nesting site which has clearly been visited this year by the loons as there were some feathers and the grass was pushed down.

Look just to the left of the canoe. That's the nest site.

Close-up on the nest site

Here is the Great Blue Heron which we come close to and he did not move for at least 30 seconds.

Until our next visit we will not know if there is a pair of Loon's on the lake, which I'm assuming there is.

So all together it's been busy the last few days and I LOVE IT! Ohh I also got a report of something special today and I'll probably have a post on it tomorrow.

Anyway here are pictures from the Fest and last few days:

Great Blue Heron at Fest

Double-crested Cormorant

Black-throated Green Warbler

Sandhill Cranes

Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow

Double-crested Cormorant

Lesser Yellowlegs

Peregrine Falcons feeding on a bat at Ouimet Canyon

Dark-eyed Junco

Thanks for reading,

First Hummingbird of the year..

2010-05-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I'm just doing a short post to say we had our FOY Hummingbird in Marathon last Friday 05/14 I just found out about it today. Here is a picture of the (male) Ruby-throated Hummingbird taken today.

I will be doing another post shortly on new lifers from the Dorion Bird Festival and the following days.

Thanks for reading,

FINALLY A PEREGRINE FALCON THAT'S NOT ON MY COMPUTER SCREEN !!

2010-05-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

Well everyone this momentous day has finally come!

I have officially seen a WILD Peregrine Falcon!

Although I had to take a boat on the big lake (superior) to get to the Falcon, it was DEFINATLY worth it! Me, Martha, and Michael Suited up and headed out at around 9:30 AM this morning, with the intentions of finding a Peregrine and or a nesting site. While we did see a lone Peregrine we were unable to pinpoint his nest site. I did spot a ledge that seemed to have sticks but we were unable to confirm that it was indeed a nest.

Our other sightings for the day where:

Long-tailed Duck ~§~ 15
Peregrine Falcon ~§~ 1
Common Loon ~§~ 1

Other photos from today:

When I got back today I was greeted by Stump who seems to be doing well. His tail feathers are noticeably coming in now.

Thanks for reading,

LOOK WHO'S ON THE MARKET FOR A HOUSE !

2010-05-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

This post is a little late but anyhow on Monday and Tuesday of this week we had some action at our boxes. On Monday late in the morning we had a male Tree Swallow poking his head into the box in our yard. And the next day I was greeted by three individuals at lunch what looked like two males and one female. Although they did not return today I'm convinced they will as the temp. gets hotter. A neighbour with two boxes in her yard said she has had a pair returning for years. But the thing that caught me was that she said they had three adults all breeding season last year! If this is true it must be a remarkably rare occurrence as Tree Swallows are extremely territorial with other Tree Swallows. It could be that she has mistaken a juvenile for an adult but I'll keep my eyes open for this.

With our squirrel trap lately we have been catching a few birds which quite a usual happening. Although it is a no kill trap in order to release the birds I must take them out to avoid self injury. Anyhow here is a picture of one of the Junco's that got trapped this week:

Besides the Tree Swallows not much has happened in the last couple of days. But I did find what I believe to be an owl pellet on our front lawn with feathers and small bones in it.

Thanks for reading,

More Excitement!!

2010-04-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

The last few days have been quite interesting ones.....

On April,27th at Penn Lake I picked up a Hooded Merganser a Lifer and FOY along with:

5 ~§~ Common Merganser
1 ~§~ Common Goldeneye
1 ~§~ Bufflehead
2 ~§~ Black-capped Chickadee
1 ~§~ White-throated Sparrow

The two Chickadees where seen excavating a cavity, YAY! It was a different pair then the ones I previously posted about which means Chickadees are at it already. Unlike the other cavity this one is inaccessible and quite skinny. If I were to get up on a ladder and check the cavity I think the whole thing would topple over if I hit it. I returned today and they were still at it in and out with mouthfuls of saw dust. I would expect them to be done soon as they have been at it for roughly a week and excivation typically goes for 7-10 days.

On the 28th on the way back from a seminar in Nipigon I spotted a Common Loon alone in a small roadside pond. And while checking the boxes we saw a Red-tailed Hawk sitting on the top of a tree. Also on that day we got the first feeder visit from a tailless Dark-eyed Junco who upon further investigation, with my new binoculars, also was missing a leg, Likely a victim of the terrible outdoor cats in our neighbourhood. Besides for his impairment this little guy seems to be doing okay eating and drinking. I also gave the little guy a name "Stump" I figured it was quite fitting for his condition. I have taken an attachment to this little one and I even set out a separate dish of food for him by his favourite spot the shed. I hope that he will be able to lead a little more normal life once his new tail feathers come in.

On the 30th we had our first two White-throated Sparrows which seem to double in numbers every second day.

Today down by the harbour here is what Micheal and I spotted:
(FOY= First of Year, L= Lifer)

Common Snipe ~§~ 1
White-throated Sparrow ~§~ 30
Winter Wren ~§~ 2
Red-breasted Merganser ~§~ 4 FOY L
Blue-headed Vireo ~§~ 1 FOY L
Savannah Sparrow ~§~ 1 FOY L
Nashville Warbler ~§~ FOY L
Golden-crowned Kinglet ~§~ 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet ~§~ 2

And I save the best for last..... Tonight I was watching my feeders to make sure no one had to wait in the squirrel trap for me to release them. I had the typical Cowbirds, Grackles, Starlings, Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, and the lone White-crowned Sparrow until this little guy flew down...

I knew immediately it was a Yellow-headed Blackbird and it was quite and usual bird to see here let alone at your feeders. It was starting to get dark and he went off with the others hopefully he will be here tomorrow. Judging from his bright face colour and dark body colour both Michael and I agreed that this was a first year male.

Here are some photos from this week:

Thanks for reading,

Feeder action picking up!

2010-04-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I the days since my lasts post my feeder action has finally picked up significantly. A large flock of mixed Common Grackles, Cowbirds, and European starlings have been attending almost daily. I have also been getting some Juncos and Song Sparrows. Pine Siskin’s have come but did not stay long as I was in the process of putting their Niger tube feeders up they have since not yet returned.

Waterfowl at Penn Lake seems to be picking up in my last two vistis here where my sightings:
(Highest numbers stated)

Ringed-necked Duck ~§~ 4
Bufflehead ~§~ 8
Common Goldeneye ~§~ 4
Common Merganser ~§~ 4
Blue-winged Teal ~§~ 2
Killdeer ~§~ 8

On to nesting I can surely say the busiest month is fast approaching and so are the signs. Just last week I said a cavity was being excavating and later that week I ran into a Downy poking his head out of a previously made cavity. I don't think he will use it thought because they tend to like to make new cavities every year, but it still shows that they have nesting on the brain. I also flushed a pair of Juncos exploring and old nesting site under a log and I'm hoping they will use it. As for the Raven nest I posted about earlier in the season I could surely hear at least one chick squawking on Friday.

Tomorrow will be our next box check and I have my fingers crossed as reports of Tree Swallows become more abundant. Although there have been few sightings of Eastern Bluebirds I know they are not far behind. As for Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and House Wrens the only signs I have seen is the one pair of BCC excavating their cavity. I also have been checking a Wood Duck box at Penn Lake and think that the nest in it is from a past season. If anyone knows who this box belongs to I would love to know.

Photo's of the month:

Thanks for reading,

7 Days 11 Lifers!

2010-04-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

It's been over a week since my last post and here are the new arrivals and Lifers since then:
(L = Lifer FOY = First of Year)

Bufflehead ...........~§~ 4 (04/10) L FOY
Red-tailed Hawk ..~§~ 2 (04/11) L FOY
Swamp Sparrow ..~§~ 1 (04/12) L FOY
Turkey Vulture .....~§~ 2 (04/12) L FOY
Willsons Snipe .....~§~ 1 (04/13) L FOY
Purple Finch ........~§~ 5 (04/14) FOY
Belted Kingfisher ..~§~ 1 (04/18) L FOY
American kestrel ...~§~ 1 (04/18) FOY

Northern Flicker ...~§~ 18(04/18) L FOY
Yellow-rumped Warbler ~§~ 2 (04/18) FOY
Green-winged Teal ...~§~ 4 (04/18) L FOY
Winter Wren ........~§~ 6 (04/18) L FOY
Great Blue Heron ....~§~ 1 (04/18) L FOY
Rock Pigeon ......~§~ 2 (04/18) FOY
Brown-headed Cowbird ..~§~ (04/18) L FOY
Red-winged Blackbird ..~§~ (04/18) FOY

Michael and I took a trip to the treatment road and Puk NP yesterday from 9:15am-5:00pm and here were our sightings:

Canada Goose 11
Rock Pigeon 2
American Robin 14
American Black Duck 3
Mourning Dove 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Mallard 5
Belted Kingfisher 1
Song Sparrow 22
Green-winged Teal 4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Fox Sparrow 2
Bufflehead 2
Downy Woodpecker 7
White-throated Sparrow 1
Common Goldeneye 23
Northern Flicker 18
American Tree Sparrow 18
Common Merganser 4
American Crow 22
Dark-eyed Junco 65
Ruffed Grouse 8
Common Raven 50
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Great Blue Heron 1
Black-capped Chickadee 15
Common Grackle 8
Turkey Vulture 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 12
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Bald Eagle 2
Winter Wren 6
Purple Finch 12
American Kestrel 1
Golden-crowned Kinglet 30
Pine Siskin 16
Merlin 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Evening Grosbeak 10
Ring-billed Gull 41
European Starling 6
Herring Gull 230
Hermit Thrush 3

I have to say the best sight of the day was for me seeing a pair of Black-capped Chickadees excavating a nesting cavity first thing in the morning. Although Michael would disagree with me it's an excellent sight for me to see one out of the thousands of cavities I’ve seen active. The cavity seems to be relatively low and accessible for nestwatch and I hope to see some eggs soon.

Another nesting behaviour seen on our trip was a Great Blue Heron carrying a large twig in its mouth at Puk.

Here are a few pictures of the many nests and cavities seen and photographed in the last few weeks. The first belongs to of course European stralings and the second to American Goldfinch:

Here is a photo of an oddly coloured Black-capped Chickadee that I captured at feeder in Heron Bay:

These last three photos were taken this week a Penn Lake and Puk:

Thanks for reading,

Eurasian Siskin in Marathon?

2010-04-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Recently Michael and Martha have been getting the very interesting little feeder visitor. It is a Eurasian Siskin and is not native to North America but is to Europe and Asia. So why is it here you may ask, well according to Michael in 2002 some caged birds where accidently released by and importer just north of Chicago. So we could possibly have a small wild breeding population happening in North America that seem to be doing well.

Here are some photos of the (Male) Eurasian Siskin,an American Tree Sparrow, and a Pine Siskin:

I will be doing another post sometime this week-end with my numbers from this week.

Thanks for reading,

Field Notes

2010-04-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to do a small post of my sightings from the past two days.

On Tuesday I spotted:

White-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 1
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 5
Brown Creeper ~§~ 8
Common Goldeneye ~§~ 8
Lesser Scaup ~§~ 1
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 15
Golden-crowned Kinglet ~§~ 5

6 Brown Creepers, 5 Black-capped Chickadees, and all 5 Golden-crowned Kinglets where seen together on a flock near Penn Lake.

And on Wendsday I spotted:

Common Goldeneye ~§~ 2
Ring-billed Gull ~§~ 20
Herring Gull ~§~ 5
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 20
Boreal Chickadee ~§~ 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 3
Merlin ~§~ 1
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 10

I also spotted this nest down by the mill yeasterday my thought for the owner is Osprey or Common Raven.

On the note of nesting here is a cavity from a Downy woodpecker:

This tree has actually been used two years in a row but diffrent cavities lets hope we see them this year!

Thanks for reading,

Happy Easter...... To Me!

2010-04-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a wonderful Easter week-end FULL of sightings. Starting on Thursday with the sighting of a two Brewers Blackbird's and a Song Sparrow, who has since been seen or heard every morning. Followed by the sightings of a yet another Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Fifty European Starlings, Six American Robins, And three Dark-eyed Juncos just around the house on Friday.

As I noticed action picking up at the feeders with Brewers Blackbirds, European Starlings, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Song Sparrows I decide to take a 4 hour trip around town. And was I rewarded! On Easter morning from around 8:00A.M- 12:00P.M 23 species where seen, and few even went unidentified. Out of this large list four where lifers for me. Anyhow here is the list:

American Robin ~§~ 70+
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 100+
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 30+
Red-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 4
Brown Creeper ~§~ 3
Mourning Dove ~§~ 2
Northern Cardinal ~§~ 2
Tree Sparrow ~§~ 2 *Lifer
Song Sparrow ~§~ 3
Common Grackle ~§~ 5
Herring Gull ~§~ 5
Ring Billed Gull ~§~ 25
Downy Woodpecker ~§~ 1
Merlin ~§~ 1
European Starling ~§~ 25+
Chipping Sparrow ~§~ 1
Lesser Scaup ~§~ 1 *Lifer
Common Goldeneye ~§~ 4 *Lifer
Mallard ~§~ 1
Common Raven ~§~ 25
American Crow ~§~ 10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ~§~ 1 *Lifer
Fox Sparrow ~§~ 1

The Robins seemed to be flocking up on Sunday, one even reached 50 individuals. I was very intrigued by this, what caused this? My first thought was that this was just a freshly arrived flock that have yet to disperse. But as I got closer I discovered the answer, they were feeding on a Mountain Ash Berries. It seemed quite odd to me that one medium sized tree would attract so many birds but it did. On another note a pair of Robins paid a visit near our nesting ledge on Friday. I think they are just shopping around first for nesting locations and will choose one within the next couple of weeks.

Starlings have been quite active with nesting lately and have been seen going in and out three different houses, not nestboxes but houses. One has a vent which supports a small colony, one has missing bricks which holds on pair, and last one pair is utilizing a hole in drain pipe for its nest. It is unfortunate that the nests cannot be reached to remove the eggs, but it seems like they are quite intelligent in choosing their nesting locations to avoid people doing just that. Although when I came back from a walk I was greeted by two Starlings sitting on the roof of one of my nestboxes and one poking its head into the hole. Fortunately I think Starlings are too big to fit through the holes but I'll have to keep an eye out.

I have been seeing Northern Cardinals just about every walk now, mostly all males trying to attract a mate. Unfortunately as of now, I believe there is only one female in town and she has already paired up. Last Thursday I flushed the pair off Hemlo trail and followed them for a while until I could no longer see or hear them. I hope to see some new Cardinals this fall and also hope that the majority are female. Cross your fingers Marathon could have more Northern Cardinals in the near future.

Now that you are caught up on the past couple of days while my computer was gone I can get to my sightings today:

Golden-crowned Kinglet ~§~ 1 *Lifer
Ruby-crowned Kinglet ~§~ 1 *Lifer
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 2
Ruffed Grouse ~§~ 1
* A flock of Canadian Geese was heard but not seen today as the visibility was poor in the morning.

Both Kinglets where seen near each other, possibly together. What happened was I saw another bird partially hidden with the Ruby but I was too busy running for my camera to confirm. And about half an hour after the Ruby was spotted I called out the Golden.

Anyhow that's all for now

Thanks for reading,

Bank Swallow Update

2010-03-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Today we went and checked all of our boxes, unfortunately still nothing. So with the lack of activity we decided to go explore the Bank Swallow nesting site further. Being that it was at the bottom of a steep climb we decided last time to come back another day. And today was that day! After a few slips on the steep climb down, we finally reached the bottom of this valley, and we discovered how this amazing structure got here. On either side of bank was very slow moving mud river. Which lead me to believe that this mud river once powerful, moved all this fine sand up to form this vertical bank. As you can see in some pictures the levels of sand which almost resemble a mountain belt, mean that this structure was gradually built up over time. These pictures honestly do not give this beautiful sight justice it is just something else.

As we looked at the holes in the front of the structure the question which had been in my mind since I saw it came back. Are there any cavities in the back? And low and behold there was, and I was EXTREMELY happy as I could even safely reach some of them. As I got close to them I figured that I would not see any nests, because they dig there burrows typically between 15 and 47 in. deep. Although most were dug deep and impossible to see without a flashlight some were just a little way in and quite easy to see. Although some may argue that these where just tunnels started by unmated or young birds I would say otherwise. One, because there was feces right by the entrance. Two, because there were some dried insects by the opening. And three, because was still some nesting material in the dugout. This nesting material consisted of a few sticks and some small feathers.

Considering all the cavities in this bank I would not be surprised if we have a nesting colony between the size of 25-200 pairs. Not only was this bank available, but there was another, which you can climb up on the far side of the valley. I unfortunately did not get to that other bank because of all the marshy water. Next time I go down I surely will be prepared with some big ole' rubber boots. That being said I took some pictures and think I may have spotted a few holes but given that this bank is on a slope the cavities could have eroded away. One thing is for sure on my next visit I will examine every nook and cranny and see what’s happening in these banks if anything.

Fortunately the way up was better than the way down with the compromise of getting knee deep in water. And of course what do I see in the marshy water a NEST! And I never pass a nest by without taking photos so here I was with the water only up to my ankles (Thank God) taking picture of this nest. The nest itself was about 1 ½ " and was constructed of mainly grass and a few pieces of bark. I'm trying to figure out who this nest belongs to but at the moment I'm stumped. Leave a comment if you have an idea who this may belong to otherwise I will look through my nesting book till I find an appropriate tenant.

I attached some photos of the burrows and want you to notice the faint lines and scratches on the wall. These are caused by the adult’s feet and bill because they excavate the cavities themselves and interestingly enough they do it at a rate of 5in. a day.

Below I attached three photos together to show this valley in panoramic view on the right is the vertical bank and on the far left if the potential other nesting bank.

That's all for now

thanks for reading,

What A Day

2010-03-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

Today I and my dad went ice fishing and we were lucky enough to see a Bald Eagle as soon as we walked onto the lake and what looked like possibly, its nest. After taking some photos and examining the nest it looked more like it belonged to a Common Raven. But seeing as the Eagle kept landing so close to it I determined this nest belonged to it. In all likelihood it was the first year for these Eagle(s) in this location and have just began nest construction. Bald Eagles generally don't begin nesting until early summer (May).

As we made our way home we discovered a very odd vertical sand bank. My first thought was Bank Swallow nesting site and I was correct. I was very happy with this find and can't wait for them to return! I put some photos up to show this unbelievable structure and how strangely shaped it is. I plan on making several trips back to this site during nesting season and will do updates on arrival and stages of nesting.

Thanks for reading,

First Spring Robin

2010-03-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

As the official first day of spring approaches we are beginning to see some spring migrants and first on my list is a Female American Robin. Spotted today around 3:30 in the Penn Lake area it is the first of many to soon come. But something is unusual with this arrival because typically Robins arrive in flocks and first to come are the males. You may ask why males return first well it’s to establish their breeding grounds and be ready for females to arrive. I hope that the others are not far behind as I am getting anxious to see if my nesting ledge will get used. Hopefully within the next week or two more start to arrive.

On another note I discovered yet another Red-eyed Vireo nest today but have still yet to see any Red-eyes themselves. Hopefully I will pick that bird up at The Dorion Bird Festival
this May. Also on the note of nesting, the flock of about 30 Mourning Doves have stared mating and nesting. A thanks goes out to Jim. L for bringing this observation to my attention. Jim has also observed European Starlings coming in and out of his house with twigs and nesting material. Not that I'm happy about this but it’s good to know some birds are starting their nesting season. As for the Ravens I have no idea what's going on with them because of the visibility of the nest but I believe they are still incubating.

I also found a nest at the dump and don't know who it belongs to, here is a photo:

And another I found in Heron Bay which I believe belongs to ether a Gray Jay or Gray Catbird.

That’s all for now I will do more posts as I see more migrants.

Thanks for reading,

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch !!

2010-03-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

Today I and Michael took a trip to the driving range in hopes of spotting the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch with no luck. Although there was no sign of the Buntings or Finch anywhere I decided to take another look up there around 3:00 and I struck the jackpot as soon as I walked in. I could see a little brown silhouette right by the flagging tape and immediately I knew what it was. I was able to approach the finch till he was around 10 feet away from me and he was not budging one bit. But as soon as I thought I was going to get even closer I spotted the two buntings hopping away and that's when the Gray-crowned finally started to move. I was able to get some fairly good shots of the bird’s following them around the range until we ended up right where we started and at that point I left.

This sighting is not the first for this bird and I certainly hope it's not the last. We will have to wait and see if these birds stay as they are very far out of there ranges. Snow Buntings typically winter in Marathon and the Great Lakes region but there normal breeding range is Nunavut and Alaska. As for the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch it is completely out of both its winter and breeding range. Gray-crown’s can usually be found in Alaska, Yukon, and B.C in spring/summer. As for Fall/winter Gray-crown’s can be found in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and stay year round in some parts of California. Which means this bird is EXTREMELY rare in our parts and is a great new addition to my life list.

Anyhow here is a picture and video of the Gray-crowned and a picture of one of the Snow Buntings:

I will keep you posted what happens with these birds later in the season.

Thanks for reading,

Black-bellied Plover!

2010-03-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

Just going trough photos from last year and Realized that we had a Black-bellied Plover visit Penn Lake on May 29th 2009. Anyway here is a photo:

That's all for now,

And they're up!

2010-03-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

Just doing a short post to let everyone know that all 12 boxes for the 2010 season are up! Finally, now all that's left to do is wait and see. Anyway here are some photos of the boxes:

The above is intended for Black-capped Chickadees or Red-breasted Nuthatches.
The next three boxes are intended for Eastern Bluebirds.

That's all for now,

Brown Creeper

2010-03-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to do a post on a Brown Creeper I saw today at Penn Lake anyway here is a photo:

Anyway 10 out of the 12 boxes are up and the last 2 will be put up hopefully tomorrow.

That's all for now,

Pileated FINALY!

2010-03-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

I visited Penn Lake and surrounding area today and finally spotted a Pileated Woodpecker a new species for me. Not only that I spotted one more right after the other. Compared to my last visit the Chickadee sightings have went from one extreme to the next with over 150+ birds counted.

Today’s Sightings:
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 150+
Pileated Woodpecker ~§~ 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 15
Mourning Dove ~§~ 5

Lately I have been noticing that breeding season is right around the corner and it looks like the American Ravens will be kicking it off. On Monday I noticed a Raven picking up sticks off the ground, taking them to a nest from last year, and adding them. I watched this nest last year on and off but never saw anything but the parents incubating. As the nest is over 20 to 25 ft up it is nearly impossible to access to count eggs or young. With that in mind I will try to keep a closer eye on the nest this year to see if any chicks fledge.

I will be putting up the remainder of my nest boxes (6) tomorrow. Three targeted for bluebirds two for Tree Swallows and one for Chickadees. No action what so ever with the boxes currently up but it's still quite early. That being said I have not even seen any spring migrants yet so I do think I'm getting a little ahead of myself. The earliest I would expect to see eggs or even nests being made is mid April to early May. But like I said this is my first year with boxes so it's a wait and see thing I could be in for some surprises.

I usually don't get flocks of migrants until April. The most common spring visitors to my feeders are White-throated Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Common Grackles, Pine Siskin’s, Chipping Sparrows, And European Starlings. This year I will be investing in some trees and a bird bath hoping to attract more birds. With that said I have not had a visitor to my feeder in over two and a half months. I’m hoping that action starts to pickup at my feeders and boxes within the next two months.

Cross your fingers

Bye for now,

Where have all the Black-capped Chickadees gone ?

2010-02-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

I took a four hour walk today to Penn Lake, Hawks Ridge Ski-doo trail, and the harbour. The whole time I saw ONE Black-capped Chickadee. I was baffled about where all these little guys had gone.

That being said here are my sightings:

Downy Woodpecker ~§~ 1
Mourning Dove ~§~ 20
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 1
Boreal Chickadee ~§~ 1
Pine Grosbeak ~§~ 1
Hearing Gull ~§~ 50
Red-Breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 2
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 5
Common Grackle ~§~ 1
Common Raven ~§~ 15

I missed many birds at Penn Lake some that flew by and one that made me go in circles. I think most of them where Pine grosbeaks as they were larger birds but the one that made me dizzy was what I think, a Pileated Woodpecker as it was making loud knocking noises. Bird wise the day was quite uneventful but I did find some interesting things such as a Pleated nesting cavity and a marsh on the shore of Lake Superior where I think I spotted a Sora nest.I was also able to get some beautiful shots of ice at the harbour which I attached.

Bye for now,

The Great Backyard Bird Count Summary

2010-02-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

The GBBC was absolute success; over 642 birds were counted in the Marathon area. I personally submmited 12 checklists, ranging from Penn Lake to Heron Bay. During the count I tailed two rare birds for winter in this area: Common Grackle and The Eastern Towhee from Heron Bay. The weather was great and it was nice to see some snow. I was also able to get some beautiful shots of Pine Grosbeaks feeding on Mountain Ash Berries. One of these photos is now featured in the 2010 album of the GBBC.

That being said here are my personal tallies:

Common Raven ~§~ 121
Pine Grosbeak ~§~ 6
Gray Jay ~§~4
Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 100
Boreal Chickadee ~§~ 4
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 7
Hairy Woodpecker ~§~ 3
Downy woodpecker ~§~ 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 6
Common Grackle ~§~ 1
Mourning Dove ~§~ 38
Blue Jay ~§~ 5
European Starling ~§~ 35
Evening Grosbeak ~§~ 26
Eastern Towhee ~§~ 1
Northern Cardinal ~§~ 1

I also took a trip around town today here where my sightings:

Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 50+
Red-breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 6
Gray Jay ~§~ 2
Blue Jay ~§~ 1
Northern Cardinal ~§~ 1
Dark-eyed Junco ~§~ 2

Bye for now,

2010 Nest Boxes

2010-02-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

I took a trip to Hare Lake the other day to check some of my nest boxes and make sure they were ready to go for the 2010 nesting season. Nesting season for most birds will begin in 2-3 months but some may start earlier than others. The most active month for nesting is May but many begin as soon as spring starts usually April. My targeted species for this nesting season are:

Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Tree Swallow
American Robin
Barn Swallow

All birds on the list above have been known to nest in Marathon and the surrounding areas of Marathon. I currently own eleven boxes made for assorted species and one nesting ledge for Barn swallows or American Robins. All boxes are made so they can be checked and cleaned for the purpose of participating in nestwatch with them.
This season I am most intrigued in finding if Eastern Bluebirds still nest here. As far as I know only one Eastern Bluebird nest has been found in Marathon. Eastern Bluebirds typically nest in natural tree cavities but will take boxes if available. The male Eastern Bluebird attracts a mate to the nest sight by carrying material in and out of the hole and showing off his wings and singing. The nest is woven by the female and is made of grasses, pine needles, and is occasionally lined with hair. This season I intend on keeping my eyes and ears open for Eastern Bluebirds.
I attached a few photos of my boxes from Hare Lake and Snowshoe Hare tracks.
All active nests will be documented on this blog later on in the season.

Hawks Ridge

2010-02-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

I took a walk up to Hawks Ridge today it was pretty quiet, a few Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Downey Woodpeckers. Although when I continued on to the trail coming out of Hawks Ridge I spotted Two Pine Grosbeaks (a new species for me). I will be heading back out today in hopes of capturing a photo of a reported Sharp-shinned Hawk.

Today’s Sightings

Black-capped Chickadee ~§~ 30+
Pine Grosbeak ~§~ 2
Red-Breasted Nuthatch ~§~ 2
Downy Woodpecker ~§~ 5

That's all for now,

The Great Backyard Bird Count

2010-02-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

The annual Great Backyard Bird Count will be occurring next week-end February 12th - 15th. You can participate by watching your feeders or by searching the Marathon area and recording your sightings. I will be searching local wooded trails, while a group of 5 other volunteers will be watching their feeders. If you wish to participate in Marathon you can do so two different ways:

1. Contact Nolan at 229-0533 ASAP. I will answer any questions you may have and drop off data forms if you wish to participate.

2. You can participate individually by going to http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and reading the "How to Participate" section. If you do not live in Marathon you can also participate this way.