Hi folks,
The light-morph Gyrfalcon that has been seen regularly along the St. Mary's
River (Sault Ste. Marie ON and MI) since late Dec 2004 is still around.
While participating in the Bon Soo Winter Carnival in Belleview Park, on
February 5th (1:30 pm), I had a nice view of a light-morph Gyrfalcon flying
upstream along Topsail Island. It made a swoop over a group of ducks in
front of large crowd of people, at the Dog Sled Event (ducks went flying
everywhere). It continued upstream without its afternoon snack and was last
seen heading for the locks.
A few days earlier I had a report from a reliable source that a Great Gray
Owl was observed in this same park (near the duck pond) and a Northern Hawk
Owl was observed just north of the town of Serpent River off of Hwy 108.
I heard my first singing Northern Cardinal, for 2005, in my backyard on
Saturday morning.
We have good numbers of Pine Grosbeak around this winter.
Sault Ste. Marie is 3.5 hours west of Sudbury along Hwy 17. Belleview Park
is along Queen Street at the foot of Lake Street.
Good Birding
Ken McIlwrick
Sault Ste. Marie
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Subject: [Ontbirds]Bald Eagles nesting on the Niagara River?
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February 7 -
In the early part of the 19th century the Niagara River was a favorite area
for Bald Eagles. However, a growing human population, irresponsible hunting,
and DDT drove this bird from our area. The last documented Bald Eagle nest
along the Niagara River was probably on Navy Island when on March 16, 1946,
when
an adult Bald Eagle was observed sitting closely on a nest and apparently
turning an egg.
Today nearly 59 years later, from 12:20 to 12:40 PM I enjoyed observing an
apparently closely bonded pair of Bald Eagles on Strawberry Island. They were
in a central tree on the island and were often sitting close to each other.
There even appeared to be a half hearted attempt at copulation. This activity
was often interrupted by frequent short flights around the tree. One Bald
Eagle that looked as though it might have been a little larger (the female)
was
on an old Double-crested Cormorant nest sometimes picking at the nest. It did
this for about five minutes, and then moved to a different location in the
tree. The other eagle was near by, apparently pulling, but not breaking small
branches. In one of there frequent flights around the nest one eagle looked
like it might be carrying a small branch. Then at 12:35 one of the birds flew
around the trees with a large branch that looked more than an inch thick and
about 9 or 10 feet long, based on the Bald Eagles 80 inch wing span. It had
removed this branch from one part of the tree and put it in another part of
the tree. It looked like the Bald Eagles wanted to nest on Strawberry Island,
but could not figure out how to do it.
Strawberry Island is in the Niagara River about a mile south of Grand Island.
Best Wishes for Great Birding,
Bill Watson
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From: "Doug Lockrey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 14:56:11 -0500
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Subject: [Ontbirds]
Feb.7 owls, pileated, pheasant, goshawk in the Hall's Rd. vicinity
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Today/Monday was quiet along Hall's and Lakeridge Roads, but we did pick up
some good birds in the morning hours.
Our "temporary resident" literally tame Barred Owl seems to enjoy people and
their cameras. Over a period of 4 hours 2 Meadow Voles were taken. I saw 5
Great Gray Owls in the trees to the west of Hall's Rd. between 9 and 10AM.
Several hawks were noted- dark mortph Rough-legged, Red-tailed,
Sharp-shinned, Kestrel, 2 N.Harriers, and an adult N. Goshawk, the latter
flying low over the north pathway southward toward the lake.
A male Pheasant was heard before I arrived-- I assume along the road in the
field area.
The male Pileated Woodpecker arrive in mid-AM to whack away at a large tree
branch that overhangs Hall's Rd.-- afdter he flew a Hairy came in to work
away at his cousin's digs.
At the north path platform-- 6 Song Sparrows, 2 Swamp Sparrows
I was unable to pick out a Rusty among 20 Red-winged Blackbirds.
Hall's Rd. runs south from Victoria St., 1 block east of Lakeridge Rd. in
southwest Whitby.
Doug Lockrey, Whitby
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