Photo by T. Hache
Philadelphia Vireo

I participated in the Breeding Bird Survey with Dr. Nick Escott, a very well known ornithologist from Thunder Bay, once again this year and local wild plant expert John Lavoie joined us.  We conducted the survey on June 26th, beginning at 5:04 am.  It was very cool, only 5°C when we started, and even though the sky was clear, it was very foggy for half the morning.  Thankfully, the wind was calm.  We started the survey at the old Geco mine gates, we proceeded right through town going down  Manitou Avenue and continued on up the Caramat industrial road, making a total of 50 stops, 3 minutes long each (with an extra 30 seconds if there was traffic noise) and we finished the survey at precisely 9:13 am.  We took our time and did some extra birding on the way back so I didn't get home until almost 12:30 pm.   

This particular survey is done mainly by song.  At each stop, about  1/2 km apart, we get out of the truck, start a timer and then, just listen.  Nick would call out all the birds he could hear singing during each 3 minute stop and I would document them as he said their names.  Very impressive to watch him at work!  He would mention birds that I couldn't hear at all and then he would teach me what to listen for. 

We counted a total of 47 species and 604 individual birds.  We saw or heard approximately another 10 species after the survey was done, too late to document them, including Evening Grosbeak, Sandhill Crane, Turkey Vulture, Ruffed Grouse and Purple Finch.  The number of different species we counted wasn't as high as we'd anticipated but some of those species showed in record numbers this year.  Red Eyed Vireos and White Throated Sparrows were the most common at 81 of each species.  A big highlight was the Northern Waterthrush, a large warbler that is found in bogs and swamps.  It normally stays very well hidden in reeds and swamp grasses but I came across one that sat on a log and let us watch it for about 5 minutes.  A lifer for me but unfortunately, too far for a photo.  Some of the species we saw and heard include Northern Goshawk, Lincoln's Sparrow, Philadelphia Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker,  Alder Flycatcher, Wilson's Snipe and American Redstart.

Outside of the count times, we saw a mother Ruffed Grouse who had at least 5 young with her.  At her warning, they all ran or flew across the road to safety.  We also saw a cow moose with a young calf and loads of rabbits.  It all made for a great morning.
I'm getting reports from a few people that the Tree Swallows are leaving their nests now.  My own little families of them are getting close to fledging time.
The family in the backyard birdhouse is a few days behind the family in the garage birdhouse, mainly because the backyard pair had to fight so hard to be able to use that house in the first place.  Tree Swallows don't like other pairs nesting near them but at least the houses are out of sight of each other and  I think that helps.  By next weekend, all the young will likely have fledged and the yard will be quiet once again.  Those Swallows will be greatly missed until next year.

Pine Siskins, Purple Finches and American Goldfinches are still coming to the platform feeder every day.  The Goldfinches come in mainly in the evening, about 8:00 pm.  There's not much seed left on the platform by then.  The Purple Finches and Pine Siskins are here off and on throughout the day.  The male Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker pair come in every couple of days or so to feed at the hanging seed bells.  A male Ruby Throated Hummingbird guards the yard regularly.  I'm still not seeing too many of them.  They must be doing okay with natural food sources.  Don't forget to refresh your hummingbird feeders before they have a chance to go cloudy with bacteria and please use only clear sugar water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) with NO dyes or coloring.  Artificial coloring is very unhealthy for hummingbirds and totally unnecessary to attract them to a feeder anyway.

My resident Crow family has at least 2 young out and about now.  The noise they make is amazing!  Those babies are calling almost constantly to be fed and they just get louder whenever an adult Crow comes close to them.  The adults still bring food to the backyard and dunk it in the birdbath before filling their crops and flying off with it.  Sure does make a mess of the birdbath!  I'm seeing huge flocks of European Starlings all over town.  They too have young out and about now so we see them in flocks of 30 or more all over the place.  The young are now the size of the adults but they are plain brown instead of the shiny black of the adults.  They too are very noisy when begging to be fed!

Two birds I've missed this year are the American Pipit and the Rose Breasted Grosbeak.  I haven't seen any of either species this year.  Have you?
I hope you all are enjoying watching the process of nesting with the Tree Swallows in birdhouses and Cliff Swallows in mud nests.  Please let me know if you are lucky enough to be hosting Eastern Bluebirds.
Happy Sightings!!
tammie@theecho.ca 
826-4561

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