Grand Bend, North Lambton!

We met some fellow birders at the Grand Bend Beach on November 26th, all hoping to find some rare species. We had an elevated viewing spot and the plexiglass railing provided a bit of shelter from the wind.

I wasn't able to get my eyes on the Little Gull that soared past, but we were able to look down on species flying past including these Red-breasted Mergansers.

Ring-billed Gulls were abundant. 14 bird species were observed for a total of 214 individuals during our 1 hour, 20 minute stay at the beach.

3 Bald Eagles flew overhead; 2 adult, 1 immature.

Grand Bend Lighthouse

Pond outside the fence at the Grand Bend Sewage Lagoons: We asked for permission to walk along the roadway, but were denied access, even though we promised we wouldn't go for a swim. LOL Sewage Lagoons can meet the habitat requirements of many species. Some municipalities allow entry, others do not.

We parked at the Ipperwash MNR parking area which gave us a chance to explore both the beach and a few inland trails adjacent to the Dunes and Swales property. Nothing unusual to report but we did find a Purple Finch!

Beach Toy Library - I assume for summer use only.

Our last stop was at the Forest Lagoons, where walking is permitted. By this time, we had blue sky and sunshine!  As we approached the parking area, a Red-tailed Hawk kept a close eye on us, but didn't flush!

The soft bugling call of Tundra Swans could be heard overhead. When they emerged from the cloud cover, we finally got to see the flocks. They were scattered, and probably considered stopping, but after circling they continued their southern migration. Many ducks could be seen in one of the cells including 96 Green-winged Teal, 52 Bufflehead and 30 American Coot!

 Fun Finds on a Dreary Day!

A 'Murder" of American Crows alerted us to the presence of a Great Horned Owl on Monday. The Owl is visible in the centre of the photo. The body shape is noticeably different from the surrounding crows. Great Horned Owls are considered to be one of the most dangerous predators of crows.

The Great Horned Owl intermittently landed in trees between the crow chases. Once it was close enough for a distant photograph. The Crows were relentless in their quest to move the owl out of their territory. Crows are known to harass an owl for hours.

A Red phase Eastern Screech Owl was watching me with one open eye in a tree cavity.

I heard the tapping of a Downy Woodpecker and it took a bit to find the location as it was inside a tree. Woodpeckers will excavate holes in the autumn to find food and to make their winter shelters.

Downy Woodpecker checking out the cavity.

Video: Downy Woodpecker excavating a hole on Nov. 25th.

Male and female Hooded Mergansers.

Although not all visible in the photo, over 30 Hooded Mergansers were resting in Lake Chipican this week. Hooded Mergansers are the second-smallest of the six living species of mergansers. (Only the Smew of Eurasia is smaller.)

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/overview

Praying Mantis Egg case which will hatch dozens of tiny mantis’ next spring.

 Backyard Birds in November!

The feeder has been stocked and a nice selection of birds are showing up including a female Purple Finch which hung around for a few days. Purple Finches are large and chunky when compared to Chickadees, Nuthatches and Kinglets. They breed mainly in coniferous forests or mixed deciduous and coniferous woods. During winter they can be found in a wider variety of habitats including shrublands, old fields, forest edges and backyards!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Purple_Finch/id

The black bridle across the face, nape and throat varies extensively, and may help Blue Jays recognize one another. They prefer tray feeders on a post rather than hanging feeders. Favourite foods include peanuts, sunflower seeds and suet.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_Jay/overview

Northern Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground. They are common at bird feeders.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/overview

While some birds species migrate seasonally, Carolina Wrens prefer to stay put all year long. This individual was checking for insects in the bark of our Silver Maple.

https://birdfeederhub.com/facts-about-carolina-wrens/

The Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most common birds in North America. A recent estimate set the junco's total population at approximately 630 million individuals. This species often comes to bird feeders in the winter months.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/overview

Mourning Doves tend to feed busily on the ground or on platform feeders, swallowing seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus, called the crop. Once the crop is full (record is 17,200 bluegrass seeds), they can fly to a safe perch to digest the meal.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mourning_Dove/overview

Red-breasted Nuthatches migrate southward earlier than many irruptive species. They may begin in early July and can reach their southernmost point by September or October.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-breasted_Nuthatch/overview

If you see a White-breasted Nuthatch making lots of quick trips to and from your feeder, it may be storing the seeds for later in the winter by wedging them into furrows in the bark of nearby trees.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-breasted_Nuthatch/overview

White-throated Sparrows readily visit feeders or peck at fallen seeds beneath them. They enjoy eating millet and sunflower seeds. A brush pile in the yard will give White-throated sparrows (and other birds) a place to take cover in between trips out into the yard to feed.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-throated_Sparrow/id

 Down By The Sarnia Bay!

A non-breeding adult Red-throated Loon has been visiting Sarnia for the past few days. When we were at Centennial Bay, it swam close to the shoreline. The red neck is not visible as it is "wearing" its "non-breeding plumage" which it will keep from October to April each year. During migration, they fly along ocean shorelines and also along the shores of the Great Lakes, but their precise migration routes are unknown.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-throated_Loon/overview

Red-throated Loons are smaller and more slender than other loons. They have a smaller bill and hold the tip slightly upward. Like other loons, they dive for fish from the surface, but may also hunt from the air. They fly swiftly and are able to stall, pivot, and drop with almost falcon-like precision!!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-throated_Loon/overview

Thousands of minnows could be seen swimming in schools around the rocky areas.

Many of the fish were so small, they were probably swallowed before the loon surfaced from diving, but a couple of times a minnow could be seen in its bill.

Splash resulting from an "interaction" when a Ring-billed Gull attempted to steal a fish from the loon. The gull did not succeed.

A couple of Black Ducks wandered along the edge of the path. The iridescent violet speculum was visible. Mallards have white edges along both edges of the speculum while the edge is black on Black Ducks.

Black Duck speculum, located on the secondary wing feathers

Female Red-breasted Merganser having a stretch.

Red-breasted Mergansers need to eat 15-20 fish per day, which researchers suggest means they need to dive underwater 250-300 times per day, or forage for 4-5 hours to meet their energy needs!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-breasted_Merganser/overview

A female White-winged Scoter was another pleasant surprise to see in the Bay!

Although White-winged Scoters winter primarily along the coasts, small numbers winter on the eastern Great Lakes. Populations on the Great Lakes may have declined during the 1970's, but now appear to be increasing in response to the invasion of zebra mussels, a new and abundant food source.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/White-winged_Scoter/overview

Wild Canatara + A Musky! 

A Bald Eagle followed the Lake Huron shoreline, in his hunt for food.

The Eagle didn't pay attention to the 4 foot long Muskellunge (Musky) that had washed up onto the Canatara shore a few days earlier. This was my first time seeing a Musky!

A friend open it's mouth so I could photograph the rows of teeth. Any prey caught by that fish was not going to escape!

Another view of the teeth!

Adjacent to a very small inland pond (which often dries up) a Tree Sparrow posed for me! 3 Tree Sparrows have been lurking in the reeds surrounding that pond.

On the afternoon of November 18th (11 degree C.) I noticed a lump in Lake Chipican. Initially the head was submerged and I wondered if it was a log, but after a few moments the head emerged and I could confirm that a Snapping Turtle, covered in mud, was out for a slow swim. Reptiles can come out of the mud in search of a drink of water on the warmer days.

An Eastern Grey Screech Owl is appearing more frequently at the entrance hole to the wood duck box. The feathers on the top of the head seem to have a brown tinge. Perhaps this owl has some genes from the Red Phase of the Eastern Screech Owl which also live in the park.

I wasn't able to determine if this Black-capped Chickadee was eating a seed, or a juicy insect.

An adult Cooper's Hawk was perched high above the Redhead Ducks in the water below. They mainly eat birds, and although it appeared to be watching the ducks, it was likely hoping for a meal in the form of a Dove, Flicker, Robin or Starling.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/lifehistory

This beautiful fungus caught my eye, growing on a fallen log. According to iNaturalist, it is a Silverleaf Fungus which can be harmful to fruit trees, but is generally not considered a problem in forested areas.