Strathroy Lagoons!

It was a cold day on April 5th for a walking tour around the Strathroy Lagoons. One of the first species we saw from the parking lot was a kettle of Turkey Vultures soaring through the air. A few of them took a break from soaring and landed in a nearby tree.

A pair of Bufflehead came in for a landing. They were 2 of 30 Bufflehead spotted in the lagoons. We counted 45 bird species in the 2.5 hour stroll. Ring-necked Ducks were the most numerous, but they were a little more camera shy!

Muskrats were plentiful. 

A Muskrat came up for a snack after an underwater swim, close to the water's edge. A clump of plant debris was strewn across his face! Muskrats have specially evolved teeth that protrude ahead of the cheeks and lips, allowing the lips to close behind the teeth. This allows Muskrats to chew on stems and roots while under water "with the mouth closed"!

https://www.hww.ca/wildlife/mammals/muskrat/

Muskrats use soft stem plants like reeds and rushes to build their lodges. Lodges made by muskrats provide many Canada Geese with nesting support.

I counted 3 eggs on the nest (so far). The Canada Goose has created a bare patch of skin (visible in the photo), called a 'Brood Patch' by plucking feathers and using them to line the nest. Heat from bare skin does a better job of warming eggs than feather-covered skin so she will line up the eggs under her brood patch for incubation.

Canada Geese are again patrolling the paths! Beware!

Common Grackles are familiar inhabitants of wet, open woodland and marshes as well as in suburbs, parks, and agricultural fields. A good way to find them is to scan large flocks of blackbirds and starlings. The tallest, longest-tailed blackbirds will most likely be Common Grackles.

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