Desjardins Canal and Other Birdy Places!

We had a brief visit to the Desjardins Canal recently. Six Trumpeter Swans, including 2 juveniles, have been using the canal for shelter and food. Trumpeter Swans are rebounding in numbers following a drastic decline in their population. By the early 1900's, decades of unregulated harvest had driven the Trumpeter Swan to the brink of extinction. It is nice to see them in new locations and without the large yellow tags we have seen in other populations. By comparing the ratio of tagged birds to untagged birds, scientists can estimate how successfully the birds are reproducing in the wild.

https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/understanding-waterfowl-return-of-the-trumpeters

Trumpeter Swans are much larger than Tundra Swans. (They are the largest and heaviest flying waterfowl native to North America.) But when the 2 species are not side by side, there are a few features to check for proper identification. If you can get close enough you may be able to see a red "lipstick" marking where the upper and lower bills meet (above). On average, an adult Trumpeter Swan ranges from 7-14 kgs. while a Tundra Swan weighs only 3.4 to 9.6 kgs.

https://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/swaninformation/identification/overview.html

The point where the bill is attached to the face looks like a 'V' in Trumpeter Swans, while in Tundra Swans, it appears 'U' shaped. The pointed 'V' is clearly visible in the above photo.

https://birdsphere.com/tundra-vs-trumpeter-swans/

Mergansers are our only ducks that specialize in eating fish. The Hooded Merganser is the smallest of the 3 native merganser species. They often seem to be the least numerous as they tend to live around swamps and wooded ponds where they can be easily overlooked. 14 Hooded Mergansers were present.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/hooded-merganser

Most Turkey Vultures in Southern Ontario migrate, but some regularly spend the winter near the Desjardins canal, which almost always has open water through the winter. We saw 4 Vultures soaring once their wings dried off.

There was no shortage of Canada Geese. We estimated 400 Geese in the water. 46 Mallards were also present.

A Great Blue Heron flew into the crowd of Canada Geese. It marched along the edge of the channel until it found a place to rest. In total, we found 14 bird species during our 35 minute visit.

Back at Canatara Park!

January 3rd was the 6th annual Children’s Christmas Bird Count in Canatara Park. Lambton Wildlife Members volunteer as group leaders for the 6-12 year olds and their parents. I was delighted to come upon an unexpected bird feeder in a wooded area where there was a lot of bird activity. Even the parents were amazed, and had no idea that so many colourful birds lived in our area through the winter!

A Male Red-bellied Woodpecker was the "star" of the show.

Bird feeder "weigh scale"! A popular place to have a snack also shows a "lean" towards the weight difference between a Black-capped Chickadee (9-14g) and a Mourning Dove (96-170g).

We also took note of signs of insects as they are an important source of food for birds. The Cocoon above is that of a Cecropia Moth, North America's largest moth. If not predated by wasps, the adult should emerge mid-June.

On a recent visit to Pinery Provincial Park, a Southern Flying Squirrel was spotted climbing around one of the buildings. This nocturnal species is not often seen in the daytime. In the lower photo, the flaps of skin are visible which allow Flying Squirrels to "Glide with Style" when launching from a tree. It was roughly the same size as a Chipmunk.