Bald Eagle and other feathered friends - Mon, 31 Dec 2001

        
On Dec 15th while enjoying our breakfast we had a visitor to the top of
the maple tree just outside the house. It was a very mature Bald Eagle.
He sat and observed the yard and the bird feeder for a few minutes. We
sat awe-struck for a few minutes ourselves and then ran for the camera.
Just as we focused he took flight. We have no permanent images to share
but we do have the sight of this magnificent bird spreading its massive
wings and gliding silently out of view.

No birds were taken from the feeder.

Keith and Paton Hoback
The Goode Knight B&B
Thessalon
goodnite@vianet.ca

Peregrine Falcons - Thu, 09 Aug 2001

   
Hi Gord,

 We have observed two immmature Peregrine Falcons in the Elliot Lake area
every morning and sometimes in the late afternoon, from July 28th to August
5th. However we have not seen them for the last three days.  The birds are
not banded and are obviously siblings.  Both birds are very vocal in the
early mornings.

Joyce & Jr MacKenzie
angusmac@inorth.on.ca

Peregrine Falcons - Fri, 03 Aug 2001

   
Hi Gord

It has been a while since we sent you a report.  Two immature Peregrine
Falcons have been hanging out in Elliot Lake since Saturday August, 28th.
We have seen them everyday, either in the early morning or in the late
afternoon.  We had Erwin Meissner, our "local birdman" verify the sighting
this morning.  The birds are siblings and not banded.  They are obviously
finding our local food source, " Rock Doves" etc.. to their liking.

Joyce & JR MacKenzie
angusmac@inorth.on.ca

Algoma East Report - Thu, 02 Aug 2001

Thursday, August 02, 2001

Hi Gord

A group of ten canoeists, including myself, just completed an 80 K trip across the North Shore of Lake Huron from just west of Thessalon to the Mississagi Delta. It was a challenging experience with most of the travel spent working our way against a persistent East head-wind. I did have the good fortune to sight the following species while on the water or camping on shore:

Great Blue Heron 
Sandhill Crane
Bald Eagle 
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Common Loon  ....some very large "rafts" of Loons with 20 or 30 to a group
Double-crested Cormorant 
Mallard Duck 
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Common Tern
Black Tern
Caspian Tern 
Common Snipe
Greater Yellowlegs
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Hermit Thrush
Pileated Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Ruffed Grouse
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Raven
Common Crow

A memorable canoe trip with a great group of friends!

I wish you, and all of them...good birding for the remainder of the summer months,

Terry Carr
tcarr@vianet.ca

Birds in Algoma - Thu, 12 Apr 2001

Lot 10 Con VI Gould Twp

March 30 saw our first Robin a brilliantly coloured male.

April 7 a male eastern Bluebird was on the roof and power line at the house for several minutes.

Three American Goldfinches were at the feeder on April 7. The males have brilliant plumage the females their normal drab.

April 11 one male Red winged blackbird

We still have lots of chickadees, pine siskins, nuthatches and Juncoes around

Saw a male Ruffed Grouse courting several females on March 30 on Hwy. 556.

All for now

Keith Hoback
The Goode Knight B&B
hobackke@adss.on.ca

Algoma East Birding Report - Sat, 31 Mar 2001

Perigrin Falcon spotted in Spanish wetland complex this afternoon (March 31) Only the male was spotted screeching while flying low, the female must have been up above waiting for the birds to be flushed up, hunting as a pair as usual.

Email sent to tcarr@onlink.net was bounced back at me as unknown. I assume this link needs to be either removed or updated on the site. The following was what was sent:

Blue Heron spoted on the West Arm of Blind River on March 22. The waterfowl activity is on the increase at the Mississagi Delta and on the Mississagi River - but was going to fast to identify aginst thje sun. March 30th, spotted first Robin.

Would it be possible to edit your description of East Algoma to inclued the communities between the Hey 108 turn-off and Iron Bridge?. There are some worthwhile locations including the 12 km of trail in Provincially Signific ant Wetlands at the Boom Camp/Marshy Bay Trails in Blind River? Perhaps also it could include the hiking trails in Algoma Mills/Spragge and the McAuley Chutes area along with the Mississagi Delta Provincial Park. There is also the Huron Pines Golf and Country Club that permits access to a wide variety of song birds and open trails along the course. These addtions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Stoney Burton
stoney.burton@sympatico.ca

Algoma east does cover all of that area. I typically include anything east of Echo Bay to Spanish be included in Algoma East

Gord Gallant
gord@web-nat.com

Algoma East - Wed, 21 Mar 2001

Wednesday, March 21, 2001

Gord

Spring arrived at 8:31 AM on March 20, 2001 and these two birding reports came to me that day!

Our first American Robin sighting on the first day of Spring! Spotted by Steve and Uschi van Duin in their front yard on Spruce Ave., Elliot Lake at 4:50 PM, March 20/01.

Also this report from one of our members, Sabine Attelyn, ..."the geese don't need a calendar! First goose over Thessalon, flying south (scouting?), then in the afternoon 2 geese landing on the Mississagi River, also 3 Common Mergansers..."

Good birding,

Terry Carr
tcarr@vianet.on.ca

First Robin - Tue, 20 Mar 2001

Hi Gord

We saw our first Robin on Milliken Mine Road in Elliot Lake about 3.00 pm. this afternoon. Quite apprropriate I would say, on the first day of Spring on a glorious afternoon, doesn't get any better than this.

James & Joyce MacKenzie
angusmac@inorth.on.ca

Algoma East Report - Sat, 17 Mar 2001

Saturday, March 17, 2001

Gord

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you! We have seen quite a few signs of spring here in Elliot Lake. As I write this I see Ravens doing courting flights and preparing to nest quite close to my home. This morning's walk in the area of the feeding stations at our Sherriff Creek Sanctuary provided the following sightings:

Evening Grosbeak (20 -30)
Pine Siskins (100 +) 
American Goldfinches (20 +)
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Tree Sparrow
Black-capped Chickadees (doing their clear, two note,
                         sometimes three note, spring whistle)

An exciting day on March 15th when one of our club members, Sabine Atteln, spotted a pair of Northern Cardinals in her back yard. This is the first reported sighting of Cardinals here this winter. It was even more significant Sabine had not seen Cardinals before in her life. I have seen reports of Cardinals being as far north as Timmins but they are still very rarely seen this far north in Ontario.

Good birding,

Terry Carr
tcarr@vianet.on.ca

Algoma East - Wed, 10 Jan 2001

Date: 1/10/2001 4:54 pm EST

Hi Gord

I received a call this morning from Hildegard Landmark, who lives on Central Ave. here in Elliot Lake. She had discovered an unknown "small owl" that had apparently died and fallen from a tree right near her front door.

I visited Hildegard shortly after her call and was able to identify the bird as a mature Northern Hawk Owl. It was extremely emaciated and looked as though it had probably starved to death and died of exposure.

This is a relatively rare bird for our area. There have been recent sightings of a Hawk Owl, both near the city and up at Panel Mine, north of Elliot Lake. This is very likely the same bird that has just not found enough food in our deep snow to keep it alive. These are day-time feeding owls, like the Snowy Owl and depend primarily on small mammals and birds.

The Northern Hawk Owl is "Boreal" and wanders only occasionally south of the Boreal Forests into our area and Central Ontario. Very Rarely into Southern Ontario.

Those of us living in Elliot Lake will be able to see this owl in the Elliot Lake Nature Museum, connected to the Mining Museum, in the Pearson Centre. It has been picked up by a taxidermist today and will be mounted for display at the museum.

tc

Terry Carr
tcarr@vianet.on.ca