Waterloo Region Nature Annual Field Trip to North Shore of Lake Ontario 2019

09 March 2019

Leader: David M. Gascoigne

Members: Miriam Bauman, Scott Beemer, Kitty Corbett, Fraser Gibson,  Victoria Ho, Denise Leschak, Geraldine Sanderson, John Sanderson, Roger Suffling, Selwyn Tomkun.

Guests: Sal Aziz and son, Logan (8 years old and keen!), Tyler Hampton, Debbie Hernandez, Brigitte Huber,Carole Martin.

     When we left home it was a crisp minus fourteen degrees but the forecast was for a pleasant day with the temperature climbing to around zero before the day was out. We met at our normal spot, car-pooled to the extent possible and set off for a fine day of birding.  Old friends and new arrived, club stalwarts and welcome guests, all with the goal of enjoying a fine day with many birds to keep us company.

     As has become customary on this outing, our first point of call was at the DesJardins Canal in Dundas, where the signature bird at this time of the year is Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus). We were not disappointed.

     For some this was a lifer and they were exceptionally happy to see this handsome duck.

     A couple of Redheads (Aythya americana) were also seen swimming among the ubiquitous Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).

     There was also a good number of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) on the canal, open water of course being a major draw for waterfowl in winter.

     In fact, given the succession of cold nights we have experienced recently, I was afraid that finding open water might be a problem, but the flow in the canal is obviously sufficient to prevent ice from forming.

     This was not to be the case at LaSalle Park and Marina and we were greeted by ice across Burlington Bay, with barely a single patch of open water.

     Obviously this had an effect on the number of species present.

    Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) had no hesitation about venturing out onto the ice, but certainly there was nowhere for them to feed, and supplements of corn are provided under such dire conditions.

     Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis), resourceful as ever, find ways to make a living, and are resplendent, beautiful and unappreciated by many.

     In a tiny ribbon of water at the very edge of the lake, ducks and geese congregated together, with a few diving ducks mixed in with the dabbling ducks, including this female Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula).

     One of the greatest pleasures for a naturalist, young or old, is to feed a wild creature, whose confidence in you is rewarded with a zen moment of interconnectedness with other life forms on this wonderful planet we are slowly destroying. So it was for Logan.

     This youngster already has a firm connection to nature and I commend both him and his father, Sal, who spares no effort to nurture and encourage his interest.
     I am not quite sure which person is at the other end of this outstretched hand, but it was a matter of little concern for the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) coming in for food. Human and bird in harmony - now there is an image for the ages.

     Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) is a resident species and is familiar to all.

     Ice and snow are no deterrent to a hardy woodpecker, nor to swans, ducks and geese it seems.

     The contrast between the native Trumpeter Swan and the introduced Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is shown in the following two images.
     

     Actually the Trumpeter Swans seemed to be engaged in a ritualized display, possibly portending courtship, for there was no aggression at all, and several birds took part in the ceremony.

     No doubt this handsome male Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) had affairs of the heart on his mind too.

     Common Goldeneyes were well charged up with hormonal urges and both males and females were engaged in courtship displays.

     This fine male would no doubt have great genes to pass on to the next generation.

     We left LaSalle and moved onto to Paletta Park where warm, clean washrooms awaited the ladies, who especially appreciate such comforts in winter. After a quick lunch eaten mainly in our vehicles we strolled down to the water.

     Ring-billed Gulls were resting on the ice, a behaviour which nearly always elicits a question from someone about how they stay warm.

     Mallard was far and away the most common species, ever handsome, ever hardy, ever resilient and pleasure-giving, but seldom appreciated due to its familiarity.

     At Paletta Park we saw a couple of Hairy Woodpeckers (Dryobates villosus), the only location where we encountered this species.

     Our final stop for the day was at Bronte Harbour in Oakville and this proved to be the jewel in an already lustrous crown. Ice covered most of the harbour, save for a few very small areas of open water in the corners against the walls, and ducks were concentrated there, so close one could almost have reached over and touched them.

     Fraser Gibson, an eminence grise of Waterloo Region Nature to be sure, remarked that he had previously seen Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) only at a distance and was captivated to see them so close; one could actually see them swimming under water and emerging from under the ice.

     Greater Scaup was very common.

     Again it was possible to see both males and females at very close quarters and reinforce one's identification skills. The birds came to the surface after a dive, with mussels in their bill enabling everyone to see how they process their food.
    Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) was not quite as numerous as other species, at least not close in, but some could be seen off in the distance riding the not insignificant swell of Lake Ontario.

     There were little flotillas of Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser) sometimes as many as twenty birds together swimming in a straight line one behind the other.

Common Merganser ♂

Common Merganser ♀

     Several White-winged Scoters (Melanitta deglandi) were seen but we were able to photograph the female only.

     In addition to occupying the sparse patches of open water in the harbour many ducks were on the lake side of the breakwater riding the roiling waves of a windy day on Lake Ontario. The picture below gives the impression of calm water but the swell was actually quite pronounced.

     It was with great pleasure that we saw many Redheads.

     This female Common Merganser was resting on an ice floe.

     On the way back along the breakwater we saw Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) surprisingly enough the only one on the day as I recall.

     Many people lingered for a while to observe the ducks at close range and really get the chance to appreciate their various behaviours and survival skills. It was really quite remarkable.
     We parted company having very much enjoyed each other's company and knowing that an enriching day had been had by all. Same time next year folks!

All species: Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, American Black Duck, Redhead, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Double-crested Cormorant, Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-billed Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.  Total: 26

A Brief Stop at LaSalle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     30 November 2018

     November and the first half of December are the busiest periods of the year for Miriam's ETSY business. Due to rotating strike action by the employees of Canada Post Corporation she has been batching shipments and delivering them to a company that makes daily forays across the border to have mail shipped by USPS. This necessitates a trip to Burlington, ON, the nearest drop off point for us.

     We made the trip yesterday and took a thermos of coffee and a couple of muffins with us, and we enjoyed our mid morning break at LaSalle Park and Marina. We made just a twenty minute stop but we did a cursory check of the birds closest to shore.

     As might be expected Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) have begun taking up residence for the winter and we saw about twenty of them.

     By the end of the year we can reasonably expect this number to swell to a couple of hundred.

     Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) was the most common larid, but American Herring Gulls (Larus smithsonianus) are moving in too. Here is a group of Ring-bills loafing on the pier with an adult Herring Gull preening in the background.

     This immature Herring Gull seemed content to keep his distance from the others.

     There were several small groups of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and their numbers will increase exponentially over the next few weeks.

     White-winged Scoters (Melanitta deglandi) have arrived, but still in small numbers and mostly beyond photographic range.

     Perhaps the most interesting sighting of all was what appears to be a leucistic Mallard (Anas platyrynchos), a phenomenon I have seen before - but seldom.

     No doubt we will be back down there on Monday so we will see what might have changed over the weekend. LaSalle always has the potential for surprises.

Tuesday Rambles with David - Lake Ontario Waterfowl

06 February 2018

     Franc and Carol are still in Arizona, but other than that, for the first time in a few weeks the remaining six of our regular Tuesday group were all available for our outing. 

     This is the peak time of the year for large numbers of waterfowl wintering on Lake Ontario, so we decided to visit the Hamilton area where there are large concentrations of a wide range of species, and several good vantage points to permit excellent viewing.

     As might be expected in early February the shore of the lake was characterized by numerous ice formations.

       There was an abundance of ducks on the water but they were unusually far out and not anywhere near close enough for decent photographs. We may not have gotten pictures, but we certainly enjoyed the opportunity to observe so many species, especially the diving ducks that inhabit the lake only during the coldest months of the year, having a rich food resource in the form of Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), the scourge of the Great Lakes.
     Francine and Jim arrived a little ahead of the rest of us and Francine was able to capture a couple of Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis).

     As we moved along the lake we stopped at various spots to scan the water and were rewarded with a sighting of two Great Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus), alas far, far out resting on the surface, and beyond the reach of our cameras.

     We eventually wound up at LaSalle Park and Marina in Burlington where, as might be expected, most species were much closer to shore, well within photographic range.

     There were many Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and a few males were seen already starting their courtship displays.

     I can't think of anywhere that beats LaSalle for close up views of Greater Scaup (Aythya marila). Many birders, especially novices, have a difficult time differentiating Great Scaup from the very similar Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) so any chance for detailed inspection is welcomed.

Greater Scaup - male

Greater Scaup - female

   The signature species at LaSalle is the Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) and even though we have literally hundreds of pictures of this magnificent bird it is hard to resist taking more.

     Many young birds were present and it appears that it was a productive year for Trumpeter Swan.

     As you can see the ladies of our merry band of birders enjoyed being with these swans.

     I guess they forgot to read the memo about this being a serious ornithological venture and they just opted for frivolity and sheer enjoyment!

     Under most conditions when encountering Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) it is the largest bird around, but when seen alongside a Trumpeter Swan it doesn't seem so big anymore.

     Canada Goose is much maligned by people who resent their droppings, despite the fact that it is us who have encouraged them to abandon their normal migratory patterns by providing veritable smorgasbords of food for them (a golf course must be a high class restaurant for a Canada Goose), but I always enjoy this handsome, intelligent species.

     Surely the most underrated duck of all is Mallard (Anas platyrynchos). I don't know whether familiarity breeds contempt in this case, but it sure breeds indifference. If this species were rare we would all be enthralled by its sheer beauty.

     A flock of Redheads (Aythya americana) is far more likely to draw our attention.

     And a male Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) will throw us into raptures (especially Francine).

     We saw a few Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator) but as best I can remember they were all females.

     A pair of Gadwall ( Anas strepera) looked positively dignified in their muted garb; fittingly it seemed, they kept to themselves.

     We saw many scoters of all three species found on Lake Ontario, but these birds never did come in close and this single photograph of a female Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) was all that Miriam was able to get.

     We went for a walk along the woodland trail.

     The walk was very productive with delightful species such as Brown Creeper (Certhia americana), Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) and Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). Mary found all three of these birds and was our Hawkeye Spotter of the day. If she keeps this up it may be Tuesday Meanders with Mary instead of Tuesday Rambles with David!

     A very large nest of paper wasp (Polistinae sp.) attracted the attention of a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), leading me to wonder whether there were any vestiges of larval protein to be gleaned.

     As always it was a great walk filled with birds, laughter, friendship of the best kind, and we are all looking forward to the next adventure together.  

All species: Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Wood Duck, Gadwall, Mallard, American Black Duck, Canvasback, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Ring-billed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, American Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, American Kestrel, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, House Sparrow, Red Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.   Total: 40