So it's been a bit of a lousy week for getting out into the field, first with the intense heat wave and then with the storms and downpours, so I don't have too much for my list. A few mentionable things however:
Trumpeter swan cygnets have been hatching all over the place in the past week, and we had 6 hatch over last weekend in our cell but are down to 5 (we found one in the process of being predated by a snapping turtle) and we just finished getting one of the little guys (who had a near miss with something or other) back from the vet; so now we have one cygnet in our cell, if he or she survives to adulthood, that will have a bald patch on his head for life! (named unofficially around here as "Lil' Tuck", after Friar Tuck). There's also been 8 hatched out at Duncan's Marina in Port McNicoll, so they should be hatching out all over the place currently. I was able to get out today while doing turtle nest tallies (those that were dug up) and found the following birds: Common yellowthroat (1) Red winged blackbird (plentiful, with fledged young) Caspian tern (2) Green heron (1) Yellow warbler (1) Blue heron Goldfinch (2, male and female) American Bittern, calling (still!) from somewhere out beyond our observation blind. 1 male cardinal, just now as I was upstairs at the back patio On a side note, I was volunteering for Wasaga beach to watch the piping plover and was lucky enough to see him in the morning when the staff there went out to look for him. I watched him sitting in one place for a while with the spotting scope at the fence, then he began to run, and then fly.and of course, I lost him in the fog coming across the bay. But very exciting to see him! Sorry not too much for Wye this week, bad weather!!! Hopefully I'll get out into the field more next week! Julie Kee Research assistant Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre [EMAIL PROTECTED] 705 526 7809 ext. 205 Directions: Take the 400 North to Hwy 12 West, take 12 West for approx. 20 min, the driveway for the Wye Marsh is on the left, we share a driveway with Sainte Marie Among the Hurons, directly across the road from Martyr's Shrine. You can also take the Midland/Penetanguishene turnoff onto Hwy 93, turn right onto 12 East, pass under the railbridge, our driveway is on the right.
