Hi all,
My wife and I were birding today from the Port Ryerse docks and found
a Northern Gannet feeding to the south-west of us at 1:24 this afternoon. The
bird (a juvenile) was seen plunging into the lake at least twice among a
feeding frenzy of gulls. Also seen at this time was an adult Bald Eagle which
flew
out over the lake from the Port Dover side of us. A few minutes later the Bald
Eagle attacked the Gannet as it was trying to lift off from the water, the
Bald Eagle spent the next 15 minutes trying to lift off the water with the
Gannet, most of the time all we could see was the eagle flapping madly but a
couple
of times we could see the gannet in its talons. After about fifteen minutes
the eagle gave up and circled a few times, occassionally settling back down on
the Gannet but then it gave up totally, a second Bald Eagle was also hunting
out over the lake. The Gannet was not seen again and was presumably dead. A
Red-necked Grebe was also fishing around the jetty.
Dave
Port Ryerse can be found at the end of CR 57 which is 10km south of Simcoe in
Norfolk County and off of highway 24. Follow the road till it ends at the
lake.
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From: "Bruce Di Labio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "ontario birds" <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 19:07:42 -0500
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Subject: [Ontbirds]Amherst Island birding
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Hi Everyone
Today, December 4, 2005, we birded Amherst Island. Overall, it was
rather slow but we did manage to observe 3 Snowy Owls at the east end of the
island on the K.F.N. property. While checking the east end of Amherst Island
we noted lots of Meadow Vole tracks in the fresh snow. There were 350+
Gadwall, 11 Tundra Swan and 3 Common Loon along the south shore of the
island. In the "Owl Woods" 1 very cooperative Long-eared Owl was seen but
no luck with the Northern Saw-whet Owl. Birds of prey numbers were low,
possible due to the snowy conditions, but we had a few Northern Harrier,
Rough-legged Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk and 1 American Kestrel.
good birding
Bruce
Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O.Box 538
Carp,Ontario,K0A 1L0
(613)839-4395 Home (613)715-2571 Cell
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/
Directions: Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Road 4, Camden East)
and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and
drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The
ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the
island on the
hour. Cost is $5.00 Canadian round trip. There are no gas stations on the
island. There are
restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock.
The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the
east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road.
