Sunday evening I talked to Erwin Meissner in Massey and John Lemon in
Lively near Sudbury. Massey is along Highway 17 about 85 km west of
Sudbury. Here is a summary of Erwin and John's observations from this
under-reported area north of Georgian Bay/Lake Huron.
Great Gray Owl: Erwin reports a loose concentration of 8 to 10 Great
Gray Owls in the vicinity of Massey. John reports fewer around
Sudbury, but he banded one recently. It was in good condition. John
wasn't sure of its sex, but it was fat weighing 1500 grams. Another
Great Gray was found in a weakened condition on the ground on
Manitoulin Island and brought to a rehabilitation centre. It weighed
only 600 grams, but now weighs 1000 grams.
Northern Hawk Owl: 3 including one banded by John Lemon.
Boreal Owl: Erwin found a road-killed bird near Elliot Lake.
Snowy Owl: several.
Pine Grosbeak: common.
Purple Finch: 11 on Massey Christmas Bird Count, small numbers recently.
Evening Grosbeak: 147 of Massey Christmas Bird Count, small numbers recently.
Redpolls: Large numbers and big increase in last two weeks with "lots
of Hoary Redpolls" in flocks of Commons.
Pine Siskin: 2 on Christmas Bird Count, but common recently.
Crossbills: good numbers of White-winged Crossbills, but no Red Crossbills.
Bohemian Waxwing: Good numbers in towns such as Little Current (200),
Elliot Lake (80) and Massey eating planted European Mountain-ash
berries and crabapples.
Bobcat: A Bobcat is coming to Erwin's feeder in Massey. He sent me
photos of the Bobcat watching his feeder just like a domestic cat. A
Ruffed Grouse and 2 Snowshoe Hares are now missing from his yard.
Erwin has a Beaver carcass from a trapper for the Bobcat hanging high
enough in a tree so dogs can't get it. Erwin also saw a presumed
female Bobcat with a smaller kitten (?) closely following it. Bobcats
are more frequent this winter probably because of the good numbers of
Snowshoe Hares and Ruffed Grouse in recent years. This area of
Ontario along the north shore historically has had a population of
Bobcats, but they are very rare elsewhere in most of the province for
unknown reasons. A little farther north Lynx are common.
Get out and enjoy 6 more weeks of winter according to Wiarton Willie
who saw its shadow this morning. This is one of the best winters in
many years with all the owls, winter finches and Bohemian Waxwings.
Ron Pittaway
Minden/Toronto
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