A weekend visit to Manitoulin Island for Sandhill Crane photography and viewing was very successful! Although the cranes started to move into Michigan earlier this year than last there were still close 800-1000 to be seen in grain and corn fields. The early maturing and harvest of grain crops left less available in the fields for feed. I did a count on Learmont Rd on Friday night and got 818 birds flying to roost. Saturday evening was the annual Manitoulin Nature Club's crane outing to view the birds flying out of the fields to roost.
Surveys are being done along the North Shore and on Manitoulin Island to determine the possibility of a hunting season. The birds do cause some damage to corn and grain crops in the spring and fall. It would be great if a fund could be put together to plant lure crops as farmers can now get permits to shoot cranes during harvest. Also seen: Northern Shrike, Greater Yellowlegs, male and female Northern Harriers (some overwinter), Bald Eagles (overwinter), large flocks of Horned Larks, many duck species, bluebirds and Barn Swallows. Eleanor Kee Wellman "All Things Wild & Wonderful" Box 823, Bala, ON, Canada P0C1A0 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] <http://www.eleanorkeewellman.com> www.eleanorkeewellman.com http://keewellman.wordpress.com 2010 CALENDARS AVAILABLE AT ALGONQUIN PARK VISITORS CENTRE AND THROUGH ME! _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
