This weekend I took the opportunity to check out some local birding spots. On Saturday I visited White Fish Island, notables include male Wood Duck, American Robin, and a calling Red-Winged Blackbird. On Sunday I took a trip to Echo Bay. On Pumpkin Point Road I heard Sandhill Cranes and saw a number of ducks including Buffleheads and Goldeneyes which were further out in the open water with some Canadian Geese. There is still a large quantity of ice at the shore. A friend I talked to earlier heard his first song sparrow of the year on Saturday at Pumpkin Point. Our second stop of the day was the Lake Street viewing platform in Echo Bay. From the platform we observed an immature and mature Bald Eagle, Great-Blue Herons, Tundra Swans, Buffleheads, Common Mergansers, Canadian Geese, Ring-billed Gulls, and a calling Red-winged Blackbird.
Echo Bay is approximately 25 minutes East of Sault Ste Marie on Hwy 17. Pumpkin Point Road W is approximately 10 km east of Echo Bay. The Lake Street viewing platform is right in Echo Bay, if you are heading east on Hwy 17 from Sault Ste Marie turn left on Hwy 638 and then left on Lake Street. The street ends at the viewing platform. White Fish Island is in downtown Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. The island is accessible from Canal Drive, park in the visitor centre parking lot for the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site of Canada and cross the canal. Monique Wester _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
