In the past four years the arrival of the main flocks of Snow Geese has been from just before Halloween to early November. In earlier years it would usually be any time after mid-October. In the past few weeks there has been some movement with a few thousand birds showing up but nothing significant yet. Season totals have ranged from 25,000 - 70,000 with no consistency and lower numbers in recent years.
Today, checking out areas from St. Isidore to Embrun, I had a couple of hundred very high over the Moose Creek lagoons. They circled but did not come down and headed east, understandable since the hunt is on and they are very wary. There were no obvious birds at St. Isidore lagoons and none on the sod farm off Lafleche Rd. At Embrun lagoons there were 2,000 on the lagoon to the east beside the road and more in the lagoon to the northwest but it is not visible from the lookout area beside the pumping station, only birds moving in and out. Last week there was a report of a flock of 4,000 in the area and these birds are likely part of that flock. Checking any of the lagoons in Prescott-Russell and north SD&G counties could have some results. Next weekend to mid-month should have more activity. The geese feed in harvested corn fields which are now in abundance and retreat to water between the morning feed and the second in late afternoon-early evening. They will retreat to water for the night and that can include the area rivers, especially the South Nation. In the fall there is more activity north and south of Hwy 417 than along the two main rivers, the Ottawa and the St. Lawrence. Brian Morin Cornwall -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at [email protected]. Please review posting rules and guidelines at http://ofo.ca/site/content/listserv-guidelines To find out more about OFO, please visit our website at ofo.ca or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists.
