bye bye summer, hello fall!

After an unbelievably warm and sunny end of summer, it feels like fall now, with plunging temperatures, rain, and colourful leaves.

The cohorts of birds have changed as well: mostly gone are the warblers and vireos. WE had a good variety of warblers, although numbers were low. The most abundant, as always, was the American Redstart. Black-and-White and Magnolia Warblers, Ovenbird and Common Yellowthroat were also observed and captured in good numbers. There are, of course, still some warblers coming through, most notably Myrtle (Yellow-rumped) Warblers but also some Nashville Warblers. The first Orange-crowned Warbler was detected on September 22nd.

A rare sight at Cabot Head, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen on afternoon, on August 30th. A few Philadelphia Vireos were seen and banded during September.

September is also the time of migration for most Thrushes, and this fall, the Swainson's Thrush was captured in record number, with 49 banded. Some Gray-cheeked Thrushes have been banded as well, but in very small number this year compared to previous ones. Hermit Thrushes have just started to migrated through.

Now is the time for White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows, for Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, for Juncos and Chickadees. I'll keep you posted! (I'll try...)

A kayak tour to remember

A couple of weeks ago, I went for a little paddle on Georgian
Bay. Very soon after leaving Wingfield Basin, I saw a huge bird flying
towards me... Sure enough, it was an immature Bald Eagle which veered
away inland at close range from my red kayak.

Not very far down the shore, another Bald Eagle was flying along the
shore as well! And shortly after it flew inland too, I spotted an
Otter watching me, head well above the water...

Not bad, not bad. On my way back, as I was paddling in the waves close
to shore with the wind in my back, a familiar though rare silhouette
appeared cruising below the treeline along the shore. I was delighted
and stunned to watch an adult Peregrine Falcon. It perched on a tree
at water edge. I turned around and approached it. I had a good look as
it took off again and veered around and perched again on a dead tree
very close to me. The gulls flying at the same time gave it a wide
berth and yelled at it. I would say it was a female, given its size.
An adult Peregrine Falcon in August on the Bruce at Cabot Head is not
frequent at all!

As I was going back "home", paddling in Wingfield Basin, the Merlin
was perched in the dead birch in front of Wingfield Cottage, as the
turkey family (the hen and its 8 poults) was foraging on the shore!
Nothing unusual there, but a nice touch to end my little tour. I did
some eskimo rolls just to celebrate!

Hope you enjoyed my little story!
Stephane