Saturday, September 4, 2021

Fushimi Lake Provincial Park - Little Gull and more...

We spent a wonderful week in Fushimi Lake Provincial Park in August. After a busy spring and summer, we really needed this relaxing week of camping filled with sunshine, fishing, swimming, chatting by the campfire, and of course, a bit of birding. It was so wonderful to finally spend quality time with my parents, who I had barely seen in the last 2 years. We all love fishing and birding and that's why this park is perfect for us. 

Gary and my parents are fishing while I scan for gulls and terns
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021)

Gary fixing his line while my mom drives the boat. 
Fushimi Lake (August 2021)

On Thursday, as we were exploring some fishing spots, my parents agreed to drive the boat eastward to explore a few little rocky islands I remembered from the previous summer so that we could enjoy watching the Common Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls for a bit and look for shorebirds. 

In the boat, watching my favourite 
little rock formation for gulls, terns and shorebirds.
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021)

Even if Common Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls are somewhat common in our area, they are in specific habitats and there aren't many easily accessible spots where we can just sit and watch them in action and I was so excited for the opportunity (Note that Remi Lake in Moonbeam is another excellent lake to watch these 2 species!).  

Bonaparte's Gull 
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021)

On our way there, we stopped at a larger rocky island formation where there were many Herring Gulls, including 2 recently fledged young that I was surprised to see (probably a second clutch due to the late date). 

A larger rock formation where Herring Gulls like to hang out
There were 2 recently fledged young Herring Gulls, including  
the one you see swimming in the background : )
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021) 

The manner in which the different species of gulls share small rocky islands spread out on a northern lake just fascinates me and I could spend weeks just admiring that. At Fushimi Lake, there are some rock formations where about a dozen or so Herring Gulls hang out, and further east on the lake, the smaller gulls hang out on a smaller rock formation. And of course, once in a while, a Common Tern will fly to the Herring Gull spot only to dive and harass a Herring Gull in a series of dramatic dives before flying back to their own spot on the lake. And, like that wasn't fascinating enough to watch; on the flattest rocks, between the cracks and dips and gulls and terns, you can often spot shorebirds. In other words, it's a little piece of paradise!

Common Terns are gorgeous and fascinating
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021)

When we first arrived at the rock where the small gulls and terns gather, I immediately saw a bird that I knew was different. When my mom stopped the motor and I put my binoculars on it, the beauty and contrast of the plumage blew me away. 

Bonaparte's Gull (Left) with 3 Common
Terns
surrounding a rare Little Gull (2nd bird from the right).
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (19 August 2021)

The Little Gull was still there the next day, on 20 August 2021. 


Little Gull - Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (20 August 2021)


Common Tern and Little Gull watching a Least Sandpiper
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (20 August 2021)

Semipalmated Sandpiper and Little Gull
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (20 August 2021)

Little Gull in flight near the boat
August 2021


Just 2 buddies discussing stuff
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (20 August 2021)
Photo © Gary Dowe

On August 21, we weren't able to go on the water due to a very strong WSW wind with gusts reaching 57 km/h (blowing lawn chairs and large white caps...) from morning to sundown. 

On the 22, we went to check around all the little rocks and didn't see the Little Gull. However, the wind had brought these Baird's Sandpipers who were feeding, resting and grooming on the rocks where the Little Gull had been; fall migration is always full of surprises.

Baird's Sandpipers - Fushimi Lake Provincial Park
22 August 2021

On the 23, we got treated to 6 American White Pelicans who stopped by the lake. Local campers say they occasionally see American White Pelicans stop by Fushimi Lake during migration (especially in the last few years) but the birds never stay long.  It's interesting to note that Hearst is only 200 km east of Longlac/Geraldton where pelicans are now more regularly observed, often for relatively long periods during the summer (possible breeders?). 

American White Pelicans 
Fushimi Lake (23 August 2021)


There were a few isolated groups of warblers feeding together daily, but they were few and far between that week. In August, locating a flock is fantastic since you get to see many different species feeding together. Magnolia Warblers were abundant this year and we even saw one who was still feeding a very young recently fledged young! This year, one of the best spot for morning songbirds was the first 500 meters of the Fire Tower Trail. 
 
Magnolia Warbler 
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (22 August 2021)

Philadelphia Vireo in the Fire Trail
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (22 August 2021) 

Canada Warbler on the very first morning when the
air was hazy from all the forest fires west of us.  
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (18 August 2021)

Bay-breasted Warbler on our campsite
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park (August 2021)


Ultronia Underwing (Catocala ultronia)
On our campsite - Fushimi Lake (Aug 2021)

Ultronia Underwing (Catocala ultronia)
On our campsite - Fushimi Lake (Aug 2021)

It was nice to see a few White-winged Crossbills during the week (1 to 3 daily) The numbers had dipped in northeastern Ontario in the last year due to a natural cycle of low cone crops. 

Bad photo from the boat of a White-winged Crossbill
Near Lilypad Bay, Fushimi Lake Provincial Park
August 2021

Beautiful Fushimi Lake
Would be a great park to do some atlassing during the next summers!
August 2021


My mom and I scanning the lake one last time
until we return next year.
Fushimi Lake Provincial Park

 
Keep an eye open in the next 2 months - many interesting migrants will fly by you, wherever you are in Ontario!

Happy fall birding!



 


Thursday, August 12, 2021

Summer 2021 Update - Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas

I think an update on here is long overdue! It's been almost a year since the last one. 

We have been busy in the Timmins area in the past year; we have been reviewing and publishing the Timmins Checklist of Birds and conducting the first year of data collection for the 3rd Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. I'll start with an overview of this amazing project:

Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-3 (2021-2025)
What is it? It's volunteer birders, out in every corner of Ontario, collecting data to help scientists map the distribution and abundance of all the breeding bird species in the province! The data collected is then compared to results from the previous 2 atlasses (1981 to 1985 and 2001 to 2005) to evaluate changes, inform conservation policies for years to come, and help provide better targeted habitat protection for species at risk!  

I have been very fortunate to be part of this project as one of the regional coordinators for the area; I have learned so much from amazing atlas team leaders from all over the province. And the best part is, I get to collaborate with many talented and dedicated local birders from the Timmins and the Timiskaming area who have contributed hundreds of hours of efforts already! 

Swainson's Thrush carrying moss to a nest under construction.
Breeding evidence code: NB (Nest Building)
South Porcupine (June 2021)

Learn more:
This project is a collaboration between 5 partners: Birds Canada, Canadian Wildlife Services (ECCC), Ministry of Northern Dev., Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Ontario Field Ornithologists, and Ontario Nature. It's a 5-year project. If you want to learn more about Atlas-3, check it out here: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-3 Website  The Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas also has a YouTube Channel dedicated to Atlas-3 offering a variety of useful videos, from project overviews to tutorials on how to submit your data. 

Hairy Woodpecker beside her nest where we could hear and see
newly fledged birds - Breeding Evidence: NY (Nest with young)
 (South Porcupine - 30 May 2021)

Region 41 (Timiskaming):
For the Atlas, Timmins is part of Region 41 (Timiskaming); a region divided in approximately 345 squares (each square is 10 km 2). The area starts near Temagami in the south and it includes New Liskeard, Matachewan, Matheson, Kirkland Lake, Timmins, .... To see a map of other atlas regions and find your Regional Coordinator(s), visit this page.  


Tennessee Warbler carrying food for young fledglings.
'Confirmed' Breeding Code: CF (Carrying Food)
Region 41 (11 July 2021)

Summary of the season in our area so far:
We are only starting, but so far in our designated atlas area, 28 atlassers submitted 520 checklists in 87 different squares for a total of 4868 records totalling 153 different species. Local volunteers have conducted over 200 in-person point counts (and a few bioacoustics point counts). You can view more stats on the Atlas Data Summary page and on the Coverage Map. Next year should be even better, especially if we can start in-person mentoring, car sharing, and if we can welcome more visiting atlassers from other parts of the province with a return of inter-regional travel (Check and follow the local COVID-19 guidelines before planning any travel) 

A male and female Indigo Bunting were observed together and
displaying agitated behaviour in Timmins (28 July 2021)

Do you have any observations to add?
If you have done any birding during this past breeding season (June-July 2021) anywhere in the province and took notes (date, time, location, species...) or submitted your list to eBird, there is still time to input that valuable data in the atlas database. I would be more than happy to help you input your lists. 

Ways to get involved:
There are many ways to contribute to the project during the next 4 years, including submitting occasional sightings of birds and breeding evidence, which can be a variety of behaviours such as birds carrying nesting material or feeding fledglings, but can be as simple as a singing bird in June, or birds that are present in suitable habitat during the peak breeding period. Participants can help by submitting checklists, conducting point counts if they can identify birds by ear, conducting special surveys (owls, nightjars, ...), recording digital point counts (see below). There are options for birders of all skill levels.
 
One of our encounters during an early morning
atlassing outing in Northern Ontario (12 June 2021)

How do we submit the data? There are a few easy ways to input data to the atlas, including a user friendly App (NatureCounts) that will help you easily record the info (location, time, and species list and breeding codes) and even let you pinpoint exact coordinates for significant species to help us learn about their habitat and distribution. 

Recording digital point counts in Northern Ontario:
If you have access to a reliable vehicle and love exploring northern Ontario's nature through the back roads- off the beaten path- in the early hours of the morning, you could contribute to the project by obtaining digital recordings of bird songs at various pre-selected locations. These recorded point counts are then analyzed by a bioacoustics team and entered in the atlas database where they will help scientists learn more about the relative abundance of boreal bird species. 

It's a great way to enjoy the mornings outdoors while helping out when you don't know how to identify all the birds you hear. I had a lot of fun doing a few of them. It's kind of like geocaching... You follow a map to access a specific GPS point but instead of leaving a note of your presence, you capture a moment in time, a precious 5-minute piece of the boreal chorus, for science.

I'm installing the recording device on a tripod at ear-level height
to record a 5 min. digital point count for Atlas-3 (June 2021)

If you live anywhere north of Gravenhurst and you are interested in recording digital point counts during some early mornings in June or early July, contact your RC (Regional Coordinators) Your RC will let you know if there are squares in need of point counts in your area and can lend you one of these devices. 

Here is the Zoom recording unit at work at one of the designated Point Count stations in square 17TMP95 near South Porcupine.  
The Zoom H2n recording device in action in square 17TMP95 
It's a handy unit that can be used to record digital point
counts (5 min of bird songs) mostly in areas where
Point Count coverage is needed

We will be able to know more about interesting findings and trends once the data is all in, reviewed, mapped and compared with the previous atlasses. One thing that was noticeable so far in the Timmins area for this year was a lower than usual number of Pine Siskins (only 6 squares in the entire Region 41) and White-winged Crossbills (only 1 square in Region 41) which could reflect last winter's cycle of low food-supply in northeastern Ontario's boreal forest.

Although practically absent this year in the Timmins area,
Pine Siskin breeding evidence signs were abundant
last year (South Porcupine - 24 April 2020)


Planning a visit to Northern Ontario in the next 4 years? We still have many squares to cover and many species to find all over Northern Ontario. If you are a birder who've always wanted to visit Northern Ontario to do some birding, consider visiting in June or July to help us conduct point counts or document breeding birds during the peak season (if health guidelines permits). Whether you are visiting Cochrane, Timiskaming, Algoma, Blind River, Marathon, Thunder Bay, Kenora, Rainy River, contact the Regional Coordinator(s) to see if you can help fill some gaps in coverage while you are here!  Lots of beautiful, quiet areas to explore while providing valuable data! (Check and follow the local COVID-19 guidelines before planning any travel) 

Learn more about the project on the following site:  Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 3  and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

I'm already looking forward to next year!