Baby Loon

July 30, 2016

The Gull Rock baby seemed to be doing well.

Bud sadly, within a week, this young loon had disappeared.  A second young with another pair was also never seen after the first time.  So 2016 goes down as the worst year on record for loon chick survival, with a disastrous total of zero!

The Start of Fall Migration at our Cottage

July 24, 2016

Yes, in the heat of summer, some warblers are coming through.  A short paddle on the west shore enabled us to see a Northern Parula and a Black-throated Blue.

A young Purple Finch sat motionless on our deck railing for a half hour.

On the way home, a Ruffed Grouse was displaying at the side of the road.

Cottage Sightings

July 17, 2016

We met the family at Blue Sea Lake on Saturday, and biked towards Messines, stopping for a picnic and a swim.  We saw a few Mallards, the males entering eclipse plumage.  We also saw the Bald Eagles nest, but no sign of the raptors.

We pushed on to Messines, while K&K returned to Blue Sea for their car.  At the park in town, we saw a Song Sparrow and a couple of Red-eyed Vireos.

Early the next morning, the boys accompanied us on  loon count.  We only saw the Seagull Rock adult with a ball of fluff. but later saw another pair with a young at First Island.  We did see two Bald Eagles, or maybe the same one twice.  They seem to be not quite full adults.

Hummingbird Return

July 10, 2016

While Barbara was at a APLC executive meeting, I spotted a Rubythroat at our feeder.

When she returned, Barbara noticed that an Eastern Phoebe had made a nest in our woodshed.

We took some back roads home, and on Chemin des Cérises, found a productive spot.

A Family of Mergansers on the Petawawa

June 30, 2016

There was not much time for birding, but this group caught my eye.