Cottage Sightings

July 27-30, 2020

We had a bit of damp weather on the 27th, but that did not stop Barbara from photographing the hummingbirds and Chipping Sparrows around our lot.

Later, when it cleared up a bit, we ventured out onto the lake to check on the baby eagles and loon.  All are fine.

We also noticed a large congregation of loons feeding, with terns swooping in to pick up the leftovers.

The weather was threatening, so we headed back.

At Camp Island, we saw the Bonaparte's Gulls which had been reported to us by John & Shelagh.  They were loafing about with other gulls and terns.

In the evening, we went over to Blue Sea to pick raspberries.  Birds were singing all around us.

Barbara made it to the top of the mountain and got the views of Blue Sea Lake and distant Little Cedar.

The next morning, we picked some more on our own road, and saw a Northern Flicker.

Bill made the jam then went fishing while Barbara went for a walk to see our neighborhood birds. Our Mallard flock has one bird with an orange bill.

We went for a swim and were joined by a hungry Muskrat.

Bill was having electrical problems with the boat, so we decided to go to Maniwaki to ask the dealer for advice.  They weren't helpful, but he bought a cable which would be useful.  Barbara birded across the road and got a young Common Yellowhtroat.

We drove down to the banks of the Désert River and birded by the golf course.

The next day, after a paddle, we cooked a trout and headed to Chelsea to have dinner with our family.  We stopped in Gracefield for a chocolate gift and Bill joked that he would wait outside to look for the bluebird. It was there again, and this time we noticed the house.

We had a fun visit.

White Lake and Old Almonte Road

July 25, 2020

The canoe was still on the car and unused, so we planned a day trip to the west end of White Lake.

It was a bit over an hour to get there. As expected, there were a few trailers at the launch site but it was pretty quiet on the lake.

We launched and paddled west into a shallow bay where we saw Wood Ducks and an Eastern Kingbird.

We paddled down the bay, then crossed over and came back on the other side. A quiet, peaceful paddle.

We loaded up and headed for Almonte for a milkshake.  We decided to skip Burnt Lands this time, and return by Old Amonte Road.

We saw a deer cross the road and wait for it's fawn to come too.

We pulled up at a culvert by a wetland and saw a family of Wood Ducks with dad.

While waiting there, a male Northern Harrier swung by fairly close.

A Cedar Waxwing was also perched nearby.  We were glad we came home this way.