This past weekend I spent a good amount of time touring the Bruce
Peninsula. Apologies for being a little late on this posting, didn't
get home until later Monday night and wasn't able to get to it
yesterday. Anyway, while many of the hot spots are still ice covered
(though, really starting to break-up), the signs of spring were all
around (ie. red-winged blackbirds & robins everywhere). A couple of
notes...
- In an small, open field, just off HWY 13 between Sauble and
Southampton, I came across a herd of about 8 deer (not birds, I know...)
- Sauble River is completely open and held numerous Canadian Geese &
Buffleheads (went back many times over the weekend and they were
always there).
- At the small conservation area (John's Lake...Dave's Lake...can't
remember the name right now), off HWY 13, just north of South
Oliphant Road, were a flock of about 7-10 wild turkey.
- The Rankin River, between Boat Lake and Issac Lake (where the
historical plaque/bridge is off HWY 13 between Oliphant & Wiarton) is
completely open and held numerous Canadian Geese & Buffleheads (went
back many times over the weekend and they were always there).
- In Colpoy's Bay, at the dock at 9 & Mallory Beach Road, there's a
small amount of open water here (just to the west of the dock). Just
a solitary Buffelhead looking for food (throughout the day).
Everything north of Cape Croker (both Georgian Bay and Lake Huron
sides) was completely ice covered still (some areas were broken ice,
but heavily covered). Little Tub Harbor in Tobermory is starting to
break up quite a bit though.
And, a highlight for me, for the weekend, was a flock of 35+ cedar
waxwings and 5+ bohemian waxwings feeding at a tree on the corner of
HWY 9 & Mckague Road at Barrow Bay, about 10 minutes south of
Lionshead. They were just feasting away. I stayed there for about 45
minutes as the sun was going down. It was a wonderful sight and very
exciting after a rather uneventful day. I was able to get a few
photos of both the cedars and bohemians, if anyone's interested
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/theboyk/). I went back the next day (a
number of times) and didn't see them again.
That was about it. Nothing out of the ordinary, but things should
start picking up in the area with the migration and the open water
(as the temperatures seem to have shot up since the weekend and the
ice and snow is really starting to melt away...especially with all
the rain on Monday).
Regards,
Kristin.
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