At this time of year I normally drive from Gatineau to North Bay, although I am six days earlier than last year. There seemed to be fewer birds, but I don't know if this represents earlier movement south or the day was sunnier.
At the sod farm about 25 km east of Shawville there were distant shorebirds on the bare ground, but I did not have my scope. I had seen them flying and I suspect that they were American Golden Plovers. There were two Belted Kingfishers east of Shawville before I crossed to Ontario. I normally stop at Petwawa Point (north end of Laurentian Drive in Petawa), but there was little to be seen or heard - not even Chickadee and Nuthatch. The first picnic ground west of Deep River was quiet, but there was a Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Green-winged Teal and Downy Woodpecker. A picnic ground on the south wide of the highway further west produced the only warbler (Palm) and American Goldfinches, and Red-tailed Hawk. A first-year Bald Eagle was just west of the turn to Algonquin Park where the road is unpaved. A Common Loon was east of there. Normally there are many Turkey Vultures and Crows at Matawa, but numbers were down. The sewage lagoons at Matawa now have plastic sides and the area with water has been reduced. As a result I saw no ducks this year. Normally, there are warblers and passerines in that area, but I saw none tday. (To get to the lagoons, turn north off the highway into the town and cross the bridge. Turn left after the church and after about 400 meters bear right.) I also visited the lagoons at Calandar about 4 km south of North Bay. (Take the Lakeshore exit coming from Toronto and turn left at the first lights. Turn right at the sign for the golf club.) There were many Bonaparte's Gulls and the usual array of ducks. Sandy Darling Flamborough _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
