Historical Notes from Northern Frontenac County by Ross D
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
72 Historical Notes from Northern Frontenac County by Ross D. James In the autumn of 1993, I received from townships (Kennebec, Olden, Oso) and Denise Wilkins, Park Naturalist at Bon most of his observations were from Echo Provincial Park, a package these counties, although he made visits containing field notes on 8 x 5 inch to otherareasfarther north. Theoriginal cards from northern Frontenac County. notes from which the following were Thesenotes werecompiled by R. (Bob) taken have been deposited in the v. Lindsay, who lived at Arden Archives oftheRoyal OntarioMuseum. (44°43'N, 76°56'W) in Frontenac County. Most notes were of his own BrownPelican, Pelecanus occidentalis: observations, buthealso was in contact On 26 September 1933, he reports with numerous local residents or watching onefor several minutes flying cottagers who contributed additional about Big Clear Lake (44°43'N, information. 76°55'W) beside Arden, apparently He had consulted the diaries of looking for food. There seems a Edwin Beaupre who lived at Sharbot reasonable probability that the identity Lake just after the tum of this century. of the bird was correct as he notes the From this source, observations by wide expanse of the wings, the neck Beaupreand C.J. Young, someofwhich drawn back, legs not trailing, and the were included in Macoun and Macoun enormous beak. among other things. (1909), were noted on these cards, The main concern would be the origin mainly_from 1902 and 1903. Lindsay's ofthe bird. Might there have been birds own observations began as early as in flying condition in a zoo at that time? 1922, although there are very few notes Lindsay reports sending a number of recorded until 1931. He seems to have species to the Riverdale Zoo in Toronto been most active during the frrst halfof around this period, including American the 1930's. There are no notes of his Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), own between 1935 and 1944 (he had Northern Goshawk(Accipitergentilis), apparently moved to Toronto), but Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), observations resumed in 1945 and Belted Kingfisher(Megaceryle aleyon), continued until 1963, rarely beyond. and Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius From Lindsay's notes, I was able ludovicianus) as if it were a relatively to make out nearly 350 nest record common practice. I am unaware of a cards for the Ontario Nest Records local zoo from which a Brown Pelican Scheme(ONRS). In addition to those, I might have come. However, they are have gleaned a numberofobservations certainly capable of flying long that are worth making available to a distances. The species has occurred in wider audience. Ontario a couple of times in recent The area ofhis records was almost years when a less common species than entirely confined to the northern partof it was then, suggesting it may well have Frontenac County. Trans Canada been a wild bird. Highway7 runseast-westthrough three ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 1996 73 Canada Goose, Branta canadensis: (Weir 1989), but was obviously Observations as late as 1963 give no scattered aboutthe nothern partas well, indication of Canada Goose nesting in where none was present in the 1980s. northern Frontenac County as they are Lindsay had reports compiled from today, with the ever burgeoning various peopleindicating they had seen populations in southern Ontario. nests at Buckshot Lake (45°00'N, 47°Q4'W), Miller Township (prior to Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos: None 1960); Norcan Lake (45°10'N, were noted in the area in 1935, and a 76°52'W), North Canonto Township note made in 1950 indicates that it was (until about 1955); and Kennebec Lake only "in recent years" that any were to (44°44'N, 76°58'W), Kennebec be found nesting in northern Frontenac County. Township (in the period 1945 to 1947). Observationsofbirds atLong Schooner American Black Duck,A. rubripes: It Lake (45°06'N, 76°59'W), Miller was reported breeding through the Township, and "Burle" Lake (Brule period of his observations. eds.), Miller Township (prior to 1930), Common Merganser, Mergus suggest it may have nested there. merganser: He found a nest with 9 Definiteevidenceofnesting camefrom hatched and oneaddled egg (afamily of Sharbot Lake (44°46'N, 76°41 'W) 9 young was within a coupleofhundred where a nest was reported in 1903 metres) under a large slab ofrock on a (Young 1904);Big GullLake (44°50'N, ledge only 6.5 m from an occupied 76°57'W), ClarendonTownship, where Peregrine Falcon nest. An old cedar a pair was noted on a nest in the spring stump, 1.5 m from the merganser nest, of 1933; and from Crotch lake (= Cross was regularly used as aplucking station Lake, 44°55'N, 76°48'W), Palmerston by the falcons. A few of the old bones Township, where it was reported for leftby thefalcons hadbeen incorporated many years prior to 1933, and again into the merganser nest. This was in prior to 1938, and for many years prior July 1932 at the northern end of Crow to 1960 when two young were seen in a Lake (44°42'N, 76°37'W), at the same nest there. eyrie where Beaupre had collected Red-tailed Hawk, Buteojamaicensis/ peregrine eggs about 1904 (Beaupre, R~d·shouldered Hawk, B. linea1U$: 1922). The Red-tailed Hawk was obviously Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura: considered quite scarce in the early Lindsay considereditto beanaccidental 1930s. Lindsay was making notes at visitor in 1935. He was aware ofonly 2 that time ofindividual birds seen. The occurrences, both immediately to the Red-shouldered Hawk was considered south of his area of interest. However, more plentiful. By 1962, he reports by 1946 it had become regular, but still greatly reduced numbers of Red scarce, near the Highway 7 corridor shouldered Hawk and that Red-tailed where it is a regular sight today. Hawk had become about as common. Today, Red-tailed Hawk greatly BaldEagle,Haliaeetus leucocephalus: outnumbers the other. It was a regular resident in the southern part of the county early in this century VOLUME 14 NUMBER 2 74 Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus: indication of where it might now be From about 1924 to 1928, it was found) written to C.W. Nash by Dr. apparently so scarce that "few hunters C.K. Clarke (for biographies see would think of shooting any". But by McNicho111994), dated7 August 1903. 1932 and 1933, he reports it was again It says "Yesterday, I saw the Rev. C.J. abundant and that thousands were Young ofSharbotLake, and hegaveme illegally shipped to outside points, the following note regarding wild includinghundreds to threeofthelargest pigeons- 'Iheardthatafew wildpigeons hotels in Toronto. had beenseennearClarendon(44°50'N, 76°39'W), on the Kingston and Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus Pembroke Railroad. I investigated the canadensis: It was "fairly well known" matter and interviewed several to pioneers, and could usually befound regarding it. From what I learned the in "heavy coniferous swamps" pigeons have bred in that locality for throughout the northern part of the some years. Three years ago yesterday, county until the mid thirties. He (Aug. 6th) nine were observed by Mr. considered that itcould still be found in Bowles in a field. I went with Mr. some spruce swamps in 1935, and cites Bowles to the same field and saw one a bird shot in 1933 within 16 km of mature bird. There was not the slightest Arden. It is doubtful if there is any doubt about its identity. I am familiar breeding population there today. withtheMourningDovesandcouldnot Gray Partridge, Perduperdu: Small confuse the birds'." groups of eight birds were apparently This rather clearly suggests that released near Arden and Sharbot Lake Passenger Pigeon probably did nest in in July of 1933, but declined and northern Frontenac County atonetime, disappeared in succeeding months. and that a few birds were still present in Morewereseen in 1959, probably from 1900. Although thatwas only two years another local release. prior to the last reliable report for the Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura: species in Ontario (Fleming 1903), the Although nesting reports in the area go latest known nesting for Ontario (two back to 1903 (Macoun and Macoun years previously in 1898) was 1909), Lindsay considered it very apparently also in Frontenac County in uncommon in 1933 and still quite the Kingston area (Mitchell 1935), uncommon in 1961, whereitisplentiful making the above seem quite a today. reasonable observation. Passenger Pigeon, Ectopistes Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus: migratorius: Lindsay interviewed In the spring of 1960, a neighbour several older inhabitants of the district reported finding a fledgling flicker at who remembered large flocks in spring the base of a poplar stub. There were and autumn in the 1870s, but had no threeotherfledglings in acavity located recollection of nesting in northern 2.5 m high. All had their throats cut Frontenac County. open, presumably the workofa weasel. However, one of the most interesting notes came from a letter (no ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST )996 75 BankSwallow,Riparia riparia: A deep 1950s, and today it has reoccupied gravel pit near Mountain Grove northernFrontenac County (Cadman et (44°44'N, 76°51'W) had attracted a al. 1987). large colony in 1962. There were Tufted Titmouse, Parus bicolor: approximately 200 holes on the west Lindsay reports onefor two days in late wall and 350 on the east. A pair ofRed March 1962 at his feeding station, with Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) had dug a den chickadees and nuthatches. This was about 200 m from this colony. This den evidently one of numerous sightings was visible from the window ofa farm through southern Ontario during that house where the owner, Percy Gray, winter. had watched thefoxes raisefive young. Thefoxes were sometimes seencoming Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis: On 8 to theBankSwallowcolonyanddigging July 1933, he examined the body ofan holes down from the top to the swallow adult bird that a cottager had forcefully nests.