Volume 27, Number 1 March 2011 The Egret the Newsletter of the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Club Inside this issue … Essex County Field Naturalists Club Bluebird Award.............................. 1 Bluebird Committee Report 2010 ECFNC Contacts ............................ 2 By Don Bissonnette Owl Prowl...................................... 9 Photos by Graham Brown 17th Pelee Island Weekend............ 10 Bluebird production was good in Essex County in 2010. Phragmites.................................... 11 We counted 24 successful pairs of bluebirds who Cedar Creek C.A .......................... 13 produced 154 fledglings. We also counted 120 Winter Waterfowl Excursion ........ 13 successful pairs of tree swallows. Our club Bird-Houses Cedar Creek Bird Count ............... 14 had the most productive year yet! Here is the data from Holiday Beach Bird Count............ 16 the past few years. Bald Eagles Peche Island.............. 20 Ojibway Nature Centre Hikes. ...... 21 Year #BB Fledged Kittiwake & Eider Detroit River... 25 2007 56 Point Pelee Birds 2010 ................. 26 2008 82 2009 86 Activities & Excursions................ 34 2010 95 Membership Form ........................ 38 Fishes of Essex County................. 38 It’s good to see a ECFNC Monthly Meetings steady increase in Except for our outdoor meetings in July and Bluebird fledgling August, monthly members’ meeting are held the production. Thank second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm at you to everyone who Windsor Airport’s new community room at the west end of the airport terminal building. helped to make this From Division Road (County Road 42) turn happen. north on Duncan McColl Road (1st street west of airport terminal entrance) then turn right (east) … continued on page 3 on Hayes Road (1st right) and drive to the end. Park on south side of long white garage. Community room is adjacent and east of this parking area. The Egret March 2011 About the Club … ECFNC Contacts The Essex County Field Naturalists’ President: Phil Roberts (519-776-8315) Club was incorporated in March 1985. Vice-President: Joe Parent (519-322-0004) We are a registered charitable Secretary: Linda Menard-Watt (519-734-1879) organization which promotes the Treasurer: Teresa Austrin (519-322-0004) appreciation and conservation of our natural heritage. ECFNC provides the Directors: Karen Cedar (519-966-5852), Denise Hartley community opportunities to become (519-735-1926), Tom Hurst (519-839-4635), Dave acquainted with and understand our Kraus (519-825-7491), Mike Malone (519-326-5193), natural world through identification, Ron Muir (519-736-6507), Margaret Jennings (519- maintenance and preservation of the 250-0705), Gerry Waldron (519-736-1276) natural areas within Essex County and surrounding regions. ECFNC is Chairpersons/Liaisons: affiliated with Ontario Membership Secretary: Denise Hartley Nature/Federation of Ontario Ontario Nature Liaison: JoAnn Grondin Naturalists. The Egret is published ERCA Liaison: Phil Roberts/Tom Hurst quarterly. To receive information on Carolina Woods Liaison: Ruth Junge the Essex County Field Naturalists’ Point Pelee Liaison: Phil Roberts/Mike Malone Club or to submit articles, letters, Bluebird Committee Chairman: Don Bissonnette reports, etc., please write to: NHRP Seed Collection: Bruno Sfalcin Special Events Coordinator: Karen Cedar Essex County Field Naturalists’ Essex County Stewardship Network Liaison: Linda Club Menard-Watt Devonshire Mall P.O. Ojibway Liaison: Karen Cedar P. O. Box 23011 Citizens Environment Alliance Liaison: Phil Roberts Windsor, Ontario N8X 5B5 Windsor Planning Advisory Comm. Liaison: Phil Roberts Information Canada South Land Trust Liaison: Tom Hurst Detroit River Canadian Cleanup Liaison: Phil Roberts/Ian Naisbitt ECFNC website www.ojibway.ca/ecfn.htm Committees: Egret email Egret Editorial: Betty Learmouth, Karen Cedar [email protected] Speaker: ECFNC directors ECFNC fax # 519-839-4795 Field Trip: JoAnn Grondin, Margaret Jennings Heritage: JoAnn Grondin (coordinator), Margaret Ojibway Nature Centre Jennings, Dave Kraus, Betty Learmouth, Muriel 519-966-5852 Kassimatis, Jim McAllister, Bruno Sfalcin, Gerry Point Pelee National Park Waldron, Peg Wilkinson, Shirley Grondin, Cathy Lapain 519-322-5700 Annual Dinner: Heritage & Special Events Committees Essex Region Conservation Auth. Little River Enhancement Group: Ian Naisbitt, Tom 519-776-5209 Henderson Page 2 The Egret March 2011 Bluebird Committee Report 2010 (continued from page 1) Last Winter in February and March we washed and inspected all of the club Birdhouses and some of the affiliate Birdhouses. We were fortunate to have good weather. Thanks to Graham Brown, Cy Poisson, Bob Tanner, Ray Look–Kan and Caroline Williamson for all their hard work and dedication. The Kingsville transfer Station had a complete renovation. Caney Creek, Doyle’s, O’Neil’s all received new birdhouses. Some of us spent a morning at Orchard View Golf Course, helping Mary Wilson with renovations to that large trail. Wintering Bluebirds The 2009-10 winter was mild. There were many reports of wintering Bluebirds. Alex and Shirley Michinski enjoyed a wintering flock of Bluebirds at their farm. On bad weather days, the flock of 8 birds stayed in the wooded area at the back of the farm. There they fed on Wild Grape, Sumac, Rose Hips and Juniper Berries. On fair weather days, the birds came up to the Michinski’s home to feed on Holly Berries. After a snow fall Alex swept the snow off the Holly bushes, so his guests could have a meal. Sometime in February a new Bluebird joined the flock bringing the total to 9 birds. On sunny pleasant days in February the bluebirds inspected the 27 Birdhouses on the Michinski Farm. I also had wintering Bluebirds last year. They enjoyed the heated bird bath and dried currants, raisins and cranberries. In November 2009 there was a flock of 12 bluebirds visiting my place. They’d arrive most mornings eat, drink and move on. They would often return once or twice during the day. I might not see them for a day or two if the weather was bad. Through the winter ,this flock broke up into smaller groups. Like the Michinski flock on nice days in February they would visit the houses in my hayfield and in my neighbour’s (Ford’s) yard. Firsts Feb 20th- Male Bluebird Singing. Don Bissonnette-One bachelor male sang, several times in the late morning while sitting on a birdhouse at Tuckette Farms, near Harrow. He found a mate on March 10th. March 16th Start of a Bluebird Nest - Don Bissonnette - The above mentioned pair set a new record for us. In the morning the female was seen carrying straw into the birdhouse. By evening there was ¼ “ of straw in the house. March 24th - Tree Swallow - Doyle’s - near Harrow-(Bob Tanner) March 27th- Tree Swallow– Backyard - East of Kingsville –(Graham Brown) March 29th - Tree Swallow - Woodland Hills Golf Course – (Gil Breton) March 29th - Wood Duck - - On his farm near Essex- (Cy Poisson) April 1st - Hummingbird - Observed at the Poisson’s . Cy and Monica assure us that this is no April Fool’s Joke. Cy immediately put up a hummingbird feeder. The visitor stayed a few days then disappeared. April 6th Bluebird Egg - - Discovered at the Harrow research station (Don Bissonnette) April 28th Bluebird Hatchling - Godard’s near Harrow-( Bob Tanner) May 3rd – Tree Swallow Egg – Kingsville Transfer Station( Graham Brown) May 12th - Bluebird Fledglings - -Godard’s near Harrow (Bob Tanner) Page 3 The Egret March 2011 The Bluebird Brunch Our Annual Brunch was held at Rose’s Kitchen in Essex on Saturday Oct. 16th. 14 people attended and had a good time. It was great to hear about everyone’s discoveries and experiences. Thanks to Caroline Kopchuk, Bob Tanner, Mary Wilson & Lori Doyle for donating the prizes. Clarie & Marg Calder won the prestigious “Top Producer “award with 39 bluebirds fledged. Bob Tanner was a close second with 37 Bluebirds fledged. News from the Trails Mother-Wood Trail – The Calders had a great year at the Mother-Wood trail . There were 4 pairs of Bluebirds which produced 31 eggs. There were no dud eggs ; all of these eggs hatched. On top of that all 31 nestlings grew and fledged successfully. Marg calls it “a perfect year.” This is amazing because most large trails have a few dud eggs, dead nestlings, and nest failures each year. Altenhof Trail – The Best year yet! The 7 Birdhouses hosted 3 successful pairs of Bluebirds. These birds produced 21 fledglings, in 5 broods. The pair of Bluebirds in birdhouse #1 had a successful spring brood, with 3 fledglings. Unfortunately, soon after the young fledged a pair House Wrens laid claim to the house. Also the 6 other houses were all occupied with Bluebirds, House Wrens and late nesting Tree Swallows. Often a pair of bluebirds in this situation will relocate. However, this pair stayed. They were often seen in a large Poplar. This tree had an abandoned woodpecker hole. Their spring fledglings were also seen in this tree. Hopefully, this pair had a successful nest in the natural cavity. This cavity was 30’ up so I was not able to monitor it. There are a lot of natural cavities at the Altenhof property. Most of these are old woodpecker nests. Beside the pair of bluebirds there were 2 pairs of Tree Swallows nesting in abandoned woodpecker nests. Every year there are a few cases of secondary cavity nesters using the woodpecker nests, at the Altenhofs . In 2009, there were a pair of House Wrens and a pair of Tree Swallows. An interesting find this year at Altenhof’s was a pair of nesting Eastern Phoebes. This was a first for me. Some of the windows on the Altenhof’s home are framed with artificial shutters. And this was enough to support a nest. The nest resembles a Barn Swallow nest except it’s made of alternating layers of green moss and mud. This nest was successful. The adults were seen carrying food to the nest. While begging for food the nestlings could be heard calling “Shrill!, Shrill!” Page 4 The Egret March 2011 Later in the summer, there was a strange small bird sitting on the Altenhof’s roof.