Early Morning Birding, Apr 12, 2017: Birds Seen or Heard

April 13, 2017

NOTE: The next “Early Morning Birding” walk will take place on Wednesday April 19th. See details

Fifteen MVFN members showed up for the Apr 12th Early Morning Walk at the Robinson’s property near Clayton, Mississippi Mills, Ontario.

For a brief period, the group detected and identified birds by ear. As light levels increased, the team was able to use eyes and binoculars. For a short period, there was a lull in bird sounds which possibly had been caused by a raptor in the vicinity. We heard an indistinguishable hawk-like call some 15 minutes later.

It is always good to see the new arrival of bird species at this time of year. A highlight was the flyover with a tremolo call and the landing of a pair of Common Loons to an area where the ice had receded in Clayton Lake. In addition to the birds, some of the group noticed an otter on the receding ice of the lake, and a Red Fox in another location stealthily walking on the ice in search of breakfast. Numerous waterfowl were swimming and feeding in the water areas while most of the Lake is still ice-bound.

After more than two hours of birding and an interlude for refreshments, Mary Robinson and co-leader Howard Robinson, tallied up the numbers: Thirty-six species of birds had been spotted or heard by the group (see list below photos).