Tuesday, Oct 18th..I was getting a little sick and tired of the rain and decided to make a trip to Amherst Island, with friend and fellow photographer Mike.
We left Ottawa at 5:45am, aiming for the 8:30 ferry. “Ferry between Amherst Island and Millhaven, runs hourly ferry leaves the island every hour on the hour, leaves the mainland every hour on the half hour starting at 6:30 from the mainland. Note: 6:30 am Wednesday ferry is for the gas truck only”
While crossing the channel to Amherst there were many Common Loons, both types of Mergansers, and a swan flyby.
On arrival we drove down to the KFN property and immediately notice lots of birds on the move, warblers, sparrows, blackbirds and waterfowl. Driving on to the Owl woods, we decided it would be a good place to get out of the driving wind. We separated and searched the woods, soon Mike called out “Sawwhet”.
He was out in the open, we snapped a few photos, then sensing some nervousness, we both decided to leave him alone. It was the only owl we found in the Owl Woods but many other things to photograph in surrounding woods and fields.
There seemed to be lots of Towhees and we found a rather tame one to photograph…
Mike had brought some seeds along and we put some on the benches near the feeders and on our return lots of activity was going on. Chickadees, Juncos, Jays and Goldfinches were feeding on the seeds. In the surrounding trees we had, Grackles, Rusty Blackbirds, Robins and White-throated Sparrows and warblers both Palms and Yellow-rumps.
We both decided it was time to get the big lenses and walked out to the car. On the trip back in we split up, I decided to go slow and see what I could find, Mike going in for the Towhee and Blackbirds. I found many thrushes most were Swainsons, a few Hermit Thrushes and this Blue-headed Vireo (long-range image).
As the day warmed up insect activity started and I managed to find this lovely Pink-edged Sulphur…
We stopped near the KFN property seeing a flock of thrush sized birds, I desperately needed a Gray-cheeked Thrush, so Mike played his call, we tried all the calls even the Bicknell’s Thrush call and to my surprise this Thrush came in for a look…..
I then heard a noise coming from my left front tire and noticed a Hawthorne thorn and small branch stuck in the sidewall of my tire….lololol… a lovely day, that suddenly came ot an end. Tire ruined can’t be repaired, anyhow make a long story short that thorn, cost me $800 bucks, but thats life.
On the way home we drove through Chaffeys Locks and then on to Smiths Falls, just before in the Ducks Unlimited swamp we found this Trumpeter Swan family.
A little expensive, but getting out on a day, when its not raining with a good friend, more than makes up for it…ciao for now
BIRDQUEST2004 