Two of the noteworthy sightings reported at our November 2021 meeting were a Pacific Loon, seen by Maureen and Paul Carrier on October 16 in the Cobden area and a Razorbill seen by Linda Lackner on October 29. The Razorbill is an ocean bird rarely seen inland.
Michael Runtz documented a thousand or so Sandhill Cranes he saw near Cobden on October 29, mentioning how their numbers have multiplied in the last 15 years. He explained the birds practice of putting mud that is full of iron oxide on their feathers; staining their skin cosmetically, similar to the pigmentation of feathers in younger birds.
Some members sent in photos of reptiles and amphibians to tie into our speaker’s presentation on herps.
A Blue-spotted Salamander, one of several seen by Bruce and Jocelyn Gill, on Stonecrest Road, Woodlawn, on October 26. Michael noted that they would now be burrowing for the winter.
Similarly, two Garter snakes, seen by Ann Lambert at MacLaren’s landing on October 29, will soon be going down in crevices below frost line.
Ann also photographed a White-faced Meadowhawk that day, a late sighting for that species, mentioned Michael.
Michael pointed out how Map turtles have a ridge on the top of their shell, while the Painted turtles are red on top. The latter have a unique feature: the hatchlings survive in soil until next fall, and can tolerate being frozen and thawing out in the spring.
On October 11, Julian Romeski found four Great Egrets on the Old Heron Rookery Pond on the Carp Hills, the first he had ever seen on these ponds. Julian also saw a Cattle Egret near Cobden.
Jim and Cathy Dick saw 20 Bohemian Waxwings near Braeside on November 3.
Other sighting mentions were a Rusty Blackbird on October 8 near Pakenham, by Alberto Esteban; a pair of Blue-winged Teal on October 29 near Renfrew and two male and three female or immature Bufflehead on November 2.
Many thanks to John Lawrence for compiling these sightings at the meeting.