[Ontbirds]Sharp-tailed Grouse (Manitoulin Island)

[Brian Young]

> Hello,

> 

>  

> 

> Lise and I birded Manitoulin Island Friday, Saturday and Sunday this 

> pass weekend. We stayed mostly within a 30 to 45 minute driving radius 

> around Gore Bay and to the west of Manitoulin Island. Birding was 

> exceptional; we managed to find 7 different coveys of Sharp-tailed 

> grouse, numbers ranging from a single bird to 32 in one group before I 

> lost count. The grouse were located mostly on the ground, with some in 

> the trees top eating leaf buds. There were hundreds of Sandhill 

> Cranes, flying over and feeding in the fields, the sounds of bulging 

> were heard from earlier morning light to sunset every evening, I was 

> able to identify one Lesser Sandhill Crane feeding in a pasture 

> besides a much larger greater Sandhill. Herring Gulls were seen in the 

> thousands, along as many Ring-billed Gulls, all were feeding in the 

> fields, there was little to no open water, all the interior lakes and 

> the great lake were frozen over. Rough-legged hawks were seen 

> throughout the fields, with as many American Kestrels, a few Northern 

> Harriers, I did not see any Red-tailed Hawks on the Island. One large 

> flock of Wild Turkeys, Bald Eagles were common everyday, we were able 

> to observe a pair; one was sitting in its nest and the other sitting 

> close by on a fence post near to the town of Gore Bay. We saw one 

> Eastern Phoebe, many ravens, crows and grackles, a few Red-winged 

> Blackbirds, small number of Wood Ducks and Common Golden-eyes, one 

> small group of Tundra Swans flying directly overhead, low over the Island,
a thousand plus White-tailed deer.

> 

>  

> 

> Cheers,

> 

> Brian

> 

>  

> 

> Manitoulin Island can be reached this time of year through Espanola, 

> which is approx. 1 hours drive west of Sudbury, on Highway 17, Gore 

> Bay is about 1 ½ hours, South-west of Espanola, located on the 

> North-west corner of Manitoulin Island.

>