Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: rcflier on April 10, 2013, 08:29:47 AM

Title: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: rcflier on April 10, 2013, 08:29:47 AM
We went to Bannister Lake and Grass Lake looking for Sandhill Cranes

Bannister Lake

Eastern Phoebe
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lTqFgpUMKYk/UWTYbCIfvBI/AAAAAAAAJ8U/fVHYdQkeX7I/s720/DSC_0772.JPG)

Turkey Vulture - there were 5 circling low right over our head
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k5NFYZgLX9k/UWTY5p3kvKI/AAAAAAAAJ8s/-lq4cEiUGXE/s720/DSC_0777.JPG)

At Grass Lake

Horned Larks
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cVeQTNdDax8/UWTZelucXzI/AAAAAAAAJ88/-C6DQvBZ2kQ/s720/DSC_0788.JPG)

Eastern Phoebes agian
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qsLiP-ekeFs/UWTay_PdNTI/AAAAAAAAJ9s/4n1UfpVorRA/s720/DSC_0822.JPG)

Eastern Bluebirds
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yH9mwbBW8Rc/UWTbeZhv7lI/AAAAAAAAJ90/yMDf2pVAOeI/s720/DSC_0833.JPG)

Sandhill Cranes - we spotted 2 - 1 on a nest and a second one nearby
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cY29B6f_o8A/UWTaTi8KI-I/AAAAAAAAJ9U/q2KrcmzG-cw/s720/DSC_0816.JPG)
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: Rotarran on April 10, 2013, 09:27:00 AM
Nice set.  Where are those lakes exactly?  I googled them but got some weird results.
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: Palo on April 10, 2013, 10:08:41 PM
Nice finds rcflier!  Congrats and thx for sharing.
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: MEGHAN on April 10, 2013, 10:14:41 PM
Nice collection of birds you found
Only 2 Cranes Bob? Weird.  :roll:
Should be more. They must have been out in the neighbouring fields.
Are the Osprey back at the end of the road?

Meghan
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: rcflier on April 11, 2013, 12:08:32 PM
there was no sign of more Sandhill Cranes in the field across the road( with the towers) nor any other nearby fields, we did a pretty good survey!  In the marshes of grass lake where we saw these 2 the only other sightings were lots of geease who appeared to be doing nesting or preparing for nesting, and plenty of RWBB.  The Osprey we saw were at Fountian Street and the Grand River. Didn't see any near Grass Lake.  We did bump into another birder ( a woman) at Grass Lake and she said she saw a Bald Eagle nearby earlier in the day.
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: MEGHAN on April 11, 2013, 03:13:38 PM
Thanks for the reply Bob.
Last year there was an Osprey platform right at the end of the road. One day I was there late last summer I saw some Hydro folks doing work on the lines around the platform. I didn't know if the platform was still there or if they would eventually remove it. I was too preoccupied with Boblinks to stop and ask.   :wink:

Meghan
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: Tak on April 11, 2013, 07:05:45 PM
Rotarren,
I think the sandhills are at
http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document ... 1=3&sub2=0 (http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?Sec=64&Sub1=3&sub2=0)
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: rcflier on April 11, 2013, 07:54:24 PM
Tak,

We did park in the F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area parking lot and walked the short trail in to view Bannister Lake.  I have been there before.  There is a nice 2 story high viewing platform there that looks northward over the eastern end of Bannister Lake.  the Sandhills are ( reportedly ) usually far off on the north shore of the lake.  I did see a few there last fall, but too far away for good viewing or photography.  We did not see any on this visit.  There were some ring necked ducks and buffleheads, but too far away even for my 400mm to get good pics.  I snapped the TVs while on the viewing platform,  they were barely 100ft right over our heads.
Title: Re: A few from the Cambridge area
Post by: Rotarran on April 13, 2013, 01:16:18 PM
Hey guys I passed by there yesterday after work and spotted one Sandhill Crane.  This was at Grass Lake.  I was there nearly an hour and then spotted him from the car as I was about to leave haha.  It was already kinda late and so with the poor lighting and rain, this was the best pic I was able to take.  Gorgeous creatures.
(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/IMG_3515_zpscfd4cfd5.jpg)