1
Anything Goes / Re: Old Silver Capital: Silver Mine Tour in Cobalt, Ontario
« Last post by Shortsighted on Today at 02:31:08 PM »Looks like we're getting some more videos later this month. I need something to look forward to.
Recent Posts
2
Ontario Birds / Re: June 29th - Reesor (lower) Pond
« Last post by Shortsighted on Today at 02:29:43 PM »I visited Reesor (lower) pond again today (June 30th) and it was definitely hotter & less wind. I heard the Moorhen calling again but it did not show itself. This time the call came from my side (west side). The kingbird nest was just too far away from the observation mound and therefore I moved around to the south side to get a better look. The parent birds would visit every 15 minutes to feed the three chicks within the nest. The Pied-billed grebe was farther away today but I could see that there were three young grebe.
Kingbird nest from observation mount.
Kingbird nest from south side of pond ... a little closer.
Parent kingbird perched on same tree as the nest
Pied-billed grebe and three young birds way out on the pond
Kingbird nest from observation mount.
Kingbird nest from south side of pond ... a little closer.
Parent kingbird perched on same tree as the nest
Pied-billed grebe and three young birds way out on the pond
3
Anything Goes / Re: Old Silver Capital: Silver Mine Tour in Cobalt, Ontario
« Last post by Charline on Today at 12:44:09 PM »I'm currently in Temiskaming Shores. I'm here roughly monthly for work and have been doing so since 1999.
Devil's Rock is one of my favourite places to go. Peregrine falcons are frequently on the cliffs and there are lots of wild blueberries in August. If you are coming up this way, I suggest climbing the fire tower in Temagami for another cool view.
I agree. The wild blueberries are the most yummy ones that I have ever had.
I have been to the Fire Tower many times.
The boat tour starts next week. I plan to go the second half of July.
4
Anything Goes / Re: Old Silver Capital: Silver Mine Tour in Cobalt, Ontario
« Last post by Dr. John on Today at 11:44:09 AM »I'm currently in Temiskaming Shores. I'm here roughly monthly for work and have been doing so since 1999.
Devil's Rock is one of my favourite places to go. Peregrine falcons are frequently on the cliffs and there are lots of wild blueberries in August. If you are coming up this way, I suggest climbing the fire tower in Temagami for another cool view.
Devil's Rock is one of my favourite places to go. Peregrine falcons are frequently on the cliffs and there are lots of wild blueberries in August. If you are coming up this way, I suggest climbing the fire tower in Temagami for another cool view.
5
Anything Goes / Re: Old Silver Capital: Silver Mine Tour in Cobalt, Ontario
« Last post by Charline on Today at 10:46:14 AM »Interesting video. I've been in Cobalt dozens of times over the years and have visited some of the mine sites on the outside, but have never taken a tour inside. Must try that sometime.
Cobalt was named after the discovery of cobalt, which tends to intermix with silver. Back in the silver rush, cobalt was just a byproduct with no value. Of course now, it is very important for rechargeable batteries.
Cobalt was quite a boomtown during the silver rush. It had a streetcar, several theatres (one of which is still in operation), and the founding OPP force to deal with all the lawlessness.
If you visit the area again, you must take a look at the Devil's Rock.
I had a video of Devil's Rock a couple of years ago: https://youtu.be/z7hIuiFVmXM
That video was made before I knew how to make a movie better. Since all my photos and videos were lost due to an accident, I will visit Temiskaming Shore again this summer.
My video was taken from a hike to the top of the cliff. This year, I will join a boat tour to photograph the cliff from Lake Temiskaming. The President's Suites is the organizer of the tour in the summer, I believe.
6
Anything Goes / Re: Old Silver Capital: Silver Mine Tour in Cobalt, Ontario
« Last post by Charline on Today at 10:34:23 AM »Silver capital of the world ... I didn't realize it was that outstanding ... and no gold metal ... at all? I'm glad to hear that you don't drink. I'm not into cocktails or hard stuff but I do enjoy a cold beer on a hot day and I like to explore wine, never the same one twice, different producers and different vintage is what makes me curious. Moreover, I have these small-bowl 80 year-old wine glasses that I half-fill. Even a full glass will hold less than half as much wine as a modern wine glass. But as the expression says: there is no safe level of alcohol. The less the better. Since you abstain completely it means you are better than me. But we both knew that already.
I may head up to the Alvar early on Monday, weather permitting. There will be no drinking, just birding. I promise. The drive up there is very relaxing because there is so little traffic at 5 o'clock in the morning and what little there is, is going the other direction. Coming back in the afternoon is dreadful ... farm machinery on the HWY, heavy gravel trucks, road demons, construction, ... I'm talking myself out of it, aren't I?
Although I don't deserve a gold metal, a local retired gentleman who worked in many Ontario gold mines, gifted me with some native gold flakes.
7
Nature / Re: Scape moth and wasp with prey
« Last post by Charline on Today at 10:30:38 AM »That's a cool creature!
8
Nature / Scape moth and wasp with prey
« Last post by Shortsighted on June 29, 2025, 03:44:17 PM »A Yellow-collared scape moth was sipping nectar from milkweed blooms next to Reesor pond. A wasp had caught something and was doing what wasp always do.
Yellow-collared scape moth on milkweed
Wasp with larva
Yellow-collared scape moth on milkweed
Wasp with larva
9
Ontario Birds / June 29th - Reesor (lower) Pond
« Last post by Shortsighted on June 29, 2025, 03:39:26 PM »It was not so humid today and therefore I visited Reesor (lower) pond because it is so close. At first, I saw nothing at all. Then I noticed Barn swallows careening over the pond. There were a couple of Mallards on the far NE end of the pond but nothing up close. At the far north end there was a Pied-billed grebe, which later appeared at half the distance, and later still, it popped up out of the water maybe 150 meters distant, but at that point it was into the sun ... figures. I could hear the loud call of something at a distance within the tall grass. May have been a sora, or a morhen. I noticed a nest some distance off from the observation mound and I believe it was a kingbird nest. There was an Eastern kingbird perched nearby. A Gray catbird also showed up. Also, a Marsh wren and a couple of Yellow warblers and the requisite RWBBs. It was so nice not to have a soupy humidity.
Nest with at least a couple of chicks
Gray catbird
Pied-billed Grebe
Nest with at least a couple of chicks
Gray catbird
Pied-billed Grebe
10
Backyard Birding / Re: Cedar Waxwings, Milton @ Mulberry tree
« Last post by Shortsighted on June 29, 2025, 08:07:56 AM »Looox lyke ah 2-mah. What happened to the Ontario strawberries? Everything in the stores is USA. Are the August blueberries also going to disappear ... to elsewhere?