Moose and Beaver

[Bird Brain]

This week on Thursday it was Moose Day. Lots of photos online from Algonquin Park. This is the only place I've ever seen moose (adults and young) about 20 years ago!  Has anyone else ever seen moose? They are huge!   

On Friday, a beaver was sighted somewhere in Toronto by Lake Ontario collecting branches.  Apparently this was shown on CP24.  So, of course everyone wants to go see the animal!  I wish people would leave him alone and news stations wouldn't identify the location. Let the guy be to build his dam! 

[Shortsighted]

Has anyone seen a moose? That's not a routine question, is it? But it got me thinking about how disconnected most of us are with what is one of the most iconic animals of Ontario, along with the beaver and the lynx. Why is this incongruous situation not more alarming. Almost no one will see a 'live' moose in their lifetime. Most of us will never see a lynx either, but its secretive nature and ghost-like reputation makes never seeing one much more tolerable. I don't believe I have seen a living moose. I've eaten moose but it was bereft of life. Steaks and roasts butchered from a hind quarter, my father's share of a hunt kill many decades ago. The moose was swiftly sectioned in the bush while surrounded by mosquitoes that gave urgency to the task. Each member of the hunting party took their section home for further butchering and then into the freezer. My parents must have purchased a freezer for that very purpose even though I don't recall ever seeing one. On the other hand, beavers are everywhere there is water. I regularly see one in the Rouge. A moose and beaver walk into a pub and sit on wooden stools right in front of the bar counter. The moose has some difficulty finding room for its hind legs but is suitably ensconced by the time the drinks arrive, at which time the bar stool collapses and the moose falls on the sticky floor. The beaver just grins. The moose cursed ... damn beavers.

[Bird Brain]

. Almost no one will see a 'live' moose in their lifetime. Most of us will never see a lynx either, . On the other hand, beavers are everywhere there is water. I regularly see one in the Rouge.

I have never seen a lynx but have seen lots of beavers and muskrats. Bison at High Park zoo in Toronto.

Also, have never seen a Pine Marten before - apparently they are up at Algonquin Park as well.  Have you ever seen one of these?

[Shortsighted]

No, I have never seen a Pine marten. Algonquin Park is likely the only place that one might see one but they are usually hunting very early in the morning or just before dark in very remote country, thereby making them as elusive as the Lynx and Bobcat. I have not been to the park in at least 30 - 35 years and even then it was a short visit. AP is just too far away for a casual or regular visit, requiring a lot of travel time, fuel expenditure and the need for expensive accommodations, which would probably need to be booked online and in advance, all preparations that I would be unwilling to accept. I would also imagine that these days the park would be too busy with tourists when compared to what it was like decades ago. Everything is now busier that it used to be. I can walk outside and down the driveway to the curb here on a residential street and count to ten and a car will almost certainly drive by. That didn't even happen on a main thoroughfare 40 years ago.

[Bird Brain]

Pine marten. Algonquin Park is likely the only place that one might see one

I've seen a few recent photos online of Pine Marten by Mew Lake garbage bins. One photo shows a Pine Marten with a pepperoni circle in his mouth.  Reminds me of the rat in New York City running with a pizza slice.  Apparently that video went viral and now there's a man charging $50 per person to take people around the city to see rats!

 

even then it was a short visit.

Same here, just cutting through but did stop at the Visitor Centre.

these days the park would be too busy with tourists

It would be nice to visit again but I'm not a fan of crowds.

[Dr. John]

I drive regularly in Northern Ontario and see roughly one moose per year on average.  I have seen a mother and calf once.  These are mostly just quick sightings off the side of the road, though the mother and calf were crossing (fortunately I was on a gravel side road and going slowly).


If you really want to see moose, go to Newfoundland.  On our last trip, we saw 11, including 9 in one day and 5 in one camera field.  There was a huge bull adjacent to the parking lot at L'Anse Aux Meadows that was munching away just a few feet from us.


We saw a pine marten in Algonquin Park a couple of years ago.  It was very tame, initially sitting on a branch beside the parking lot for a trail and then later puttering around the parked cars, looking for morsels.


Of the larger Canadian land mammals, I have not seen a cougar, lynx, polar bear, grizzly bear, musk oxen, wolf, wolverine, fisher, Dall's sheep, pronghorn antelope, and mountain goat (seen the last two in the U.S.).

[Charline]

I saw moose and calves a few times in Algonquin Park and also near Thunder Bay.


They are active at dawn and dusk.

[Bird Brain]

I drive regularly in Northern Ontario

Do you ever see Black-billed Magpie? I was really shocked to find out there's currently one in London at a landfill site.  I've heard of them being in Northern Ontario - eg. Thunder Bay and Kenora.  I saw one in August 1986 when visiting Edmonton.

If you really want to see moose, go to Newfoundland.  On our last trip, we saw 11, including 9 in one day and 5 in one camera field.  There was a huge bull adjacent to the parking lot at L'Anse Aux Meadows that was munching away just a few feet from us.

Wow, that is really thrilling!  I've always wanted to visit Newfoundland to see Atlantic Puffin. I will now definitely add moose to the list! 

We saw a pine marten in Algonquin Park a couple of years ago.  It was very tame, initially sitting on a branch beside the parking lot for a trail and then later puttering around the parked cars, looking for morsels.

They are very cute looking.

Of the larger Canadian land mammals, I have not seen a cougar, lynx, polar bear, grizzly bear, musk oxen, wolf, wolverine, fisher, Dall's sheep, pronghorn antelope, and mountain goat (seen the last two in the U.S.).

I haven't seen those either in the wild but a few at Toronto Zoo - eg. Polar Bear.  My parents had a cottage in Torrance back in the mid to late 1980's and a black bear broke into a neighbor's garbage bin.  I never saw the bear but saw the damage.  The MNR had to set up a trap and caught the bear.  One night I heard an odd sound - apparently it was from a moose.

[Bird Brain]

I saw moose and calves a few times in Algonquin Park and also near Thunder Bay.

They are active at dawn and dusk.

Wonderful sightings and photo!   

[Dr. John]

Never saw a black-billed magpie in northern Ontario.  That would be cool.


In addition to puffins and moose, Newfoundland is great for other seabirds.  If you go on a boat tour in Witless Bay, you will see see lots of murres (common and thick-billed), razorbills.  Cape St. Mary's is a real highlight in the summer, with a northern gannet colony just a stone's throw from where you can perch (plus lots of nesting black-legged kittiwakes).

[lovemypt]

Murray Shields does several trips to Algonquin Park ,as well a Amherst Island for owls each winter.
Here are details for latest one which is booked up, but sure he will do another in next month
https://www.meetup.com/toronto-nature-lovers/events/298716723/

[Bird Brain]

black-billed magpie

One of my birding friends lives in Edmonton, has sent me photos of these birds visiting his backyard feeders, walks at Beaumaris Lake and Bison from Elk Island hikes.  Wow!  Alberta is so beautiful and scenic.   I would love to visit Alberta again, Banff was truly stunning,!   

In addition to puffins and moose, Newfoundland is great for other seabirds.

It's always great getting away somewhere to see different birds and wildlife.  The Newfoundland seabirds you've listed sound excellent! 

[Bird Brain]

Murray Shields does several trips to Algonquin Park ,as well a Amherst Island for owls each winter.

Thank You for this information!  I've never visited Amherst Island before. 

[Napper]

This week on Thursday it was Moose Day. Lots of photos online from Algonquin Park. This is the only place I've ever seen moose (adults and young) about 20 years ago!  Has anyone else ever seen moose? They are huge!   

 

Bird Brain! I From 1988 to 2016 we traveled from the GTA  to the wife's parents house at  Niobe lake or

Atikokan 10km from Quetico park entry. We saw Moose  very often during our drives. We had a Wolf and a Black Bear cross the road in front of us on Hwy 11 North of North Bay during the early morning.
We were pushing the limits of night safety on the way home  North of NB on Hwy 11 in Aug 2016 when the wifey said "MOOSE"I saw 2 sets of Red eyes taller than the truck. (SUV) they crossed the road behind us and the vehicles  that were behind us vanished.
I will not drive at night North of North Bay on 11 or 17 or Parry Sound on 69, it is just to dangerous.
Napper:)
ps. Ideal July trip is  Leave at 12-2 am from home or Cottage North on Hwy11 all the way to Nipigon to 11/17 then 102 to 11 depending on speed and dog 16.5 hours to 18.5.
Crazy Brother in law Does kakabeka to Midland in 14.5 Hrs with Gramma in the car  .

[Bird Brain]

This week on Thursday it was Moose Day. Lots of photos online from Algonquin Park. This is the only place I've ever seen moose (adults and young) about 20 years ago!  Has anyone else ever seen moose? They are huge!

We saw Moose  very often during our drives. We had a Wolf and a Black Bear cross the road in front of us.

Cool!    . Algonquin Park used to do public wolf howls.  I remember leaving North Bay very early in the morning, heavy fog on way to Sudbury, seeing signs for Moose crossings and feeling really nervous!  No animals or any vehicles though and saw 2 Sandhill Cranes in a farm field just South of Sudbury.

Crazy Brother in law Does kakabeka to Midland in 14.5 Hrs with Gramma in the car  .

  This makes me think about the movie National Lampoon's Vacation and Aunt Edna dying on the road trip then her wrapped up body tied to roof of the station wagon!