Lake Aquitaine

[rcflier]

Hi, I'm new the board.  I'm a "walker" and found Lake Aquitaine a pleasant area for walking.  We have several other trails in Mississauga that we walk.  

Bumped into Jo Annne ( birdbrain ) and she told me about the South Peel Naturalists.  Some snooping on the internet lead me to this board.  Guess I'm a "newbie wannabe nature lover"!  

I bring peanuts for the squirrels and also bring bird seed for the birds.  Too bad there aren't any dedicted feeding stations here.  We leave bird seed on one of the picnic benches at the lake.    

January 3, 2012 - about noon time - very cold about -10C

After I put bird seed own the following birds showed up for a feast

Cardinals - male 6
Cardinals - female 3
(looks kind of like a female cardinal but I can't identify them) - 3
Bluejays - 4
Chickadees 6
Sparrows - many

Also saw
Goose - 1 ( bird brain says the coyotye got his mate)
Ducks and seaguls - many out on the ice and in an unfrozen area of the lake
Crow - 1 noisy one
Hawk - 1 flying overhead ( near the commiunity centre) - seagul was giving him grief -and he was screaching
Squirrles !!  many - they're fun when the come right up and beg for nuts!

More report next time.  Bob

[Bird Brain]

Hi Bob.  It's great to see you here - Welcome to the forum!  

I was walking around Lake Aquitaine this morning between 8:15-9:15am and pretty much freezing my "tail feathers" off thanks to -25c windchill!   :shock:

Sighted the following:

Cardinals x 2 (1 male and 1 female)
House Sparrow x 1 (male)

1 squirrel

It was like a ghost town this morning!

Re: dedicated feeding stations - those would be excellent here as lots of people put out bird seed, peanuts, etc. on picnic tables around the lake.  Maybe the city should have installed these instead of those exercise machines!   :lol:

[rcflier]

Noon time-ish today,  pleasant day for a walk around the lake, about 7C.  left some bird seed for our feathered friends.

Cardinals - male and female - several in a couple different locations
Blue Jays - about a half dozen at the "bench feeding station"

These two birds have great eyesight and concentration.  If you toss peanuts into the bushes they see where they land then they fly down to pick them up and fly away with them.  I figured they might be too big for them, they seem to like them.    

Chickadees - 4 or 5 -
Sparrows - many many in 2 locations

Seaguls and ducks on the lake - funny to watch the ducks do sliding landings on the ice then slide into the open water - what a hoot.

As usual, lots of squirrels begging for peanuts. They got their fill from me!!  

Also went to Maplewood Park ( a short trail walk from Aquitaine) - a neighbouring home puts out bird seed - wow, lots of sparrows ( 50+ ) and a few chickadees - no Jays or Cardinals.  

Bob

[rcflier]

What a beautiful day at the lake today.  It was "water fowl day"

First, at the feeding station(s) lots of activity as well.

Cardinals - males = 7, females = 4
Jays - 4
Chickadees - 4
Sparrows - too many to count!
Crows - 2
In the lake -

Gulls - about 30
Ducks - Mallard male and female - at least 50 - too many to count because they keep moving around too fast.
Geese - this was Geese day !  I counted 85 earlier in the day ( about 9:30)  but then more arrived around noon time.
Goose - 1 legged goose = 1,  I'm sure he had only 1 leg, standing on the ice, for about half an hour he showed no sign of a second leg!

At one point the geese were having a bath, about 20 or 30 of them doing this.  Madly flapping their wings and dancing up and down in the water.  Then they tucked their heads down into the water to do a summer sault.  While upside down with their feet paddling in the air they then roll over on their side to come upright again.  This was incredible to watch.  I guess this was just their way of having a bath?  Maybe the experts can comment on this for me.

I had such a good time I went home to get the camera.  When I got back no more "bathing", but still lots of fun. Spent about 4 hours at the lake today, usually it's only about 1-1/2 hours!

Oh, I did get my 6km walk in as well as an extra 1.5k on the return trip.  Great day!

Bob

[Bird Brain]

Hi Bob.

Re: feeding station ... usually will luck out and see a Mockingbird there as well but haven't seen him anywhere around the lake since mid-December.  Might have to check Lake Wabukayne.

Earlier today, approximately 100 Canada Geese took off heading North, seemed extremely agitated by something and were honking up a storm flying past my livingroom window!

[rcflier]

Nice day to spend about anhour and a half walking around the lake a few times.

At the "bench feeder" I saw 4 Blue jays, 2 male cardinals and 2 female cardinals all at the same time.  As well 4 chickadees and "a lot" of sparrows.  On the lake the usual gulls.  Only a few geese today, I counted 14.  Lots of ducks, about 50 or so, pretty equal qty of males and females. Yesterday was very similar except I also saw 2 morning doves in one location and 3 in another,  one was all fluffed up sunning himself.

[Bird Brain]

Hi Bob.

Somewhere around 8am, there were 2 Mourning Doves out back of my building - one perched on tree branch looking down at other dove all fluffed up, perched on fence.

At West end of lake, dozens of hungry House Sparrows (males and females) plus "White Nose" (squirrel).  

At NW corner of lake (open water area), a few Canada Geese and lots of Mallards (males and females).

[rcflier]

Hi Jo Anne

Must be the same group of Doves we saw when we bumped into you yesterday - the one on the fence and the other two perched in the tree beside him.

Today LesLey and I went for the birding walk in Saddington Park at Port Credit.  I put 12 different bird types on my list.  This was a very fun outing.

At the Lake later on today ( about 1:30 ) I saw the usual Cardinals, Blue jays and Chickadees, as well as planty of sparrows.  Also lots of ducks and geese near the dam.  I went up into Maplewood Park looking for your owl.  No luck. All I saw there were 3 crows.

My highlight today was spotting a mocking bird.  He was in the bushes on the east side of the trail, up near the "feeder".  You mentioned you saw this one before Christmas.  I took a few pictures.   I also saw what  I think is a black eyed slate junco.  Mixed in with a few sparrows, slightly larger, mostly blackish grey in his back with a white belly.  He flitted away before  I  could get a pic.

LesLey and I will be at  the lake again thursday, probably around 9am until 11 or so.

[Bird Brain]

Wednesday morning, 7:30-9:30am ...

Canada Geese - lots
Cardinals x 7 (5m, 2f)

Crows x 9 - riled up and agitated due to nearby Sharp-shinned Hawk (my third day in a row seeing this guy)

Gulls - lots, mainly Ring-billed
House Sparrows - lots
Mallards - lots

"White Nose" (squirrel) was hanging upside down on tree trunk, stretching his right then left arm and paw.  Hilarious!  Looked like he was doing yoga.  Also sighted a one-eyed squirrel and squirrel with white-tipped tail.