We have been collecting Dispatches from Petrie Island since 2001. These are reports from visitors. Before the public beach, there was a commercial sand dredging operation at the east of the island, run by the Grandmaitre family. The west end of the island was untouched, with only a single trail down the middle.
29 December 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Well ice fishing time is with us again. I would not have thought the ice was thick enough, but when I arrived at 7 AM, there were already 4 vehicles parked by Crappy Bay. When I left three hours later, there were 8-9 cars and about 10 people out on the ice sitting on stools or chairs fishing. No fishing huts are out as the ice is obviously not thick enough for them yet.
The main river had a mist rising over it. The flowing water produced the noise of fresh river ice scraping the ice extending out from shore. It was odd to hear noise other than birds.
The ice breaking beavers (See Dec. 22) have apparently lost their battle with the ice, guess they spent to much time in the lodge over Christmas opening presents. All of the internal waterways were frozen over with some very few small slushy looking areas.
There were no animals in view, but lots of tracks. While the dogs and human walkers or cross-country skiers covered many of the tracks, rabbit and squirrel tracks were still in evidence. Off the main trail, where no people or their dogs had travelled, there were unidentified tracks along the shore’s edge and some inland. Identification was difficult as there had been some light snow in the past day.
A few chickadees were seed searching and a solitary hairy woodpecker showed up for work at a relaxed hour of 8:30 AM
The water level is down another 3-4 inches. “Old” ice is still stuck to trees above the snow line. Walking in flooded areas was interesting as your boots fall through the old ice, down through an air pocket and then either into fresh ice, water or mud.
There was a nice sunrise, the first for over a week, which played nicely off the hoar frost leftover from the last two days. But at 8:45 a fog banked rolled in from nowhere and enveloped the snow covered trees. Twenty minutes later, the fog was gone as quickly as it arrived.
22 December 2001 (David Villeneuve)
I got to the island well before Jim and Bill. I was the first one on the trail, so I got to destroy the tracks in the fresh snow. The early bird gets the worm. I saw tracks of squirrels, rabbits, and what appeared to be a medium-sized dog. Those tracks went west only, I didn’t see them returning, which makes me think it wasn’t the dog from the house. Maybe the wild black cat with half a tail that lives on the island? Bill suggests a fox or a coyote. Whatever it was, it was dainty, because it used the 2×8 plank to cross the water channel rather than going across the ice.The woodpecker (I would have said red-headed woodpecker, but the experts below say pileated) flew right up to the tree beside me, oblivious to my dog who took verbal offence to him.I was leaving just as the sun rose, and met Jim, who must have overslept. My golden retriever had a quick swim in the main river, followed by a roll in the snow. It must be nice to be immune to the cold.
22 December 2001 (Jim Robertson)
This morning, at -12°C, was the coolest one yet. But there was still open water on Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay when I arrived at 7:15AM. The water level was down about 4-6” as evidenced by the broken flat ice clinging to the trees above the current water line. It had not snowed for a few days, but there were very few animal tracks and far fewer human footprints. There were a few squirrel and rabbit tracks, along with some relatively small unidentified paw prints. As well there were signs of the usual trail crossovers by beaver, but not as many as in past days. The beavers have been limiting their wood harvesting activity; I saw only one sapling freshly chewed off, and one 16” tree is continuing to be worked on. There was a muskrat out for its morning swim in Turtle Pond’s open water as I started down the trail. There was no visible activity along the Beaver Trail, but again there were fresh mud workings around the last year’s beaver lodge. No fresh mud on the lodge, but lots of tracks around the lodge and signs of mud gathering. Maybe the workers could leave us a note as to what they are doing. Walking around to the new beaver lodge, I noticed that there was more open water near it today than last week. A possible answer for that revealed itself shortly. A beaver surfaced under the edge of some fresh ice forming off the thicker ice. It then proceeded to swim around like a miniature ice breaker. When I walked east, past the lodge to the dip between Muskrat Bay and the south channel, another beaver was working the ice on the shoreline along the channel. There was also a 30 foot diameter opening in the ice on the north side of the dip. While I was keeping an eye on the beaver on the south side, I heard, almost felt, a “kersplash” as a beaver had surfaced 15 feet behind me, spotted me, sounded the alarm, and dove before I could get a good look at him. The pilated woodpecker was busy working several trees, but too shy to allow a picture to be taken. Several chickadees were around as well of course. In the river were several groupings of ducks, either male mergansers or buffleheads – they were too far away to tell. There were likely 30-40 in total. One group took off with their wet white feathers brightly reflecting the low rising sun. There had been a breeze overnight and the during the day before so many of the bushes along the flooded shoreline were coated with heavy icicles. When returning to the car at 9:45, I noticed that the open water from 7:15 on Turtle Pond was now lightly frozen over. There were only a few square metres in a few spots that had not congealed during this, the coolest time of the day. (“Coolest” in both senses.)
22 December 2001 (Bill Bower)
Looks like I was in about 5 minutes after Jim left. I saw fresh Jim tracks.A couple Otters had crossed the path just past the house. All the birds I saw (Chickadees, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers (Hairy and Pileated) and Brown Creeper were on the Beaver Trail next to the water. It is always warmer in that area.I went after the Cottontails near the sand hills to try and get some pictures, but no luck. They are adapting well to Petrie Island or watching too much TV lately, I’m not sure which. They were all in caves or underground bunkers. I could see where they were but they weren’t coming out. A couple were in those old log piles and well protected.There is a small house cat out there which explains some of the smaller paw tracks. There is a fox around and I think one coyote also, judging by the tracks. They will likely move on now that the ice is getting thick enough to hold their weight.I left at noon but had the place to myself until then.
16 December 2001 (Jim Roberston)
After losing what little snow had fallen several weeks ago, 1-1/2″ of fresh wet snow arrived over night Friday. That made it very easy to see where the four legged creatures had been during the night:
The old “raft/dock” at the west end of the Turtle Trail was trampled over, presumably by the two muskrats with their home in the bank of the pond. Both muskrats were out for their morning exercise Saturday and Sunday mornings.
The snow on the south side of the top of the culvert on the main trail was also well trampled, assumedly by the muskrats that have burrowed a home into the ground under the Ninebark shrub.
There were many icy trail crossovers where beaver, (otters, mink, or muskrats) had been travelling between water spots during the night.
A 3′ by 10′ section at the last year’s beaver lodge was cleared of snow and the ground nicely churned into mud. Not sure what the theory was behind that activity as there was no new mud on the lodge.
A good number of two footed creatures were also evidently on the trails Saturday, but not many ventured too far west . No one crossed the “bridge” at the dip at the west end of Muskrat Bay.
There were some good sized paw tracks in the snow in an area that no humans or domestic dogs had been into. There were some tracks suspiciously like deer, but it was hard to tell as there is too much undergrowth that still comes through the snow and obliterates the tracks.
The early morning sun spot lit the many snow covered muskrat lodges hidden amongst the reeds in the marsh to the west as you drive down from the Queensway. There must easily be 10-15 throughout the marsh.
I also noticed a muskrat lodge in the bull rushes by the old beaver lodge on the trail. Sunday morning there was either a muskrat, or one of the minks inhabiting the old lodge, swimming under the ice amongst the bull rushes. There was a sound of something in the bull rushes but no movement. It would stop, then quickly sound again about 10-15 feet away, stop and start again quickly some distance away.
There were a few ducks around in the open water of Turtle Pond Saturday, but none to be seen or heard on Sunday. The pilated woodpecker was patrolling Turtle Pond Sunday morning rather than Muskrat Bay as it did Friday morning.
On both Saturday and Sunday morning there was an open “trail” through the ice on the small pond at the end of the main trail, between the River and Muskrat Bay. It was less open on Sunday with the temperatures being lower than Saturday. Obviously the beaver had been busy working their trail through the tall grasses and into the pond as they moved constantly between Muskrat Bay and the River.
It seems the beaver must have gotten their paws on a block and tackle. There was a 30 foot long tree that they brought down several weeks ago by “Duckweed pond”, just NE of the old lodge on the main trail. The tree was stripped of its branches, the trunk left was some 20 feet long 6-8″ wide at one end and 4-5″ wide at the other end. The tree was a long way from any open water, and had fallen away from the self-contained Duckweed pond. A week or so ago the trunk was in Duckweed pond so it was assumed some helpful visitors must have decided to assist the beaver and tossed it, with some effort, in to the small pond. Maybe not !! Friday night, the beaver had managed to haul one end up out of the small pond trying to take it to Muskrat Bay. They had somehow dragged it up the 3 foot steeply inclined muddy edge of the pond and had a 6-8′ section out of the water. It is not a small light piece of tree so they must have used a block and tackle to accomplish what they did. Saturday night they must given up trying to get the entire tree trunk up and over the trail to Muskrat Bay, as they had been busy chewing off two three foot sections to take to the lodge. Morning must have come sooner than hoped as they did not finish. But I am sure they will be back.
Sunday morning produced some nice long frost crystals on dead ferns in some areas. The snow was protecting the bend over ferns, but there was warm moist air coming up from the ground under the ferns to produce the crystals.
The conditions must have been “just so” at about 8 AM Sunday. By the old lodge, you could watch fingers of fresh ice moving into the open water from the shoreline.
14 December 2001 (Jim Roberston)
Well it seems to be squatters’ rights these days. As reported by Bill Bower and Paul Lefort, the mink are taking over the several years old beaver lodge, while the otters have squatted in last year’s beaver lodge. (Just like owls will often squat in last year’s hawk’s nest.)
Last Monday saw a bout of freezing fog just before sunrise which left a light coating of hoar frost on the grasses, shrubs etc. Some mushrooms on a fallen tree were well frosted. Virtually all of Turtle Pond, and most of Muskrat Bay, was frozen over.
A rabbit was scooting by the bait house at 6:30AM. I haven’t seen a rabbit for several weeks now. Not sure where they all are. They are around in the winter, so why not during the run up to winter?
This morning a small otter, or large mink, decided to play a frustrating game of peek-a-boo with me by the active beaver lodge. I was watching two muskrats swimming by the lodge and snacking on its larder, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a slinky catlike face peering over a log on the top of the lodge. The face appeared many more times over the next 30 minutes from various parts of the lodge or from within the tangled larder. It was more of a curious look that I was being given, which is more otter-like to my mind. The owner of the face never did present a full body view.
While watching the beaver lodge antics, I could see, and hear, the pilated woodpecker flying back and forth along the length of Muskrat Bay. It almost sounds like a squirrel at times. Three other smaller woodpeckers played tag over my head by the lodge.
There were a good number of muskrats out and about this morning. Aside from the two at the beaver lodge, two more were by the culvert on the main trail and quickly swam into their abode, in the shoreline under the trail. Paul LeFort reported one on a log by the start of the trail, only he had a bonus, a marten was also close by watching him.
A black squirrel was obviously anxious to get by me while I was watching the muskrats at the culvert. The trail at this point is very narrow with water on each side. He would move towards me, stop, back a little, them move forward again. I stood absolutely still and he finally got up enough nerve to approach hesitantly, coming within 2 feet of me, and then scurried past on down the trail.
Some of the large ferns seem to think summer is around the corner. One or two of them had their spring light brown skin on top, rather than their much darker late fall colour. Parting the light skin covering exposed tightly curled fiddle heads thinking about putting in a appearance.
12 December 2001 (Paul LeFort)
As I walked along the Main Trail, I kept hearing the sound of ice breaking. Further investigation along the Beaver Tr. produced a most entertaining encounter with two river otters, who took turns popping up through the ice, about two meters from shore, near the abandoned beaver lodge. I am assuming the latter has become an otter lodge.
When they pop out, they sniff and snort loudly before diving again. The camera? It was in the car, pursuant to section 23, paragraph 4 of Murphy’s Law.
8 December 2001 (Bill Bower)
The muskrats were over by Wood Duck box #7 trying to get up on the ice to eat. A mink came out of the same water hole and ran over the ice to where I was standing on the trail (by that very old beaver lodge). I was within about 8 feet of it. It gathered dried leaves and took them inside so I had a good look at it. It was a small mink and just had a few white hairs on its chin. My experience has been that weasels are either completely white by now or nearly all white. After I got my camera out I couldn’t get it to stick its head out again. That’s usually the way.
7 December 2001 (Jim Robertson)
This morning water was flooding onto the trails in areas that were never flooded last spring. The water does seem to be receding again though. There were parts of the trail that were flooded from Turtle Pond, but were about 1” higher than the main river. There were several small rivulets across the trail. A small torrent of water was flowing through the culvert at the western end of Turtle Pond.
The City’s Building Department must be working overtime issuing permits for the all the new muskrat lodges being built through the island. The muskrats are very helpful though in that they incorporate paper, dropped by human visitors, into their lodges.
Earlier this week, it looked as though the beavers on Muskrat Bay might be starting a new lodge very close to the one that has the larder outside it. There is an approximate 6 ft by 6 ft mud platform built well above the water, next to a windfall. It looked new, and thinking the beavers might be flooded out of their lodge, we were sure that they were starting another, higher, one. But no further work has taken place on the platform, so maybe it will not be a new lodge after all.
The longer it takes winter to arrive, the more trees that will lost. Several 12-15” tree were newly gnarled in the last day or two.
Several muskrats have been out for a swim in various locations, but this morning one was joined by what seemed to be weasel. The animal was too elongated to be a muskrat, but too small to be an otter, so I concluded it was a weasel. But what is was doing swimming and climbing up on various sticks and fallen branches, I am not sure.
A rough legged hawk was reported last weekend, it was still around during the week on the south side of the island. The pileated woodpecker was still around as was a midsize flock of gold finches
There was a morning of fresh ice earlier this week, and as before, it was forming on the north side of Turtle Pond only. The ice was a little different this time in that it had more texture to it. Often looking like tree bark, or in places, like ferns.
Humans and their pets/toys left their mark this week as well. A good-size dog made some very large holes in the sand of the turtle laying areas. An ATV (?) laid its tracks from the parking lot all along the trail as far west as the dip in the trail at the end of Muskrat Bay. Fortunately it did not tear up too much terrain.
2 December 2001 (Jim Robertson)
At this time of year the changes on the Islands are very slow. There are several more muskrat lodges in Turtle Pond and in the main marsh on the west side coming down from the Queensway. They must be trying to tell us that winter is finally coming.
The beavers seemed to have added a second storey to their lodge on Muskrat Bay. They must be responding to the high water levels. Their larder must be well anchored as it has not floated away. Signs of the beaver collecting branches, large and small, is evident over an ever increasing area.
One large tree, weakened by the beavers last year, fell into Muskrat Bay. The beavers have been tightrope walking, over the water, along the horizontal trunk to eat the bark and collect branches.
The pileated woodpecker, along with the hairy and downy woodpeckers, continue to attack many trees. In some places the bark has been shredded into falling strings.
One of three hornet’s nest that I have seen is still intact. The other two have been torn apart by the wind (or whatever). The absence of leaves have revealed a baltimore oriole’s sock-like nest hanging over the trail.
A good size murder (that’s what a flock of crows is called) of crows noisily flew over one morning. Usually the crows are only around in 2-3’s. Some seemed big enough to be ravens, but I have not had a close enough look at their tail feathers yet to determine if they are ravens.
The rain, wind and high water levels on Saturday washed a lot of the sand off the beach, as well as eroded some of the shoreline west of the cottage.
Sunday saw a group of about 6-8 hardy souls (kids and adults). They went for a walk along the wet, muddy trail and then came back to a picnic bench to enjoy hot chocolate and lunch on a Coleman stove.
20 November 2001 (Jim Robertson)
I was down at Petrie a couple of times over the past week. Last Tuesday, with no wind and a temperature of -5°, there was a fresh layer of ice over most of Turtle Pond. Muskrat Bay, however, had very little ice. Must be something to do with the depth of the two bodies of water. This morning no frost in evidence until about 7:45am when the mulleins and other leaves started to turn crystalline white as the temperature dropped below zero.
The black cat, that I had not seen for over a month, made a flitting appearance, guess it is finding enough mice to eat. A groundhog was busy bringing in additional grass to cushion its lair. Br’er rabbit was about as well. He was in the raised briar patch of all the burrs on the north side just after the main trail starts. I found a dead mole on the trail up by the old beaver lodge. It seemed to have no bit marks on it, so I am not sure brought about it demise.
The beavers continue their clear cutting, and some selected cutting as well. While there are no lodges in sight on Turtle Pond, the beavers have been actively snipping off saplings along the shoreline. On the main channel south of Muskrat Bay, several large trees are still being worked on, some having fallen in the past week. One tree that the beavers are attacking, is about 20” in diameter at the base. But 12” above, the tree had branched out into three separate trunks, two of which have been gone for at least a year. However one 6-8” trunk remains. If the beavers brought a stepladder along with them they could bring it down in a quarter of the time they will have to spend at the much thicker base.
There are a good number of ducks in the marsh still, but fewer in the “interior”. About 25 mergansers swished in for a landing on Muskrat Bay, but as soon as I tried to get closer, they left in a hurry. Bill Bower reported that some green-winged teals are still in the area.
The pilated woodpecker was very agitated this morning and would not sit still at all. One small tree has its bark torn off it, it is hanging there in tatters. At first I though it had been clawed off, but upon looking closer the telltale signs of woodpeckering was evident.
A couple of muskrats were out for a swim this morning. One dove below the surface and came back up at my feet along the shoreline. Little did I know I standing on over top of his hole in the bank. Both of us were equally surprised. There seem to have been two muskrat condos (lodges) completed for the winter.
Pat Laforest, out in his canoe a week ago, reported seeing a deer and fawn on the Island.
With the water having receded a good 4-6”, some secondary and tertiary trails are now accessible again. It is amazing to see the new beaver trails through the tall grass that had been flooded. The trails have been worn down more over the past few weeks than some of the human trails all summer.
11 November 2001 (Jim Robertson)
It was a cold windy morning with a heavy overcast, so not much was about. The four legged animals were the smart ones – in their cosy homes, asleep.
There was a flock of ducks in the marsh area to the west as you descend from the Queensway. Most of the ducks had their derrieres stuck up in the air as they were feeding on the weeds below the surface.
I was hoping that I might see a deer, as some deer have moved into the corn fields adjacent to the Queensway, just west of Orleans. I hoped one deer might have swum across the river and landed at Petrie. No such luck. Not even any deer tracks like the ones I saw during the summer.
All the leaves are gone from the trees except for a young silver maple, a tiny birch tree and one or two oak saplings.
There were a few seagulls and crows around and one lone chickadee. There was one squirrel to be seen – a small red squirrel in an isolated area by the south channel of the river. A woodpecker had been busy working on a tree by one of the western beaches. It had pecked a hole about 5 inches high, 2 inches wide and 4-5 inches deep into the tree. I suspect the pileated woodpecker was hungry one day.
There was no frost despite the moisture from yesterday’s rains, but there were frozen droplets on the bowed-over tall grass in sheltered areas. There was a thin covering of fresh ice on some puddles.
The river level, while still up a good 6-8 inches, was down enough that one almost did not need rubber boots in some of the areas past the end of the main trail. I say “almost” as there were a few areas I was glad I was wearing them.
The beavers have continued to be busy during the past week. More large trees are down in several areas, lots of young saplings have been chewed off from the base of many trunks; several left with a curly kew from the beaver pulling the sapling off and tearing the bark where they had not quite chewed through. The beavers have seemingly deserted some half chewed through trees in one area in favour of larger ones closer to one of lodges and the water. But as much as that would make you think they are smart, you then find a tree brought down in the middle of a densely vegetated area well away from the water.
There were five cars in parking lot at 8:30 AM despite the weather. One couple and their dog, who are regular early Sunday visitors, were there with their Tim Bits and coffees, sitting on a picnic table wearing parkas and wrapped in a blanket bracing themselves against the north wind off the water.
5 November 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Again this week I have been dropping by the Island every day or two to keep an eye on the beaver activity. They appeared to be leaving the larger trees, that they started chewing on a week or two ago, alone, but Saturday night one was felled by the Beaver Trail. The beavers had been chewing on it intermittently for about 2 weeks and unfortunately for them, and we humans, it fell away from the water and across the main trail. Earlier in the week, a large 12-15 inch tree was felled along the river channel south west of Muskrat Bay. It looks as though a school of piranhas attacked it. It has been stripped bare of bark along most of its trunk. Other trees on the south shore Muskrat Bay are also showing signs of being chewed.
Sunday morning a beaver was out for a swim in the main channel on the south side of the Island. Despite attempts to keep myself hidden, it knew I was there and just swam back and forth for over 30 minutes, just out of camera range, flapping its tail and diving every 5 minutes or so. I then gave up.
Every night or so the beavers are very active bringing branches across the main trail; the drag marks are there to be seen the next morning on the trail. New animal trails through the bull rushes and newly flooded grass areas are appearing each day.
The water level continued to rise all week, but finally lowered a little Saturday night. The trail has been well flooded in spots. Getting through some areas on the clay trail west of Muskrat Bay needs high boots (preferably without rips in them – but that is another story). The high water must be coming from the French/Sturgeon River systems as that area has had 14” of rain since September.
I am not sure how the beavers are adapting to the high water levels. Their lodges must have been built with the normal water level in mind, but with the water now being over a foot higher it must be getting crowded in the lodges. I suspect the lodge on the north side of Muskrat Bay has been abandoned – perhaps too many human visitors on top of their lodge during the summer ?
While most of the wildlife has disappeared, the spiders are still spinning their webs at night – usually at human face height across the trails! Some morning no ducks are around, other days there are quite a number. One morning there were 3 black squirrels, a grey squirrel, a red squirrel and a chipmunk all peacefully (!) foraging together at the end of the west end beaver trail. The red squirrel has a nest in a tree just west of there. He disappears into a 2” hole in the tree, about 6 feet up the trunk, and then appears well up the tree on a branch.
There have been two days with frosty mornings. The first year mullein plants are very showy when coated with frost, especially when the early morning sun hits them. There has even been a light covering of ice in calm spots along the shoreline.
Next year’s buds have set on the silver maples, and a few golden rod managed a late bloom. The pileated woodpecker hung around long enough to have it’s (distant) portrait taken finally. It has always been too skittish before. The few remaining lady bugs manage to get airborne when the sun warms them up. They look like miniature split football helmets when flying.
29 October 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Hey !! How high can it go ??
The water is continuing to rise little bit by little bit. We’ll soon need a raft to cross the dip at end of the trail. (grin). Several spots on the trails are now flooded to the point that I will have to wear my rubber boots, rather than my ankle high hiking boots from now on. Another inch or so rise and Turtle Pond will be joined with the main channel of the river. The main turtle resting raft has been floated off its moorings and is nestled against the shoreline. A bonfire some kids had Saturday night up past the end of the main trail was flooded over this morning.
The beavers, again, had left the larger trees alone overnight, but about 10-15 saplings disappeared around the old beaver lodge on the trail.
There were lots of ducks this morning, concentrated in two areas; One group of 20-30 by the shore in the main river at the sandy expanse just before the Beaver Trail, and a second group at the end of the main trail in the “new” inlet. Neither group would let me get very close before they flew off. The group in the new inlet were deep in the bushes and reeds, so they was quite a rustling of wing flapping as they attempted a vertical takeoff through the vegetation.
There have been no herons around since the water rose a week ago, but there are still lots of chickadees, finches, nuthatches, woodpeckers. Four gulls flew over about 50 feet up just as the sun was coming over the horizon. The gulls were a brilliant red with the light reflecting off them.
Spotted a few fresh Chicory blooms this morning. They are having one last fling before the winter I guess. The Goat Rue seems to be working hard at grabbing new territory as its dark green leafy branches are spreading wide and far.
There were also a few lady bugs on the Sweet White Clover. They must be the hardy ones that have not been captured by the remaining dragonflies, or have not sought shelter in people’s houses.
28 October 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Things have slowed down a little this week, although with the wind Wednesday, Thursday and Friday you had to wonder.
I checked out the beaver activity daily. Hoping I might actually see a beaver up on shore (ha !!), but more to check on progress as they chewed away on trees. There were three small groups of trees being worked on earlier in the week, not much has happened since though. There was one 6″ tree that came down Wednesday (but it was almost fully chewed through from last year, so a couple of good bites and down it came). It fell against the wind, so I am sure it was not a “windfall”. One 9-10″ tree that was felled about a week ago, had been hung up in other tree branches, but the wind on Thursday untangled it and it was laying flat on the ground Friday morning. By Sunday the top 15-20 feet of it had been chewed off and removed by the beaver.
There has been some added activity during the week at the pond north of the tip of Muskrat Bay, at the end of the sandy area. One 3″ tree came out Monday, and another 2″ came down Thursday night. There is a largish tree on the south side of Muskrat Bay, west of the “improved” south-side beaver lodge, that was showing, even from 100 yards away, bright fresh chewing through the wind, rain and general dullness of the day Friday.
The larder by the “improved” lodge has been growing each day. The occupants, assuming there are still some, of the lodge right by the Beaver Trail seem a little less concerned about the coming winter, although on Friday there were a few new small branches just off shore. Whether that was the beavers or the wind, I am not sure.
By Sunday morning, still no change was occurring with the larger trees, but two new areas being harvested – by the old beaver lodge next to the main trail. Several 3″ trees were gone, plus several new growth limbs on previously downed Basswood trees. There was a very clear new animal trail through the reeds at the water’s edge. The second area, just south of the trail at west end of Muskrat Bay; several small silver maple trees are being worked on.
The water is still very high. It has been going up and down a little each day. Friday, the flow in the dip of the trail at the tip of Muskrat Bay showed the water level was rising at 2:30PM, but by 3PM it was flowing back out ! Sunday morning required a bit of a running leap to cross the dip as the water was back up, and then some.
There were many small frogs hopping about in the newly flooded grassy areas on Tuesday. Thursday, despite the wind, there were several meadow hawk dragon flies flitting about.The bull rushes at the eastern end of Muskrat Bay have gone to seed, but the ones on the north side of the main trail by the Beaver Trail, are showing no signs of following suit.The only four legged critter (other than squirrels) seen all week was a single muskrat in Turtle Pond Friday and a beaver out for a pre-dawn swim in Muskrat Bay Sunday. There have been lots of chickadees and woodpeckers flying about.
Sunday morning saw lots of ducks in the marsh coming down from the Queensway as well in the new inlet at the west end of the main trail. There
was heavy hunting on the Quebec side, so maybe the ducks were seeking shelter at Petrie.
There were still some asters blooming as well as a few Sweet White Clover springs.
PS: Thank you City for finally grading the road, it had been getting quite rough, putting it mildly !
22 October 2001 (Jim Robertson)
OK, who opened the floodgates??!! The river seems to be up 6-8 inches. It must have occurred overnight as there was a small “torrent” of water flowing across the dip in the trail at the very tip of Muskrat Bay (where the sandy trail ends). I guess Ontario Hydro must have opened a dam up the valley. You no longer can walk back from the end of the trail along the north beaches unless you are wearing calf-high boots.
There are now many more leaves on the ground than up in the trees. The rain and wind this past week took its toll. Along the turtle trail, there is one tall silver maple though that still has many leaves, with the leaves being a very pretty mottled red and yellow.
There was a mist on the river and ponds that nicely caught the sun’s rays. It was cool, but at about 7:45, just after the sun started to catch a few tree tops on the island, it seemed to suddenly get chilly. I looked down at the leaves on the ground where I had been working for a few minutes trying to get one shot, and noticed that they were all lightly frosted. I was sure that a few minutes before they were just wet with dew !
There were a few bull thistles trying to beat the fall temperatures. One plant that had bloomed many weeks ago and whose seed pods had all opened, had two more small blooms on it. There was a second plant, that looked brand new, with 4-5 purple thistles on it, plus a wet, sleeping bee.
There were a few rabbits out and about this morning after an absence of a couple of weeks. The usual chickadees, finches, etc., plus a few ducks were on the internal waterways. Bill Bower spotted a good size mix flock of ducks out on the river. There were several buffleheads in with the mallards and blacks.
With the higher water level, the heron seemed to be confused this morning. Instead of fishing it is usual haunts that were now deep enough to prevent it walking easily, it kept in the trees, moving each time I came close to it.
The beaver seem to have sniffed cold coming and are working a little harder to prepare for winter. The newer beaver lodge on the south side of Muskrat Bay has a “kitchen larder” starting to appear 10-15 feet off shore by the lodge. Evidence of beaver chewing small and big trees, along with new trails through the grass has appeared in several spots. They have started in on a 16” tree, we’ll have to see how many nights it takes to bring it down !
The wasp nest has been abandoned and half torn apart. The combs are exposed with the outside wrapper having been torn off much of the hive/nest .
14 October 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Did the weather office really goof !! It was supposed to be raining over night and all day. The stars were out at 6 AM and the sun came up through a beautiful red sky. You didn’t even need a jacket.
The trees have really turned in the past week. There is very little green left, the leaves are mainly yellow and orangey-red. The wind was blowing them about, and water that was out of the breeze, was covered with freshly fallen leaves.
There were few birds to be seen or heard for about 2 hours after sun rise ! There were very few shotgun blasts from the Quebec side duck hunters. By 9:30 there were a few chickadees and a finch or two around. Bill Bower reported seeing his first Cardinal on the Island this morning. He also mentioned finding some 20 wood ducks on a small rained renewed pond during the week. Too bad I missed that !
The beavers have suddenly shown some interest in 5-6 small trees west of end of the easy walking trail. About 20-30 yards in from the channel leading to the culvert, there is one tree that has been toppled and disappeared, another toppled but hung up in another tree, and several trees on which chewing has commenced. There is no sign of a lodge anywhere, but there are several new trails through the grass where the beavers have dragged out their trophies.
There are few more fungus about with the damp weather. I found a nice clump of Bears Paw fungus along the edge of the Beaver Trail.
Aside from the deep blue asters still blooming there are few late stragglers of Sweet Clover, Evening Primrose, Campion Bladder and a little pink still showing on some Joe Pye Weed.
The weather was so nice that the parking lot filled quickly and the FOPI cottage had many visitors to the Open House displays.
9 October 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The first fall frost hit this morning along with some heavy patchy fog. The frost had taken hold along the North Service Road well before the sun was up, but down on the Islands, the frost did not make its general appearance until after the sun was above the horizon, but still behind the trees. The sun was warm enough that the frost, once touched by the sun’s rays, quickly turned into a heavy dew.
The sumacs are all showing some colour, many having turned red in the last few days. The more mature silver maples are showing some reds, but more yellows. Many more poplars are now dressed in yellow leaves.
There are quite a number of tall dark blue asters around, they were glistening with dew as the frost thawed. The purple loosestrife leaves have taken the hint from the trees and switched from green to red.
The cold seemed to be keeping the four footed animals in their burrows. There was not a rabbit to be seen anywhere, although a squirrel did finally show up. A garter snake was trying to warm itself on the trail around 9 AM, but managed enough energy to move into the grasses as I approached it. There were lots of chickadees gathering seeds.
There seemed to be only one heron this morning, he was hunkered down in the reeds in Turtle Pond. It moved around a little, but never did stretch completely to its full height. His feathers seemed quite puffed up. The ducks, mallards mainly I think, were in Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay in the early morning, but by 10 AM they seemed to have moved over to the marshy area south of the culvert. One minute you saw a duck’s head, and the next you saw the duck’s derrière sticking up as it feed on the shallow reeds.
One lone dragonfly was sufficiently warmed up, and dried off, by 10 AM to make a fly by.
There is no sign of widespread beaver activity yet, but one large tree brought down about two weeks ago now has most of its top branches removed. There is a new trail in the grass from the water’s edge to the tree as the beavers trudged back and forth with their cuttings.
30 September 2001 (Al Tweddle)
At 2:05 p.m. on Sunday, Sept 30, 2001, the person representing 60,000 hours of use came to the Picnic area!! This figure was estimated by FOPI based on car counts over the summer. The number was confirmed by Tony Turtle, based on the number of time he had to jump off his log as people disturbed his sunbathing!!!
30 September 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The rabbits living by the bait shop are obviously being well fed. They are twice the size of their cousins living on the north side of the culvert. This morning there were 4 “giant” cotton tails playing by the bait shop that seemed oblivious to traffic as they crossed right in front of two cars that had to slam on their brakes to avoid hitting them.
It was a cool morning, 5°C, with some fog out on the Queensway, but only a light mist rising off the water on the Island. About 2 hours later the sun was warm enough to generate steam from the buttonbushes at the end of Muskrat Bay.
There are many common sunflowers in bloom just north of the culvert by the entrance to the bike path. A few plants bloomed about a month ago, but there are about 20-30 plants standing 6-8 feet tall all with blooms or buds. Fall asters are the only other flowers blooming to an extent, they range from small white ones up to 1” sized dark blue ones. Again this week, one particular aster seems to be the sleeping quarters for bees. At 7 AM when I walked by it, there were 5-6 dew covered bees hanging from blossoms waiting for the sun to warm them up. By 9 AM on the way back, the bees had warmed up enough to move around slowly looking for nectar in the white blooms.
The milkweed seed pods are starting to pop without the aid of a human touch. There were several nicely back lit dew covered silky seeds hanging out of their pods.
There seemed to more activity in the water this morning than on other occasions. A muskrat was out collecting reeds, something was thrashing about in the water for about 15 seconds in Turtle Pond. There was so much water splashing up, that I could not make out who was making a fuss about what. A kingfisher found itself breakfast diving into the water by the culvert and flying off to a fallen tree on the far side of the pond. Quite a few ducks flew up as I walked by on the trail, as did the heron who seems to like hanging out by the first narrows on the trail.
There were heron tracks on one of the western beaches. The trail of tracks led in and out of the water for about 100 yards, raccoon tracks seemed to be following the heron, but the raccoon did not venture too far out into the water. Maybe the raccoon has taught the heron to provide food for it ?
While there is not a lot of beaver pre-winter activity in evidence yet, but there is a new lodge being started on the south side of Muskrat Bay, and a 14” wide tree was dropped recently along the Beaver Trail. There is a very well beaten down 60-80 foot trail from Muskrat Bay to the base of the fallen tree with plenty of chips scattered about. The turtle crossing by the end of the main trail also showed signs of having had a lot of traffic across it during the night
23 September 2001 (Jim Robertson)
It was such a damp, somewhat misty morning that a few mosquitoes came out to say hello. They had not, thankfully, been seen for many, many weeks!
The duck hunters were blasting away on the Quebec side; I may have been dreaming but was that why there were so many ducks visiting Petrie this AM? There were a good number of mallards and at least 10-15 wood ducks. I felt a little guilty disturbing them in their sanctuary.
There were plenty of other birds around as well. An osprey flew over quite low – when I was changing the film of course! A black-crowned night heron was sitting up in a tree flinching every time a shotgun sounded from across the river. The blue jays were making quite a ruckus, over what I am not sure. A few chickadees must have migrated from Mer Bleu as some of them seemed to be looking for a handout of sunflower seeds. There were lots of sparrows, a few robins and warblers as well as a small flock of juncos towards the west. The usual herons were around; one left its tracks in the wet sand on a north side beach about halfway along the islands.
There are not a lot of flowers blooming; mainly asters, but a few summer stragglers including vetch, bird’s foot trefoil, morning glories were showing their colours. The jewel weed blossoms seem to have all turned into the “touch-me-not” seed pods that spring open flinging their contents when touched. A few of bright red bunches of berries from the jack-in-the-pulpits stood out against the long green grass.
Winter must still be a way off yet as there are no signs of the beaver starting to harvest trees for their winter larder, but many of the oak trees appear to have been striped of their acorns by the squirrels.
While most of the trees on the North Service Road have changed to their fall yellow colours, the trees on Petrie are still very early in the process of turning. There are lots of individual leaves and branches that have turned red, or yellow, but no mass changes yet. A few of the poplar branches have had their leaves turn coppery-red.
The ground hog by the FOPI “cottage” was in a friendly mood this morning as he came partially out of his hole and sat for his portrait from about 15 feet away. No rabbits felt so inclined though.
17 September 2001 (Jim Robertson)
It was VERY foggy this morning. The air was clear at Place d’Orleans, but east and west was solid fog. Petrie Island itself was heavily fogged in. You could not see twice the length of the parking lot.
There were a few rabbits around but not much other wildlife in evidence on first arrival. Numerous individual turtlehead white blossoms were standing out in amongst the green shrubbery. Unfortunately some party goers had managed to toss the bench overlooking Turtle Pond into the water.
It quickly became apparent that Petrie’s entire spider population must have been busy throughout the night. While early fall is the time to see spider webs, I have never seen so many in one place !!
It seemed that there was not a stick of vegetation that did not have a spider web strand attached to it. Spider webs took many shapes from the usual circular ones to funnels to masses of strands in no particular patterns. Some trees were masked with individual webs as high as 30-40 feet up into the foliage. The largest circular web I saw measured 17″ in diameter. There were lots much, much smaller. Oddly there were no insects caught in any web, nor were there any spiders to be seen
There was some moisture on the webs at 6:30, but by 7:30 as the cooling air became very damp with the fog, the webs became jewelled with dew drops. A slight breeze wafted the webs gently (enough to make photography difficult darn it).
At 9:00, the sun started to show itself through the fog, and by 9:15 the trails were lined with beautiful necklaces of water droplets, many spectacularly backlit.
During the three hours it took to cover the less than one kilometre walk from the parking lot to the Beaver trail, several ducks flew up from the reeds and a grey squirrel had come bounding down the trail not really watching where it was going. I stood absolutely still to see what would happen as he approached me. The squirrel came to a sudden halt about 7-10 feet from when it realized there was something on the trail. It did not run away, but stopped to sniff the air, looked to see what options it had to go by me. Backed up a few feet, came forward to within 3 feet and then when I slowly reached for my camera, it scampered off into the tall grass beside the trail.
The bird population showed itself, aside from the ducks, with a flyover by about 10 blue jays, lots of sparrows and some gold finches along with the numerous chickadees. A few kingfishers were around as well. The black-crowned night heron I saw last week did not put in appearance.
7 September 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The turtles are arriving !!! After seeing signs last week of some turtle eggs having survived the raccoon, skunk and weasel feeding frenzies in May and June, there seems to have been a turtle hatching party last night !
Baby snapping turtles hatched, and emerged, from at least four “nests” last night. Each of the four nests had at least 2-3 (tail and feet) tracks made by individual turtles leading away from the edge of the hole and leading towards the ponds.
There did not seem to be fresh predator footprints about, so chances are that most of them made it to the water.
In one nest, two hatchlings had not yet made the climb out. The morning sun was getting quite warm so I helped the little guys get to the water, but only after they posed for the required portraits.
I noticed a new animal on the Islands this morning: a very shy, young black cat, likely 3 ± months old on the main trail, west of the Beaver Trail turnoff. I hope for its sake that it is only a short term visitor and not taking up residency.
There were several Long-jawed Orb Weaver spiders checking out their webs in the tall grass to see what was available for breakfast. A large (3 inches plus) Green Darner Dragon Fly, in no hurry to move on, let me move him on to my finger before finally flying away.
A few rabbits were around, though no muskrat or beaver to be seen. Another Snipe/Woodcock startled me with its quick takeoff from the underbrush as I passed by. A Pilated Woodpecker was looking for breakfast in an old tree and then flew off. They are not the most graceful flyers. One of the herons was in same oft-seen spot actively fishing; two more flew up, squawking noisily, from one of the ponds towards the west end.
Some of the north shore beaches midway down the islands to the west, have many small yellow aster/daisy blooms appearing in the sand. Ground nut vines and blossoms are cropping up in many places, as are the Turtlehead flowers. Some late blooming White Sweet Clover and Crown Vetch are around.
While there are no trees having turned to their fall colours in their entirety, there are many silver maples starting to show individual leaves turning red.
29 August 2001 (Jim Robertson)
At 10° C, it was the coolest morning we have had this summer, the rabbits must have been in their burrows keeping warm as there was not one to be seen !
There were a few muskrats out snacking on water weeds. One heron was fishing for breakfast in the reeds south of the culvert. The duck population is continuing to increase; they must be gathering slowly for the big trek south. I counted 32 ducks this morning. A very, very low count from the spring, but higher than midsummer.
The Cardinal Flowers are virtually over, but there are still a few flashes of red along some shorelines. Some Butter and Eggs blossoms have appeared in the past week and the deep blue fall Asters are budding. The seed pods of the Jack-in-the-pulpit have opened to reveal their bright red berries.
Despite the carnage at turtle egg laying time in June, a few eggs seemed to have escaped the appetites of the raccoons, skunks and weasels. At least two turtles hatched overnight leaving holes in the sand of the main turtle egg laying area as evidence.
I have assumed that there must be deer at Petrie from time to time, but I have never seen any signs of them. But this morning deer tracks were on one of the western beaches on the north side. Maybe the deer had swum over from Quebec.
22 August 2001 (Jim Robertson)
There had been a fairly heavy dew overnight as it was relatively cool. Several bees were still sleeping on thistles at sunrise. Dew-covered sulphur butterflies were immobilized on tall grass. At the west end of the trail, in the tall grasses, several very large blue-bodied dragonflies were darting about after insects and protecting their turf. They would not take a break and stop on a blade of grass for their portraiture to be taken. They looked like small birds when backlit by the sun.
There seemed to be no monarch caterpillars to be found, but there were several Milkweed Tiger Moth caterpillars on the underside of some milkweed leaves.
The early/mid summer flowers are almost all gone, there are still a few Bird’s Eye Trefoil left, but most of the loosestrife has gone to seed. Some Pickerel Weed is still blooming as are some Golden Rods. The Jewelweed, Turtlehead, early Asters, Broad-leafed Arrowhead, and Tick Trefoil are some of the flowers in bloom now. At the far west end there were some fresh Bindweed/Morning Glory blooms and buds.
The Duck population seems to be increasing with each passing week. This morning there were 16 black or mallard ducks scared up from the reeds in Turtle Pond. There were several groups of basking turtles, all seemed to be good-sized painted turtles. A good number of Sandpipers were patrolling the beach shorelines towards the west end of the Island. Three Cormorants flew over heading west. Only one Heron was in evidence today, he insisted on moving west as I walked west so he was constantly flying away as I came closer to him.
The new acorns on the oak trees are keeping the Chipmunks and Squirrels quite happy.
14 August 2001 (Jim Robertson)
It was unusually quiet this morning, only one rabbit out to greet me at 6 AM. A light layer of mist was over the water with the rising sun casting its rays through it. All the vegetation is looking very sorry, the water level on the river seems to be getting marginally lower each day. There was a fly-pass of three herons, about 30 feet up, at the narrows on the main trail. A reduced number of flickers were about, but three nuthatches were poking around a tree trunk looking for bugs. A few chickadees were busy as well, as were the woodpeckers. A snipe/wood cock exploded out of the underbrush as I was walking along one of the lesser used trails. Sure wakes you up in a hurry !!!The black (or mallard ?) duck population seems to be increasing. There were several small groups totalling 10-12 birds in Turtle Pond, I did not see the duck family in Muskrat Bay.Despite the dryness, I found a few largish fungus and mushrooms growing out of two different fallen logs.The “usual” turtle trails were crossing the trail between two ponds towards the west end; it looked as though 2-3 turtles had crossed it during the night. Raccoon tracks were along the trail in a few spots as well as on the some of the beaches to the west.A large green frog was silently basking in the sunlight on a log in the middle of one of the landlocked ponds. About 5-6 turtles were up on an old stump at the trail narrows as well. There was one quite large one, likely a map turtle. They are very skittish and head for the water very quickly.I managed to find one turtlehead flower blooming, looked for others but to no avail. But while looking, several Dragon Fly varieties and grasshoppers were in the tall dew covered grass.On the way back to the parking lot, three garter snakes slithered by me on the trail. Just to prove to me that they do exist on the Island. I had only seen one in the past year.
8 August 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Everything is looking very parched – no wonder ! The ferns are browning at the edges, some all over, the tall grass is not springing back when stepped on, the flowers are not lasting as long as they could.Today seemed to be “young animal day” with several young rabbits out with their mother, a young ground hog rounded a corner to see me 5 feet away. The staring contest lasted 20 seconds when it blinked first. A young muskrat was gathering grass at the water’s edge. The black duck family was still in Muskrat Bay. There were no young beavers in evidence though around the lodge on the Beaver trail, only two adults were out for a swim.There were several hairy woodpeckers working away in the early morning “coolness” on dead trees. As well, black and grey squirrels making their rounds.The tent caterpillar webs are starting to multiple. There were probably some 10-15 easily seen ones this morning.The Purple Loosestrife is starting to lose its freshness, although a Monarch (or Viceroy) butterfly did not seem to mind. A red Admiral butterfly was working its proboscis well into the buttonbush blossoms. The Joe Pye Weed is well past its prime, the Yellow Loosestrife is gone, although there are still a few Fringed Loosestrife blossoms to be found. The Golden Rod seems to be peaking, which is early, most of the Cardinal Flower is past its best. But the white blossoms of the Broadleafed Arrowhead are looking very new. The green with black stripes berries of the Starry Solomon Seal are looking very fresh.The Long-jawed Orb Weaver spiders have worked their webs on most of the tall grass and bent the seed tops into semicircles to ensnare their insect food.
26 July 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The mosquito welcoming committee are no more, and have seemingly been replaced by rabbits. Two rabbits greeted me in the parking lot at 5:30AM, but stopped short of coming for a handshake. They watched me, from less than 10 feet away, get out of the car, load the camera and head out the trail.I stopped counting cotton tails when I reached 35, and was only just past the FOPI cottage ! There is one rabbit a little further along the trail that has several times come with in 5-10 feet of me if I stand very still while taking his photograph.Another repetition is the turtle track/trail across the trail between the two ponds past Muskrat Bay. The track is there often with no foot prints on it, so the turtles were obviously moving between the ponds at night. This morning there was evidence of at least three turtles making the passage.The tent caterpillars, or their cousins, are beginning to build their spidery webs over several branches. No sign of caterpillars within the tent yet.Lots of yellow warblers, goldfinches and chickadees as well this morning.Very few flickers unlike the last few weeks.The water level is continuing to drop both in the river and some of the landlocked ponds.Common evening-primroses have suddenly made an appearance along with the golden rod in the last 4-5 days.A couple of red squirrels were kind enough to pose for portraits this morning in much better lighting conditions than on previous occasions.I was beginning to think the snake stories at Petrie were “old wives tales”, but finally one was sunning itself on the sandy trail this morning, guess he found the morning a little cool after the last few days.
21 July 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The sun was a big red ball for 20 minutes at sunrise due to the haze/pollution. There were already several keen people fishing by 5:30a.m.A few muskrats were out for an early morning swim and the bull frogs were croaking.Lots of birds were in evidence: flickers, robins, redwing blackbirds, one baltimore oriole, chickadees, yellow warblers, downy woodpeckers etc. etc..There were two loons (or were they cormorants?) swimming and diving about 100 yards offshore.Yellow St John’s wort, and evening primrose are in bloom. The yellow loosestrife and white buttonbush are also blooming. As are the purple loosestrife, pickerel weed, white and yellow water-lilies and daisies amongst many other flowers. The burdock are blooming as best they can.The milkweed pods have started forming, but there are still some haggard looking blossoms.There were some American lady butterflies flitting through the tall grass.A football sized wasp nest is hanging about 12 feet off the ground in a tree by the Muskrat trail.
10 July 2001 (Al Tweddle)
Report from the Night patrol: Last Friday I was at Petrie at 9:30 p.m. and noticed movement down the gravel road. It appeared to be a floating blanket. As it approached me it turned out to be six young skunks bouncing down the road chattering away to each other. Fortunately they headed down Turtle Trail before they got too close to me. I was wondering if we had a volunteer who could train the skunks to like the smell of beer and hence take care of our bush parties!!
8 July 2001 (Jim Robertson)
Hurray! the mosquito population is down !!! The birds and mother nature have been doing their thing.Seems to be more four footed furry critters around: several ground hogs were about as were at least 5-7 chipmunks in various parts of the Island. Several young red squirrels were seen as well. The rabbits are especially plentiful in the early morning around the parking lot and along the main trail. Some are very shy, but a few, if you are quiet, will let you get to within 10 feet of them. A few skunks have been seen by yours truly and others. The Beaver, Otters and Weasels are not around as much to be seen though.Many of the baby birds have grown up and are busy foraging for food. Warblers, Fly Catchers, lots of Flickers, Robins, Downy Woodpeckers amongst others. There always seem to be one or two herons fishing. A family of ducks (black or mallards) are at the east end of Muskrat Bay.The Purple Loosestrife is coming into full bloom, there is some Yellow Loosestrife as well. Pickerel Weed, white and yellow water lilies are along the shorelines. The Joe Pye Weed is blossoming in several spots. The milkweed blossoms are looking very dry. The yellow spikes of the Mullein are becoming very evident. The pink Morning Glory (or is it Bindweed ?) are entwining themselves to the vegetation. The White Sweet Clover is lining many sections of the trail.There are a few Small Eastern Milkweed Bugs are on the underside of the Milkweed leaves.Brown-eyed butterflies as well as Viceroy have been flitting about.
25 June 2001 (Jim Robertson)
The marsh on the east side of road between the Queensway and the culvert is a blanket of mauve. There is well over an acre of Flowering Rush throughout the marsh. Lots of white water lilies are around too. A solitary beaver was out for its more swim past at the culvert at 6 AM, with the water so calm he left a perfect V behind him. Three other beavers were swimming by the beaver lodge along the Beaver TrailWhile the mosquito population seems to have fallen off somewhat, a few deer flies have dropped in to fill the void. Gold finches and chickadees, along with the usual robin, red-winged blackbirds etc were much in evidence. Some unidentified small shorebirds made themselves scarce. Monarch, Red Admiral, and some Pearl Crescent butterflies were flitting about along with a few Milkweed Tiger Moths.Several varieties of dragon flies, both large and small are around.A heron, busy fishing, and I mutually startled ourselves along the path east of the Beaver Trail. We were within 10 feet of each other on the shoreline, when we both looked up at the same time.A little further along a river otter was resting on the trail, he gave me a curious look and then disappeared into the bull rushes.While well hidden, the bull frogs were making whatever sound it is they make.A few baby rabbits were out for a morning nibble of clover.The ferns have almost finished growing, and hopefully the grass has as well. In some places it is over 7 feet high and almost obliterating the eastern most trails. But the grasses are very nice when back lit by the morning sun with their stamens full of pollenA few fungi have sprouted with the damp weather of last week.The flora display evolves almost every week, this weeks selection includes (amongst others):- Birdsfoot Trefoil just passing its peak- A few Purple Flowering Raspberries blooming- a concentrated mass of Sweet Pea along the main trail- Several vetches including cow and crown vetch- Oxe-daisies- Bladder Campion almost past- Canada Anemones still blooming- Morning glories (bindweed) starting up- some fleabanes still out- Dogbane- Purple Loosestrife putting in its appearance- Flowering Rushes in various stages from bud to full bloom- Some Joe Pye Weed showing some coloured buds- the Milkweed starting to blossom- cat tails starting to appear on the bull rushes- Mullein up about 2 feet- a few Bull Thistles in bud- the moccasin flowers are over of course, but there are some 10 plants growing in one small areaThe raccoons have been very busy digging up turtle nests. Anywhere there is soft sand, broken eggs shells litter the area. One has to wonder if the raccoons have missed any nests at all.
Bill Bower – July 7 2002
I took a walk around this morning. Found about 10 more fresh turtle nests dug up by raccoons. Couldn’t find any eggs. Most of the nests this morning were painted turtle nests containing 6 or 7 eggs. Only saw 3 painted turtles basking.
Went to the sand dunes at the far end and located more turtle nests. Nothing fresh. Then I stumbled across a small tent with occupants. Don’t know where they came from as there were no cars in the parking lot. They seemed to be making a mess of the area.
Lots of Cottontails and the deer are still inhabiting the far end. Didn’t see them, just the tracks.
Quite a few birds but hard to find in the trees. I did get a good look at a family of Warbling Vireos. When alarmed, they make a sound something like a Catbird.
Now that the water level has receded you can see the evidence of erosion. In some places the bank is back 4 to 6 feet.
Jim Robertson – July 5th 2002
Add dogbane, canada thistle and meadowrue to the June 29th flowering list.
The large fish are still splashing about in the shallows. But there was also one in the south channel well off shore in deeper water. Three gold finches were working hard to get the seed fluff from the Goat’s-beard, maybe they were trying to start their nests and the thistle fluff is not ready.
The deer must still be around, there were lots of fresh tracks in the mud along the trails. There is an area along a trail where the tall grass is lying down, I suspect it is a deer bedding spot. It looks as though the racoons must be feeding the ground hogs – there were clam shells around 3 ground hog holes. Two ravens were flying around, a spotted sandpiper was checking out the sanding beaches. And a mallard pair were on the trail by a small remaining pond.
There were no new turtle nests. With the water levels down, I found 10 destroyed nests in another favoured turtle areas. But the painted turtle nests in the parking lot are still intact. A map turtle was walking through the main nesting area, it squatted down and retracted into its shell as soon as it spotted me. Even though I was photographing from behind a bush, it was 55 minutes before it started on its way again.
Jim Robertson – July 4th 2002
Well it looks like all the turtles got the egg laying signal at the same time. The egg laying started last Saturday and seemed to have finished for the most part Wednesday night. I only found one freshly dug up nest this morning and no signs of any that the raccoons and skunks had missed. The painted turtle eggs in the parking lot have still not been touched, so maybe they will make it through the summer. There are still some turtles crossing the road between the Queensway and the parking lot, so keep an eye out.
The water is down enough that you don’t need boots to walk down the trail, but I would not do it in sandals yet due to several very muddy sections. (And the mosquitoes)
The flowering rush are starting to bloom in the marsh, so I guess the flood prevented the yellow iris from doing their thing this year. Other flowers blooming to add to the list from June 29th:
Evening Primrose
Butter and eggs
Sumac trees
Some of the bull thistles and canary grass is well over 6 feet high. The lack of traffic on the Beaver Trail has allowed the grass to grow and lean in over the trail. The dew on the grass provides an unwanted soaking as you walk along the trail by Muskrat Bay. The morning glory/bindweed while not in bud yet, I growing rapidly and entwining itself around the other vegetation. The Duckweed Pond has regained its name now as it is almost entirely covered with the small green leaves of duckweed.
Jim Robertson – July 2nd 2002
Did you know that it takes a painted turtle an hour and 25 minutes to dig a nest hole, lay 6 eggs, cover the eggs and pack the sand ???
It was 25° C when I left the house as the sun was just coming over the horizon. The mosquitoes were enjoying the humidity, I have never seen them so thick and persistent. But the dragonflies were enjoying the extra breakfast food !
Not much new since last Saturday’s report, the water levels were down a little, found two snapping turtles up on shore, but not in the nesting area – one was sauntering down the beaver trail. The snappers withdraw into their shell when they see you, and if you get too close, they literally spin on their shell to face the adversary !
I added St Johnswort to the list of flowers blooming. A “new” variation of sweet pea is also in bloom, pink petals but a blue “nose”.
No beaver or muskrats were in evidence, I think I heard the deer crashing through the underbrush on the south side of Turtle Pond. I scared up the heron three times again as I walked down the trail.
There were two fresh snapping turtle nests, (the raccoons had gotten to them of course) including one in the middle of the trail in an area where sand had been brought ashore by the flooding. The sand was only 2-3 inches deep, but she laid some eggs in it anyway; they did not last long !!! There were several fresh painted turtle nests as well, but they had all been dug up and eggs eaten by the raccoons.
When I returned to the parking lot, there was one painted turtle laying her eggs, and another one meandering over beside her. It took the newly arrived turtle 85 minutes to dig her hole, lay six 1.5″ long, 3/4″ wide oblong eggs and then cover them up. I am not sure how a turtle that small can produce that many eggs !! Relatively, the larger snapping turtles produce a lower volume of eggs.
Dispatch from Petrie – July 2, 2002 bonus
Boy if I though the mosquitoes were bad at sunrise, try after sunset when there are no dragonflies or birds around to go after them !!!! There were also plenty of fireflies flitting about.
I went down to try to get some shots of night activity, perhaps the raccoons finding the painted turtle nests from this morning.
I was not expecting the raccoons until 9:30 or later when it was darker, but a visitor returning to his car spotted two coming down a tree at 9:15. I grabbed my camera, only to find the lenses all fogged with the humidity. The mother raccoon was already on the ground, the kit was 2 feet up. I had a “discussion” with them, suggested that I would prefer them to come down the tree when my lenses cleared. I was eyeball to eyeball with them, about 2 feet away, and they were not keen to move back up the tree, but they did finally. It was not a noisy nasty discussion, just a few grunts and much staring. Fifteen minutes later they reappeared and I got my shots (I hope). Once on the ground, they don’t hang around, but on a tree you can literally reach out and touch them, not that I recommend that ! There were several more raccoons checking out the garbage cans, but they would not pose for a garbage picking shot.
I quickly realized that the odds were very low that I would catch them at the turtles nest without sitting there half the night getting eaten alive, so I too a walk down to the snapping turtle nesting area. No luck with either raccoons or turtles, but there were several beaver out splatting their tails. They did not seem to mind my flashlight shining on them as they swam around. There were beavers in Turtle Pond, Muskrat Bay and the main river channel; not sure why they have not been around in the early AM.
Once it got quite dark, the bullfrog chorus started up in earnest. It was quite the sound as I walked down to the end of the trail and back.
Dispatch from Petrie – July 2, 2002 addendum
Well I am very glad that I did not wait around in the mosquito infested night for the raccoons to find the painted turtle nests. I check this AM (things are cooling off – it was down to 24° at sunrise) and fortunately, so far, the raccoons have not found the eggs.
Bill Bower – July 1st 2002
Still more turtle nests this morning. I probably dug into 50 or more nests the last three mornings and haven’t found a single egg. Raccoons got them all. Hope a few nests went undetected by both four and two legged animals.
Interesting discovery this morning at the far end where most of the turtle nests are. I picked up a female Map Turtle and discovered it was the same female we had at the Turtle Day last spring. She had been run over at some point in her life and had recovered nicely, I found her not more than 20 feet from where I picked her up last year. Only last year I found her much earlier.
Still water on the nature trail. Probably down to about 8 inches now at the deepest point.
The Wood Duck nest in the tree by the office has 10 eggs in it (down covered and warm). Al saw the female leave the box earlier in the morning. Looks like another successful nest. The duck nested on top of a large starling nest, which is always nice to see.
Bill Bower June 30th 2002
Similar day to yesterday. Lots more snapping turtle nests, but again, no eggs located. Raccoons are cleaning up. Saw about 30 turtles including 6 Maps on that same log.
Water still high and even the diehard fishermen aren’t venturing through. Looks like Jim and I are the only ones wading through.
Bird sightings included the House Wren, Cedar Waxwing and Swamp Sparrow.
Wild Flowers included pink, red, orange, blue, mauve, black and green ones. No, sorry, those colours refer to the Dragon Flies I saw. Guess I’ll have to start using a recorder to keep things straight.
Jim Robertson – June 29th 2002
There was a beautiful pinkish sunrise this AM. Someone must be trying to make up for the weather we have had the last few days.
The low sun’s rays lit up the mist rising over the water to the east of the access road. There were several houseboats moored in the south channel towards the western end of the Island. The still water areas were covered with “summer snow”, the poplar seed fluff. It made the eastern end of Turtle pond look scuzzy.
The “light” rains of the past day or so, have brought the water levels back up. The main trail is again flooded and knee high boots are needed to get down it. The Muskrat Trail is under water again. The small culvert on the main trail must have been plugged by the beaver as there is virtually no water going through it.
The highlight of the morning was finding three 12-16 inch snapping turtles in the sand areas and evidence of egg laying over night. The evidence being raccoon tracks and lots of freshly eaten eggs, some still with pieces of yoke in them. Last year no one reported seeing snapping turtles in the sand in daylight, they had all finished their business by sunrise, so it was a “find” to see three this morning. Bill Bower joined me somewhat later and we counted 6 or 7 fresh snapping turtle nests, none with any surviving eggs, and about 20 “false” nests as the turtle(s) changed her mind after digging down into the sand and moved on to another nearby spot. Bill also found several painted turtle nests, none again with any surviving eggs. Their eggs are slightly smaller than a snapping turtle egg, but elongated in shape.
Large fish were jumping or surfacing in many places – in the marsh, along the flooded areas of the trail and in flooded areas on the south side of Turtle Pond.
Fresh tracks were left by a large deer in the sandy area towards the end of the trail; it must have swum over from the Quebec side. There were no muskrats or beaver, but a couple of rabbits were around, including a very young one. Lots of raccoon tracks and several red and black squirrels and a very wet chipmunk. Many bullfrogs were in chorus. Several turtles were up on logs. One small log in the pond between the sand operations and the road to the parking lot had 13 turtles basking on it.
A heron was working the flooded trails for the minnows in the shallower sections, when I got too close it moved on down the trail, only be disturbed again as I moved on. An osprey flew over as did a small hawk (a sharp shinned ?). Other birds spotted were: yellow warblers, a downy woodpecker, the pilated woodpecker was around to be heard not seen, flickers etc etc A wood duck has apparently moved in to the nesting box by the interpretative cottage. Last year a wood duck used a natural cavity in the same tree as a nest.
Signs from the wildflower walk have survived for three weeks now ! Flowers spotted were:
Dame’s rocket, white and purple
Vipers blugloss
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Goat Rue
Cow vetch
Crown vetch
Nine Bark
Sweet pea
Birdsfoot trefoil
Stonecrop
Daisy
Daisy fleabane
Purple flowering raspberry
Buttercup
Goats beard
Anemone – some very waterlogged looking, but still blooming
Common winter cress
Yellow iris clumps
One lonely blue flag iris
Yellow water lilies
Bladder campion
Elderberry in bud
Milkweed
The canary grass is up 6-7 feet, many still at nose height though; the pollen sprays nicely into your nose when you bump the stem ! Some of the burdock is up 3-4 feet and showing some small buds.
Spiders had been busy spinning cobwebs at eye height overnight. The webs seem to replaced though when walking back down the trail! Lots of dragonflies of various types (pending ID’s), mosquitoes aplenty.
Jim Robertson June 22nd 2002
I have been out of town for a week and missed the heavy rains of last week. The recent rains, coupled with the rain earlier this month have brought the river levels back up. Not quite as high as the April levels, but certainly higher than the second flood in May.
It was very quiet this morning, no muskrats in Turtle Pond, I couldn’t get to Muskrat Bay to see if any beavers were out for a swim. There was a marooned rabbit on the high section of ground at the trail narrows. Five or six full size killdeer were on the road together by the bait shop – maybe the family has grown up ? A heron was squawking further down the trail than I could get. Several bull frogs were croaking away in various locations.
Some of the anemones were sticking their blooms above the water, but many were blooming below the water and looked well drowned. The remaining carrion plants at the start of the trail have disappeared. There are still some common winter cress blooming as well as vipers blugloss, sweet pea, dames rocket, bladder campion, and fleabane. The nannyberry and dogwood have lost
20 June 2002 (Paul LeFort)
First day of summer! Yves and I took his boat and toured the islands, finding nothing that would be of use floating around. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot at lunchtime, as people seem prepared to drive thru the big puddles now. Only about six people bothered to walk thru the flood from the parking lot and enjoy the sun on the knoll. The balance of the area is eerily quiet (two rabbits, one cat, one osprey with fish in talons, half a dozen herons). It’s kind of pleasant that way. As far as the western reaches are concerned, they are also quiet, not many birds, a few very large map turtles basking, no beavers or signs of them. We motored in and out of all the ponds, including the little one at the end of the trail. Very quiet indeed. A quick check of the similar geography on the Québec side showed the same results.
Claude Moreau, who runs the bait shop, mentioned to me that he is selling out and leaving in the fall for health reasons (three heart attacks). Interesting. We may be able to pick up an aluminum boat dirt cheap (sales for unpaid rent).
13 June 2002 (Bill Bower)
Great morning at Petrie and great to see the sun again. Water high as Jim mentioned but not high enough to hold back the determined ones (with boots on).
No new turtle nests although one had been out wandering about. I don’t know what the holdup is as other areas are reporting lots of nesting activity. Our females are still taking it easy. I saw 12 female Map Turtles basking on that large log (old fallen tree) on the far side of the Turtle Pond. The bad news is that some of our turtles have taken to playing chicken with the traffic. One male painted turtle was run over and on the way out I found one snapping turtle (hatchling) run over and another alive. I guess it takes a trained eye to see the tiny ones but the larger ones should be avoidable. These hatchlings would have been from last years nests where the whole family voted to stay in the nest over the winter months. (I don’t know how they make that group decision).
Turtle Day is the 23rd. We should have a great selection of turtles (7 or 8 species) and if the weather is good an equally great selection of humans. I understand the NEW RO will be doing a “spot” from Petrie on Monday morning and Al and Michele will be on to talk about Petrie turtles and wildflowers. Every little bit helps.
The fish population at Petrie is alive, well and expanding rapidly. When you look closely where the sun is shining in the water you will note many large schools of very tiny fish passing by (sunfish, bass, crappie, etc.) Often you would see one of these schools go by being followed closely by a very large small mouth bass. It wasn’t after the fish, it was protecting them from whatever dared to approach.
Garter snakes were out enjoying a bit of sunshine. One large one was hiding on the path at the far end. I managed to climb down from the nearest hardwood without serious injury.
Jim can cover the wildflowers and birds on his next outing. I vote for the Pileated Woodpecker as the official bird of Petrie Island. Seems like they are always there and you either hear or see them on each visit.
12 June 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I went down to Petrie this morning in the rain and showers to see if the animals behaved any differently in the rain. And more particularly after the over 2 inches of rain we had yesterday. All I can say is that they were smarter than I. They stayed in their homes keeping nice and dry ! There were two very wet rabbits out and a few birds, but other than that – nothing.
The water level was back up, but that was expected after all the rain. Three silver maples did not survive the heavy downpours of yesterday though. Two large ones, along the Turtle Trail, lost very large branches that fell into the water, one of them swamping the new turtle log which is now well under water at one end.
There are lots of anemones blooming, but with many more buds ready to bloom in the next few days assuming we see the sun again. About 3-4 carrion plants have disappeared. There are still 3 along the road by the second cottage, and two on the Beaver Trail. The False Solomon Seal are blooming very nicely this year.
A correction to my last report (June 8th) It seems that the egret we spotted was not an egret after all. I got closer (about 200 yards) to it this morning and it seems to be a some white flotsam and jetsam caught in some underbrush along the shoreline. The movement we saw last week from much further away through binoculars, must have been the breeze and water current moving it. I guess I had better stick to trying to identify plants that I can touch !!!
8 June 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Arrived at Petrie in time for the non-sunrise this AM. A photographer/birder friend of mine was hoping to capture a beautiful sunrise such as I had succeeded in doing last year.
We did a thorough walk of the Island. It was very quiet, not much activity at all, few fishermen for a Saturday, no rabbits, one muskrat, and a few beavers off in the distant in some of the backwaters. It was cool and cloudy and not one turtle was out for view. There were a few herons lurking about.
A flicker seems to have made its home in the dead tree down by the snapping turtle nesting area. It is the same tree that the pileated woodpecker had attacked and gouged out a nesting hole for itself. I wonder if there are two nestings taking place in the same tree, less than 6 feet apart.
We did spot two yellow flag iris and highbush cranberries that bloomed overnight and many more Jack-in-the-Pulpits, some very light green.
Our major “find” though was an egret. It was on the south shore of the south channel about half a kilometre west of the culvert. It stayed there for well over 30 minutes. (Ed: and no wonder: see 12 June report!)
On the way out of the parking lot, by Crappy Bay, there was a baby killdeer on the road, one of four that I have been told are running about.
Later in the morning when staking the wildflower for today’s Wildflower Walk, we found a dead starry-nosed mole that was lying dead on the trail.
7 June 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I did not go down to Petrie for the sunrise as I often do, but slept in and went down at 9AM to meet Al Tweddle to sort out details for the wildflower walk this weekend.
I was glad I did go late as I would have missed the deer (doe) that charged out of the underbrush and into the parking lot as we headed for the Turtle Trail. She headed for the bicycle path. Not sure if she swam over from the Quebec side or moved in from the east where I have seen deer the other side of Trim Road, north of hwy 17. I have seen deer tracks before, but never the “real” thing.
There were lots of turtles up on the various logs – well over 40, including 10 largish ones on the far side, likely Bill’s map turtles.
While Al and I walked around we noticed that some of the anemones are finally blooming, also spotted what we think are 6 carrion plants, not in bloom yet.
There was a bull frog croaking in Muskrat Bay, last week I heard some smaller frogs doing their vocal thing. Still no fresh turtle nests – the one I reported on a few days ago was a last year one that a hungry raccoon or weasel dug up.
While photographing a baby painted turtle that AL found last week, a loon swam close to the shore to see what the activity was about, but then spotted a fish and disappeared under water.
6 June 2002 (Christine Hanrahan)
Further to my email of last night about the waxwings – I want to reinforce how important it is that people such as you submit records of unusual sightings (such as rare species e.g. least bitterns) and common species at unusual times (e.g. bohemian waxwings). It is only through these sorts of observations that the Bird Records Committee can update its database and keep our regional checklist up to date (this has nothing to do with the bird atlas, by the way).
To let you know how important these records are: the data does not just stay here in Ottawa. Significant observations are sent to the Provincial committee comprised of Ornithologists who judge the records and whether to accept them (this can take years to do), as well, such records find their way into the International Publication produced by Cornell University and consulted by birders and scientists alike.
When a record such as I indicated above is submitted, it may take the first committee (the local one) some time to come to a decision. They verify the observation by a number of means, they discuss it thoroughly, they may and probably will, check to see if the species in question has been reported from elsewhere at approx. the same time, either this year, or in prev. years, and if they are not happy about a decision they send it to the Prov. committee saying they can’t make up their mind (rare).
These things are not undertaken lightly, for the HUGE database of bird observations which goes into making up all sorts of scientific lists will be changed by observations that are significantly different from the norm.
As an example, back in the mid-80’s I found a common species, Bobolink, two weeks earlier than ever before recorded for Ottawa. I had to submit reports to all sorts of people and answer various questions, and about a year later my observation was accepted. When the next edition of the Ottawa checklist was prepared one single dot in the first week of April represented my observation! Since then this species has been found in the last two weeks of April, still early, but not as early and the latest checklist (1993) reflects this.
So it may well be that in the years since 1993 others have reported reliable observations of bohemian waxwings AFTER the last known date recorded in this checklist and your sightings will confirm that they are being seen more frequently outside of their expected dates. On the other hand, if nobody has ever reported them in late May-early June, then yours will be the first, which does not mean that your record will be accepted. The Bird records Committees, both local and Provincial, have to be very, very careful and they need to be certain without a doubt that the record is correct. But that is as it should be. All of us in the birding world know the importance of careful and accurate observations. This way we all contribute to something important and of lasting value and that is a good feeling!
6 June 2002 (Christine Hanrahan)
The Bohemian Waxwings should have passed through already…. they don’t nest in this part of Ontario and in fact are normally absent from mid-April through to mid-October. However, the occasional lingering bird appears into May. As far as I know there are no records for this species being observed in June, based on about 100 years of bird records up to 1993.
It may well be that the occasional one has been seen later than mid-May since then. So I would suggest that because this is an unusual record you should submit a report to the Bird Records Subcommittee of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ CLub so that such a late sighting can be discussed by the committee. You would submit a written record. The expert birders such as Bruce Di Labio and others would then discuss your report and possibly contact you.
At this time of year there are scores of cedar waxwings passing through – they nest later in the season.
Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for nesting records at Petrie and elsewhere for the atlas.
6 June 2002 (Bill Bower)
I had two good hikes yesterday, one to Petrie and the other to Shirley’s Bay Game Preserve.
That turtle nest was interesting, although no success. It appears the turtles came out of the eggs in the fall and then stayed in the nest all winter. Why they died I don’t know. I found 15 dead ones and they had been dead for some time. Even the raccoon wouldn’t eat them. The nest seemed to be in a good location.
There are large carp in that pond on the right by the far ditch. I saw one make its way through that mess of sticks and debris to “freedom”. I hope that all get out as they are no doubt hard on the small turtle population in that pond.
Only other interesting things I noted were a pair of Bohemian Waxwings in the trees along the Beaver Trail. Maybe just passing through. I think they nest later anyway. I also saw quite a number of flocks of Canada Geese heading north. Some very large flocks, just like back in April. How do they know that the lakes they are heading to were still frozen, up until now?
There was no obvious turtle nesting activity at Shirley’s Bay yesterday either. I went looking for Blanding’s Turtles (females) in the evening but found nothing. Everything is late.
Although we don’t have any at Petrie Island (at least not right now), the “big day” for fawns being born is June 7th (Friday). That should double the population in the west end, and everywhere else.
5 June 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I did a quick tour this morning to check out the flowers in advance of this weekend’s Wildflower Walk. Compared to last year, there is not much blooming. (See list below)
Along the way I spotted one lonely turtle on a log (in the foggy-mist), three rabbits, a killdeer, several large fish in various areas of reedy shallows, “kicking” up quite a fuss.
The first signs of snapping turtles laying eggs with one nest dug up and raccoon tracks nearby. I later realized that this was a nest from last year.
Flowers etc spotted:
dogwood
yellow rocket, winter-cress
Ferns: ostrich and sensitive
False solomon seal
Canary Grass
unidentified: miniature columbine like leaves, not quite in bloom
anemones,
garlic mustard,
dames rockets,
gill-over-the-ground
strawberries
honeysuckle
jack-in-the-pulpit
blue-violets
poison ivy
buttercup
bladder campion
1 June 2002 (Bill Bower)
Second shift reporting in. Great pics from Jim. Petrie must be the greatest spot around for Northern Orioles, Warbling Vireos, Flickers and Yellow Warblers. Never seen so many.
Lots of turtles. I counted over 80 and about 20 of them were Map turtles. They like that large tree in the water on the far side on the Turtle Pond about 3/4 the way down. There were 12 Map turtles on that log this morning. No sign of any turtle nests yet (?). I did find a painted turtle just out of the egg so it must have spent the winter in the nest. I placed a few logs in that small pond on the right at the far end (by the washout). When I came back about a half hour later there were three turtles on one of them.
Saw a groundhog basking between the two ponds. Nothing unusual about that except it chose the top of a small hardwood, about 25 feet directly above the path.
Lots of Wood Ducks past the washout so perhaps a number of the Wood Duck nesting boxes in that area were or are being used. Scouts appeared to be having a great time around the office area.
1 June 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Winter has returned !! The summer snow was falling. Poplar seed fluff that is.
Saturday brings out the fishing crowd. There were four people fishing before the sun came up. I never have seen anyone catch anything, but with the number of people that do fish there regularly they must catch something.
The dogwood is starting to blossom, but most things are still feeling the effects of the flood waters. Hopefully the ground will dry out soon and the plants will get back to normal. Some ferns, that were not affected by the flooding, are over 6 feet high! Most are 2-4 feet high. I am not an expert on ferns, but there seems to be 5-6 varieties on the Islands. There are about 6 or 7 jack-in-the-pulpits amongst the ferns on the west end of the Beaver Trail.
I don’t recall seeing poison ivy last year – maybe I just did know to look for it, but I have spotted several areas with it this year. The main trail, just east of the fallen tree past the Beaver Trail is one spot to be careful.
There was only one rabbit in evidence this AM, two beavers on the far side of Muskrat Bay and one muskrat by the small culvert. On the way back down the trail, the painted turtles were basking on any log they could find. There were 12-15 on the new viewing log on Turtle Trail. I found one large painted turtle jammed in a tight spot in the flotsam and jetsam. I extracted him, but he did not seem to have a lot of life left him.
There were about 10-15 wood ducks around in various locations this morning, along with the pileated woodpecker and a baltimore oriole. There was one
heron flying over the marsh on the north side of the North Service Road. A sandpiper was checking things out at the narrows on the main trail.
30 May 2002 (Bill Bower)
As usual I took over the second shift. Didn’t see much but, like Jim says, maybe the clouds of hungry mosquitos impaired my vision. It doesn’t help when you forget to take insect repellent.
I tried the fine art of fishing. Picked a good day. Fish everywhere. Perch, pumkinseed, bluegill, catfish, bass, crappie, gar-pike and carp. Didn’t see any pike but I imagine they were around.
Lots of turtles but no sign of nesting at all. One log was a basking site for 6 Map Turtles. Three of them were very large females. Good to see.
Stayed about fifteen minutes too long. However, I needed a shower by then and it was nice to get the car washed on the way home. Everything should be dry by morning.
30 May 2002 (Christine Hanrahan)
I was at Petrie today too, but later than Jim as it was a spur of the moment thing.
Lots of mosquitoes for sure, and lots of birds. Phoebes, pewees, catbirds, orioles, great-crested flycatchers, veery, flickers, swainson’s thrush, yellow warblers, etc. etc.
Lots of painted turtles using the logs, and one snapping turtle seen swimming. Several muskrats too. Everything looking lush and tropical today with a soft haze on the river.
30 May 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I arrived a little later than normal this morning, but I still seemed to be ahead of anything or anyone else, except the mosquitoes !! It was a very muggy, windless, heavily clouded morning with fog lying low on the river and marsh. Perfect conditions for the mosquitoes and they knew it !!!
It is nice to see the narrow sand “beaches” are back along the main river channel just north of the trail. The water level is well down, all areas on the trail are now accessible – if you don’t mind slippery mud, damp musty smells and dank, sodden areas of vegetation. There are several areas along the shore where the high water has undermined several stumps by eroding the earth out from under the roots.
Ferns are generally up and out of fiddlehead stage, but there are some still starting their growth. They are that lovely fresh green spring colour. The human traffic is now reclaiming the Beaver Trail from the ferns.
Winter cress are still blooming well, some false solomon seal, blue violets, strawberries, wild lily of the valley and some honeysuckle also in bloom. The anemones are in very small bud. Some small jack-in-the-pulpits are blooming along the Beaver Trail. Lots of virgina creeper creeping everywhere.
There were some ducks at the small culvert on the trail, mallards this time. The pilated woodpecker was around a little, but did not make an appearance around the nesting hole it dug out at the top of a tree many weeks ago. Fish in Turtle Pond were making large ripples as they came close to the surface. I could not see the fish, but judging from the size of the ripples, I suspect they were gar.
During the past week, the beavers have continued to bring trees down and chew bark off downed trees. Hopefully they will stop very soon. They are doing a lot of damage.
There were very few furry animals around this AM. Two beavers were swimming in the distance in Muskrat Bay, two more in the south channel of the river, one muskrat was preening himself at the west end of Turtle Pond, one red squirrel was hopping along the trail.
There are no signs of any turtle egg laying yet. But the painted turtles seem to be enjoying the new log put in place for them by the viewing bench on the Turtle Trail.
25 May 2002 (Jim Robertson)
There was no nice sunrise this morning as the sky was perfectly cloudless. The sun simply came up as a yellow ball. The calendar says May 25th, but the frost on the ground said April 25. Mist was rising off the water in the marsh as three fishermen were getting their rods out by the large culverts.
The beavers have downed a few more trees by the parking lot during the second flooding. Maybe they needed to get at the bark as their normal reeds etc. foodstuff have not been growing during the flood. The water has come down about 2 feet in the last 10 days, after having risen 18″ during the second flooding. But it has some 3 feet to go down yet to match last year’s lowest level. You still need 6-8″ high boots to get down the trail. Some parts of the trail are very slippery where the water has recently receded.
There were two wood duck pairs in the bay by the parking lot as well as another pair on the north side of the trail at the end of Turtle Pond. Some mallards were swimming around in flood ponds by the picnic area. Other birds around were: sandpiper, flickers, downy woodpecker, warblers, a pileated woodpecker was hammering away on the south side of Turtle Pond. While no herons were to be seen this morning, there were many heron tracks in the wet sand by the snapping turtle nesting area. Several baltimore orioles have been seen during the week.
With access to most areas being restricted by the high water levels, the ferns are doing their best to re-claim the trails, particularly Beaver Trail. Many ferns are 2-3 tall and almost fully unfurled. But some are still in the more tightly curled fiddle head stages.
Turtle Pond seemed to be Beaver Pond this morning. There was one beaver at the picnic bench on the main trail, who waddled into the water when I appeared. He flapped his tail, which seemed to arouse the curiosity of three more who swam by to see what the problem was. Two more beaver were at the west end of Turtle Pond, including one up on a down tree gnawing away at the bark. Two were in the main river channel just off shore and another two were swimming in Muskrat Bay.
Blue violets, strawberries, gill-over-the-ground, winter cress were blooming.
There were no signs of snapping turtle having laid eggs, but their tracks were around, as were raccoon tracks.
The amount of new sand brought in by the flood in various areas is quite amazing.
25 May 2002 (Bill Bower)
Beautiful morning as Jim noted. I tallied 31 species in the short time I was there. Saw the beaver, muskrats, groundhogs and squirrels. Makes you wonder how they survived the flood.
Some small fish and minnows are trapped in the small ponds north of the turtle pond. An easy lunch for some bird or animal.
Like Jim, I didn’t see where any turtles had nested yet. I guess the water, or air, or sand or whatever temperature isn’t high enough yet. I did see some large Map turtles basking over in the back channel.
The crows were mobbing something and it turned out to be a Great Horned Owl. Got a nice view of it before it headed west with the “mob” following.
Lots of Orioles, Warbling Vireos and Yellow Warblers. Best sightings were the Northern Waterthrush, Black Tern, Redstart, Blackpoll Warbler and Wilson’s Warbler. Here is one for Christine:- On MAy 24th 2000 I found a male Wilson’s Warbler in the thick bush just west of the parking lot. It was there for three weeks. On May 21st 2001 I found a male Wilson’s Warbler in the same bush. This morning (May 25th) there was another male Wilson’s Warbler there again. Is it the same one? That is the only place I have seen Wilson’s Warblers. Interesting.
Anyway, just as I was leaving Al showed up to take over the third shift and together we watched a groundhog practising some tree climbing exercises.
14 May 2002 (Paul Le Fort)
Just went to check if the islands were still there. Water has risen since yesterday – I watched a Ford F-150 pickup go thru the part of the road just before the turn to the sand operation: water over the hubcaps. The current is now running quite nicely back from the eastern ice shack access along the road to a place just after the culvert.
I’m thinking Arizona might be a nice place to visit right about now!
10 May 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Not much to report this morning, the water level has been fluctuating the last few days. This morning it is up enough that you can not get down the main trail without hip waders – knee high boots won’t do. The Turtle Trail is flooded again.
Other than a squirrel, there were no four legged animals around. A Canada goose was swimming by the picnic bench at the narrows section of the main trail. A few herons were off in the distance in the marsh, I could hear a killdeer calling east of the bait shop. Lots of warblers, robins etc. plus swallows catching insects on the fly.
The yellow rocket, or common winter cress, is starting to bloom. I haven’t seen any violets yet, but I am sure there are some around.
6 May 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The muskrats must have been having a breakfast meeting this morning as there were only two to be seen – one at the culverts by the bait shop and one on his usual perch in the middle of Turtle Pond. But the beaver were out in good numbers. I counted seven: one on Muskrat Trail by the parking lot, two on the north side of the small culvert on the main trail, one on the south side at the same point. Another three were patrolling the west end of Muskrat Bay.
The beavers have been busy this spring, aside from the downed trees at the parking lot, there are several being worked on, or downed, along the main trail. At the end of the main trail, the path is littered with knarled branches and twigs stripped of their bark.
The water has receded to the point that, with knee boots and careful foot placement, you can make it all the way down the trail. There is quite a variety of flotsam and jetsam left behind by the flood: tires, pails, Styrofoam, logs, reeds, and a surprising amount of fresh sand. The water still have another foot to come down to where the levels were usually last summer.
There were more skeins of geese this morning than the last few visits. The first raven I have seen at Petrie was in aerial combat with crows. This raven was much larger than the crows, but he certainly was not winning the duels. A pair of Kingfishers were diving for breakfast along the shoreline of the main river channel. Two herons flew out of tree and did a fly by over Turtle Pond. A robin, when no one was around, built her nest in the picnic shelter, she will find out very soon that was not the best place as she will be disturbed constantly.
Four wood ducks were within eyesight range. Two swimming by the main culverts, and two in trees by the interpretative cottage.
The ferns are still in fiddle head stage, either just coming out of the fronds, or up to 10″ high. The canary grass is about 8-10″ high. The pussy willows are passed their pollen stages.
There was one rabbit hopping about as well as a chipmunk, red squirrel and the usual black squirrels.
30 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Well the water came down in a hurry last Saturday, almost a foot. It has gone down somewhat since, perhaps a total of 18 inches since its peak last Wednesday (24th), but it still has a long way to go.
The road to the sand operations has had gravel added to it, but it is not well graded, so look out for foot-high mounds of gravel.
The parking lot is now accessible, although the Turtle and Muskrat Trails are still under water. With boots you can get through the 6-8″ deep water to the knoll at the narrows just past the start of the trail. The current is still strong enough to give your foot a good sideways push as you lift it to take the next step.
I only saw two land based animals, a rabbit and a squirrel. There were a few muskrats around, including one swimming along the bike path in the woods by the sand operations.
There was an agitated beaver swimming on the north side of the narrows, once he spotted me he splatted his tail, dove, resurfaced, splatted, dove etc. etc. every 5 yards as he swam slowly away.
The beavers have brought down three trees along the muskrat trail and stripped most the bark from one. The wind brought one tree down at the east end of the Turtle Trail.
There are still some geese flying by in skeins (apologies for the earlier misspellings), but far fewer than several weeks ago. There were a good number of ducks around as well, mallards, mergansers, wood and a pair of blue winged teals (I had to look them up in my book) by the bait shop. A loon was patrolling Turtle Pond, while a Heron was stalking breakfast along the flooded trail.
As I was leaving, a birder arrived with his binoculars and started naming all the smaller birds he was hearing and seeing. Guess I miss a lot not being an intensive bird watcher.
Saturday a lesser yellowlegs (had to look him up too) stopped by. Several Kingfishers have been around the last few days as well.
25 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The river levels have not changed appreciably for a few days now, which is good news. There were several trucks sloshing along the road into the sand operations this morning. The road north of the causeway has quite a current crossing it, the surface of the road looks as though it is being washed away. Time will tell….
There was a kingfisher sitting on the hydro wires next to the road this morning. The regular killdeers had not put in an appearance yet. Maybe there were still watching the nice pink sunrise from another vantage point. No ducks were in sight, but the number of redwing blackbirds made up for the lack of ducks. A (the?) Beaver was on the road on the north side of the causeway again this morning.
23 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The river is only up an inch or so from yesterday morning. The water levels up stream have levelled off, so may be we have seen the peak. The water is about one quarter of the way across the road at the bait shop south of the causeway.
The sand extraction operation has not stopped working. A large dump truck with a load of sand slowly made its was through the flooded road north of the causeway. It was throwing up a good wake with the water being within an inch or two of its bumper.
There were a few mallard pairs swimming along the edge of the road, a killdeer on the road and several pairs of red-winged blackbirds on what few bull rushes are left above the water line.
Other than that no other signs of “life” were to be seen.
22 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The river has apparently not peaked yet as “they” say there is another 3-4 inches yet to come. You can still get to the causeway, but the road north of the big culverts is flooded.
You can easily see why the water, at times, flows so heavily from Turtle Pond into the main river channel even though they are the same body of water, being connected via the south channel. The causeway/culverts act as a dam on the south channel, raising the water in Turtle Pond. This morning the water levels at the culverts looked to be about 6-10 inches higher than the water “falling” through the culverts.
I can imagine the one or two high points of land on the islands are being well used by the animals trying to get out of the water; from the south shore you can see the entire islands are flooded. The four legged furry critters might have to learn new interpersonal skills to get along with each other.
Sunday morning I saw a beaver walking across the road at the causeway. The current through the culverts was obviously too strong for him.
This morning produced my first heron of the year. It was flying over the marsh. Guess he was looking for his favourite fishing spot in the bull rushes. It will have to wait for the water to recede.
20 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Well, they said to expect flooding….. Notwithstanding the 1998 pictures elsewhere on this website, I thought what we saw late last fall was flooding enough, but guess not.
The water is about 12″ above its peak of last year, and another 12-24″ is expected before the water levels recede.
The parking lot is an isthmus into the “extension” of Turtle Pond. Turtle Pond and the main channel are now one body of water joined in many places from the parking lot/play area and westward. There were fish swimming on the first north-south trail from the interpretative cottage to the Turtle Trail as I sloshed my way along it.
At the start of main trail, the current between Turtle Pond and the main channel was equivalent to a minor torrent. The water was 16″ deep (I know as my boots are 15″ high) in places and the pressure of the flowing water dragged my leg towards the river whenever I took a step.
The muskrats did not seem to concerned with the extra water, as usual there were 4 or 5 between the parking lot and the start of the trail. One rabbit was on high ground at the narrows, I briefly caught sight of a white and black cat on the same hill, but could not find it when I went looking for it.
There was no way to get to the beaver lodge on Muskrat Bay, but I doubt very much if the second storey the beavers added to the lodge last year was high enough to keep them dry.
The Robins were having a feast with all the worms coming out of the flooded ground, but there was slightly stir-crazy flicker hammering away on the rusty 45 gallon drum. He must have thought he was practising to join a Caribbean band.
16 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Bill Bower certainly has a better eye than I for the ducks, but then that is why he is the President of the Ottawa Duck club !!
A few other things to add to what Bill reported on…
A turkey vulture flew over while Bill, my son and I were talking. First one I have seen at Petrie.
The marsh is completely free of ice, as are most of the inner ponds/waterways except for the south shore of Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay in the more sheltered areas. There were largish fish splashing in along the flooded shoreline, but the water was too murky to see what it was. Maybe gar ?
We can attest to Bill’s many turtle sightings; I have never noticed turtles in the back ponds before.
We saw many muskrats, youths and adults, but no very young ones, they will be out later I guess. There was one beaver out for a swim, but they tend to out earlier than we were there today.
One of the several wasp nests has fallen down and is being worked on by the many insects and moisture on the ground. There was one mourning cloak butterfly flitting about. Many more pussy willows are out. Some of the trees have very large buds ready to pop.
The pileated woodpecker was no where to be seen. Maybe in her nesting hole ??
The canary grass is staring to sprout as are a few ferns showing a few spots of green growth.
16 April 2002 (Bill Bower)
Ran into some pretty unsavory characters this morning at Petrie. A number of them were in my favourite fishing holes.
Hooded Mergansers were ganging up on schools of smaller fish. In one spot there were 14 females together. Perhaps the fishing was better without the males around explaining the proper way to do it.
The Bufflehead were there but it was hard for me to tell where the mating rituals left off and the fishing began. Seemed to be a lot of underwater activity going on.
The Goldeneye were getting their share as well. Small stuff, but heck, that’s what I bring home from fishing sometimes.
Common Mergansers were everywhere with the males keeping one eye on the females and the other on the lookout for fish. Bigger ducks require bigger fish to fill bigger bellies.
Those fish that headed out through the big culvert and into the river channel in an attempt to escape were met by the lightening reflexes of a Common Loon patrolling the waters. I don’t know how they avoid choking to death.
On a more serious note, the turtles were out early (long before the sun was out) and stayed late (well after the sun had set). I counted 12 turtles on one of the ponds way at the back (on the left after you cross the “one plank” bridge).
Besides the Loon and the Goldeneye I found a Hermit Thrush and a Flicker (new sightings).
Jim was out with his son and was showing him the great wonders of Petrie Island. Perhaps they saw more than I did.
12 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Bill’s turtle yesterday certainly confirmed spring is here to stay. The slowly receding ice is allowing many other animals to become more active after leaving their lodges or coming back from warmer climes.
The south river channel is wide open now and there are open patches in the marsh. Ducks very quickly move into these ice-free areas. There were a few redwing blackbirds in the marsh. With so many of the redwings being around a few weeks ago, I am not sure why there were not more out in the rushes claiming territories.
There are fewer scans of geese than a week ago. I guess they are starting to spread out and nest. (Although driving by the corn fields north of the Queensway the day before you would think all the geese are still around.) There are now more ducks doing flybys as they are returning from the south.
There were several pairs of mergansers on the north side of the small culvert on the main trail, they are very skittish and don’t let anyone get close. On the way back I saw they had moved to the narrows area (100 yards west of the start of the main trail) and were joined by 4-6 bufflehead ducks. I had not seen the buffleheads in so close to shore before. There were 15-20 wood ducks in the trees at the start of the Beaver Trail.
The pileated woodpecker was either in the newly dug out home, or off somewhere else on the island, as it was not to be seen. Two flickers flew by as did many other smaller birds. There was a killdeer on the grass north of the parking lot; in the same area where a killdeer laid three eggs on the open ground last year, none of which survived.
The rabbits were no where to be seen, but beaver and muskrats were – as was one weasel. A small hole in the ice allowed one muskrat to get up on one of the turtle logs by the viewing bench. While another small hole in the Muskrat Bay ice allowed another muskrat to do a seal imitation with it poking its nose and head up through the “breathing hole”. There was another muskrat by the small culvert. While watching this muskrat, a beaver surfaced just behind me, spotted the human form and quickly did its splashing dive, giving me a minor shower in the process.
In Muskrat Bay, the ice has moved back off the shoreline. That restricts the beavers’ above water activity to the shorelines. I saw a few small ripples at the water’s edge just off the trail and then a black sodden “clump” slowly moved up into the shrubs and flattened canary grass about 10 yards away. After about 30 seconds it spotted me and moved as quickly as a groggy beaver can, off the land back into the water to swim along the shoreline.
A weasel scurried through the underbrush by the small culvert. It looked like the long-tailed weasel I photographed last year. This year he did not want any portraits taken.
Also with the snow gone, the leaf litter is showing the bottom halves of many snow tunnels made by small animals burrowing below the snow’s surface during the winter.
The spiders are back out as well, I wish someone else would walk down the trails before me to clear the face-height webs !!
The moss in the main turtle nesting area was glistening bright greens and oranges in the rising sun. Several more pussy willows in other areas of the islands have started to showing their fuzzy “pods”.
The freshly graded road and the parking lot being open now, has attracted the teenagers and their cars back, doing “donuts” in the sand of the parking lot.
11 April 2002 (Bill Bower)
I went to Petrie this morning, first time in over two months, to look for waterfowl. Actually I did quite well. I found 7 species including Wood Ducks, Hooded and Common Mergansers and a couple Bufflehead. More geese on the river than you could count.
I saw Jim’s Pileated Woodpecker nest hole at the far end where the path crosses between the two ponds. Looks like she means business. The hole is about 40 feet up so it will be hard to get good photos. Other sightings included Brown Creeper, Killdeer and Fox Sparrow.
There is a “useful” old dock that floated in near the big culvert. It is about 10 feet long. I pulled it in a bit. It would make a great loafing platform. Even has an “eye” to attach a wire to for a weight. Two guys could lift it over to the inner side.
No activity around the “Wood Duck Tree” next to the office.
Now for the surprise. I told certain people some time ago that I would find turtles by April 15th. Last year I found my first one on April 16th. Except for the main river channel and the back channel there is very little open water. In the odd place there is a bit of open water next to shore. In the Turtle Pond, in the cove next to the parking lot, I found a male Painted Turtle. You could cover the area with a sheet of paper. There was a bit of sunshine but not much. So now I have pictures of a turtle on ice. At one point it attempted to go down through a hole in the ice but the hole was too small. Photos never lie you know and of course you can’t doctor them. Jim told me that one. Anyway, our distinguished leader was there to have his picture taken with our “earliest” chelonian friend. Actually, it has only been 140 days since I saw my last turtle back on November 22nd. Who says it’s a long winter for a turtle!
5 April 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was a nice bright morning when I looked outside. It seemed like a nice day for a walk so I headed to Petrie. I soon I felt like I was in space – one side of my body was chilled with the brisk north breeze coming off the river, while my other side was well warmed by the sun.
The road to the parking lot, past the access to the sand operations, is quite rough as it is covered with frozen potholes.
While the main river channel has been ice-free for several weeks, the inland water bodies, as well as the south channel, are still frozen over.
A good portion of the main trail is covered with spring sugar snow. The western portions more so than the eastern portions.
There were few four legged animals around, just a chipmunk and a few squirrels, but scans of geese flew over every 3-4 minutes. Some quite low, others higher.
I watch a pileated woodpecker working on a new nesting hole for about 10 minutes. The wood chips were flying as it laboured quietly (for a change). Its body, almost fully blocking the hole, prevented the usual loud hammering noise from being heard. It managed to get about ¾ of its body into the hole at this point so I expect it will be all the way in a day or so.
The pussy willows are almost fully out, but with the cool weather, they have shown no inclination to move to their pollen stage yet.
24 March 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was a winter wonderland at Petrie this morning with all the trees and shrubs dusted lightly with fresh snow. The long shadows of the rising sun were spreading out over the deep fresh white snow. But this is the end of March after a mild winter ! What is going on ???
Last week most of the snow was gone, today it was 4-6 inches deep with drifts up to 20″ deep! Cross country skis were the order of the day to go any distance. The river water level is down 12-15 inches which made crossing previously flooded sections of the trail interesting as the ice “bridges” collapsed under the skis.
The red-winged blackbirds on bull rushes looked strange with the marsh solid white with snow. There were two male and one female mergansers out in the main river channel, three downy woodpeckers were continuing to tear apart the top branches of dead trees. The pileated woodpecker was working as well, he was no where to be seen, but he certainly was to be heard ! A group of starlings were after the red seed “pods” on top of the sumacs at the narrows. A nuthatch and a few chickadees completed the bird sightings.
A few black and grey squirrels were collecting seeds, but no other animals were to be seen. There were lots of tracks around though, more rabbit tracks than with the past few visits. There was no sign of any beaver having broken through the ice and come up on the snow looking for fresh food. The muskrats had not been up out of the open water around the culvert on the trail. There were 4 or 5 areas where skirmishes had occurred over night between four legged animals but no tufts of fur or other evidence of damage being done to each other.
There were several holes in the snow , varying in diameter from 2-3 inches to 6-8 inches that were meccas for animal tracks – both the homeowner and others looking for a meal. These holes were mainly in woodpiles or old beaver lodges, but they were also in heavily matted grassed areas.
The pussy willows have burst their buds and showing their “fur”. Guess spring will be back with us soon.
11 March 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The winds were down from their gale force of yesterday, but there were still white caps out on the main channel. The river was dotted with small chunks of ice, plus some larger floes drifting east. The extended shoreline is strewn with large shards of ice piled on their sides from the wind.
All the ice huts are back onshore, but one dedicated ice fisherman was sitting on a chair 50 yards off shore with his back to the -18°C wind-chill. I hope he caught something to make it worthwhile.
The walking was very tricky, the first part of the trail was undulating polished ice, I only went flying on my derrière twice. I spent so much time watching where my feet were going to step that a moose could have been 15 yards ahead on the trail and I might have missed it !
I did however spot 6 black squirrels, 10-15 redwing blackbirds, several red polls and chickadees, a flock of mourning doves and a nuthatch. Both Paul Lefort and myself separately saw small flocks of Canada geese flying near Petrie on the weekend
There was not much fresh unblown snow to record tracks, but I did spot some trails of ¾” wide paws with 5 clearly delineated toes; a racoon I suspect. Another set of prints were nearby: larger shamrock shaped, 4 no-clawed toes, large pad at the back of paw. A small bob cat perhaps. (The 4 toes, rather than 5, makes the identification dubious ?)
There were also tracks from a tiny pawed animal with no apparent tail dragging. There were three tiny oval paws about 3/8” by ½” with the footprints being 6-8” apart. (The fourth paw was within one of the three). There were several 2” and 6” dirt-surrounded-holes in the iced snow along the main trail where animals have been surfacing from the ground below the snow.
The water level was high, but not any higher than the peak in the late fall. It was within an inch of inside top of the small culvert along the trail. You need boots to get through the open water at the trail narrows. The open water was 8-14 inches deep.
Looks like some kids had been out winter “camping” as there was a 4 foot high “igloo” build along Beaver trail with ashes from a small bonfire in the canary grass.
The wind had brought down lots of small twigs down, but no trees or large branches.
17 February 2002 (Bill Bower)
I see Jim was hot on our trail out there around the islands. Thursday was a beautiful day but we (Dale Crook and myself) didn’t see much bird or animal life. We found a number of squirrel nests in the Wood Duck boxes but no live squirrels. It’s always exciting to remove a squirrel nest with a live squirrel (or two) in it.
Results weren’t bad but not as good as they were last spring (2000). Two of our 12 boxes were down. One fell from natural causes and another was removed by persons unknown. Hope they used it as a nesting box and didn’t burn it. Out of the 10 boxes we found, 4 were used by Wood Ducks. Three nests were very successful while a fourth was predated. Looked like a weasel or a mink had found the nest, climbed in and ate all the eggs. You can tell by looking at the egg shells. The female Wood Duck escaped. In total, we had about 50 eggs laid and about 40 eggs hatched successfully.
The two lost boxes were replaced with two new boxes. One new box has been installed by the office, where the Wood Duck nested successfully in the tree cavity last spring. If that female or one of her brood (female) return this spring it will be interesting to see if they choose the natural cavity again or the nesting box.
This spring will be our 15th and Petrie Island. When I look at the results from Petrie Island over 14 seasons I note that we have had 632 Wood Duck eggs laid in our boxes at Petrie and 507 of those eggs have hatched. Not bad results from one small area. We used to have boxes at Green’s Creek, the islands off of Rockland, Lower Duck Island and opposite the Rockland Golf course on the Ottawa River, but we finally gave up on those areas as we were having very poor results. We were just raising starlings. We used to have starlings in our boxes at Petrie Island but none the past two years (?).
15 February 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was VERY quiet this morning. No birds, wild animal tracks etc. at the easterly end by the parking lot. I finally found some squirrel tracks down by the Beaver Trail. Three woodpeckers showed up for breakfast at 9 am at the western end of the Islands along with a solitary crow. No mice tracks, no rabbit tracks.
But there was a solitary animal, by its tracks I would say medium dog-sized, that had been meandering around the western reaches. At one point its tracks mysteriously ended at a stump. No back tracking, nothing to climb. Don’t know where it went.
There was also signs of a smaller animal having adopted the two quite old beaver lodges on the ridge between the south channel and Muskrat Pond. Both lodges are 3-4 feet above the water line and in the fall you could see they were well weathered, I don’t know how old they are. The inhabitant is obviously well trained as it has been coming out of the lodge to “relieve” itself. There were tracks coming out of a 4″ hole in the adjacent old lodge that I followed for about 100 feet. The animal then went subterranean again through a hole in snow.
There are a few areas where very large 2″ thick vines have grown over several tall trees. The vines are well hidden in the summer with the leaves. As are several tiny bird nests that I spotted.
It looked like the Duck Club of Ottawa had been out cleaning the nesting boxes yesterday. Several nests must have had occupants as cleaned out nesting material was much in evidence by some boxes.
The cat tails seem to lie in wait for you. They look like a hot dog on a stick, nice and solid, but when you brush them with your leg, they seem to spring into action and “throw” their seedlings all over your legs.
7 February 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The snow is now deep enough for comfortable cross-country skiing. The freezing rain last week has left enough of a crust below the surface snow that your skis do not get caught up in the canary grass as they did last year. But there is a layer of water in some places on the ponds and inlets over the ice but below the snow. If you get into that, your skis grind to a halt with frozen slush on the ski base.
Animals tracks were as usual much in evidence: rabbit, mice, (tracks on the snow and burrows below the snow) the odd squirrel and some fine-pawed animal was making the rounds all over the island. One muskrat lodge had been freshly torn open. Not sure if the predator got a meal out of it or not. One or two tufts of fur, so perhaps.
There were several crows around, Paul Lefort mentioned that he saw 2 crows chasing a grey owl. The pileated woodpecker was hammering away, as was a hairy woodpecker.
By the old beaver lodge, one hollowed, rotten in the centre, tree that had been girdled by the beavers two years ago has been toppled over by the wind. The trunk is torn vertically for about 15-20 feet up from the base. The tree trunk and top are caught up in the silver maple.
There are more ice-fishing huts out now, but not as many as last year. They are also staying closer to shore east of the sand dredging area. It is likely a good idea as there are still numerous areas of open water in the main channel of the river.
Around 9 AM, two skidoos did a tour of the south channel and part of the main trail. They must have been going too fast to see the three no ski-dooing signs they drove by.
16 January 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Petrie is not ready yet for you to bring skis or snow shoes yet, bring waterproof boots at least 8 inches high if planning to go down the main trail.
The water is continuing its yo-yo imitation. It was higher than last week, but still not as high as it was two weeks ago. The flow was heavy across the main trail as the water seemed to be about 3-4 inches higher in Turtle Pond than in the main river channel. That is the biggest difference I have ever seen. The different levels is odd as Turtle Pond is connected to the south river channel which is an offshoot of the river itself. I assume the large culverts in the Petrie access road are acting as a dam and thus backing up the water flow.
I was the first human down the trails, so the animal tracks had not been obliterated yet. There were lots of mouse, rabbit and squirrel tracks. The mouse trails were evident with tracks on the surface of the snow and myriads of snow tunnels.
A muskrat had been for a refreshing (?) walk on the snow by the small culvert on the trail. The water is still open on the north side with the heavy flow. There are two, at least, muskrats living in dens, with underwater access, in the shoreline (as compared to lodges in the shallow water) at that point.
There were two other animals that been out last night as well. One left a short trail of paw prints with 4 toes and a central pad, the print was about 1.5 inches across. The more prevalent tracks though were somewhat larger and more dog-like with no central pad and five toes arranged in a spade like shape. (The scat left behind was not dog-like though)
At one point there was an obvious mixing of these larger tracks with the mouse tracks. A lot of activity shown in the snow and likely the mouse suffered its demise.
A woodpecker was busy drilling in the woods, but it was not loud enough to be the pilated woodpecker. A flock of some 15-20 house finches was around as were the usual chickadees.
There were a few people fishing out on Crappy Bay. As I walked up the Beaver trail I was startled by a large brown “thing” out in the middle of Muskrat Bay. It was solitary fisherman huddled on his stool. That is a long way to drag an ice-auger. Hope he was rewarded with a good size fish !
I arrived back at the car to find two cars occupied with Tim Horton coffee drinkers, plus another person starting down the trail. And some people think Petrie is only a summer place !
11 January 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Guess I had better dig out my hip waders ! The water levels this morning were the highest I have seen them in two years, including spring. Many parts of the trails are badly flooded.
There is plenty of evidence of the water levels having been higher since I was last at Petrie, December 29. Inch thick ice is stuck to trees, some times in 10 foot long suspended sections between trees, 10-12″ above the current water level. The square bench at the west end of the Turtle trail had obviously been lapping in water and ice on three sides.
The main river channel is wide open, but 2-3 sq. ft. shards of river ice are jumbled up in long piles off the shore. While the ice fishing huts are still in the storage yard, there were about 10 people ice fishing from chairs out on the shore ice this morning. The ice in the marsh and on the various inland waterways looks like mushy, rotten spring ice. Not sure I would want to be out there fishing.
The Islands were very quiet, other than the people fishing. A couple of raccoon (?) tracks and some holes in the snow where small animals had been digging tossing up dirt and leaves. The rabbits seem to have been drawn to the branches of the tree that fell across the trail a few months ago. Most of the smaller branches have been recently stripped of their bark. The woodpeckers have attacked two trees in particular. Both trees were “felled” by beavers, but were hung up by other trees. The bark on the smaller branches has been flailed at by the woodpeckers leaving the branches bare, but the snow below littered with bark bits.
Only wildlife to be seen this morning were two squirrels, a downy woodpecker, a few chickadees, finches and one nuthatch. Hopefully the beaver and muskrats have not been swamped in their lodges by the high water levels.
24 December 2002 (Bill Bower)
I saw Jim’s car in the parking lot when I arrived. Beautiful morning. Those tracks you saw, Jim, were Otter tracks in the snow. They prefer sliding in the snow to walking. They travel great distances but if you come across where they rest (lots of places but usually along the bank somewhere/under the ice) you will find scat and most of the scat will be made up of fresh water clams. A grey color but you can see pieces of shell.
Not sure what Jim heard. The closest thing I can come to is an ice fisherman doing a one-legger down a fishing hole and then being bitten by a Pike. Must have been before I arrived.
A great December 24th interrupted only by the occasional fish that took my bait and forced me discard gloves with handwarmers and freeze my fingers removing hooks and rebaiting. Much more enjoyable I suppose if I had fished with no bait, but then I wouldn’t have fresh fish for Xmas dinner. Each to his own.
24 December 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The sun was just hitting the top of the trees as I drove down the hill from the Queensway. The “sunken” ice fishing hut has been removed, but another smaller one has taken its place in a slightly different location. There were 5 huts out on the ice at the bend in the road.
The mild weather over the last few days has caused more open water to develop at the causeway. The main river channel is no longer frozen over. It is now open water with broken ice pans noisily floating down the river. Noisily as the floating ice scraped and chaffed against other ice frozen to the shoreline.
I spotted what seemed to be two more beaver lodges in the marsh area. That brings the total to seven lodges that I know of at Petrie. The beavers in Turtle Pond are still maintaining a small amount of open water adjacent to their lodge. The beavers in the newly resettled “old” lodge along Beaver Trail have also opened up a small open water area for themselves.
Last night’s fresh snow was full of tracks of all different sorts. The most interesting one though was some animal, with sharp-clawed 3″ wide paws, that seem to be having fun sliding along in the snow. Where ever the ground was smooth, he seemed to take a run at it, and then belly flop and slide along the snow for 4-5 feet before taking another run. I found two areas with these sliding trails. Not sure what critter it might be. If it were the summer I would say one of the otters.
The only birds to be heard were a few chickadees and woodpeckers. There was a very loud repetitive “call” as I parked the car and started to walk along the turtle trail. It was coming from the south side of Turtle Pond. As I walked along the trail, the repetitiveness dropped off, and by the time I reached the Beaver Trail there was one last call. It sound like a mix of an catlike animal in distress and a heron “croaking” as it takes flight. I looked around but could find no source for the call.
When I left at 10AM, there were two cars at the Petrie picnic area and 4 cars at Crappie Bay for the ice fishing in open chairs out at the mouth of the Bay.
18 December 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The Aliens have landed !!!! The Aliens have landed !!!!
Well not quite. There are two snow people on the beach and a cousin of theirs out on the ice at the mouth of Crappie Bay.
It was cool, crispy morning with no breeze (until 9 am), everything was coated with a light touch of hoar frost. That gave a wonderful white glow to the trees with the rising sun backlighting the branches. Twinkling reflections from the frost were everywhere. Light vapour was rising from within two good size animal-dug holes. The resultant frosty crystals on the vegetation at the holes’ lips were quite beautifully delicate, but in need of the sun’s rays reaching them to be “picture perfect”.
The half inch of so of snow that fell the other day has been packed down by human (and dog) traffic on the trail demonstrating the increasing popularity of Petrie through all four seasons. Off the trail, the snow told the stories of the many animals at Petrie. Various sizes of tracks from tiny mice dragging their tails to larger prints such as fox or marten (??) etc. The tracks interlace each other, and every now and then they obviously interlaced at the same time with a mouse providing a meal to a larger animal. Two sets of tracks converging and only one leaving the scene.
The beavers seems to be keeping a little area of water open around their lodge in Turtle Pond. It freezes over every morning.
As I drove down the hill from the Queensway towards the Islands, I noticed one ice fishing hut was sitting out on the ice in the shallow bay east of the road. Another smaller hut was out a short distance from shore at the bend before the sand operations. An hour later as I headed home, the hut out in the shallow bay had gone through the ice and was listing at weird angles. The water level has gone down about 4-6 inches since the ice was formed. So there is an air pocket under the ice which did not get a chance to become very thick. I found that out the hard way myself this morning, so be careful !!!
There was one woodpecker hammering away at tree, one crow and a red squirrel – not much else animal-wise in view.
12 December 2002 (Bill Bower)
Yeah! those crazy fishermen were out alright. I was down myself. Guess they like to live dangerously.
The deer had been around before daybreak but I didn’t follow them. Looked like doe tracks. Fox was seen along with a small mink. I pileated woodpecker kept me company. All this was seen in and from Crappie Bay.
Just enjoying my fish-fry now. Caught over 100 fish and kept seven. My best day ever out there. Didn’t try for Pickerel or Pike. It was a beautiful day even if no fish had been caught.
12 December 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The cold snap of last week froze most areas of open water including the main river channel. The only open water is east of the two large culverts at the causeway as well as a few small areas in the middle of the main channel. The ice is thick enough that there were three people ice fishing off Crappie Bay.
With no fresh snow, it was hard to sort out any animal activity, but there were tracks of small tail dragging rodent in many areas untouched by human/dog foot prints. There were two black squirrels around. The only birds were a few crows “cawing” off in the distance.
The “sighting” of the day though was a fox. I have assumed there were fox around, but in three years of regular/frequent visits to Petrie’s trails I never saw one. This morning as I was walking east back to the car, I spotted a fox running across Turtle Pond , looking back over his shoulder at me. He had been snooping around the shoreline where the muskrats had a bank lodge in the summer of 2001 just west of the small culvert. There is only the one muskrat lodge in Turtle Pond, a far cry from past years. There are several though in the marsh area that now are visible with snow outlining their shapes amongst the reeds.
The large hole along the beaver trail is showing signs of “in and out” activity. I think the hole leads into the water below a small collection of branches on the shoreline. There were other freshly dug small holes by what I assumed were squirrels.
The high bush cranberries have not all been eaten, but I did find an area where many fallen berries had coloured the snow with red dye. I couldn’t tell if the berries had fallen to the ground by human or animal activity.
The iced waterways have likely stopped the beaver damage until next spring. I “surveyed” two areas of beaver chewing. At the start of the main trail is a 35± foot section with only three trees (small ones at that) left between the trail and Turtle Pond shoreline. I counted 44 tree “trunks” (most 2″-6″ in diameter ) that had been cut off. Further to the west, in one 50± foot stretch, 14 trees, with trunks between 9″ and 18″, were felled with another 4 large trees having had the bark removed all the around the trunk so the trees will not survive.
In an area that I heavily “patrol” regularly I found a 6″ long turtle shell that had been freshly investigated. The shell was hollowed out, so some predator had a meal at some point. Why the shell suddenly turned up in this area and had been freshly investigated by a four footed creature, I am not sure.
27 November 2002 (Bill Bower)
Great sunny morning at Petrie Island (also known as Stump Island).
Have those beavers been busy or what! At one place on the trail I though men had been at work cutting. Everything was flat. A bunch of New Brunswick woodcutters on a clear-cut mission couldn’t have done more.
Must be hard for the turtles to get any rest with all that underwater activity. One night you get whacked with a beaver’s tail and the next you get turned over by a tree going by.
On the serious side there wasn’t much to see. I did find some Robins though which was unexpected. Didn’t see the Great Blue Heron and only duck around was a Goldeneye.
26 November 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The main activity at Petrie these days is the beavers and their tree harvesting. While most of the still water areas have a layer of ice, the beavers are maintaining enough open channels so that they can continue to re-enforce their lodges and larders. There were two beavers out this morning at about 9:30am working as icebreakers keeping the channels open. (Of course the muskrats are taking advantage of the open water too !)
With at least five (and a miniature) lodges occupied, the trees are taking quite a hard hit. As mentioned before with the new lodge in Turtle Pond, the smaller trees along the main trail have, and still are, disappearing rapidly. The two occupied lodges in Muskrat Bay (the “new” one from last year, and the “old” one that was not used last year) are consuming the trees around the Beaver Trail, particularly the west end of it. There is another clear-cut operation just west of last year’s clear-cut along the south channel past the end of Muskrat Bay. The lodge is on the south side of the channel and to say it is large is an understatement. The miniature lodge is just west of the “old” lodge on Beaver Trail. It could be a “doghouse” that missus beaver will send mister beaver to if he gets out of line on Superbowl Sunday.
There were a few ducks around and one sparrow, but surprisingly, I scared up a young heron that must have forgotten to fly south with the compatriots. Not sure what it is finding to eat.
With the leaves gone, the bird nests are more easily seen. There is a wasp nest high up in a silver maple, about 300 yards west of where the wasp nest was last year at the start of the Beaver Trail.
When I left the Island at 10:30am there were three other parked vehicles and a small motor boat breaking its way through the thin ice from Crappie Bay.
20 November 2002 (Bill Bower)
I was late this morning and probably missed a few things for sure. However, I was the first one back on the trail.
A large buck passed through the area in the early morning. I suspect it crossed from the Quebec side. The tracks were in the parking lot, then along the Turtle Trail, then over by the second cottage, then out the trail (on and off of it), then around those ponds on the south side and finally it swam across the south channel to the mainland. This all took place probably before sunrise. Judging by the stride and size of track it was a big’un.
Other tracks included otter (4 of them) (that’s 4 Otter and not 4 tracks), beaver, muskrat, squirrel and a coyote (I think). I number of beavers had been out doing some more chopping before Xmas. Didn’t see any Marten or Fisher tracks. I followed a set of tracks which I think were Coyote and they led to the shoreline facing the south channel. Along that shoreline there are a number of places where an animal can get up under the bank and remain warm and hidden. That’s where this animal went, quite near an old beaver lodge. Obviously it was there when I was there but it could have been ten feet or more up under the bank.
The south channel is ice free and there were probably a hundred or more ducks in the area. Most were Common Mergansers but I also saw Blacks, Mallards, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead. Didn’t see anything out on the main river.
Anyway, looks like the early bird gets (to see) the buck and I was way too late this time.
17 November 2002 (David Villeneuve)
This morning as I was driving onto Petrie Island, just before the road turns west, I saw an animal crossing the road. It was the size of a house cat, with a tail as long as the body, and very bushy. Its legs were shorter than a cat’s. It was kind of a cat-sized squirrel.
I don’t recall minks or muskrats having such luxurious tails. Could it be a fisher?
Reply from Bill Bower:
In the past two weeks I have seen both a Marten and a Fisher in the Golden Lake area. The Fisher came to within about 20 feet of me before retreating (quickly). There is no mistaking a Fisher for a Marten or a house cat. It is quite large and would be over three feet from tip of nose to end of tail. When you see one in the woods or at a distance it will look totally black. The one I saw up close had brown on the face and neck/shoulders area but looked completely black when running through the woods. A male could weight up to 18 or 20 lbs. but a female would be smaller at something around 13 lbs. I would not describe a Fisher as cute, however, a Marten could be described that way. It would only be about one third the size of a Fisher and you can quite easily see the lighter colors on the face, chest and throat. Both are very active and travel considerable distances. Both have bushy tails
Martens eat mainly red squirrels and mice. I followed Fishers around last winter in the Mer Bleue area and they were eating mainly Muskrats, but also mice, rabbits and deer (although the deer was no doubt carrion).
There are Fishers for sure around the city and I have heard reports of Marten in the western areas. I suppose either could have made its way to Petrie Island. Maybe tracks in the snow will determine exactly what it was.
12 November 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The weather forecast said there would be some sunny patches today, well maybe there were some somewhere else but not at Petrie. This morning was very dreary with grey clouds abounding. With the leaves gone and the grasses/reeds/ferns etc all laying down (from the unseasonable snow of last week) the island looks quite barren compared to the summer.
The beaver are endeavouring to make it look all the more barren. They have been actively cutting the smaller trees along the shoreline at the start of the main trail; if they keep it up there won’t many trees left between the trail and Turtle Pond. One spot in the back area has seeing many 12″ trees felled, with more in the works. Two beavers were swimming home from a good night’s work.
There are four easily visible active beaver lodges this year: two new ones in the marsh by the Bait Shop and in Turtle Pond along with two existing ones in Muskrat Bay. The Muskrat Bay lodges are the one built last year on the south side and a reoccupation of the lodge that they abandoned in the summer of 2001 on the north side. (We think the mink used it last winter.)
There are now four muskrat lodges in view, two by the Bait Shop and two in the reeds of Turtle Pond. The lower number of muskrat lodges seems to confirm the lower number of muskrat sightings this past summer. Just a normal fluctuation in population levels I assume.
There were three Canada Geese close to shore with another hundred or so bobbing on the water in mid stream of the main river channel. When the three close by geese flew off, the larger flock noisily lifted off as well, honking for several minutes
The pileated woodpecker flew by, and a few smaller woodpeckers were working on branches. A few chickadees and ducks were also around, but no herons. Guess the herons have finally left for points south.
31 October 2002 (Jim Robertson)
There sky was momentarily rosy with the rising sun lighting up the underside of the grey clouds. But as soon as the sun passed through the narrow band of open sky above the horizon we were left with a dull, cool morning with lots of frost in the open areas.
Most areas of still water were gelled: the marsh on both sides of the road was well covered with ice, Turtle Pond was 2/3 covered with ice, the west end being more heavily covered. The water level seemed to have dropped about a half inch overnight leaving ice along the shorelines white as the water fell away from it.
The beavers have continued to be very busy with many more saplings having disappeared, some large trees are being worked on. The silver maple mentioned in the last two dispatches has now lost three 12″ trunks (it lost one last year too). Won’t be long before all of it is down. There is a second nearby silver maple that has two trunks joined at the bottom to form a 36″ base, the beavers have started working on it, but I would be surprised if they manage to bring it down.
There were lots of ducks around, mainly mallards and mergansers. A solitary heron was over by bait shop by the two muskrat lodges. Yesterday the heron was perched atop one of the lodges. A pileated woodpecker was working relatively quietly on old dead tree. Several chickadees were flitting about. At least they are not as pesky as the Mer Bleue chickadees who come right to you demanding a handout.
30 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
Found 17 species of birds including 7 species of ducks. Best sighting I guess was a group of 28 Common Mergansers at the twin tunnels. Goes to show that four eyes are better than two.
We did find a very recent “kill site” on a low branch where an owl had killed and eaten a Ring-Billed Gull. All that was left was the tail, legs and feet. Directly under the site was a large fresh owl pellet which leads us to believe it was the work of a Great Horned Owl. Not quite sure how it caught the gull but perhaps took it off the water surface during the night.
Lots of beaver activity towards the far end of the island, especially on the south side. Size doesn’t seem to be a problem for them, or even a consideration. Take a few bites each night and eventuallty the thing will come down.
Nice find at the far end where a new species of tree was located. Looked something like a palm tree with one large “nut” under it. It was confirmed by the head of the Club’s Interpretive Program who said, “Yes, that’s a coconut all right.” There was some chatter that perhaps there were two “nuts” under the tree, but due to other noise we couldn’t hear exactly what was said.
Canal construction was in full swing when we returned, however, we managed to cross back to the mainland without getting wet.
All in all a good day at Petrie with progress on many fronts.
25 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
There were a pair of Wood Ducks on the one small pond at the rear of the island.
When I got back to my car, there was a Six-Spotted Fishing Spider on my car in the sun. (I hate spiders).
Did you know that when a beaver stashes food for winter (as they are now doing), the worst food is on the top. The best is always on the bottom. They will dive and take the good stuff down under and pile the garbage limbs on top as weight. Sometimes they will add more weight to the pile by putting the logs with no bark left on top. The pile could be up to three meters thick. They know that in the winter the top two or three feet will be frozen in the ice and they may never get to it. All the choice food will be readily available.
25 October 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Well, the beavers resolved the problem of the large tree trunk that was hung up in amongst branches belonging to a neighbouring trunk of the same tree, they brought down the other trunk. Problem solved!! The area they attempted to clear-cut last year is being left alone this year and they are attacking another area about 30 yards to the west. They have also done an extensive thinning job along the trail starting from the interpretative cottage and points west. The new lodge in Turtle Pond is covered with freshly acquired branches and their leaves. There is a new lodge (or what looks like a lodge) being built in the marsh to the west of the bait shop. Two muskrat lodges have appeared in the shallows to the SE of the bait shop.
I am sure Bill Bower will expound shortly, but today seemed to be duck day at Petrie. I haven’t seen as many ducks there for a long time. Bill says they will be there until freeze-up. The herons were few and far between. One was by the bait shop and another towards the end of Muskrat Bay.
There was lots of frost and fresh ice. The west ends of Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay were lightly frozen over as were other areas of shallow water or water densely populated by leaves or reeds. The many rose bushes in one area were nicely rimmed with frost.
The water level was very low, lots of stumps sticking their heads up above the water.
Someone must have a disagreement at home and decided to sleep the night in his frosty car at Petrie. He was still fast asleep at 9:45am. [Ed: Could this be the Queensway Sniper?]
21 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
Nice brisk morning at Petrie for sure.
Water level is up a bit but not to last fall’s level. There were actually some Wood Ducks in those small ponds next to the South Channel.
Turtle activity has just about ceased, at least above the water surface.
Robins are still hanging around in substantial numbers. I did get a nice view of a Red-Tailed Hawk while on the Beaver Pond.
Speaking of beavers, they have been busy. I was wondering why it was so easy to see out on the Turtle Pond. The “brush-hogs” have been at work. Some very nice trees have been marked for cutting, including a large maple just before the picnic table on the path.
There was quite a convention of Juncos and White Throated Sparrows in one spot next to the four sand piles off the Muskrat Trail. Then I realized they were after the grass seed that Al had spread around. Hope there is some left to sprout.
14 October 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The yellow in the trees was a dull glow in the pre-dawn light as you drive down the hill from the Queensway this morning. There was no fog – the wind was too strong – but it was cold enough to form frost and freeze the dew drops in some of the grasses at about 7:30-7:45am.
The sun hit the trees on the Quebec side with nice soft light with the sky above them being a soft pink. By 7:30 the sun was up high enough to be backlighting some trees on the south shore of Turtle Pond. Last year there were two particular red/orangey trees that the dawn sun shone through beautifully. The sun tried to do its best this morning, but one of the trees is still green and the other is greenish-yellow. Maybe give it a week ?
There seemed to be lots of crows around about; what few ducks there were seemed to be hunkered down in the warmer water trying to avoid the brisk cold breeze. Two herons were more hunched up keeping warm than fishing for breakfast.
The beavers, after about 2 weeks of relaxed chewing, managed to bring down a large trunk on one silver maple, unfortunately for them the top branches have it hung up in the remaining trunks. There are enough small branches with leaves to fill a good sized winter larder hanging on the stranded trunk; guess another tree will have to come down to make up for it. Many more small saplings have disappeared by the start of the main trail. Looks like they ended up at the new lodge.
We might have a new cat at Petrie. The third one I have seen in two years. This one is a tabby cat, shy as usual.
The ferns on beaver trail are now all flattened and dark brown. The area looks completely different than it does in the prime of the summer.
Some of the rose hips are so bright a red colour that they look like cherry tomatoes.
11 October 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was a very quiet foggy morning at Petrie, the only noise was the sound of the sand ops working full out stockpiling sand and loading 18 wheelers with sand/loam mix for golf courses.
There were no birds around until at least 8am, and then only a few. I saw only two herons and perhaps a total of 10 ducks. A couple of shotgun blasts brought a skein of geese over, through the fog, from the Quebec side. A solitary hairy woodpecker was working away on a tree.
One young raccoon was up past curfew, I found him scurrying along the shoreline on the Beaver Trail. Most of the butternuts that were on the ground along the Beaver Trail have been gathered up by either kids, or the many black squirrels.
The beavers must have been spurred on a little by the two mornings of frost; some small saplings have disappeared at the start of the main trail, and three 6-10″ trees have been brought down in the last few days. Another 2-3 larger trees are close to coming down. There seems to be a new beaver lodge on Turtle Pond’s south shore. No signs of any muskrat lodges, but it is early for them.
There is a good size crop of late blooming evening primroses. Some of the trees have dropped their leaves, some red and yellow trees, but still lots of green trees. Some of the moss in the turtle nesting area is finally showing some green colour. All summer it has been quite parched.
6 October 2002 (Open House) (Bill Bower)
I guess we got lucky on weather. A really beautiful day with a pretty good crowd of folks around.
Our display of island berries was interesting. No doubt there are other species we missed. Only had one live turtle on display (a small snapper) as others were uncooperative and avoided capture. Our resident artist made some animals using a very plentiful Petrie Island natural resource (burrs). When I left he was constructing a bear after having completed a few turtles and a very nice Great Blue Heron. People were interested in the various displays (inside and out) and the photographs of life on the island at various times of the year. All very informative. Even our outdoor fire attracted people.
I made a couple walks around and had a very nice sighting this evening (about 5:30). At the end of the Turtle Pond area where a large number of Robins were feeding and bathing along the shore line I found a flock of Rusty Blackbirds (about 12 of them). These birds will fool you in the fall as they don’t look anything like Blackbirds, except their profile and mannerisms. They were all in fall plumage which includes a very rusty (reddish even) back and top of the head, light buffy color around the face and neck and sort of a speckled or mottled breast. Of course they all have that very distinctive bright yellow eye. First time I have recorded them at Petrie.
5 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
Great morning for ducks, but not much else.
Counted over 150 ducks including Blacks, Mallards and Wood Ducks. There was a flock of 15-20 Northerns on the north side of the island (maybe that’s why they call them northerns(?). Perhaps they were Scaup. There were lots more ducks quacking in the marsh that I couldn’t see.
There was some shooting on the Quebec side but I think the ducks were safe. The ones I saw flying were moving faster than the speed of shot.
Great Blue Heron and Kingfishers still around.
Lots of Butternuts and Bitternut Hickory nuts on the ground this morning. I don’t want to say it was windy but apparently a flock of Canada Geese left Ottawa last night and when last seen this morning they were still heading south but were located just over Labrador City.
4 October 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The daily checks of the two painted turtle nests continue with no luck. Maybe a few more days of checking, then I will assume they are will not emerge until next spring.
Over the past few days the sound of the shotguns from the Quebec side have lessened. Saturday and Sunday, the first two days, sounded as though there were war exercises going on. No early morning fishermen were evident on Sunday, they must have gone to join the hunting parties.
Several skeins of geese fly over each day (but nothing like the number you see in the west end of the city) but there is no noticeable increase in the population, or varieties, of ducks. As Bill Bowers mentioned, there were a lot of birds on Thursday. The herons have not changed their patterns much yet and the spotted sandpipers are still here. A kingfisher has been on the phone wire by the bait shop several mornings just before sunrise. There was stubborn mourning dove playing a game of chicken on the causeway one morning; it would not move for my car. I had to drive around it.
One morning presented a myriad of tracks on one of the westerly beaches. Raccoon, mink/weasel and fair sized bird tracks were all overlapping in the wet sand. The beavers are continuing to chew away at trees; there didn’t seem to be any new ones brought down, but there are one or two close to the “timber !!” stage. The squirrels can’t be too hungry as there is one area on the Beaver Trail that is covered with fallen butternuts but no animal seems to cleaning them up. Talking about squirrels, it has been several weeks since I have seen any red squirrels on the Islands.
There were a few more fresh morning glory blossoms Thursday, along with more bread and butters. Finally a few common sunflowers decided to bloom just north-west of the causeway next to the bicycle trail. They are standing about 6-7 feet tall. There are no where near the same numbers as in prior years.
One morning produced about a variety of 10-12 mushrooms on one of the sand dune areas. About half the mushrooms’ “hats” were 5-7 inches across.
3 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
I went down at 1:30 p.m. and had a great afternoon. Found 23 species in about an hour and a half. Best sightings were Rudy-Crowned Kinglets, Winter Wrens, Brown Creeper, White-Crowned Sparrows and one Junco (another sign that cold weather is coming). I found all five species of PI Woodpeckers just standing in one place on the Beaver Trail (Pileated, Downy, Hairy, Common Flicker and the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker).
A couple large flocks of Canada Geese got confused, crossed the river heading south and then turned and returned to the Quebec side (must to the delight of the Quebec hunters).
1 October 2002 (Bill Bower)
Seems like the black squirrels have taken over. Maybe they migrated down from the Heights.
Beautiful morning and some of the turtles were out basking before 9:00 a.m. Counted over 35 and found four species, including one little snapper, one small Map turtle and one large Slider over on that far log in the Turtle Pond where at large female Map turtles usually hang out in the spring. The snapper hatchling is hanging around for the open house.
Lots of birds observed and best sightings were Golden Crowned Kinglets, a Hermit Thrush and White Throated Sparrows (lots). Had an interesting observation of a Great Blue Heron. It speared a large Bluegill and then had to get its bill out of the fish and catch it again. Not easy to do. Some times they come to shore to do this, but this one was too far out. He did the switch successfully and then in one move it flipped the fish (which was then being held top and bottom) and swallowed it head first.
Also found a Closed Gentian flower in bloom at the far end near where the “beaver” have dug that trench across from one pond to the other. First one I have seen this year.
The “No Bicycles” sign on the trail is no more. Someone tore it up. I wonder if this person tears up Stop Signs when he wants to go through.
Water level is up a bit and there is some water in those far ponds next to the South Channel. Those are great ponds to find ducks in. Perhaps the duck hunters on the north side of the river will start driving some ducks over to Petrie.
Also found one Garter Snake practising a figure-eight disguise on a log. Actually got a couple shots before it left.
27 September 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I took the attached shot this AM. I knew the spider had been in a particular flower last Wednesday and sure enough he was still there.
Not many of my shots from Wednesday worked out, so I thought I would try again, despite it being heavily overcast with a good breeze blowing.
As I was setting up I spotted a fly land 1/2″ away from the spider (a golden rod spider) so I quickened my pace and shot from further way than I would have liked (The attached is a crop of the shot) The shot ain’t perfect, but the wind was blowing, it was not bright, the spider was advancing slowly towards the fly – that is my story and I am sticking to it.
The next shot was not the fly caught by the spider, but unfortunately the spider’s front legs waving in the air with no fly in sight.
20-25 September 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I have continued to check turtle nests for hatchings daily, but no luck yet. At this rate they might be planning to stay in their nests until next spring. There are still a good number of turtles basking on logs around the island’s waterways as Bill Bower points out.
Many of the turtlehead blossoms have disappeared this week. I suspect the rabbits have decided they are very tasty and helped themselves. The jewel weed is nicely dotted with dew each morning; there are still a few bindweed and chickory blossoms. More and more of the tiny asters are appearing, along with the deep mauve larger ones.
There have been two misty mornings this week, one day had 100’s of spider webs along the trail to go with the dew. Unfortunately that day did not see the sun burning off the fog, so there were no nicely lit backlit webs.
The beavers have been continuing to work at a relaxed pace in bringing down trees or stripping branches off already downed ones. Neither beavers nor muskrats have been visible during daylight hours. Although on Wednesday the trail crossing at the end of Muskrat Bay had three paths of quite wet sand showing where beavers had recently crossed, one dragging a branch along with it. A rabbit was around for a few days on the main trail. He did not seemed concerned that I was sharing the trail as he let me get to within about 10 feet of him.
The heron have not been consistent on their morning arrival times, but one patiently posed for three photographers Wednesday morning on a stump at the small culvert. He was doing an anhinga imitation, standing there with his wings held open to the sun’s warming rays. After about 20 minutes he decided his privacy had been invaded for long enough and slowly sailed off to the west. A woodcock appeared, on two separate days, along the Muskrat Trail. (Likely the same one that Bill reported seeing.) One morning produced a flycatcher on the trail as well. Wednesday saw several skeins of geese flying high off in the distance. They had better keep flying high as hunting season starts soon.
With Turtle Pond now being sealed off at both ends (a small beaver dam at one end, culvert above the water level at the other), no fresh water is making its way in and the surface is getting rather scuzzy.
25 September 2002 (Bill Bower)
That should be Wednesday morning after 8:30 a.m. There was another shift which took up position in the early morning. It was still plugging away when I left at lunch time. Jim was just in the process of calling Buffalo, New York for more film.
Great morning for birds. I have quite a list but the best sightings were a Brown Creeper, Yellow Bellied Sapsucker, Osprey, White-Winged Crossbills and a Timberdoodle (that’s Latin for Woodcock). There were lots of Warblers and I managed to identify “zippo” species. The usual excuses: binoculars fogged up, too many leaves, tree got in the way, birds moved too fast, etc.
A really quiet morning. You could hear a pin drop. At Petrie Island you can replace pin with Bur Oak acorns, Bitternut Hickory nuts and Butternuts. Don’t stand under the trees looking up at the Black Squirrels. They are known for their humour (and accuracy).
Ran into three noisy gartersnakes at the far end. You could hear them coming and going through the leaves. Looked like two smaller males following a larger female. Probably want to sleep with her for the winter. These guys looked pretty intelligent to me.
Saw over thirty turtles basking including the usual large Slider in front of the observation seat on the anchored log. No new nests located.
19 September 2002 (Bill Bower)
Well we finally hit the jackpot (speaking about chelonians of course). All it took was many days of looking, a few tiny marks in the sand (tail drag marks), a couple house flies, et Voila! Don’t ask about the flies.
It was a snapping turtle nest on the far (west end) sand dunes and it held about 30 eggs. About 6 young had already made it north into the main Ottawa River. There were 20 live hatchlings.
I called Jim (home resting after an early morning excursion to Petrie) who called Gwen and the competition was on. At last count each had taken over 200 photos, which works out to over 20 per subject. Human babies a couple hours old don’t normally get that kind of attention. I didn’t know there were so many angles to getting good shots of turtles. My photo equipment limits me to just taking shots of larger subjects, so, I took 4 pictures of the photographers taking photos of the 20 somewhat cooperative, but much smaller, hatchlings. No pun intended of course.
All I heard during the shoot was, “Darn, out of film again”, “Move your foot, it’s in my shot” and “Have we lost any turtles yet”.
Anyway, a good time was had by all. The entire family was then strategically placed in the Turtle Pond to avoid future contact with raccoons, Great Blue Heron, and large bass, pike and carp (I hope). Can’t wait to see the photos. By the way, how do you select which ones to keep when you have 200 to start with?
Nice to have a success story amongst the many, many all eggs and hatchlings eaten stories.
I recorded four species of turtles at Petrie this morning (Snapping, Map, Painted and one beautiful Red-Eared Slider). About 35 in total.
15-19 September 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I have been going to Petrie daily this week in attempt to find freshly hatched turtles. I have not found any hatchings, so either it is not quite the right time, or the raccoons and skunks looked after all the eggs when they were laid in the summer. (Just as I was sending this to the FOPI webmaster Bill Bower called me. He was two hours behind this morning, but he found 6 hatched snappers and 15 others that had not dug there way out yet. And it was in area that we checked closely. You have to get your timing right !!!)
Sunday Morning, Sept. 15
There must have been an all night fishing trip as there were three vehicles in the parking lot this morning at sunrise. You could tell by the washed out tire tracks that they had been there overnight. Too bad two of the three parked sideways, one with a very long boat trailer, so as to block a third of the parking lot.
The mural on the interpretative cottage is coming along very nicely, it’ll look great when finished !!!!
It was a very wet morning with drizzle that soaked the grass – and my pants and boots. The herons were very noticeable in many areas along with a few ducks. A muskrat was busy eating water reeds by the Beaver Trail until it spotted me watching it, at which point it zipped into its bank den. There did not seem to be any beavers swimming about, but there was fresh chewings on an ash tree in a back area that they worked over in last fall.
The third dead star-nosed mole I have seen this year was on the Muskrat Trail. Not sure why they come out to the trail and die of natural causes, but apparently is it quite common.
Monday Morning Sept. 16
A heron was at the usual spot on the north side of the narrows, but this was 45 minutes before sunrise. I hope he had bright eyes to see his prey ! A kingfisher seemed to be noisily watching the heron and doing fly-bys. Perhaps it thought it owned the fishing rights.
Looks as though there might be another beaver lodge going in on Muskrat Bay as there is a large new bare spot on the shoreline. It might be the end of a trail to the water, but it seems very wide. I will have to keep an eye on it.
The damp sand by Duckweed Pond was just covered with raccoon tracks – they must have been very active during the night. Hoping for turtles to hatch in nests that they missed in June and July ??
As I left for home, there seemed to be no herons in the marsh on the west side of the road, but there were several on the east side.
Tuesday Morning, Sept. 17
It was a fairly cool breeze-less morning with a gentle mist rising 2-3 feet off the water. When the sun came up it sent shafts of golden light through the trees into the mist. Each day seems to bring more colour in the trees – fall is coming (so is winter – I saw a truck with a snow plow mounted pull into the city yard at the Queensway when I left).
FOPI should think about naming the parking lot after Tim Horton’s. Some mornings the lot is well littered with Tim Horton’s coffee cups and the teenagers seem to be enjoy making dough-nuts in the lot by spinning their cars in circles through the loose sand.
There were noticeably more birds around this morning. The early morning was full of chirpings, calls etc. Perhaps flocking to head south ? But they seem to have not found the buckthorn berries yet, nor the dogwood berries that are turning white. The highbush cranberries are still full of red fruit, but those do tend to last into the winter.
While a rabbit is usually at the start of the Muskrat Trail, there was one down by the start of the main trail this morning. The floods in May/June must have really upset the rabbit population as in prior years I would often see 10-15 or more rabbits each morning, this year maybe one every second visit.
A beaver and a muskrat were out foraging in the reeds of Muskrat Bay. The beaver are continuing to cross the trail at the end of Muskrat Bay as they have done for this summer and last. This year however there is no trail out of the small pond towards the river. Makes you wonder why they are crossing the trail.
The buttonbush is still blooming (It got a late start) and there are a few bouncy bet blossoms around along with the odd evening primrose. The Turtlehead is relatively profuse with more blossoms each day. They seem to grow just enough to get their heads above the surrounding vegetation. Some plants are 6 feet tall, some are only 12″ high.
Walking back east along the northern beaches I found about 50 feet of perfect heron footprints about 3 feet offshore. There were no signs of it having changed its pace to have a snack.
Wednesday Morning, Sept. 18
There was at least one heron that must have felt he was amply fed this morning. He spent a good two hours 12 feet high above the water on branches of fallen trees. While I did not watch him for all the two hours, whenever I did check he had not come down to the water, but would move between three branches from time to time.
Once while watching the heron, a beaver slipped into the water from one of the animal trails, he must have spotted me as he did not appear again swimming around.
A small skein of Canada geese flew over, followed by another group of unidentified geese. Their silhouettes were different than the Canada geese, but I don’t know my birds enough to know what type of geese they were.
The bear’s paw fungus on the Beaver Trail seems to be slowly turning its usual white colour from the light orange. It is not as large as the ones were there last year.
The woods were full of chickadees this morning. I had not heard so many for a long time. I scared up another woodcock/snipe. Might have been the same one I saw a few days ago, but it was in a completely different area today.
I noticed a woolly bear caterpillar walking along the trail this morning. They are not rare or even uncommon, but it was the first caterpillar I think I have seen all year.
Thursday Morning, Sept 19
It was a very quiet morning today, so quiet in fact that the person who appeared to have slept in his car overnight in the parking lot was still asleep when I arrived. But the quiet of the morning was in contrast to what must have been a more active late evening. In the parking lot was an area of black dirt, burnt tires and melted metal. Obviously there had been a very intense car fire.
There were no herons or other birds for about an hour. Finally the flickers, robins, and herons showed up, but in lesser numbers than normal.
Without going into detail, there was a very fresh “kill” on the trail, a rodent had suffered its demise likely shortly before. Likely the predator was scared off by the sound of human foot steps. Usually this aspect of nature takes place out of sight of humans.
A good sized fish jumped out of the water in Muskrat Bay. There must have been an inviting looking insect flying by. A family arrived later and set up chairs etc. while they fished. They seemed to have good luck pulling in one largish fish and several other smaller ones in a relatively short time period.
Someone had ignored the “no bicycles” sign (not the first time), but this time the cyclist had been well off the trail in the back areas of the island. The island is too fragile to take much of that !
By 8:30am there were 7 cars in the parking lot, a sail boat out in the river along with a speed boat. Several people were on the trails. All of this on a weekday !! Maybe everyone came to get ahead of the rain expected this weekend ?
15 September 2002 (Bill Bower)
Saw about 20 turtles including 1 Slider and 1 Map turtle.
Had some great entertainment back on the Beaver Trail, involving one Merlin and two Bluejays. [The Merlin is a type of falcon — Ed.] The Bluejays would bother the Merlin until he would attack them. They would twist through the trees and sometimes you could hear them striking the leaves. Sometimes there would be less than two feet between the chaser and chasee. The Bluejays would even go sit on the same limb as the Merlin or drift slowly by. The Merlin would never disappoint them with its sudden attack. I probably watched twenty-five or more attacks. Some crows dropped by as they could hear the hawk, but got bored and left. A Mourning Dove and a Flicker also flew in and landed in the open. I thought the Merlin would go for them, both easier targets, but it never attempted a kill. When I left they were still at it. It was move like a game than a serious hunting situation. I have seen this before with the Bluejays staying just far enough ahead so the Merlin couldn’t nail them.
14 September 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Two fishermen started trying their luck a good half hour before sunrise.
Just before sunrise, the breeze became a wind. The sunrise was a deep mauve that became an orange ball that disappeared behind a heavy layer of clouds. The wind calmed down about 20 minutes later.
I spotted the unfriendly grey cat, on the main trail, that I had not seen for over a month. It quickly ran ahead of me on the trail and disappeared into the undergrowth.
There were several herons around as usual, including a young one at the narrows on the main trail. There were a few more ducks around than the last few days, there are usually at the west end of Turtle Pond but they don’t hang around to be looked at. Looks like a mixed group, some wood ducks, some black ducks, and some ?? There were a few flickers, but no signs or sounds of woodpeckers. A woodcock or snipe flew up out of the arrowhead marsh I walked along the Muskrat Trail.
There are still a few fresh evening primrose blossoms and the turtlehead plants are showing their blossoms in many areas throughout the islands now, I see more each time I visit. There are very few common sunflowers this year. I have only found a plant or two. Last year there were many plants some over 7 feet high full of blossoms.
The squirrels are enjoying the acorns and other nuts. I spotted one squirrel with a very large walnut-looking nut in its mouth, and another one was dropping small, 1″ in diameter, prickly nuts from another tree. A chipmunk was taking a break on a branch in the almost dried up duck weed pond.
A rabbit was feeding along the start of the Muskrat trail, there were some beaver in area approaching Crappy Bay.
12 September 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Fall is approaching !!!
The leaves are starting to turn a little – even on the healthy trees, many virginia creepers are a bright red, the Hawthorn trees are laden with their berries, the Jack-in-the-Pulpit seeds are bright red, the grapes are a nice deep purple-blue, the high bush cranberries are ripening nicely, there were about 30 Canada geese swimming as a group in the middle of the river, and lastly, the spiders had been out practising over night.
There were long single strand spider webs all along the trail this morning (why do I have to be first one down the trails ???) and a few nicely shaped circular webs amongst the ferns. There was a fair bit of dew on the grass but very little dew on the webs, in a few weeks it should be a completely different story.
The beaver brought down a large tree in the last day or so, and have started working on another. No sign of a new lodge being built so perhaps they are working on the old lodge or starting a larder. Seems early for that, but maybe they know something we don’t. There was a good sized branch on road next to the Bait Shop from a large willow tree – don’t know what brought it down, it certainly was not the beavers.
There were a few herons looking for breakfast and several beaver out for morning swims. I didn’t see any muskrats though. One pileated woodpecker was hammering away on a trunk, several flickers were checking out trees as well. A kingfisher was working most of Turtle Pond for his morning meal. A couple of wood ducks flew up from the west end of Turtle Pond, there were other ducks about as well.
There are quite a few Turtlehead flowers in blossom, many are quite low, but there are some tall, multi-bloom plants. The orange jewel weed (touch me not) are blooming in a few areas. The cardinal flower is essentially finished, but there were one or two stragglers still flowering.
It is still early for turtle hatchings, but it looked like the raccoons had been out during the night checking out the nesting grounds. They had dug several test small holes throughout the area.
8 September 2002 (Bill Bower)
Beautiful morning, although as usual I missed the sunrise.
Very quiet on the nature trails. Found a few painted turtles out and about but no nests and I checked a number of good nesting areas. Birds were few and far between but I did find one Northern Parula in with some Chickadees. I have seen this colourful warbler at Petrie Island before, but this was my first sighting in 2002.
I realized this morning that the Turtle Pond is now a true pond as it is completely shutoff from the main river by two beaver dams at that small inlet. The water level in the Turtle Pond is actually a bit higher than the river level. This probably also means that the fish in the pond will be staying put for the winter months. Most of the fish would prefer to be back out in the river for the winter. (pike, crappie, bass, sunfish, gar pike, etc.)
I did see one beaver out in the heat. I had noted that the fall logging operation is well under way after a shutdown for maintenance over the long weekend. I wonder some times if they don’t rent “skidders” judging by the size of the logs being moved around. It appeared that the one I saw this morning was “scaling” the downed logs and determining how much more needs to be cut before the snow flies.
The artists were busy at work this morning on the south side of the Friend’s office. The work is a bit abstract but I swear I could see a turtle, a couple Heron and a few frogs in amongst the bullrushes (maybe it was the heat). Take a look for yourself.
5 September 2002 (Bill Bower)
Nice morning at Petrie, a bit cool but nice nevertheless.
That old saying holds true when you’re birdwatching at Petrie. There wasn’t much activity all the way in the nature trail. A Great Blue Heron and a couple Flickers. But then when I reached the far end towards the South Channel where it was a bit warmer and more protected, there were birds everywhere. Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Vireos, Flycatchers, Sparrows and Warblers. All you had to do was find the right spot and stand there. Let the birds come to you. Best sightings were Magnolia, Black and White, and Black-Throated Green Warblers. I missed others.
Checked for new turtles out and about but no sign of them. A few adult turtles were enjoying the morning sun even though it was only about 60 degrees and windy.
Saw the Osprey over the back channel fishing. Saw Woodies and Mallards across from the bait shop on the way home. Duck numbers will no doubt pick up once the hunting season opens in adjacent areas. Doesn’t take them long to find the save waters.
29 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I went down to Petrie tonight to get some sunset shots. I needed to replace some shots from last year when I managed to cut off (photographically speaking) someone’s head in the sunset. Turned out it was a very nice sunset and an obliging couple endured my taking a series photographs of the sunset, with their silhouettes in the foreground, for about 20 minutes. They were so obliging they did not tell me they were being eaten alive by mosquitoes until the very end !!! SORRY !!!!
The mosquitoes aren’t there in the morning and I guess I was too busy photographing to notice the pesky insects.
While the sun was going down a young raccoon appeared and boldly went where man had gone before, the picnic tables and the leftover scraps. As long as no one moved threateningly he was quite content to eat while people watched him. He only retreated to a tree a couple of times.
27 August 2002 (Bill Bower)
As you mentioned Jim, there was very little bird activity. I did find one Northern Waterthrush along the trail and there was one female Green Winged Teal opposite the bait shop when I left. In another week or so we should start seeing more migrants at Petrie.
Quite a few painted turtles out. I counted over thirty. Some are shedding their scute covers and look rather funny when you see them. After the sun dries them they stick straight up. The large Carp (a dozen or more) are still in the pond next to the sand operation after being trapped when the river flooded. I don’t think any have died yet and, unlike the Northern Snakehead, they can’t walk overland. I doubt there will be enough water under the ice this winter for them to survive, although I’ve been wrong before.
I did find a Monarch butterfly this morning just out of the chrysalis, although I didn’t find that part. It was hanging on a milkweed leaf and the wings were still wet and limp. When I returned about an hour later it was still there and it could actually fly a few feet. Beautiful to see a butterfly in undamaged condition.
When I left there were a number of cyclists arriving for a picnic. Looked like a local group.
27 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
You almost needed a jacket this morning. The sky was a light rose colour with the sun still below the horizon. As much as the coolth was nice, the best part was that there were NO mosquitoes ! There was already a car in the parking lot when I arrived at 6am. A new-to-Petrie photographer was out exploring.
Two herons were in the marsh fishing for an early breakfast, both were quite close to the road. A few other herons in Turtle Pond flew off noisily protesting our presence. On the way back to the parking lot one posed nicely in the marshy grasses just west of the interpretative cottage for three photographers who shared a single, very nice, long range lens. Other than the herons, there was a scarcity of birds – the pilated woodpecker was heard, but not seen, a few sparrows and about 5 ducks flew up. There was a kingfisher and two spotted sandpipers about as well. I am sure Bill Bower, who showed up for the next shift (a little late this AM), will report on many more birds as he can find them, I can’t.
The fall asters are coming along nicely, there are still one or two anemones and a few evening primroses blooming. The purple loosestrife and golden rod are starting to fade, as is some pickerel weed, but the arrowhead flowers are still blooming strongly. I thought the beavers had chewed all the buttonbush shrubs at the end of Muskrat Bay, but I noticed a good sized clump of them this morning. There were a few buds, a little late for them to get started ! Still only one turtlehead plant in bloom that I could find. It has 7 groups of blossoms on it. The cardinal flowers are still blooming.
There are a few trees starting to show a few signs of fall colours, but two of the trees were not healthy. A number of clumps of grapes have turned purply-blue.
There were no beaver, muskrats or rabbits this morning, but the beavers have been active. There is a tree, blown down a few weeks ago, across the trail at the end of Turtle Pond, the beaver have been chewing its bark and it looks as though they have a 6 foot section of it out in the pond all nicely cleaned up. There is also a poplar tree nearby that has had some intermittent chewing on it recently. The usual beaver crossing at the end of Muskrat Bay was joined by a second track this morning. There was one red squirrel in the back woods and one grey squirrel up in the picnic area.
Not many mushroom/fungi so far this year, but there were 3 fresh mushrooms, 2-4″ in diameter, that looked like human ears filled with red current jelly.
An early visiting family headed down the trail at 8:45am.
On the way home at 9:15, two city vehicles were working on grading the road in from the Queensway. Always appreciated !!!!
19 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
The sunrise, at a more civil hour of 6 AM, was not particularly of note, but it did provide some nice early morning light on the river’s Quebec shoreline as well what few high-rise buildings can be seen to the west.
While the parking lot was covered with raccoon tracks, there were no raccoons sleeping in the garbage cans today, but they sure did a good job emptying one can during the night looking for snacks. A raccoon was walking quickly along the south shore of Turtle Pond. I had not seen many, if any, muskrats or beavers this summer, but there was a muskrat working the weed beds at the narrows, and two tail flapping beavers at the west end of Turtle Pond. I found a third beaver dam where they had been trying to retain the flood waters this spring. There seemed to be only one rabbit around, I guess the flooding hit them quite hard. There was a new (to me) grey cat keeping ahead of me on the trails. A dead star-nose mole was on the beaver trail this morning. That is third one I have found in that general area over the past year.
The usual flock of gulls was over the marsh as you come down off the Queensway. There were not many birds around, although I did spot a pair of pileated woodpeckers working on an old tree down by the meadows, the oft-seen owl did not make an appearance however. I also spotted a very grey looking woodpecker with a few black and white bars working on another tree. There were about 10 ducks in Turtle Pond’s western end. They were very skittish so I could not get very close, but they seemed to be brownish-grey with white cheeks. Young buffleheads maybe ? While I sat waiting for the elusive green heron to appear (it didn’t) a small scan of elongated geese-like birds flew over in a loose V shape. They were silently gliding as much as flapping their wings. Not sure what type of birds they were.
There were at least two blue herons in Turtle Pond, plus one at the narrows where I had not seen one for while. (There used to be one there most mornings.) I scared up a young blue heron while walking along the trail by Muskrat Bay. I was busy looking at something else as I walked along, it must have been intensely fishing as we surprised each other when I was about 15 feet from it. Three blue herons were on the north shore at west end of the Island. At least six blue herons were in the marsh when I left at 8:30 am.
The long-jawed orb weaver spiders have been busy spinning their webs in the tall canary grass. There were few mosquitoes, which in turn meant fewer dragonflies. While I miss the dragonflies, I do not miss the mosquitoes.
Some evening primroses are still blooming (no primrose moths though), the blooms on broad-leafed arrowhead plants are very profuse. Maybe they liked the flooded conditions as well ?? I only found one turtlehead flower in bloom, maybe more will come along shortly. The cardinal flower is in full bloom. The yellow loosestrife is finished, but the purple loosestrife is still doing well, as is the pickerel weed and (spotted ?) joe pye weed. One area of wild roses is well populated with bright red rose hips. Most of the bull thistles have gone to seed. The burdock at the narrows is very dense. It is not an area I will venture into in a few weeks as the burrs will be ready to attach themselves to any clothing that walks by. While the burdock was there last year, they were first year plants and did not grow tall and produce burrs. They are making up for it this year.
Willows seem to be invading the sandy area across from the main turtle nesting spot. The willows are growing very quickly along the water’s edge and there are many willow saplings well back from the shoreline. There are a few grapes trying to ripen on the grape vines. I found one very nice clump of high bush cranberries.
The water is now down over one and a half metres from its peaks in June and May, but it is marginally higher still than its low point last year.
14 August 2002 (Bill Bower)
I made it out early this morning (early for me that is). Very hot even at 8:00AM. Two garbage cans contained live garbage. The city guys were there picking up and one of the raccoons refused to leave even when the can was upside down and everything fell out. I guess he has spent so much time in it he thinks it’s home. Someone added to our coon population as I was leaving later. Just what we need.
Lots of Great Blue Heron around as Jim mentioned. There were a few Wood Ducks at the back end of the Turtle Pond. Black squirrels were hanging upside down on the shady side of the trees trying to pick up a breeze.
Too hot for turtles. Only saw eight of them.
I’ve been watching a nest of Eastern Kingbirds just past the cove near the picinc table. This morning a couple of them were out of the nest and in the trees by the water. While I was watching them I discovered another nest directly over the path at the same location (about 15 feet up). There are at least four birds in it but no female showed up to feed them while I was there. Probably too hot anyway. Not sure what they are but they do have color. Either Orioles or Cedar Waxwings I think. The nest looks something like an Oriole nest but it is squished down on another branch. Seems late for them. Keep your eyes open Jim and maybe we can get a positive identification.
A lady was there this morning, in the heat, painting a water scene. I watched her for awhile. Looked great to me. My best sighting this morning was a guy and a girl in a rowboat. He was fishing and she was rowing. Now you can’t beat that.
8 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was a nice cool morning with a gentle breeze blowing, quite a change from last week. Again, not a whole lot happening. No raccoons in the garbage can, one turtle basking at 8 am. There were one or two herons along the trail. A hummingbird was flitting about at the main turtle nesting area.
The moths I mentioned in the Aug 1st dispatch are primrose moths. I found one this morning on an evening primrose again, but no others.
There did seem to be a few more ducks around than normal, maybe I was just there earlier in the morning than normal and they had not gone off to hide yet. The arrowhead has started to bloom, particularly along the muskrat trail. I noticed the yellow loosestrife has spread a little as there is one on the Beaver Trail, last year I only saw them at the end of Muskrat Bay. There was an inordinate amount of poplar seed fluff on the ground at the west end of Turtle Pond.
On the way back to the Queensway, I drove slowly by the marsh on the west side of the road. I stopped when I spotted two blue herons off in the distance. Then as I looked more closely, I counted eight (!) herons in various locations throughout the marsh. Three were relatively close, one of which was drying its wings anhinga-style. Had not seen a heron doing that before !
3 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was a nice cool morning (cool compared to the last two weeks) which left lots of dew on the grasses. While it looks nice, it provided an unwanted chest high soaking walking through some of the tall grasses on the back trails.
A car arrived in the parking lot at 6:15 am. It was occupied by three giddy young ladies. Not sure why they were up at that hour and what they were doing down there, but they left shortly after.
There were two of Bill’s rocky raccoon friends in the garbage can this AM, guess the family is slowly breaking up as each member slowly strikes on its own. There were two blue herons around this, one was very vocal – not sure what the problem was. A solitary beaver was taking a “late” morning swim in Muskrat Bay at 7:30 am.
There were three boats moored off Petrie’s shores. A cabin cruiser and a large sailboat, on the river side, and a houseboat in the south channel. Not a creature was stirring in them.
A couple of mountain bikes had been down the trail riding past the small no bikes sign. The large tree trunk that floated in across the trail during the floods did not deter them. I know as a kid I liked to ride along side the river on narrow trails, there are trails along the North Service Road that are good for that, but the wildlife/nature trails at Petrie should be reserved for two and four footed traffic. It would be good to have a gate at the start of the trail that would allow people through, but deter bikes. Other city parks have them.
The beavers (?) had recently crossed the trail at the usual spot at the eastern end of Muskrat Bay as evidenced by the very wet trail in the sand. Maybe I need to get up earlier to really know for sure what is crossing the trail.
When I got back to parking lot there were two orioles flitting about in the trees, haven’t seen them for a while.
2 August 2002 (Bill Bower)
Beautiful morning at Petrie. Checked the garbage cans first but all had enough garbage to allow the animals to escape.
There were some Wood Ducks around and a number of Mallards out on the stumps on the north side. Also Great Blue Herons, Spotted Sandpipers and the Kingfisher.
Best bird sighting was another Eastern Wood Pewee. Some of the Yellow Warblers aren’t really the “Yellow Warblers”, they are females and juveniles of other species that are very hard to identify.
Only saw about ten turtles and not many out basking. One interesting sighting was an adult Red-Eared Slider on the anchored floats along the Turtle Trail. This is the first one I have seen this year. There were four adults there in the summer of 2000. I though maybe we had lost them but obviously they have survived, or at least one has.
Fishermen were out in numbers and obviously a few kids were catching fish for the first time (judging by the excited screams). I noted two gar-pike near that old beaver house along the trail. Sometimes they are right up on the surface of the water.
1 August 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Another humid sultry morning, two blue herons were off in the mid distance fishing for breakfast in the marsh. A beaver was out for a swim by the large culvert, first beaver I have seen for a few a long time.
Bill’s friends were in the garbage can again – three racoon kits. They were quite comfortably settled in for a day’s sleep amongst the garbage. They did not seem to mind being stared at, or having their pictures taken. We carried the tin to the edge of the woods and tipped it over gently. They took off in a hurry. We figured that was better than have garbage piled on top of them during the hot day.
Two carrion plants have reappeared where the 5 or 6 disappeared earlier this year. There are a few buds on them.
There were 5 small pink moths on one small grouping of evening primrose. I am not sure what types of moths they were. Two blossoms had two moths each, one had one moth. While photographing them a augochlora green metallic bee (I had to look that up !!!) flew in to collect pollen from the blossom, the moths did not even move for it.
30 July 2002 (Bill Bower)
Made it down for a quick runthrough this morning. Beautiful morning with a nice breeze.
Dumped out one of the blue barrels at the parking lot. The garbage went in two different directions and quickly climbed to the tops of the nearest trees.
There are about a dozen very large Carp trapped in that pond across from the parking lot next to the sand operation. Guess their days are numbered.
Only saw nine painted turtles but the birding wasn’t bad. Best locations were on the Beaver Trail and on the new trails next to the parking lot. Just on the Beaver Trail alone I saw a House Wren, Redstarts, Nuthatches, Yellow Warbler and an Eastern Wood Pewee. A Song Sparrow was having a difficult time trying to keep a young Cowbird fed. One Turkey Vulture was flying over.
Took a picture of a “water flower” but have no idea what it is. Maybe the resident experts can identify it.
Saw the young lady in taking the water samples. I think those “chest waders” she uses would fit the Jolly Green Giant.
29 July 2002 (Jim Robertson)
It was another hot muggy morning. There were six gulls flying around in a group in the marsh, They seemed to be busy catching insects on the fly.
There were a few rabbits and ground hogs, but no muskrats or beavers. The crossing spot at the end of the trail was still very wet, so there must have been turtle or beaver crossing 30-60 minutes before I got there. (It was virtually dry when I crossed it on my way back 20 minutes later.) Two blue herons were out looking for breakfast . Once again, I managed to inadvertently chase down the trail. There were three female mallards on the stumps in the water at the small culvert. A couple of downy woodpeckers let me get relatively close to them.
I found two “new” beaver dams. The beavers must have been trying to dam up the flood waters. One dam is about 25-30 feet long, the other about 15 feet. There is a small area of 4-6″ deep water between the two dams. The main bodies of water are now at least 200 feet away and about 3-4 feet lower than the dams.
A few of the bull thistles have started to bloom, they seem to have stopped growing vertically. Some of the Canada thistles have reached the seed stage. The gold finches were busy gathering the fluff for their nests. They will be laying their eggs shortly. I have been told that their eggs hatch, the chicks fledge and leave the nest within 30 days.
There are still a couple of anemones blooming. Burdock has started to bloom, sure seems to be a lot it in some areas. The Canada tick trefoil has spread as well and is starting to show some colour. Many of the sumac have nice red fluffy seed plumes forming at their peaks. A few turtlehead plants are starting to form buds.
As starting to bloom are: marsh hedge nettle, white sweet clover, mullein, phlox, virgin’s bower, pickerel weed, morning glory/bindweed and spotted joe pye weed. There is less purple loosestrife than last year, I assume due to the three floodings. Maybe the remainder are still developing and will put in an appearance later.
22 July 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I just missed the eerie orangie-yellow-green colour of the sunrise light this morning as showers were working their way east. By 6:30 am the light was more normal and the sea gulls circling in the sky reflected the sunlight against the dark grey clouds moving in from the west.
Unwittingly I “chased” two blue herons west from the marsh, down the main trail and then back east as I came back to the car park an hour later. They never allowed me to get close enough for a photo though.
I sat waiting for a green heron to appear at the end of Muskrat Trail. One had made an appearance there Sunday, I was hoping it might return. No luck. A downy woodpecker worked above me for the 30 minutes I sat there. There seemed to be many more robins around this morning. Maybe all the young ones have fledged and there was a last family re-union ? Lots of warblers, flickers, red-winged blackbirds, goldfinch as well. I have never seen so many mourning doves at Petrie as there were today.
The dragon flies were having a field day with the mosquitoes who were loving the tall damp grass on a muggy morning. There seemed to be a lot of horse flies around as well. A single white admiral butterfly, somewhat the worse for wear, was flitting about.
I disturbed a mallard family, mum and 7 near full grown ducklings, on one of the western beaches. They swam off into the main channel.
A few sumacs have started to show their red fall coloured leaves. Thankfully I found no others.
The beaver trail is very overgrown with very tall (wet) grass, you almost have to know where the trail is to get through. There were no beavers, or muskrats around so I got a wet pair of pants for nothing. I did spot two well fed ground hogs scurrying off through the underbrush.
The yellow loosestrife is out, not as much as last year though. There is no sign of the button bush, either the flood or the beaver got them I guess. There is quite a patch of wild roses blooming in one spot. I spotted one turtle head plant, about 5 feet tall, there are no buds yet.
The squirrels will be happy to see that some small acorns are forming on the oak trees.
While some ferns are showing the stress of a lack of water, there were a few newly emerged ferns in some of the heavily flooded areas. They were still in the fiddle head stage.
There were two small turtles basking on separate logs, it is late in the season to see many “baskers”.
20 July 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I usually avoid Petrie in the daytime, but for various reasons I was down there in mid/late afternoon on Saturday. Unlike the early AM when it is very quiet, there were 67 cars in and around the parking lot, all the picnic tables were full, interesting smells emanating from the many BBQ’s etc etc. The beach, both the sand and water, was very active.
I walked over to the Sand Operations and it was quite busy with “trespassers”. There were 35-40 boats pulled up on shore with their occupants sitting on the sandy beach talking, drinking, and listening to loud radios. A few were in swimming. There were at any one time another 10-15 boats going by in the river.
There were a few people down on the trail, but not many. There is not much activity of any sort on the trails in heat of the day.
16 July 2002 (Gwen Williams)
Early this morning I went to Petrie Island for a short while. On arrival a guy pulled up in a SUV and released an adult raccoon (from a live trap) near the Turtle Trail sign at the end of the parking lot. He muttered “He’ll be better off here” and left. I guess there will be some turf wars there tonight! And who knows how many orphaned kits elsewhere…
I then heard a strange cry coming from the direction of the sand hills and decided to investigate. Turns out it was a young raccoon who had toppled into one of the big blue garbage drums and could not get out. After a few quick snaps of him in his predicament, I turned the drum on its side and gave him some room to escape. He chose to climb the nearest tree and pose for me in the warm early light! When I left the island a couple of hours later he was sleeping in the same tree – I hope he finds his family tonight. I saw another raccoon family at the end (across the water) of muskrat trail but they were not so easy to photograph.
I also got a few nice pics of a squirrel on a dead tree limb on that trail. I did not see any Blue Herons except in flight at a distance but while watching some small birds on the trail I heard some noise in the adjacent bushes and saw what looked to me like a weasel on the ground. He flipped his body into an upside down U shape as he disappeared when he saw me.
14 July 2002 (Jim Robertson)
I went down at noon today to take some shots for a new Petrie slide show. The conditions were not that good as the high overcast from the morning had moved on leaving bright sunlight and dark shadows which is not ideal for photographing.
Unlike the early mornings, the Island was hopping. The parking lot was full, with the overflow out onto the side of the roadway. All the picnic benches were claimed with many interesting lunches being served. The beach area was very active with people on the sand and in the water. Kids were busy playing on the playground “equipment” and in the sand area away from the beach.
There were not a lot of boats around, but there was a steady stream of power boats in the mid channel, sea-doos, relatively close to shore and a fair number of canoes and kayaks sliding through in the many waterways, channels and bays.
It was not a particularly good time to be going down the trail, but there were 3-4 groups for a total of about 15 on it. One family was looking for basking turtles, I suggested it was getting a little late in the season, and the day, to see the mass sunning. But I was able to find a bird’s nest with three eggs in it hanging in a dogwood shrub about 3 feet off the ground right on the trail at the narrows. At least the kids got to see a little bit of interesting nature !
The white water lilies are out. It is strange to see them on top of matted rafts of weeds. A lot of the water plants had to grow extra “high” to reach the surface of the water during the floodings, now that the water has receded, the long stems of the plants have turned into floating mats.
12 July 2002 (Bill Bower)
Well not that early, but earlier than Jim (for a change). Only saw about 10 turtles in the water including one large Snapping Turtle near the Beaver Trail. No new nests discovered. I don’t think we will find much more nesting activity until September or even October this year. Then we might see some hatchlings leaving the nests and heading for the nearest water. Lots of birds around but nothing too exciting. I did find a family of Orioles and another family of American Redstarts (Warblers) near the sand dunes. Some Robins and Cedar Waxwings were fighting over red berries in that same general area. There weren’t many to chose from, so then it looked like they were sitting around waiting for the green ones to ripen. Some large fish were jumping which I took to be Bass. One fisherman thought I was throwing rocks. He must be new to the sport. Took some pictures of a Mourning Cloak and a Northern Leopard Frog and that was it.
11 July 2002 (Jim Robertson)
Another morning with not a whole lot happening. There was one heron around, he finally posed for a shot on the way back from the end of the trail. I met another photographer who had photographed some green herons not too long ago at Petrie. They were in the bay by the bait shop. Guess I had better keep my eyes open !!!
There is a newly blown over silver maple tree blocking the new trail that was roughed out last summer. With the flooding this year, no more work has been done on the trail and it is not easily passable.
The Osprey flew over, relatively low, with its mouth full with a good sized fish, but it was gone before I get the camera ready to shoot. There were lots of sandpipers and several killdeers.
No new turtle nests, the painted turtle nests in the parking seem that they will make it to the fall as the raccoons still have not found them.
Flowerings to add to the list:
Queen Anne’s Lace. Bird’s foot trefoil is carpeting everywhere. A few morning glories have bloomed. Chickory is around, not a lot of it. Purple loosestrife is starting, I have not seen any yellow loosestrife, but it was badly flooded. Dogbane is more prevalent. Tall meadow rue. Some common wintercress is still blooming. The goat rue has really taken over the high ground at the trail narrows. Sweet white clover.
There were only two turtles sunning themselves on logs.
11 June 2003 (Jim Robertson)
I overslept this morning so I assumed I would not see much animal life at the Islands arriving at 7:30am. The brisk winds kept the flying animals (insects) away which was nice but unusual for that hour of the morning. Kept them away that is except for some of the more sheltered areas of the trails so I should have applied some bug repellent !
I saw one rabbit (not like two years ago when it was not unusual to see 10-20) , a few squirrels, the usual birds, – herons fishing for breakfast, robins, flickers etc., but I added a tern to the sightings. There was one beaver in close to shore in Turtle Pond. A few turtles were basking in the filtered sunlight.
Bill Bower, in his recent reports, mentioned only finding one turtle nest. Well something has started to spur the turtles to head for shore. The first hint was finding two “test” holes in the first sandy area – no eggs and the holes only dug down 2-3 inches. Then I found two freshly dug up nests, the yoke was still damp on the eggs. The clincher was coming across two 12″ map turtles and a large 20″ snapper sitting over their holes laying eggs. It was 8:15am which is normally not the time of day they are to be found as most eggs are laid at night – although last year was an exception with the 3-4 day egg laying frenzy.
It is too bad the city crews removed the large trunk that blocked (some) bikes at the start of the trail as there have been a few bikes quite far west on the island. But it was nice that the city was grading the road to the Park.
In addition to the plants mentioned in the June 3rd dispatch: – carrion plants are in bud. I found three with green stems, usually they are purple stemmed – bladder campions in bloom – wild roses in bud – highbush cranberry blooming – riverbank grape in bud – ninebark in bud – yellow water lilies – daisy fleabane blooming – bedstraw ready to break out of bud – elderberry seem to be finished blooming – strawberries blooming
The close-up of the snapper is Gwen William’s shot from this morning. The other shot is one of mine from last year of a snapper laying eggs.
7 June 2003 (Bill Bower)
Very, very quiet visit to Petrie Island, Saturday, June 7, 2003. Never saw or heard a bird. Never saw a turtle or a hairy animal. When I got back to the parking lot at two o’clock my car was still the only one there. No sign of human activity anywhere, not even a fisherman out.
Strange! Well maybe not, as it was 2 a.m. and not 2 p.m. I thought I would do a midnight tour around the islands to look for turtles. It was a nice warm and damp night. But no luck. It does make for an interesting walk in the dark. Every sound at night is many times louder than in the daytime. I never saw a beaver, but judging by the number of warning splashes all over the place and out in the main river there must have been 25 beaver around. Nothing like having one make a mighty splash about 20 feet from you when you weren’t aware of anything being around. Bullfrogs were especially loud. The odd June bug landing in your ear didn’t do much for the nerves either.
I don’t know which night the turtles will make their annual spring pilgrimage to lay eggs but it will sure be a concentrated effort. I have only found one painted turtle nest so far and it was dug up by the raccoons, twice.
Here is some trivia for ya. There are normally more fawns born of June 7th than on any other day of the year. Of course a few won’t be born before August, but on average today is the peak day.
3 June 2003 (Jim Robertson)
After being out of town for two weeks, the changes were noticeable at Petrie when I went for a brisk walk along the trails this morning. The trees are virtually all in full leaf, most of the ferns are standing tall although there are still some in the last of their fiddle head stage. It was warm enough that someone was having their morning coffee reading the paper on a picnic bench at 6:15.
The water is slightly high making it difficult in one spot to walk east back along the sandy shoreline from the turtle nesting mounds.
There were no signs of turtle nesting, but they were one or two large turtle tracks coming up from the water’s edge. For the first time that I can recall, there was no cross-trail traffic at the end of Muskrat Bay.
Each spring is different, bringing along the flowers and plants at different times than previous years. The flooding last year was a serious disruption to the early flowers, including preventing some from blooming. This morning’s “observations” were:
In bloom/bud:
- a few yellow iris, with more in bud
- dogwood
- blue violets
- nannyberry in bud
- solomon seal
- jack-in-the-pulpit
- white mustard
- one anemone, more in bud
- dame’s rocket (white and mauve)
- gill-over-the-ground
- winter cress/black mustard (I plead guilty to not having looked closely enough to see which it is)
- buckthorn in bud
- “wild” honeysuckle by Beaver Trail
Animal activity:
- two beavers in Muskrat Bay
- “usual” songbirds (I am not going to embarrass myself by attempting to identify them)
- flickers
- one duck
- black squirrel
- sandpiper
- red-wing blackbirds
- one turtle basking on log at 6:15 am
- three herons
- kingfisher
- many raccoon tracks
Miscellaneous:
- a few more trees brought down by the beaver, plus dangerous dead trees brought down by two legged city employee beavers
- the many water plants are showing signs of growth
- milkweed plants up about 8-12″
- poison ivy seems to be more widespread in some areas.
- virginia creeper is very plentiful
- one carrion plant is about 5 feet tall, a second about 3 feet.
31 May 2003 (Bill Bower)
Nice quiet morning at Petrie and not as many birds as usual. Best sightings were a Veery and a Woodcock. Some birds seem to like the FOPI signs, etc. There is a Robin nesting up under the sign at the parking lot leading to the Turtle Trail. She is only a couple feet off the ground. Further down the trail there is a Yellow Warbler building a nest in the tree with the Beaver Trail sign on it. Bad news is that a raccoon got the Wood Duck nest in the cavity by the office. Somehow the female managed to escape. Maybe next year she will pick a better spot (with a smaller hole). Or, maybe even a man made box.
It was a good morning for green frogs and turtles. Turtles were out early, even with the cloud cover. Many large Map turtles were seen basking. Still no signs of turtles nesting. Not even tracks in the sand.
Ferns are growing well or else I’m shorter than I used to be. I took a “shortcut” out at the far end of the island and ended up walking through ferns already over six feet in height. I guess all the rain is just what they needed.
The river level is way up and lots of activity on the water. Carp were thrashing about everywhere. One interesting sight was an animal swimming across the Turtle Pond from about where the first duck box is to in front of the house on the north side. Too large for a mink and it didn’t swim like a muskrat. Looked something like a beaver with light colored hair in the face and head area. What could it be? Well, after a couple minutes of waiting it crawled out of the water in front of me and it was a half-grown groundhog. Being tired with no where to go it was easy to photograph. I have seen then quite far up in trees but that is the first time I have seen one take to the water, for no apparent reason (flooding maybe).
Someone buried a dead dog along the Muskrat Trail (some kids pet). I thought that was what backyards were for (?). Anyway, maybe next spring there will be some new dogwood trees sprouting up in that area.
25 May 2003 (Bill Bower)
A very busy morning indeed. If your were a bird, that is. Lots of activity in the trees with many birds building nests (Orioles, Warbling Vireos, Robins, Chickadees, and Woodpeckers). Others were right into the courtship routine and these included the Mallards, American Redstarts and the Black Terns. There is one Oriole nest on the path just past the house and the tree that was cut across the path. It is in a maple about 20 feet up over the water. I’m sure the Black Terns nest in the area. The male was carrying small fish to the female. My best sighting was a Blackpoll Warbler. This warbler is often mistaken for the Black and White Warbler.
Wood Ducks are busy and the female in the natural cavity by the office is doing nicely. She was on the nest this morning. There was a nice picture at another nesting box over by the back channel. The male Wood Duck was sitting on a limb just above the box and the female was resting at the entrance to the box. Too far away for a photo.
Turtles were basking after the sun put in an appearance. Both Painted and Map turtles were observed. I was the first one back this morning and there was no sign at all of nesting turtles. I checked all the usual spots and nothing. There are still some old egg shells around from last spring but nothing new, not even a track. Maybe it will be like 2002 when all the egg laying took place over just a few days.
15 May 2003 (Jim Robertson)
I decided to leave my camera at home this morning when I went to Petrie. One always tends to see more furry creatures etc. when you leave the camera behind. Well it worked, sort of, no otters, one ground hog, one rabbit, one chipmunk, a couple of beavers and muskrats, but one unusual animal – a short haired, friendly, great dane being taken for walk by its mistress. Wish all dogs were as well behaved and controlled as this one was !
The trees are getting greener, but the cool weather has been holding the leaves back. The grasses are up 10-12 inches, the ferns have grown some 12-18″, although there are some still emerging. I could not find any jack-in-the-pulpits in their usual haunts.
There were a few geese skeins, along with red wing blackbirds, two baltimore orioles, 8-10 gold finches in a “flock”, flickers, hairy woodpecker, blue jay, a few ducks, but no herons.
There are several beaver trails that are being heavily travelled at night, and many signs of turtles making forays onto shore, but no signs of egg laying yet as it is early.
10 May 2003 (Bill Bower)
A quick tour of the islands provided some interesting observations.
Counted over 40 turtles, including a very large Snapping Turtle and 10 large female Map Turtles basking.
Lots of dead sunfish and a few pike in the ponds. Probably an insufficient oxygen problem. I know the tadpoles had a bad winter while other species seem to survive with no problem. Turtles for example.
Birds of interest included a Warbling Vireo and another Osprey carrying a fairly large fish (a pike I think). Oriole was heard but not seen.
A couple young fishermen landed a huge bass (accidently) while crappie fishing, but released it unharmed. Good to see.
A big surprise came when I met Al and he mentioned that a duck had been seen flying from the natural tree cavity near the office. A closer inspection revealed 3 cold Wood Duck eggs. She will probably lay 12 to 14 eggs before incubation begins. The interesting observation came when I opened the Wood Duck box just above it in the tree and looked in at a female Wood Duck. This one was incubating an unknown number of eggs. Is one duck laying all the eggs or is a second female Wood Duck laying eggs in the lower apartment? I guess we will find out over the next few days. In 2001 the natural cavity was used. In 2002 it was the artificial nesting box that was chosen. Now what? {Please note: the ducks need quiet time, so please leave sufficient distance between you and their nesting area… and please don’t go looking for the eggs … that’s a real problem for Mom…}
A raccoon was seen sleeping high in a tree just west of the office.
Hope the weather cooperates on Sunday, the 11th. (Mother’s Day, and of course, Duck Day)
5 May 2003 (Jim Robertson)
There were three early morning fishermen dipping their lines this morning, and 3-4 cars along the roadways and parking areas.
A good number of birds were around: robins, chickadees, flickers, swallows, goldfinch, woodpeckers etc. About 10 yellow throated warblers were flitting about in the underbrush. A number of geese skeins were flying about looking lost. No herons were to be seen anywhere
The graffiti artists and paintballers have been visiting Petrie too.
The weeping willow trees from a distance have a lime-green colour with their buds swelling. The buds on all the trees are coming along, the pussy willows look very nice backlit in their pollen stage.
There are some small ferns starting to show their fiddle heads on the trail from the river to the road about 50 yards west of the interpretative cottage. No fiddle heads have started to show yet on the Beaver Trail, but they will be along soon.
The turtles are using their usual crossing at the end of Muskrat Bay, and the beaver have been waddling along their trails. I found a second tree that had been brought down by beavers this spring. Sure makes a change from the last two years when a significant number of trees were brought down in the spring.
On the way back to the Queensway just before the North Service Road, there was a raccoon sleeping in the crotch of a willow tree and a long tailed weasel running about in the underbrush and dead grasses below the raccoon.
Gwen sent me a picture of the bird she took this AM. This is the one I identified as a yellow throated warbler.
Looking at her picture I checked my ID and it ain’t what I said. It is a Myrtle Warbler according to my book. Let everyone know I quit as a bird identifier !
27 April 2003 (David Villeneuve)
For the first time in about 16 years, I visited the east end of the island. I stopped at the bait and tackle shop to check on my boat that winters there. Funny how boats smell of summer. There are rows of ice huts parked for the summer, that look like a suburban subdivision. Many are wired for electricity and other comforts. The water level has come up almost a foot since last week.
The peninsula east of the bait shop splits into three spits of land. The northern one, bounding the water that flows under the causeway, is the longest. The spits are separated by marshland that is home to several pairs of mallards. There is a large muskrat lodge, and I spotted a large head in the water nearby.
The east end of Petrie Island is similar to the Forbidden West End. It is mostly tall grass with fallen trees hidden underfoot. It will be almost impassable in summer when the grass grows tall. There was no evidence of recent beaver damage. At the very eastern tip, there was a big dead fish, submerged and half eaten; it was about 2 feet long and looked decidedly unappetizing.
26 April 2003 (Bill Bower)
Not a whole lot of activity at Petrie this morning. Human activity that is. One cold looking fisherman was there trying his luck with a cane pole. He probably should have stayed in his warm bed.
However, the birds were out and about. Duck sightings included Green Winged Teal, Common Merganser, Wood Duck, Mallard and Bufflehead. Several male Bufflehead were really displaying in the wetlands west of the bait shop. I pair of Pied-Billed Grebes were diving on the main river side. Several Tree Swallows were around cleaning up on the mosquitoes. At least I didn’t see any, but maybe that had more to do with the cold temperature and even colder wind. The Pileated Woodpecker was around carving square Os in dead trees, and on the smaller bird side, I found one Brown Creeper measuring tree lengths from the bottom up. One fisherman that was successful was a large Osprey. I was quite close and watched it eat the entire fish (the good parts anyway) in just a few minutes. Then it headed east down river. At about the same time I disturbed a Great Horned Owl from its perch along the waters edge. I checked using my field glasses but couldn’t find any sign of a nest. Just squirrel nests high in the trees.
So, sometimes you can have a successful day, even when the fish aren’t biting. I quick stop at Tim’s on the way home got the blood circulating again.
19 April 2003 (David Villeneuve)
I couldn’t tell if it was April or November. Everything was grey and the water level was low. Even the waterfowl were not sure which way to go. The Canada geese marshaled on the north side of the Ottawa River and then headed south in groups of hundreds. Can anyone explain this?
There were a pair of mallard ducks on Muskrat Bay, and a pair of (I think) wood ducks on Turtle Pond. A beaver tried to shock and awe me with tail slaps on Muskrat Bay near the beaver lodge. I could hear a lone woodpecker, crows, and blackbirds. The red winged blackbirds are more numerous on the main shoreline near the end of Champlain, where the marshland suits them better.
The trail was high and dry, with only a few lingering patches of snow. Only the LeFort Canal prevented me from continuing along the trail.
Long Beach is quite passable. The winter has deposited a line of new sand along the waterline, that acts like a little dam.
The beavers have devastated many trees along the trail. In some places, particularly where the trail is on a narrow piece of land, the stumps outnumber the living trees. If we cannot stop the beavers, then we should consider reforesting these areas.
15 April 2003 (Jim Robertson)
Touch wood, no signs of a flood this year. The water is at midsummer level. Maybe the water is being withheld to fill the reservoirs to the north-west. It is strange to walk by tree crotches that are full of grasses from last year’s floods and realize the water is some 4-5 feet lower than this time last year.
The inland water bodies are still covered with ice, albeit rotten ice, including the south channel. The trails are generally free of snow, but look out for slippery mud in places and the odd spot of deep snow still.
Other than birds and squirrels the only other animal I spotted this morning was a beaver sticking its snout in the fresh air by the “old” lodge on the Beaver Trail. There are no signs of beaver activity in the way there was the past two springs. Although there is one freshly brought down, and chewed tree, on the Muskrat trail.
A very animated killdeer was by the parking lot, perhaps she has already laid her eggs. There were many ducks about, but perhaps not as many as I remember from past years. The usual mergansers, mallards and one or two wood ducks. There were also 12 buffleheads (3 females and 9 males) on the river.
The pussy willows are out, but there seem to be fewer than in prior years. I wonder how that would happen….
There were many, many skeins of geese flying overhead. One particular skein was a display of interesting group dynamics. A large flock rose noisily from the marshes on the north side of the river and started flying due west. Three geese broke off and started to fly south. A few more geese followed the three, and then more altered course to the south flapping their wings furiously to catch up with the leaders. But about a third continued to head west. As the lead three passed the south shore over my head, one goose broke off and flew back across the river to intercept the renegade group. The west heading group obviously saw the errors of the ways and turned south to join the rest of the flock.
27 March 2003 (Jim Robertson)
If anyone needs any convincing that spring is finally here, head on down to Petrie.
The first hint is the potholes in Trim Road as it gets closer to the Islands. To experience the second hint, roll your windows down, turn off the radio and listen to all the spring birds. The last hint, or symptom, of spring is the sound of the cracking ice in the inland waters.
There are lots of red-wing blackbirds, robins flocking together in groups of 10-12, nuthatches, woodpeckers etc. It was a humourous to watch a robin skittling across the snow stop to cock its head to listen for worms. Two downy woodpeckers seemed unconcerned with my presence and allowed me to get to within 3 feet of them. But a hairy woodpecker seemed to be watching out for them, flew over from the other side of Turtle Pond and scared them away from me. While crows have been around all winter, there are many more busy “cawing”. There are a few mergansers in the open water around the large culverts.
There were a few chipmunks scurrying around the western end of the Beaver Trail
The cracking sound of the ice increases as the sun’s rays reach the ice and warm things up a little. The cracking is so loud and frequent that you keep looking for the large animal that is stomping through the ice.
The water level is certainly up from summer levels, but the trail has not been flooded yet. The levels are still 0.9 metres below last year’s three floodings and one metre above its low point last summer. The water level has gone down about 4-6″ leaving suspended sheets of ice clinging to trees and weeds. The lowest spot on the trail is just barely above the water level.
The beaver attack on the trees last fall is very much in evidence as the snow melts leaving the spiked trunks sticking up amongst the winter flattened grasses.
There are still two ice huts still out on the ice at the bend in the road approaching the sand operations. I am not sure the owners will get them in off the ice if they don’t move quickly.
I mis-spoke myself in the last report. I referred to the plentiful beech seeds. There are not from beech trees, but are from basswood trees.
25 February 2003 (Jim Robertson)
From very cold to relative warmth to 10-12″ of snow in 6 days. What a country we live in !
With all the fresh snow last Sunday, today was a good chance to see what activity animal/human had been going on at Petrie before the tracks are all trampled into one.
As I came down the hill from the Queensway, I noticed that someone had ploughed a road out to some of the fishing huts in the east bay. Each shack had its own ploughed driveway to its front door. Talk about the lap of luxury for some !!! The Crappie Bay and main channel huts only had deep wheel ruts going out to them.
I was wondering if anyone had been down before me to “break trail” for my skis. Thanks goodness three people had. It looked like Paul Lefort had done his usual “skate about” on cross country skis throughout a good part of the east and central parts of the Island. A set of snow shoe tracks ventured part way down Turtle Pond, but turned back. Perhaps the wearer of them found the snow too deep. Another set of snow shoes and accompanying dog tracks appeared around the end of Muskrat Bay.
I headed off into some areas where no one had been to see if I could find some animal trails. While the snow was deep it had a solid, wind blown top so it was not too bad going. The animal and/or track spotting was a failure though. As before, there were a few rabbit and squirrel tracks. One set of fox or coyote tracks were halfway down the Island. But nothing else.
There are seed pods from basswood and ash trees all over the snow. There was a bumper crop of seeds for some reason last fall on many trees, but the basswood and ash are particularly burdened. The basswood seeds look like they are sprouting out of a narrow leave, in reality it is their opened pod. They will do a maple seed imitation when falling from a tree in that they spiral down like a helicopter.
There were perhaps 2-3 chickadees at the east end, but no other birds were around. I wonder if the sharp-shinned hawk has scared them off ?
There are still some high bush cranberries left on branches waiting for hungry birds.
While the snow is deep – 3 to 4 foot drifts in spots – there is some water under the snow on top of the ice that can grab the bottom of your skis if you stop in some areas. There is also a narrow 20 foot long fissure in the ice at the west end of Turtle Pond.
20 February 2003 (Jim Robertson)
The second cold snap has gone on its way so I came out of hibernation again to check things out the Islands. (and I tell my kids how I stood a bus stop in -40° weather in Edmonton – oh how we change as we age !!!!)
The sun was just coming up, so the yellow rays raked across ground highlighting the wind-patterned snow . There were a few early morning ice fishers at their drive-to ice huts.
There were a few more birds around; a few crows, chickadees and woodpeckers including the pileated. No four legged animals greeted me, but there were lots of squirrel tracks about as well as lots of rabbit tracks across Turtle Pond. The many dog tracks made it difficult to tell if the fox and/or coyotes have been out prowling.
I noticed what might be a baltimore oriole’s nest at the junction of Muskrat Bay, South Channel and Crappie Bay. It is not hanging down as much as the one that was along the main trail two years ago, so I might be wrong.
The large hole along Beaver trail that connects to Muskrat Bay has been well used. Judging by the size of the opening I would think that otters have been using it, and maybe a beaver or two doing a ground hog imitation from Feb 2nd.
There were a few ski tracks as well as snow shoe trails, plus lots of boot tracks along the trails showing that the human visitors continue to come.
30 January 2003 (Jim Robertson)
The cold snap has dissipated so I thought I came out of hibernation and check things out the Islands.
I went in the afternoon, which meant the sun was in an odd position for this morning person !
Not only was the visitation rate up this summer, but it sure seems to be increasing this winter as well. The last few years there was a cross-country ski trail down the path and next to it a snowshoe trail. This year the ski and snow shoe trails are obliterated by boot prints. It is apparent there has been quite heavy traffic on the trails to the end of Muskrat Bay, both foot and snowshoe traffic. The frozen pond and bay surfaces are also well marked by human traffic, and snowmobile trails. While some snowmobiles have been up on the islands, it does not seem to be as bad as previous years despite the increased numbers of ice-fishers.
I skied down to the western tip of the Island and thought I had the place to myself except for 4 chickadees, two squirrels and the pileated woodpecker. But at the very end, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. There was a person sitting quite comfortably on a log, with her back soaking up the warm sun, quietly reading a book. She had walked over the ice from the Billberry area around the bottom of Tenth Line for a nice quiet read. I apologized for disturbing her.
On the way back I followed the south channel. Once you get to the eastern end of Muskrat Bay, it is a little unnerving to have cars and trucks driving by you on the ice to their fishing holes !
21 January 2003 (Marc Latrémouille)
I will be monitoring Petrie Island for the next 2 yrs as a volunteer for the Breeding Bird Atlas (see link).
My role is to identify birds that are/will be breeding in that area. Great Horned Owls are usually the first ones to start nesting (mid Feb-March) and based on info found on your site, they have been seen in previous yrs.
I was wondering if the Petrie friends would mind sending me an e-mail if you happen to notice any signs of breeding owls in that area (I have been and will be continuing to monitor for owls ’till March or so…). Any help would be appreciated.
A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to view and picture a sharp-shinned hawk (west of North Service rd).
19 January 2003 (David Villeneuve)
In the name of the King of Spain, I claim these Islas Petries. I, along with my trusty companion Tiberius, have circumnavigated the islands. Maybe not all of Petrie, but a lot….
I walked the length of Muskrat Bay. It is quite pretty in the winter, usually only accessible by canoe. It was disconcerting to come around the corner and see vehicles and huts on the ice at Crappie Bay. Another fishing operation was in the South Passage, opposite Taylor Falls Bay (see map).
We then followed the north shore westward. There appears to be open water in the middle of the Ottawa River, but it looks solid near the shore.
18 January 2003 (Bill Bower) Duck Boxes
Results of the Ottawa Duck Club’s wood duck box program can be seen here in full detail.
- Approximately 125 Wood Duck eggs laid and 117 eggs hatched. Having ten out of twelve boxes used successfully by Wood Ducks is almost unheard of . This makes last year (spring of 2002) the most successful year the Ottawa Duck Club has ever had at Petrie Island.
- Since we started our project at Petrie Island back in 1986/87 we have had 757 Wood Duck eggs laid in our boxes and of those 624 have hatched (15 nesting seasons).
- A total of 12 nesting boxes are available for spring 2003 and about half of those can be seen from the nature trails.
W e had a very successful year at Petrie Island. Ten out of 12 (possible) successful nests is exceptional and a result that will be hard to duplicate. No predation in 2002, not even by human “predators”. What happened to the squirrels? Didn’t find a single nest. We did find the head of a duck and the body of a Yellow Shafted Flicker in Box #7, but those murders took place after there was a successful Wood Duck hatch. We found the remains of a Wood Duck in this box two years ago. Not sure who the killer is, but it could be a mink.
Gwen and Jim risked freezing lens and limb to take some photos of the nest cleaning and recording activities.
11 January 2003 (David Villeneuve)
You know it is safe to go out on the ice when you see tire tracks. I visited to western tip of the island on skis, approaching from the shore. There is a single large ice hut off the west end of the island, complete with chimney and other amenities.
The group of trees near the tip of Petrie Island has been blown over. There is a huge, flat root system that is now standing vertically like a wall, measuring 7 m long and 3 m high. The beavers, who are not to blame, have been chewing on the branches. But the beavers are to blame for having chewed around almost all of the remaining trees within 100 m of the tip of the island. Soon this part will just be grassland.
8 January 2003 (Jim Robertson)
We had about 3 inches of light fresh snow overnight so I though I would go check out what animal activity there had been. Well….. I guess the animals decided to stay inside their abodes and avoid the snow. There was only one track, that of a fox possibly. It obviously had been on the prowl during the night as some of the tracks were more full of snow that others. The tracks came as far east as the west end of Turtle Pond, but extend west a long way. There was a lot of cross overs at the end of Muskrat Bay, checking out the base of trees etc.
I heard a couple of chickadees by the parking lot and one woodpecker past Muskrat Bay, but that was it.
The river is slowly freezing over again, but there are still open areas in the main channel and around the culverts.
There are lots of fishing huts out in three areas. The ones in the main channel by the bend in the road are almost “drive-through huts”. People drive their cars out onto the ice and park outside the hut.
There is enough snow now to cross-country ski comfortably without damaging the bottom of the skis.
28 December 2003 (David Villeneuve)
It was a good day to wear my Lee Valley “Icers”, studded soles that clip on to your boots. Most of the island has been flooded by the inexplicably high water levels, and is now ice-covered. The water level has receded about 18 inches, but the ice remains. The lack of snow has left the ice clear.
The city had erected a road-closure barricade south of the causeway, which was promptly pushed aside. There were about 10 cars parked further along. There were two ice fishermen on Cumberland Bay, and two on Crappie Bay near the south channel.
All of the construction equipment has been removed from the beach area for the winter. The new headlands provide a good measure of the water level. The biggest headland, in the middle of the north beach, has about one and a half rocks showing, whereas at the end of November only one rock was showing.
As I approached the picnic area, I could hear loud banging sounds. I was prepared to dial 911 to report a break-in of the cottage in progress. It turned out to be two young men on ice skates, playing hockey in the picnic area. They were shooting the puck at the picnic shelter. They then skated over to the east end of the pond, and back to their cars. The ice conditions are as good as any rink that Al ever made.
The path just west of the house was flooded with water flowing from the pond back to the river. I guess this is an indication that the river level is receding. I was unable to pass because the water was 6 inches deep.
The Fisherman’s Trail and all the trees east of there were ice covered. There were ominous cracking sounds as I walked because the ice was being held up by the trees, but I knew there was solid land underneath. I saw the footprints of a small deer. The ice made highways through the trees, so you could walk anywhere you wished. In the summer, of course, it is much too thick to do so.
14 December 2003 (Jim Robertson)
I had noticed that the Ottawa River water levels had lowered last weekend, so I thought I would do a reconnoiter of the Petrie trails this morning.
Guess again ! The water levels are on their way back up. Presumably from the rain Thursday ? The water was rising this morning as there was unfrozen water seeping out from under the existing ice. The water was starting to work its way onto the roadway. I marked a line 6 inches from the water line in the parking lot and came back 15 minutes later to find the water past the mark.
The parking lot was surrounded by water and ice on three sides with the lowest area ponding. Much of the picnic ground is flooded.
The earth/sand construction work has been progressing very well. It does look much more open, and a little barren, with the berm separating the FOPI area and the sand operations having been removed.
13 December 2003 (David Villeneuve)
We visited the beach area and were surprised by the noise coming from the Ottawa River. Large shards of broken ice were floating down stream, and were rubbing against the ice that had formed along the shore. It was an Arctic scene.
The ice fishermen have arrived. A family walked out onto the ice in Baie des Sables / Cumberland Bay, and started augering holes. I had my cell phone out ready to dial 911. It looked like the ice was about 6 inches thick. That’s pretty thick, but the water is pretty deep…. There was a larger group with a tent on Crappie Bay. It won’t be long before the pickup trucks are on the ice. Then I will trust it enough to walk on the ice.
6 December 2003 (David Villeneuve)
The water has receded by about a foot, so the cottage is accessible once more. I saw six geese on the river. Are the ones that stay over the winter unable to fly south, or are they just lazy?
30 November 2003 (David Villeneuve)
The water is higher than I have ever seen in November. It looks more like spring time. Water is flowing across the road just before the beach area. The cottage is entirely surrounded by water, and even the parking lot is partially submerged. The residents have to park their vehicles near the FOPI parking lot, and presumably have to use hip waders to get to their house.
At the beach, the point is submerged. A barge with a tall crane is moored there. The newly constructed headland in the middle of the beach is causing the waves to curve around towards the shore, and the waves look as big as those at a wave pool.
27 November 2003 (Doug Drouillard)
Construction on the Petrie Island beach (see map) started the first of October. The first work involved clearing the land and installing a series of rock headlands into the river to control erosion along the Ottawa river shoreline and including a rock wall buried in the sand in the existing picnic area.
There are 3 separate beaches. In the picnic area, rock was removed and replaced with sand to expand the beach; the middle beach (2) already existed and was raised to bring it above most flood conditions. On beach 3, the largest beach, the existing sand fill has to be removed to provide adequate water levels for swimming.
Portions of the park are being raised. Next years construction will be wash and change rooms and septic system with holding tank which must be above the 100 year flood plain level. Work this fall will cease shortly and continue next May and June, when the parking lots, landscaping, seeding and tree planting will be completed along with construction of pedestrian and bicycle paths. Friends of Petrie Island have been involved in the ongoing site meetings. The date at which the park will open to the public depends largely on how flooding will affect construction next year.
One small pond that will become part of the parking adjacent to the proposed canoe launch was slated to be filled in this past week: this would have buried any frogs and turtles already hibernating at the bottom. The Amphibian Conservation Club (ACC) a concerned group of home schoolers and other conservationists attempted unsuccessfully to rescue them on the weekend. However due to their efforts there is a possibility this pond may be left till the spring.
21 November 2003 (Guy Felio)
A few points of clarification and comments are in order:
- I talked to Chris Brouwer this AM and he mentioned both of you were coming Saturday morning. If that is NOT the case (as M. Rankin replied) then the mis-communication comes from M. Rankin’s discussion with him.
- Note that last Friday afternoon, there were observations of amphibian activities under the thin ice present at the time. A number of people witnessed that activity, including Michelle St-Cyr who was present at the site. Those observations indicate that frogs (and possibly turtles) use the pond as a hibernating habitat.
- No signs of frogs or turtles were observed on Sunday’s attempt: the activities carried out focused on removing the ice, the water was quickly muddied by these activities and more that half the pond was left un-explored. No scientific conclusion can therefore be drawn about the presence or absence of frogs or turtles in the pond based on Sunday’s activities.
- Suggesting that tadpoles would migrate through “leaks” between the pond and the river would require substantial interstitial pores in the underlying soils which would have resulted in a much slower drawdown of the water in the pond during pumping and a much quicker refilling of the pond – none occurred.
- I am not familiar with your studies over the past 10 years on the criteria frogs use to determine which places to hibernate. However, the ACC members, supported by their parents, articles from learned societies and Environment Canada’s FrogWatch have been able over a short one year period to learn and appreciate the value of the frogs at Petrie Island. Their work and interest in the subject, to be commended, has among other confirmed this simple but valuable conclusion (which stems from common sense and not scientific observations): if you want to preserve the aquatic fauna of a habitat that is scheduled to be filled, do the filling before the hibernation cycle begins. This I am sure will also be one of your recommendations in the document you plan to prepare for the City.
Finally, as scientists, you are in a privileged position to influence young generations in terms of their attitude towards conservation and preservation. It is therefore a scientific duty to encourage the ACC members in their endeavour, and help them extract lessons from their success or failure. If you feel the work to be done by these volunteer families is not worth it, then you do no have to participate.
Guy Felio, Ph.D.
21 November 2003 (Frederick W. Schueler)
Mike [Rankin] phoned me in Syracuse a few times this morning, and we talked about the best thing to do about the pond. As most of you probably don’t know, one of the things I’ve been studying over the past decade is the criteria frogs use to determine which places to hibernate in, and how late in the year they continue to move between sites. Those of you who are on the NatureList will have seen my rumenations about late movements (those after -10C) at my study site at Limerick this year. Frogs continued to move on the nights of 19 & 20 November and Aleta and Corey Wood scooped up the roadkilled samples, though I haven’t seen the specimens yet.
The relevance of this to the pond at Petrie is that it’s unlikely that frogs (or Turtles – who are just as smart as frogs) are hibernating there. The fact that no frogs were seen last Sunday suggests that the frogs who use the site in the summer had left it for the winter, and the fact that no tadpoles were seen suggests that the frogs ‘know’ (though I won’t suggest through which sensory modality this knowledge comes) that this isn’t a suitable site for tadpoles who will have to overwinter (or tadpoles may have left for the River via the leaks that admitted the water that refilled the pond during the pumping on Sunday).
Around here, in northern Genville County, the frogs might take a chance on such a pond (though they were still coming out of the mucky swamps at my Limerick site as of last night) but with the well-oxygenated Ottawa River nearby, I seriously doubt whether any right-minded frog would hibernate in a shallow mucky pond. In and north of Kemptville, preliminary results suggest that they don’t seem to use chancey hibernacula within 2km of the Rideau River. I think the (very considerable) value of last Sunday’s dipnetting was largely to demonstrate that the pond was sparsely, if at all, inhabited by frogs or turtles at this season.
I will try to get to Petrie Island tomorrow to see the site, and to see what Unionid shells are on the shores this year. Mike has also suggested that he and I write a document to guide the City in operations that involve the filling of wetlands and other waterbodies that may contain hibernating herps.
…more later, it’s now time to leave for Mudpuppy Night in Oxford Mills.
Bishops Mills Natural History Centre, Frederick W. Schueler, Aleta Karstad, Jennifer Helene Schueler RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0 on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52’N 75* 42’W (613)258-3107 http://pinicola.ca
21 November 2003 (Roxanne Brousseau-Felio)
As a fellow educator, I am appealing to you to pass on this message to educators and students, neighbours & friends. Please read and pass it on.
The latest as of 2 minutes ago. Guy Félio, spoke w/ Chris Brower, City Planner. This is what the city has proposed:
Delays estimated at $25,000 by contractors. Therefore, in light of the mild weather temperatures, the ice that has melted in the habitat, the city is providing 2 pumps as of 7am.
By 9 am, the habitat should become more accessible.
Two prominent research scientists, Michael Rankin, (retired Herpetologist from Museum of Nature) and Frederick W. Schueler, Ph.D., (currently Research Curator of the Bishop Mills Natural History Centre, specialty Amphibians), will be on site and together will provide a net that will remove the life of the habitat which we will translocate. The city estimates habitat will be drained completely of water by around 11 am.
The city requested ACC to contact the network of people who were involved to date and pass on the word, If you can, contact as many people as you can, to pass on the word as well. All ages welcome. Let’s give it all we’ve got. It’s not the ideal situation, but they will absolutely fill it up w/ sand this coming week.
We’ll be there for 9am. Bring your boots, rubber gloves, towels, buckets,including your cameras for this very special undertaking and last but not least, your good will.
Email me for further info.
On behalf of Gabrielle & ACC,
Roxanne Brousseau-Felio
http://www3.sympatico.ca/roxanne.felio
19 November 2003 (Al Tweddle)
To Gabrielle and Roxanne Felio re: filling of Frog/Turtle habitat at Petrie Island, in answer to your question about eco sensitivity of Petrie Island:
The Interpretive Trails Master Plan of Petrie Islands done by the City of Cumberland in October 2000, which included public meetings and participation by FOPI divided the islands into 3 zones: an environmentally sensitive zone (west end) where no trails would be constructed and there would be no human activity, a transition zone where the environment would be preserved but nature trails and human access would be allowed and a human activity zone (the sand extraction area, future beach and park area).
The small pond to be filled was reviewed by Dan Brunton1 and is included as area 3. The report states “the site was occupied by large numbers of Leopard and green frogs and several painted turtles in late August 2002.” Two conclusions of the report are: “natural environment implications of the proposed park development are minor, despite the proximity (upstream) of Provincially and Regionally significant ecological features and values” and “successful mitigation of negative impacts of the proposed park development is readily achievable through avoidance of physical impact on some areas (minor concern), natural site restoration of other areas and the enhancement of existing natural habitat conditions (particular wetland elements”
The report does not recommend any procedures for removing the amphibians and your group is to be commended for your efforts in this regard. Originally the construction was slated to start in August of this year, but delays in terminating the sand operation delayed the start of construction and hence the filling of the pond was delayed to a time when it is almost impossible to safely remove frogs and turtles from the pond. FOPI supports a delay in filling the pond until the spring (subject to reasonable costs) and has raised this point during construction meetings.
FOPI efforts are presently being directed towards a review of the landscaping plans to ensure a natural as opposed to a manicured look for the park as well as incorporating habitat features for turtles and frogs as suggested by Dan Brunton in his report1 “The access road swale (the pond) could be extended into the proposed parking area to increase the area of marsh habitat for breeding amphibians and reptiles (frogs and turtles) while also providing effective stormwater management for parking area run-off. Allowing for natural recolonization by on-site plants such as Eastern Cottonwood and Silver Maples trees, possibly supplemented by plantings from salvaged on-site material, will also provide ecologically appropriate and logistically simplify site rehabilitation. If park design considerations preclude the maintenance or extension of the existing swale (an artificially created wetland habitat), its contribution of habitat for common wetland wildlife can be accommodated elsewhere. Development of several similar if smaller flooded swales in association with parking area development, for example, would fully compensate for any such losses while providing enhanced opportunities for nesting turtles.”
At present this does not appear to be included in the plans. One preference would be to delay filling of this pond and incorporate habitat features along with other features suggested by FOPI in the landscaping and drainage design of the park. Councillor Herb Kreling, Councillor elect Rob Jellett and ex Councillor Phil McNeilly have all supported a review to this portion of the plan before construction beings next spring.
1 Petrie Island Park Planning and Environmental Assessment Study, May 2003
18 November 2003 (Jim Robertson)
The marsh and Turtle Pond are frozen over still of course, but the water levels, with all the rain, continue to be high. You need to wear boots, or old shoes, to walk the main trail. If you want to venture on the new trail along the “western” beaches, wear hip-waders !!!
The beavers have been busy preparing for the winter with two good size poplar trees having been felled at the start of the main trail and many other small trees missing along the trail. But it is still not as much tree damage as last year.
There was a deer walking the trail last night. Looked like a good size specimen from the size of the hooves. (There were two deer standing at the edge of Queensway last night, causing the road to light up with brake lights, so I was wondering if I might see some signs of deer this morning.)
The small rabbit was not out this morning and very few birds were flitting about.
9 November 2003 (Jim Robertson)
It was the second cool morning in a row (-10°C) with the result that the marsh, Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay are all iced over. It is that many-patterned first fall ice which looks beautiful. The calmer parts of the main channel had light ice coats as well.
The north shoreline showed the effects of the strong winds over the past day or so. The shrubs are covered with long icicles and new sand has built up on parts of the beaches. The high water level, caused by all the rain we have had, has reduced the beaches parallel to the main trail to a very narrow, often negligible beach.
The large beaver lodge in Muskrat Bay is again an island with the high water levels. There seems to be just the one muskrat lodge, and I am not sure it is fully finished yet.
The small rabbit was about this morning, he is harder to see now that the grass and ferns match his brown coat. There were 2-3 black squirrels hunched over trying to stay warm as they basked in the early morning sun. There were a few black ducks in the main channel along with what looked some merganser pairs. (They were a long way off, but there were black and white ducks with similar markings to mergansers I don’t think they were buffleheads)
There were no other birds around, but a fellow walking his dog reported seeing a bald eagle over Turtle Pond about two weeks ago. There were 10 parked cars when I left at 9AM.
2 November 2003 (David Villeneuve)
With almost all the leaves down, visibility is much farther through the forest. Construction of the beach continues, with two headlands being constructed out of enormous rocks, plus several breakwaters. The western beach area has been graded to the water.
I followed a trail from the north-east side of the causeway, going due east along the narrow island. It is evident that this area is the domain of the fishermen. The water was full of dozens of styrofoam bait containers, plastic bottles, coffee cups, etc. This would be a good target for a spring cleanup.
20 October 2003 (Jim Robertson)
Another quiet morning. I missed the beautiful sunlit frost yesterday so I hoped today would start off the same. No luck. The sky clouded over about an hour before sunrise leaving a small band of clear sky at the horizon for the rising sun to shine through for a few moments. There were lots of frost rimmed leaves, but no sun to make them sparkle.
There were a good number of mallards in the marsh when I drove by the bait shop on the way in, they had moved elsewhere when I left two hours later. There were chickadees, downy woodpeckers, a kingfisher and the usual sparrows flitting about.
A rabbit, a red squirrel and a black squirrel were the only four legged creatures to be seen. The beavers have been at work but nothing like the clear cutting of past years. They have attempted to block human traffic on the trail just past the observation deck with a mid sized tree. The lodge on the south side of Muskrat Bay has its larder partially “laid in”, but they have been busy with improvements to the exterior. The lodge on the north side appears to be abandoned again.
Construction of one muskrat lodge has commenced in Turtle Pond.
The water levels are up, coupled with the wind/wave actions from last week have reduced the “western beaches” to narrow strips of sand.
22 September 2003 (Jim Robertson)
There was not much happening to the human eye at Petrie this morning. A very quiet time.
A few days ago there were 6-8 herons in the marsh at about 8am but there was only one to be seen this morning at the marsh, A few flew up along the main river channel shoreline. There was an emancipated looking heron feeding in the shallows on the main trail just west of the viewing stand. A kingfisher was looking for breakfast. I saw him (or a clone) over Turtle Pond and then on the wires by the bait shop as I headed home.
There was a lot of cross-trail traffic by beavers pulling branches overnight. Only in one spot was there any sign of where the beavers were getting the branches. One beaver was still out in Muskrat Bay. Something, likely a raccoon, had been making 2″ deep, 1″ round holes in the sand and along the trail in spots, not sure what specifically they were looking for.
One of the walnut trees is looking very sparse and has no nuts on it at all. The oaks have very few acorns as well. (Same as the oaks around my area at home.) After all the trees having had a bumper crop of seeds last year, they seem to be taking a year off. But the grapes seem to be making up for it there are ripe grapes all over the place !
Yesterday afternoon there were many chipmunks around, but none were out of bed this morning, although there were two red squirrels chattering away. One quite small rabbit was out on the trail; you don’t see many that small at this time of year.
The flowers are slowly finishing, although there are still a few fresh turtleheads and “second crop” bladder campion and goats rue. The berries of deadly nightshade and high bush cranberries are very bright as are the jack-in-the-pulpit seeds. Some morning glories and bread ‘n’ butters are still blooming as well.
The jewel weed is virtually finished blooming so their other name “touch-me-nots” will be coming into play soon as their seed pods are formed. The pods, when at the right stage, will suddenly “pop” open at the slightest touch, scattering their seeds about.
There are a few interesting, and not so interesting, fungi and mushrooms.
11 September 2003 (Paul Le Fort)
A snapper nest hatched this week right on the main trail and many little guys made it to the river; the leopard frogs are migrating all over the place; a ten-inch snapper was led back to water from the main road by yours truly today, in the company of two German tourists; and the new platform is slowly turning green, to complement the salmon-shade accents.
8 September 2003 (Jim Robertson)
It was a beautiful still morning with not a cloud in the sky as the sun came up over the trees. It was cool enough that there was mist rising from the marsh area and from the river itself. If you looked hard, you could see your own breathe.
I was a little startled to see the silver guardrails over the big culvert. Nice of the City to install them. (Now if they would only come back and fill in the washouts that are developing on the edge of the culvert, we will still have a road to Petrie after the next big rain storm .)
The new viewing stand along the Main Trail is great. The framed view of the river is a nice touch. Thanks goes to the Wednesday morning work crew!
There are a number of small pockets of fall colour showing on the maples, fall is coming. The turtlehead flowers have finally showed themselves several in places I had not seen them before such as along the Turtle Trail. After three years of looking, I finally found one stem of bottle gentian. There are fall asters blooming along with some late evening primrose and common sunflowers. The highbush cranberry berries are turning a nice bright shade of red.
The dew drops on the large beech tree leaves caught the sun’s rays nicely, as did the jewel weed and spider webs. The very light breeze was just barely wafting the webs.
There were a few black (?) ducks around, some blue jays, flickers and chickadees. But the feature this morning was a very congenial blue heron.
When I arrived just before the sun came up, it was roosting on the large turtle log. I say roosting as it was hunched up and perhaps just waking up. It was aware that I was there, perhaps 30-40 feet away, but made no attempt to fly away. It slowly, over about 15 minutes, raised its neck a little and looked about. Then it “belly-flopped” off the log into the water, reacted as if it was shocked, and quickly climbed back up shaking off its feathers. Then it put its head back down on its chest.
When I came back an hour or so later it had moved one log further out, but still showed no inclination to depart. In fact it went into a slow exaggerated stretching routine; stretching one leg and opposite wing and then the others leg/wing. Next the neck was stretched out fully. Then back went it’s head on to its chest !!
There were two more active herons by the culvert as I drove home.
19 August 2003 (Jim Robertson)
The cool night brought out the mist along the Queensway and over the inland waterways at Petrie. Plus lots of dew on the vegetation. That provided plenty of good photo ops with the rising sun backlighting many subjects. But it also made for very wet slacks walking along trails that have become partially overgrown with the warm wet days of a few weeks ago.
The rabbit population is making a comeback. It is not back to the levels it was at two years ago, thank goodness, but there are many rabbits around some of which are not shy if you are quiet in approaching them. They will let you get to within 3-4 feet.
No herons were in view, but there were 5-10 ducks paddling around and resting on the turtle logs.
A raccoon had been through the parking lot leaving its sharp-toed tracks. Beaver and muskrats had also been crossing the trails in several places. But we also had a much larger visitor overnight. Very large deer tracks were much in evidence on the gravel road where the main trail starts. He/she was heading west.
The common sunflowers are blooming as are the fall asters. Some maple leaves are turning red. The rosehips are a bright red – they almost look like radishes! One large jack-in-the-pulpit was straining to keep itself above the neighbouring vegetation, its seeds are still green. There were no turtlehead flowers to be seen, I would have expected some to be blooming by now.
But what is blooming profusely now are groundnuts. I had only seen them before at the start of the turtle trail, but this year their vines are growing all over the vegetation just west of the small culvert along the main trail. Look for a bunch mauve coloured blossoms not unlike a sweet pea, but with peaked “hats” rather than rounded bonnets.
Photo by Gwen Williams
6 August 2003 (Jim Robertson)
It was a “wonderful” morning to stroll along the trails. A low, heavy, drizzly, overcast that 2-3 times dropped much heavier rain! There was a nice mist on the water though after the heavier rains.
There were a number of beavers out in Muskrat Bay, a few rabbits along the trail (including one lop-tailed one… You have heard of lop-earred rabbits – well this one had a tail off-centre).
The well-fed ground hog came out of the grass along side of the trail and made a mad dash back to its home (carefully avoiding the large puddles). A smaller ground hog charged out of the grass too, but decided he could not run fast enough and quickly became a “sky hog” by climbing a tree. Second time I have seen a ground hog in a tree!
There are a few signs of fall approaching as happens every year at this time. Some of the sumac have a few red leaves, there are some bright red virginia creeper leaves and a few silver maples have a very slight twinge of colour.
A tree blew(?) down across the trail towards just before the turtle nesting area. It was one that the beavers had chewed on during the last two years but never finished. There was some bark left on it as leaves were on the branches. There did not seem to be many mushrooms in evidence, but there were some fresh fungii on fallen logs or dead branches.
After “light” usage last year and this year until a few weeks ago, the fishermen are quickly destroying a five yard square area along the shoreline on the Beaver Trail, if they continue to use that area, it will be reduced to bare ground sooner than people think.
New blossoms include: evening primrose, virgin’s bower, white water lilies, arrowhead, bull thistles, golden rod, burdock and jewel weed. A cardinal flower has been transplanted into one of the wildflower gardens for all to see.
There were a few herons around, one flew up out of the reeds and rested on what is a somewhat common spot on an upright branch of a blown tree in Turtle Pond.
Photo by Gwen Williams
5 August 2003 (Christine Hanrahan)
I was down at Petrie in the afternoon. The trail was quiet, not a soul for the entire time I was on it, but the beach was a different story!! Cars coming constantly and people streaming over the beach area which I avoided.
A fair number of birds but few calling except for the family of house wrens in their usual spot near the end of the trail. Also a family of hairy woodpeckers. Other birds: black tern cruising the river, several great blue herons, chestnut-sided warbler, wood ducks, mallards, pewee, chickadees, several orioles, families of northern flickers, song sparrows, and a few others I can’t recall without my notebook in front of me. Saw one lone boneset plant along the trail, and very few butterflies: a few northern crescents and one least skipper.
25 July 2003 (Jim Robertson)
There was a nice light mist rising from the marsh this morning that caught the long low rays of the rising sun. Sure was nice to see the sun again ! Everything was still very wet, well maybe sodden, after that local east-end torrential downpour Wednesday evening and more rain last night. But it looks promising for the next few days.
There were not a lot of birds around today, one heron fishing in the reeds at the start of the main trail, a few flickers, robins, one chickadee etc. But there were two groups of black ducks. One of 5 and one of 6. Looked like ones from this year’s hatchings.
Two rabbits acted as greeters, no beavers bothered to put in an appearance. The raccoons had been out in several places overnight. About 6-10 turtles were basking by about 8:30am.
The buttonbush is starting to bloom, there are still a few wild roses budding, the milkweed are starting top form their pods, but not much else except a new crop of mushrooms in various locations seemed to be enjoying the dampness.
17 July 2003 (Jim Robertson)
Not much difference this week over last week at Petrie. Although there is now some blue verbain blooming. For other plants in bloom, see previous dispatches.
The sand operations are winding down quickly now – not much sand stockpiled, it is being sold off before the operations close out in the next few weeks. The bait shop has blocked off, on his property, the ad hoc vehicular accesses to the marsh that have developed since the spring. The large “off-road” vehicle that chewed up part of the brush several weeks ago, seems to have been back at it in the last few days. Would be nice if he were caught at it !
The long jawed orb weaver spiders have started to work on the seed tops of the tall grass. Some are bent into nice bows by spider webs that show up nicely when back-lit. A few beaver crossed the trail over night again. The “new” crossing into Turtle Pond was still damp, the usual crossing into Muskrat Bay at the end of the trail had not been used, but a beaver had taken a “side road” to accomplish the same thing – coming up from the main river channel, through the small pond, across the trail, and into Muskrat Bay. There was one adult beaver sitting up on the far shore of Turtle Pond for a few minutes. A few beavers were out for a swim in Muskrat Bay.
One lone heron was all that could be seen, he was in the tall reeds by the Turtle Pond culvert. A few rabbits were busily chewing down their breakfast. One was not very skittish and did not seem to mind humans coming within 4-5 feet.
The only unusual thing this morning was a “silver streak” that ran across an opening in the grass and disappeared into taller grass. Haven’t got a clue what it might have been, but it definitely was silver or grey.
Note added: The”large “off-road” vehicle that chewed up part of the brush” I mentioned in today’s Dispatch, as having returned is not quite accurate.
The vehicle that had been around the last few days was not the same one that was joy-riding in the bush a few weeks ago.
This time it was an “official” vehicle, it was a tracked bush machine used by the environmental consulting firm to set the vertical pipes used to test groundwater.
Sorry about that !
10 July 2003 (Jim Robertson)
I was heading to points further east this morning, but the car turned off the Queensway to Petrie. (force of habit ?)
The Islands had a sleep-over last night – a sailboat anchored off shore in the main channel and a canoeist on a trip east slept over on one of the sandy beach areas.
There were a few herons around, including a young one that was momentarily tangled up in the underbrush as I started down the Turtle Trail. A tern and a kingfisher were the only “not-often-seen” birds about. An extremely well fed groundhog was scrambling from bush to bush to avoid being seen. Three young rabbits were having breakfast in the grass west of the cottage. Three beavers were out for a morning swim in Turtle Pond, looked as though it might have been Mum and two kits. The beavers were active during the night crossing the trail in at least three places. Several beavers came from the main channel, through the small pond at the end of the trail and into the top of Muskrat Bay.
This seems to be a banner year for yellow loosestrife. It is very abundant, the last two years you were lucky if you saw a more than 10 plants. The only other “new” plant in blossom was pickerel weed.
4 July 2003 (Jim Robertson)
The weather forecast said no more rain until this afternoon…… Halfway down the trail it started coming down, the further west I walked, the more it came….
There were a few beavers out enjoying an early morning swim in the rain, a kingfisher was on the overhead wires watching the marsh by the bait shop, a few herons stalked the shallows for breakfast, but not much else was about. A rabbit poked its head out on the trail between showers. The mosquitoes enjoyed the morning though, especially once the repellent was washed off my arms and neck by the rain.
The stretch of trees at the start of the trail that were mowed down by the beaver last fall have sent up new shoots, the basswood leaves are immense. The tall grass along the Beaver Trail was bowed over with the rain and provided me with a thorough soaking/washing of my slacks. There was one painted turtle nest dug up with two eggs not eaten, but they were a orangey-red so maybe the scavenger knew something was not “right” with the eggs. Not sure how long ago they had been dug up as the rain had washed away all tracks and smoothed out the sand.
The next batch of flowers have started to put in an appearance: – purple loosestrife – yellow loosestrife – St John’s Wort – purple flowering raspberry – tall meadow rue – elderberry – tick trefoil – goats rue, both mauve and white (Lots of it this year) – sweet pea – dogbane – many more birdsfoot trefoil – daisies – morning glory/bindweed – white sweet clover – staghorn sumach – milkweed – deadly nightshade – buttonbush in bud – wild roses
The dogwood blooms have all turned to the start of the berry stage. I found a tiny crab spider on a rain soaked half opened wild rose bud. Between the rain drops hitting the flower, the spider moving during the 6 second exposures, I managed to squeeze off a half decent shot of it (and lots that were not decent enough to keep).
23 June 2003 (Jim Robertson)
There weren’t as many snappers on the prowl this morning as last week (see June 18 Dispatch) but there were still lots of signs that they are not finished laying eggs yet.
There was a mid-sized snapper crossing the road by the bait shop as I drove down the hill from the Queensway and a second slightly larger one was just starting to dig her nest as I was walking along the trail. At least she was off the trail, partially hidden in some grass. When I was walking back to the parking lot there was a young snapper laying her eggs , in exactly the same place as two turtles had laid their eggs last week. (One of the two nests from last week was destroyed, I am not sure about the second).
There were several other fresh nests that had not been dug up by the raccoons and weasels yet, but several more were well ravaged. One nest had so many eggs dug up and eaten I had to count them. There were 46 eggs! It must have been a case of two turtles laying eggs in the same spot one right after the other. I found one painted turtle nest that had been attacked. In one area of 2-3 destroyed nests, the raccoon tracks had obliterated the human foot prints from Sunday’s trail traffic.
I think a few redwing blackbirds are nesting again as I was severely scolded by a male/female pair at the start of the trail when I stopped to look at something or other. Only when I moved on did they relax. They were upset again when I walked past them on the way back to the car.
There were no herons around this morning, but I did spot 5 half grown ducklings sitting on one of the turtle logs halfway down the trail.
Given what must have been a record crowd at the Islands on Sunday, it was amazing how clean the place was this morning. With the odd exception, the only litter was worm containers (and coffee cups) left by people fishing.
Additions to the flowers in bloom list:
- nine bark – crown and cow vetches – dogbane – wild roses, in with bladder campion that made a colourful display
There seem to be some late blooming yellow iris around still. The grass is now 6-7 feet tall in places and giving off puffs of pollen as the stems are brushed by walking past them.
22 June 2003 (David Villeneuve)
You don’t have to go to Petrie Island to find snappers laying eggs this week. I was walking on the south side of road 174, under the power lines that are built on the former railway tracks, where Cardinal Creeks passes underneath. I found the mother of all snappers right on the “trail”. Cardinal Creek was at least 100 feet vertically down from there.
18 June 2003 (Jim Robertson)
It might be the middle of June and 18°C at 6 am, but if you were as bleary-eyed as I was this morning you might think that it was winter. The summer snow has arrived !!! The cottonwood poplar tree fluff covered seeds are covering the roadsides and the sheltered water surfaces.
This morning must have been “egg laying day” as there were several fresh nests, many destroyed by the raccoons and cleaned up by the gulls. There were still eight snappers on their nests laying eggs in various locations. Two of the turtles were almost totally covered in sand and I almost stepped on them before seeing them. Several turtles were laying their eggs within a foot of a nest that been made during the night and dug up within the past few hours, as the eggs still glistened inside. One of the turtles had tried digging nests in 13 locations within a 2 yard radius before finally finding a suitable spot.
While I was photographing one of the camouflaged turtles from a distance so as to get a “can you find the turtle ?“ shot, another snapper walked up from the water right into the picture. I thought only people walked into a camera’s field of view !!!
There were a few beavers around, one rabbit, and a couple of bull frogs croaking. One heron made its presence known, but there were lots of heron tracks along the shoreline. Including one double set of tracks; one in the water paralleled by a second set on the shoreline.
Additional flowers in bloom are: – Bird’s foot trefoil – blue flag – flowering rush – carrion plant with its subtle blooms – goat’s beard
It is too bad the people fishing don’t clean up after themselves, particularly their worm containers. They have also been destroying the vegetation along the shorelines in places.
The sand piles are sure disappearing quickly in the sand operation next door.
15 June 2003 (David Villeneuve)
We toured the sand operation. There is still no evidence that they are planning to extract sand from the bay. The barge has moved somewhat, but it appears that the floating pipes are being disassembled. The screening tower has been taken down, and they are using smaller portable ones. I don’t know where this leaves the city’s plans to raise the level of the entire sand area this summer in preparation for a beach.
We then checked out Muskrat Trail and Fishermen’s Trail. A number of solo or double fishermen were at various secluded spots. A pair is a rowboat was in the south channel. The usual number were fishing by the causeway. Spotted snakes and toads.
(Note added: Al Tweddle explains that in November 2002, environment officials shut down the sand dredging operation because of pollution concerns. How sucking up sand and water and letting the water drain back into the river is adding any pollution, I don’t understand. This causes problems for the beach, because they can’t use river sand to build up the level. They may truck in clay fill from construction sites in Orleans. Much cleaner that way.)
24 November 2004 (Bill Bower)
I think we have stretched the turtle viewing about as far as we can. My last sighting was on Monday November 22nd. That almost beats my record of seeing Painted turtles basking on the surface, which was November 24, 2001. Anyway it was a great spring, summer and fall for viewing.
I stopped along the North Service Road and walked down to the back bay from there. There were over one hundred ducks in the bay including Blacks, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers and Common Goldeneye. I also noted while in that area that there have been a number of deer spending the summer and fall there. I’ve never seen one. Lots of well used trails, beds and other less obvious sign. That’s between the walking path and the bay. A great spot up until now but they will have to find other accommodations for the winter. I don’t know where they will end up. That explains why we occasionally see deer tracks out on the islands. It’s just an early morning swim for them.
Next to the road I found an adult Northern Shrike hunting for mice, and there were two Red-Tailed Hawks flying over the fields to the south.
All in all not a bad day.
19 November 2004 (Bill Bower)
Not a bad day for the 19th of November. Mostly sunshine with a little cloud.
Saw about 50 ducks including 14 Scaup and one Black Duck. The rest were Mallards. Not many birds but I did see the Pileated Woodpecker and two American Tree Sparrows.
The painted turtles are still hanging in, or out, as the case may be. I found four of them this afternoon in the Turtle Pond. Three of them were content to just float on the surface with their head sticking out of the water. By 2 PM the temperature began to fall and that was the end of the sightings. When I went looking last Tuesday I found four painted turtles also, in the Turtle Pond.
While looking for turtles I discovered another fish species. Again, in the Turtle Pond. It was a gold fish and probably 8 to 10 inches long. You couldn’t miss the bright orange. I have no idea when it was released. If they are anything like the Red-Eared Sliders they could be surviving over the winter months. If it doesn’t make it, then more food for the turtles I guess.
One gentleman was out trying to get a picture of a beaver to show to his grand-daughter. I told him he was in the right place but a visit in the early evening would more likely produce results. Just listen for the gnawing.
15 November 2004 (Bill Bower)
After being away for a couple weeks I thought I would take a walk around the islands and see what’s new. There were white caps out on the river but much warmer and calmer on the south side.
A couple fishermen were out doing a little fishing before the water hardens. I didn’t see them catch anything though.
A number of ducks were around in the open water including about 20 Mallards, 3 Hooded Mergansers and 1 Common Merganser. Didn’t see any Great Blue heron but I imagin some are still around.
I watched two small raccoons high up in a basswood tree eating the seeds. I guess they took a lesson from watching the robins earlier in the fall.
I was really interested in seeing if I could find any painted turtles and sure enough there was one out basking in the turtle pond close to the parking lot. It was close to shore where it was protected and where the pond hadn’t frozen yet. I took a couple pictures and Al came over and got a couple also. Too bad you couldn’t walk out on the clear ice and look through to see the activity below. The Turtle Pond is completely full of small minnows from this spring just waiting for high water so they can get back out into the main river to grow. The turtles would still be active also below the ice.
The only down side was seeing more trees disappearing. The eleven beaver that were removed last fall weren’t enough. They were replaced by even more hungry beaver.
More sunshine in the forecast.
21 October 2004 (Christine Hanrahan)
Now that is a good sighting!! And a sign of winter too. I wonder if it will stay around? It is worth going down to look for …..
21 October 2004 (Bill Bower)
Sometimes it pays to go down in the late afternoon. I took a drive down about 3:30 p.m. and walked the main trail plus the Basswood Trail. There were seven species of birds in the marsh across from the bait shop. The various ducks, yellowlegs, snipe and great blue heron seem to be there each day. While walking the Basswood Trail I had a bird fly up in front of me and land in an open area where I could observe it. It turned out to be an immature Northern Shrike. It was easy to see the hooked bill, the brown on the back, the black wings and the white patches on the tail feathers. The throat and breast were light brown and faintly striped also. The only birds around the bush it flew from were a couple of swamp sparrows. So if anyone finds a mouse or small bird hanging on a bush around the island you will know the culprit. A pleasant surprise indeed.
One raccoon put in an appearance before I left.
18 October 2004 (Bill Bower)
I guess you could include in there the temperature, the water level and some of our trees. The water level was up for a few days but then dropped since Saturday.
I was down this morning (Monday) for a look around and found lots of birds, 24 species in total. I never went down the western trail, just the Basswood Trail, the bicycle path and west of the bait shop. At the bait shop there were over 70 ducks. At first I only saw a fraction of that but then the ducks flew in from everywhere and landed in the deepest water. That’s a sure sign that a hawk has arrived. This morning it was a Northern Harrier that was patroling the marsh. All the ducks in the shallow water or resting on shore immediately fly to deeper water. If the hawk attacks they can then dive to escape. Even the dabblers like the Mallards, Green-Winged Teal, Blacks and Wood Ducks can dive to save their feathers. Where I had counted 7 Green-Winged Teal in one group, there were now 18 of them. As soon as the hawk left it was back to feeding, preening, resting and even some courtship displays.
There are other birds in the marsh as well. Usually the Great Blue Heron but lately a couple of Yellowlegs have been hanging around. If you take time to look around closely you will also find a number of Common Snipe. This bird really blends in well with the old cattails and dying vegetation. I found 4 on them this morning, all using their long bill to find worms. Didn’t see the American Bittern.
There seem to be quite a number of Brown Creepers this fall. Other good sightings were a Swamp Sparrow, a Solitary Vireo (now called a Blue-Headed Vireo) and the two species of Kinglets.
Needless to say there were no turtles out basking.
12 October 2004 (Bill Bower)
I wasn’t able to go down until after lunch but the trip was worth it.
Still lots of waterfowl activity across from the bait shop. Blacks, Mallards, Wood Ducks and Green Winged Teal always seem to be there and always Great Blue Heron in the background.
Not a lot of birds but I did see about twenty species including Juncos, three Veery and another Brown Creeper.
I counted 33 Painted turtles out basking in the Turtle Pond and there was one new addition. Another Red-Eared Slider showed up. It was basking on a log out in front of the house and I managed to get a picture of it. It is a bit smaller than the other four I have identified. Probably about 5 to 5 1/2 inches. It looks healthy so will no doubt survive the winter along with the rest of them, however many that is. One Painted Turtle was flattened just before the bait shop so they are still travelling about. I was in the west end yesterday and we located another Blanding’s Turtle out for a stroll. We might even see some turtle activity in November this fall. Not something unheard of.
7 October 2004 (Bill Bower)
Lots and lots of birds in the Petrie area this morning. Just west of the bait shop there were over 50 ducks (Blacks, Mallards and Green Winged Teal), two Great Blue Heron, a Kingfisher, a Bittern, a Greater Yellowlegs and a Lesser Yellowlegs. That was about 9:30 a.m. Back on the islands it took awhile to find the birds but I did so by following a small flock of Chickadees. That led me to Cedar Waxwings, a Hermit Thrush, a Brown Creeper, a Hairy Woodpecker, a Black-Throated Blue Warbler and a whole bunch of Yellow Rumped Warblers. I ended the day with 24 species. Crows were doing their thing but I couldn’t find the source of the problem. They seem to hang out together until they go on garbage patrol and then it is every crow for him/herself.
Painted turtles were out basking soom after the fog lifted. I counted over 20 by the time I got back to the car around 12:30. Al viewed a similar number yesterday around 2:00 p.m. The turtle with the large “growth” on its head was out but the protrusion seemed to be getting smaller which is a good thing.
Someone added another black squirrel to the inventory at Petrie. Don’t know how an urban squirrel will make out with the rowdy rural group, but it will probably survive. There is a great crop of bitternut hickory nuts this fall and the squirrels were having a field day. I was bombed several times by a red squirrel from high in one tree. Guess he saw me put a couple nuts in my pocket. It missed and I fired back a couple at him and missed. I then left before his aim improved.
It is amazing how many fish are in the turtle pond. Since the dam has been installed (beaver dam) there hasn’t been any way for the fish to leave or for other fish to get in. The Great Blue Heron, the Kingfishers and the Osprey, not to mention a family of Otter, have been fishing in there off and on all summer (more on than off). Add to that the number of fish taken by fishermen and the pond is still full of fish. I could see bass and sunfish lounging about just below the surface and larger fish were splashing on the surface now and then. There are thousands and thousands of minnows in there from this years hatch so I hope they make it out to the river this fall to grow up. I guess the flood(s) in the spring of 2005 will bring in a new crop of fish.
Should be a great long weekend also. Hope some of you make it down.
26 September 2004 (Bill Bower)
Another beautiful day at Petrie Island. There hasn’t been a bad one in a long time.
Lots of visitors, both to the beach and to the nature trails. Others came by boat or launched from Petrie. Quite a few fishermen around also.
More birds around than usual. I had White-Throated Sparrows, Tree Sparrows, Winter Wren, Veery and Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker on my list. Hunters were out early on the Quebec side and their efforts probably reduced the duck population on that side and increased it on the Ontario side. I saw some flying in from the north side. Canada geese were flying over but too high to be threatened by ground fire.
Crows never cease to amaze me. There was a large gathering at the far end of the trail and I figured they were harassing a hawk or an owl. When I got there it was more like just a Sunday morning “bitch and stitch” session. What they were doing was most interesting. They were in the Bitternut Hickory trees and picking the green fruit (nuts). First they would hammer the outside cover and get rid of it and them proceed to hack at the white nut until in was cracked. Then they ate what meat they could. This was repeated over and over and most of the crows I noted were doing the same thing. Many nuts were dropped from high in the trees as they attempted to shell these nuts. I guess they have been watching the squirrels.
I saw the two domestic rabbits near the house as well as squirrels of all descriptions. About a dozen painted turtles were out basking along with the one large Slider on the anchored logs. Al found a snapping turtle hatchling in the parking lot area and it was in the aquarium for awhile before being released. Some of the Cubs and others were around looking at it.
Some people who visited the office indicated that they were very pleased with the whole island area, from the beach to the nature trails to the interpretation centre. And so they should be. It’s a great place to visit.
22 September 2004 (Jim Robertson)
After several mornings of nice sunrises coupled with beautiful sunsets in the evenings, we had hopes today… But no, the sun just popped its head over the horizon and shone through a bald blue sky.
Before the sun appeared though, one heron was in the marsh looking for breakfast while at least two others were still sleeping along the shoreline. Two ducks dropped in for their breakfast alongside the first heron.
Chickadees, sparrows/finches, woodpeckers, kingfishers and sandpipers were flitting about in their various ways. No robins or flickers seemed to around. No wild rabbits were around, but there were two domestic looking ones around the blue house. A few chipmunks and squirrels were in the woods gathering nuts and seeds.
A second flowering of goat’s rue and chicory is happening in a few spots. The deep purple fall asters are standing tall. The bright yellow bread and butters are a nice contrast to them. We found three plants of bottled gentians, and there are likely many more along the Basswood Trail. No more wild roses are in bloom but there are many nice bright red rosehips on fresh green foliage. The riverside grapes are mainly ripe, but there still are a few green ones. Some fiddleheads are showing up on fern fronds in one area that has been recently trampled.
The touch-me-nots (jewel weed) are at there prime for explaining their names – barely touch their seed pod and it explodes throwing its seed 3-5 feet away.
Fall is coming in the colours of the trees and the virginia creeper, but also in that the beavers are sharpening their teeth on many small trees preparing for their buzz-sawing of the woods in weeks to come. They have been dragging branches across many trails and the western beaches.
There is a good quantity of mushroom and fungus growing along the trails and in the woods. The bears paw along the beaver trail is back for its fourth (at least) year in a row.
A few turtles were basking in the sun as were two bull frogs.
Pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/88651A181559B16
19 September 2004 (Bill Bower)
I really beautiful morning to view the flypast. And, no, I don’t mean the various military aircraft that flew up the river and circled the island such as the jets, the helicopters, the Lancaster bomber and other relics from past days. I mean the geese formations heading south.
Turtles were out early even though the air was quite cool. I saw 26 Painted turtles at various locations and one large Map turtle on the north side just past the house. I didn’t see the Slider but I met Al and he said one was out around 10 AM. There was a garter snake basking along the Beaver Trail.
Quite a number of birds around this morning including four species of Woodpeckers. I watched the chickadees for awhile and sure enough other birds arrived. A few warblers but the only bird I could identify was a Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher. Fall warblers are difficult. The Heron and Kingfishers are still around and loading up on fish for the trip south. I had 15 species recorded by the time I left.
I headed west out past the far “outpost” and into the jungle. The water levels on those small ponds to the south are quite low but I did find 12 Wood Ducks sleeping on the logs just under the Wood Duck Box #13. I was on the wrong side to get any photos. I managed to leave without waking any of them.
Not much animal life, just a muskrat, a chipmunk and one Woodland Jumping Mouse.
I stopped in at the office and checked out the new microscope. We will have to find more uses for it.
3 September 2004 (Jim Robertson)
As we were approaching Petrie along the Queensway, a bright pink jet stream was working its way through an otherwise mediocre sunrise this morning. It lost most of its “photogeniciness” by the time we could stop. But it is nice of nature to have the sun sleep in lately so you don’t have to get up so early to see it.
There were quite a number of herons around, some in the east side marsh, others in the west side marsh and around Turtle Pond. Two were in trees keeping an eye on the early arrivals. One decided to fly in and rest on a stump in front of the turtle viewing stand. It preened itself for about 45 minutes, then decided it had worked too hard and went to sleep with its head tucked in its chest and wing feathers.
There are numerous turtle flower blossoms along the trails. Seems to be more this year than in other years. We found two clumps close by each other with a total of about 11-12 blossoms. One clump had at least 6 blossoms.
The water level is very low, the lowest I have seen it for a long time, and almost a record low, apparently, since the dam was built downstream.
There were a few black squirrels around and one rabbit. A young downy woodpecker did not seem to know enough to be shy of humans and let us get within 5 feet of it. There were some flickers and a yellow warbler amongst the other birds. A group of 5 or 6 almost full size wood duck “ducklings” were busily feeding themselves in the reeds of Turtle Pond. At one point when the wood ducks were quite close to the preening heron, a beaver decided to swim on by too. There were some mallards or black ducks at the west end of Turtle Pond. A few kingfishers were fighting amongst themselves for the best fishing venue. Several sandpipers were patrolling the shorelines.
The beaver have not started to get busy chewing yet (despite there being a few trees and vines turning red), but one 30 foot poplar tree has been freshly girdled and will not survive. It was a nice shade tree for the turtle nest area.
One of the painted turtles must have been successful in laying her eggs in mid June as we found a newly hatched baby painted turtle. There were no others to be seen around and it was looking somewhat parched so we moved it closer to the water. There were about 5 turtles basking in various spots as we walked east back along the trail.
There are lots of highbush cranberries with bright red berries, nice plump purple riverside grape bunches, the birds seem to be working on the elderberries, some dogwood berries are fully white (some dogwood bushes are blooming again).
The common sunflowers are staring to bloom, jewel weed blossoms are due to turn into seed pods soon, a few evening primrose, loosestrife, bind weed, wild roses and pickerel weed are blooming. Ground nut vines and blossoms are much in evidence as are fall asters and white blossoms on the arrowhead plants along the shoreline. The jack-in-the-pulpit red seed pods are in the grass along the trails in wooded sections.
The spiders are doing their thing tightly curling the tall grass into circles at the top with their webs. But the spiders, and the dragonflies, are performing a great service catching the late season mosquitoes that are still around
The new canoe launch looks great and the FOPI work crew are busy finishing the new observation platform at the end of the main trail.
See pictures at http://www.fototime.com/inv/E428509E16A8C0C
24 July 2004 (Jim Robertson)
A nice cool morning to start the day – once my eyes re-adjusted to staring down the rising sun as I drove east on the Queensway. The air was very still which allowed for nice reflections as we drove over the culvert.
It seemed to be “young birds” day as there was a family of 7 flightless ducklings and their mum scurrying across the water surface to get away from the trail walkers, the robins seemed to have had a bountiful family this year with 3-5 young robins following Mum around as she checked out the trail for bugs and worms. There were also two young downy woodpeckers looking for breakfast. Several varieties of warblers were around.
One heron was just waking up on a shore log upstream from the culvert, it took him a while to preen himself, getting all the nice loose feather on his chest in order, before flying off to look for breakfast, perhaps deep in the marsh where we saw an earlier rising heron a few minutes before.
The water levels are up a little (from the recent rain upstream in the North Bay / Algonquin Park areas) which unfortunately meant the western beaches were virtually awash as was the western end of the new beach loop trail.
There are still a few anemones in bloom along with birds foot trefoil, showy tick trefoil, as well as the usual purple loosestrife, goats rue, pickerel weed, water lilies (white and yellow). The burdock, and there is lots of it in places, in coming into bloom. The purple flowering raspberries have lots of blooms left.
There was one slap happy beaver swimming around Muskrat Bay. The bull frogs were in fine voice as well at the end of Muskrat Bay.
The construction is still continuing but FOPI has made arrangements with the city to allow FOPI to open the gates for the public on the weekends from 9:30am to 9pm. So make sure your cars are removed from the parking lot by 9 at night in accordance with the by-laws..
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/0F1321F9785AC16
Young downy woodpecker
11 July 2004 (Jim Robertson)
Another beautiful summer day, with a gentle breeze blowing. The sun came up as a huge orange ball in the mist and haze.
The island is awash with wildflowers blooming. See list below, along with list of animals and birds.
The construction is winding down, but the road is still closed off sometimes during the day so people are simply walking in from the culvert. With the past few rainfalls, there are muddy sections in the picnic area to be careful of. There are paved and stone dust walking paths through both the beach and the picnic area, shrubs and trees have been planted, benches and raccoon friendly garbage containers installed (raccoon friendly as the decorative outside of the garbage can containers are very easy for the raccoons to climb, not that they seemed to have a major problem with the 45 gallon drums before). Now if there were more garbage cans, or better collection…..(see pictures)
The FOPI’s work crew have been busy with new signage for the trails and the interpretative centre plus the beach trail, while not marked yet, has been cut now that the water levels are back to summer levels. This gives a nice alternative walk back from the western beaches.
I left at noon, but the designated parking lots were jammed full as was the access road in many spots. The beach area looked deserted because it is so big. I am glad I left when I did, as I would not want to see the mob scene later in the afternoon.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/B64CE2BD28CAA69
Flora: White and yellow water lilies Flowering rush Purple loosestrife(and unidentified cousin) Blue verbain Canada thistle Goats rue Meadow rue Bind weed (morning glory) Chickweed Anemone Sweet pea Showy tick-trefoil Bird’s foot trefoil Swamp milkweed Milkweed Pickerel weed Cow vetch Crown vetch St John’s wort Badderwort Bladder campion Evening primrose Wild roses Fleabane Scouring rush Horsetail Blue flag Jack-in-the-Pulpit (late due to the flooding ?)
Birds (That I am capable of identifying) Downy woodpecker Flickers Black ducks Black terns (4) Wood cock Blue heron Chickadee Robins Kingbird Kingfisher Flycatcher Ravens
Animals Rabbits Squirrels Chipmunk Baby skunk (2)
Other A few basking painted and map turtles Bull and leopard frogs
Misc: The dogwood berries are whitening The highbush cranberries are VERY plentiful and starting to show colour in some areas. The carrion plants’ berries are now full size The button bush is back contrary to what I said previously The yellow loosestrife seems not to have come back
4 July 2004 (Paul LeFort)
A rare weekend visit for me. The picnic area was busy, the interpretive centre popular, the river full of boats of all sizes and decibel levels. But the “construction site” now looks like a proper beach, with nice paved path, minus lifeguards and toilets. Parasols, kids building sandcastles. A fine sight. Most people seem to have figured out how to park without plugging up the whole works.
Forty or so boats parked on the eastern part of the main beach, with Ottawa Police Marine Unit boat hovering around. Two pleasant ground-based police officers were on the beach, discussing things with the public. Some people did not like the boats being there. But then, it’s not officially a beach yet. Marine Unit officers mentioned to me that they would keep an eye on things. I’m told several bylaw enforcement officers also scoped the area in the morning.
Comments I received from the public today were of two basic kinds: 1) what a wonderful asset for our community; 2) what will become of the nature in the nature preserve as the crowds put pressure on it. I think that the City will have to be bold in its restrictions: declare the area west of the road as a conservation zone, with no dogs/bikes/fishing from banks/powerboats. Otherwise, nature is going to lose the battle within five or six years.
The trails have all been trimmed and cleaned, save for two big beaver chews plopped across the BH trail by last week’s squall. As far as I could see walking to the end of BH, birds and reptiles are still enjoying the islands despite the nearby commotion.
The access road remains a mess, too dusty for cycling on a busy day like today. Full face mask a must. (My next invention: a recumbent bicycle with pontoons so I can hit the water at the bottom of 10th Line Rd and paddle to the island. Any financial backers?)
All in all, this self-policing, impromptu, not-yet-opened facility is quite nice, thank you. If we can restrict the boats to a small area of the eastern shore facing Cumberland Bay, it will be a fine place indeed.
3 July 2004 (David Villeneuve)
Three views of Petrie during the same day.
Strolling along the beach before 8 am, we only met one other couple.
In the afternoon I gave my motor boat a test run along the river. The Ottawa River on a Saturday afternoon is like the Queensway at rush hour — no fun. There was a speed boat rally that saw these noisy boats rushing up and down.
Returning to the Grandmaitre boat launch near the shore, I saw a curious bird. It was flying along the shallow water near the shore. It would come to a complete stop in the air, hovering, looking down. Then it would dive down into the water, presumably hunting for fish. From its behaviour, I guess it was a black tern. I see the tern is on Christine Hanrahan’s list of birds on Petrie (http://www.fallingbrook.com/petrieisland/birdlist.htm). Now I only have 123 species to go.
I then drove to the busy part of the island in the mid-afternoon. Cars were parked on both sides of the road from the first turn. The entire parking lot was filled, and about 20 cars had overflowed into the unopened section. It was like a circus.
Returning for a third time after 8 pm, most of the revelers had gone home, leaving the east side of the beach to a few retrievers. Nothing makes these dogs happier than to swim out to retrieve a ball, bring it back to shore, and then do it all over again.
17 June 2004 (Jim Robertson)
It was a nice pink sunrise followed by a bright yellow ball rising through light clouds this morning, there was barely a breath of wind in the air. The air stayed very calm even past 10:30 when we left Petrie. Don’t get many days like that !
However the trouble with days like that is the mosquitoes are especially plentiful, and while the dragon flies do their best, they could not keep up to mosquito hordes this morning.
The cottonwood poplars are spreading their “summer snow” seedlings all over the place; the still water areas and many ground spaces are turning white.
The raccoons must be feeling hungrier with the lack of garbage around what with the construction work stopping visitors to the Islands during the day. One raccoon was out checking garbage cans Tuesday night by about 7:45pm which is a little earlier than normal. But they have more free run at the turtle eggs during the day with no humans to bother them.
We saw about a dozen snappers laying eggs in the sand this morning, often with freshly-laid, freshly-eaten eggs two feet away from their face while they laid their eggs. One (or maybe two) raccoon was boldly patrolling the eggs laying areas checking for nests it might have missed during the night and seemingly going right up the turtles to tell them to hurry up with their egg laying as it want breakfast. Just as fisherman always have a story about “the one that got away”, I missed two great shots of a raccoon checking out the nests, maybe next time….
A few painted turtles were up on logs etc sunning themselves.
There was one beaver out for a morning patrol; the lodge on the far side of Muskrat Bay looks huge now that the water levels are back to near “normal” they had to build the lodge up so high to deal with the flooding.
It is amazing to see how barren (and unrecognizable) some areas are where the beaver have clear-cut, although many stumps are sprouting new growth. It seems that the button bush shrubs are not coming back.
There were several squirrels, both red and black, plus a few chipmunks about. We only saw one rabbit, a far cry from past years.
Two herons were fishing in various areas with mixed success. There certainly were lots of frogs chirping/croaking in Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay. Some gold finches were flitting about as well. Two skeins of geese flew over one group as noisy as usual, the second group much more stealth-like with no honking and their wings barely making any noise at all.
The “western beaches”, accessed by the trail running north to the river from the main trail at the end of Muskrat Bay, are wide open now and make a nice walk back part way back to the Beaver Trail.
The yellow iris in the marsh and along the trails’ water edges are starting to show signs of “old age’ but there are still some fresh ones. New flowers to report (see June 3th dispatch) are:
- wild roses – purple-flowering raspberries – bird’s foot trefoil – the moccasin flowers are finished blooming – ninebark – yellow water lilies (bull head) – vipers bugloss – buttercups – daisy fleabane – daisies – two blue flag iris
There seems to be a bumper crop of burdock this year. There are still many sensitive ferns not yet completely unfurled. The ferns and grasses are well over 5-6 feet high in many areas.
It is too bad some people do not pick up after their dogs as there were several dog droppings along side the trail. Those few people will give all dog owners a bad name.
While the access to the Islands is closed during the day for the next little while due to construction, if you happen to drive a coffee wagon, you are welcome (see pictures).
Photos at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/3933A028719CE51
12 June 2004 (David Villeneuve)
What a difference a few hours makes. We walked along the beach at 8 am and only met one other person. Returning at 2 pm we were assaulted by the crowds. The new, under-construction, parking lot was 80% full. There was a row of boats on the north beach, with hundreds of people on the beach. What will this place look like when the beach actually opens?
3 June 2004 (Jim Robertson)
Again a quick walkabout in preparation for the Wildflower Walk this Saturday and Sunday.
The water has receded which is good news making access down the main trail a simple matter now. Hopefully the mud will dry out a little more before the weekend.
Lots of red-winged blackbirds in the marsh as well as a few mallards. I didn’t see any herons today, but a cormorant flew while we were down the trail.
There were about 20-25 map and painted turtles basking in various locations around Turtle Pond. They did not seem inclined to dive back into the water so long as one walked by fairly slowly.
Flowers, plants in bud, or other “notables” spotted:
- Ostrich and sensitive fern (some still in fiddlehead stage) – wild strawberry – starry false solomon seal – dogwood – nannyberry – highbush cranberry – bedstraw – dames rocket – honey suckle – yellow iris – riverside grape – bladder campion – jack-in-the-pulpit – sumach – gill over the ground – anemone – dandelion – sweet gale – carrion plant – poison ivy – plus other unidentified and some I have forgotten.
See pictures at: http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/robbiecraft/album?.dir=/8330
31 May 2004 (Jim Robertson)
I had time this morning for a quick one hour walkabout. I was joined by many mosquitoes on the walk.
With the wild flower walk week-end coming up I was keeping an eye out for blooms. I spotted dogwood, anemone, jack-in-the-pulpit, false solomon seal in bloom. Buds are on the Nannyberry (I think it is), the nine bark has hints of buds. There are several carrion plants up about 4-5 feet. Many ferns are also 3-4 feet tall.
One poplar tree that was completed encircled with a 12” band of beaver chewings is still in leaf despite it also being badly cracked at the base of the trunk. I suspect a hot spell will kill off the leaves.
The main trail is flooded at the narrows, but the water level seems to be receding after the rain of last week.
Flickers, gold finches, robins and starlings were the main birds in evidence, but there were lots of other bird calls to be heard.
I saw one ground hog scurrying along the trail. About 20-25 turtles, mainly good sized painted and map turtles, were out basking on various logs.
Work is progressing on the new park with road works and the re-vitalization of the picnic/nature area parking lot.
Pictures can be seen at: http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/robbiecraft/album?.dir=/b7e9
16 May 2004 (David Villeneuve)
I startled a duck nesting near the river. She took off to divert me. I found about 7 supermarket-sized eggs hidden in the grass.
14 May 2004 (Bill Bower)
Very interesting morning down at Petrie. Birds were the most interesting and I listed over thirty before leaving. I picked up a dead Pileated Woodpecker on the way down (North Service Road) and it will be turned over to the Museum for skinning. Looked like it hit the side of a vehicle as it hadn’t been run over. It is now in my freezer.
Best sightings were a Least Flycatcher, a Red-Eyed Vireo, a Redstart and (you guessed it) a Wilson’s Warbler. It was in the same thicket near the parking lot where I found it in 2002 (May 21st) and once before that back in 2001 (May 25th). Always a lone male. I was able to show it to a couple other bird watchers. A first for them. I also saw 12 Bluejays flying over in a group, probably on a hawk patrol.
Many birds were busy building their nests (robins, great crested flycatcher, warbling vireos, starlings and orioles). Brown Headed Cowbirds were around waiting for the warblers to supply the nests for them. One thing about Petrie is that there is no shortage of building materials. Jacques DeBris makes sure there is plenty of everything on hand.
Animals were out and about. Cottontails were more numerous than usual. I think it has something to do with relocation and not reproduction. A deer had been travelling arount the west end of the island since Thursday. One snake put in an appearance. Just a garter snake.
Turtles were out basking and I counted 39 of them, including two Map turtles out on our floats.
Construction was minimal, or at least I didn’t hear much activity.
The water level was down from Thursday, but only by an inch or two. Hopefully it will continue to drop. The best part though, was once I crossed the flow of water I had the island to myself. I may take another venture out on the weekend.
12 May 2004 (Jim Robertson)
The day started out sunny, but by 7AM the clouds rolled in, but not before casting nice light on the trees off in the distance and lighting a heron taking off from the reeds about 100 yards away.
The water level was high, with the main trail being inaccessible.
The ferns are up about a foot, and the only sign of any wild flowers was one yellow cress getting ready to bloom.
Not much wildlife, but there were a few raccoon tracks.
There were some geese skeins still, but much fewer than in the past few weeks, There were a few ducks in the marsh and several wood ducks. Three of which I managed to get a silhouetted shot of 40 feet up in a tree.
The construction crews are starting work on the park next door again.
See photos at: http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/robbiecraft/album?.dir=/51da
24 April 2004 (Jim Robertson)
The day started with a nice clear sky as the sun came up over the horizon, but within two hours it was a cold, cloudy day with white caps blowing up from the north sweeping Petrie’s shores.
Two other cars arrived ahead of us, one a fisherman and one birder. Two hours later when we left there 5-6 cars of fishermen, coffee drinkers and walkers-about.
The maple tree buds have swelled and some have popped. There are still some pussy willows in the fuzzy stage as well as the “blossom” stage. Some patches of green are appearing in the brown grass.
There were a good variety of birds: an eagle (two have been reported lately in the area, we were glad to see one of them albeit in the distance), red-wing blackbirds, flickers, killdeer, robins, nuthatches, chickadees, swallows, gold finch, pilated and downy woodpeckers, quite a few wood ducks, a few remaining mergansers, and lots of geese fighting the winds to head to their feeding grounds the corn fields just west of Orleans along the Queensway.
The turtles were smart enough to stay below the water, but several have been seen basking in the past week.
The beaver were out for morning swims, one was on the shore at Crappie Bay, it must have been tired of visitors as it did not hang around, but there were several others in Muskrat Bay, and Turtle Pond. One frequently “ker-splashed” but continued swimming in the water near us. There was one muskrat that appeared in Crappie Bay. Its tail seemed very long and heavy, almost otter like, but it looked too scruffy to be an otter.
The beaver are still chewing on the trees as we spotted 2-3 that had been very freshly chewed.
The Bill Holland trail (main one) is still flooded, but if you are careful you can get through the low spots with knee high rubber boots.
Pictures at: http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/robbiecraft/album?.dir=/c12d
18 April 2004 (Bill Bower)
Not a very pleasant sight (or site) at Petrie Island. In a few years it will be known as “The Barrens”. I thought trees should to perpendicular to the ground, not horizontal.
We joke about it, but it is no joking matter. We are all seeing the same thing and those of us who remember back a few years can really see the decline that has taken place. What we are seeing isn’t normal beaver activity, it is the work of nuisance beaver. Not one or two but many. Many of the trees that have fallen have been of little benefit to the beaver and some not used at all. The next big wind storm will see many more trees down. The nightly damage continues.
I know that the NCC and MNR have to control beaver, as do many others including private land owners. The new city is behind in this respect. I don’t even know if they have a policy in place. Hopefully it isn’t a “do nothing” policy.
The spring ice also did quite a bit of damage and no doubt some trees will die as a result. That is a natural occurrence. The loss of so many trees has to be having a negative impact on migrating and nesting birds (less trees mean less food and fewer nesting locations), turtle nesting sites, shoreline (more erosion) and even on the fish that use the back channels for spawning and hiding (less shade and dirtier water).
The comments I heard this morning from a number of people out walking were much the same as my thoughts. It is a sad sight and simply doesn’t make for a very pleasant walk in the woods. Granted, it will look better in a few weeks when the grass starts growing and the leaves come out to hide many of the stumps and other damage and debris.
Unfortunately, there is no end to the damage forthcoming (that I know of). My solution to the problem would be effective, but not legal. Perhaps others can comment on the correct protocol to follow.
15 April 2004 (Jim Robertson)
I made a relatively rare evening visit to Petrie Thursday. Al Tweddle had told me he had spotted beaver at Crappie Bay between 6 and 6:30pm earlier in the week. So I had to go and try to find them for myself.
On the way down from the Queensway it was obvious much more ice has disappeared with only a few pockets of it in secluded areas, but the water levels were up again slightly.
I parked at Crappie Bay (Last turn to the right after the entrance to the old Sand Ops area) and got out of the car. Things were quiet and I immediately heard a soft chewing sound – there was beaver about 20-30 feet away having an evening snack on a twig.
There were a few other beavers around and one muskrat as well. The photography was a little difficult with the low bright sun and black sodden beavers that sometimes swam between me and the sun, but you can find a few shots at:
http://ca.f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/robbiecraft/album?.dir=/529b
11 April 2004 (Jim Robertson)
It has only been four days since I last dropped by at Petrie, but quite a bit more open water is in evidence and there were virtually no ice flows on the main channel.
The geese slept in until 7:25am and appeared in numbers at around 7:45am. (We noticed many had moved over to the corn field on the Queensway approaching Montreal Road).
There was more time to walk further down the trail this morning and much more beaver damaged/destroyed trees as well as erosion on the trail itself was very evident. One spot has eroded back into the trail a good 4-5 feet over the past 4 years.
There were two muskrats up on the ice eating reeds one in the marsh as you come down from the Queensway and another in Turtle Pond. A good number of (camera-shy) ducks were swimming in various areas: Golden-eyes, mallards, buffleheads, mergansers, wood ducks. Robins, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, a few woodpeckers and black squirrels were busy looking for their breakfasts. A heron flew lazily overhead towards the Quebec side. A 5″ perch was swimming in circles where Turtle Pond was over flowing into the main channel.
Muskrat
Golden eye duck
7 April 2004 (Jim Robertson)
Its been almost two months since I have been a Petrie. I missed the sunrise by an hour or so must be getting rusty.
The marsh and east bay before the culvert are still frozen over as is the west channel approaching the culvert, but the east channel was wide open with several mergansers swimming about. Turtle Pond is still 90% iced over, the main channel is flowing freely with many metre square chunks of ice drifting quickly by in the current.
There were a few squirrels, one beaver, some robins, red-wing blackbirds, chickadees plus a woodpecker across Turtle Pond tapping away on a tree. Several skeins of geese flew over as well.
The main trail, if you were careful, could be traveled without waterproof boots this morning. But as the water levels fluctuate that might not be a permanent observation. Turtle Trail is 85% ice and snow and 15% frozen mud in the morning and you know what in the afternoon.
The buds on the maple trees are swelling and might pop in a week or so if we get warm weather. There were some new shoots coming up by the observation platform that appear to have been snacked on by a rabbit.
The damage to the trees was what struck me most this morning. In another year or two we won’t have to try to stop the city taking trees down for parking lots and roads, the beavers will have done the job east of Turtle Pond. Along the main trail there are plenty of full size trees lying on their sides stripped of bark. Some of the trees seemed to have been attacked by giant 6 foot beavers as the chewings are some 5-6 feet up off the ground. A sign of how high the snow and ice was this past fall and winter. I have seen this extent of damage at Petrie in prior years, but in the back areas, not along the main trails.
4 April 2004 (David Villeneuve)
It was 3D honking in Dolby surround sound, with the wet falling snow obscuring the thousands of ducks and geese who were marshalling in and around the river. I identified mallards and a smaller duck with white breast, plus crows, black birds, doves, gulls, and robins.
The Bill Holland trail required a good pair of rubber boots, due to water flowing from the Turtle Pond into the main river. It was too deep at the end of Muskrat Bay, I think at the LeFort Canal. Water levels were relatively low, with almost two full rows of rocks visible on the breakwater on the main beach. That will change. Cumberland Bay is still ice-covered, but the main channel has been open for weeks.
30 March 2004 (Bill Bower)
I went down ice fishing this morning. Luckily the piece of the brain with the intelligence kicked in just in time and I scrapped that idea. Returned home and brought out the usual rod and reel to go try the open water by the culverts. Fire Dept Rescue unit beat me to it so that idea was scrapped also. I thought about ice fishing near their training spot. That would probably give them some really good experience.
Next step was to return home for camera and field glasses. Lots of ducks around including Mallards, Blacks, Wood Ducks (5 pairs) and Hooded Mergansers (1 pair). Actually there were two more species but I couldn’t get a good look. Probably Bufflehead and Scaup.
No problem getting around with rubber boots. The water was flowing from the ponds to the river and it dropped while I was out there.
Animals were out and about. Saw a groundhog, squirrels, muskrats, two raccoons and a beaver. The raccoons were “hanging out” high in a tree near the office. Just one big lump of fur with four eyes. The beaver was out on the river side and was practicing the “warning splash” technique. The rest of the time it spent admiring the damage it had caused over the past several months. That area at the end where the turtle nesting area is, is a mess. Lots a stumps and few trees. Those trees left have been debarked and dewooded to some extent.
The cruel side of nature showed itself. I found a big bull frog out on the ice. It was still alive but something had frog legs for lunch. All of them. Probably a mink.
I looked hard but no turtles spotted. Beautiful warm day on the Island.
29 March 2004 (Marc-Michel Lavoie)
My name is Marc-Michel Lavoie, I am an ex-Cumberland resident. I moved into the “big city” in October. Fishing is my #1 most favorite summer activity…despite the warnings and complaints from all of my friends and other fellow anglers that “there’s nothing at Petrie”, I spent 90% of my summer days in the 6 years that I lived in Cumberland at Petrie, fishing away.
On a particularly warm August morning, I set out to do just that, renting a row boat from the beloved bait shop there, I set out hoping to land the big one. I did, too, about an hour into my morning fish, I got what I thought was a strike, and thought nothing of it, until my rod bent over completely and almost went under the boat, a nice big Walleye had grabbed onto my lure and wasn’t about to let go…neither was I.
I had been going nuts all summer trying to land “the big one” and in my mind I had done this. As I fought this fish I kept thinking to myself how nice this fish will look mounted in my basement and eventually in my apartment living room…..10 minutes into our fight, I won, the Walleye was in my boat and I was proud…I looked at the fish, as I was about to put him in my bag to bring to the taxidermist I thought to myself….who knows, this guy may be a little bigger next year, chances are I’ll get him again…so I released him….I only fish for the pure sport of it, unless I catch something like this guy, then I keep it.
I couldn’t believe I had just fought this thing for 10 minutes and I let it go, just like that. Well, believe it or not, on my next visit to Petrie (the very next day) there I was fishing along side Crappie Bay, when all of a sudden I noticed a fish swimming fairly close to shore…..which is highly unlikely with this species, it was a Walleye, unsure if it was the same one as the day before (what are the odds) I made nothing of it.
Two days later I went back to the same spot alongside Crappie Bay, and there he was again, and for weeks until September 20th (my birthday) whenever I was at “my” spot at Crappie Bay, so was Wally, the Walleye I let go. (Of course, it may just be that I stumbled upon a Walleye hotbed, or just that I have a strong animal magnetism, either way, it was very odd.)
After September 20th 2003, I have never seen it again. ….here’s to hoping Wally didn’t forget me and that he’ll be around again this summer, giving me a great fight…over and over again..
3 February 2004 (Jim Robertson)
Nature has seemingly left Petrie festooned with picnic tables, chairs and benches for its visitors. Now that the water has receded somewhat, there are hundreds of ice “shelves” attached to trees inviting the passer-by to sit and spend a while. The shelves, many large and thick enough to sit on, are suspended some 15-20 inches over the snow and/or fresh ice. Some of the shelves are hollowed out as the ice sublimates back into the air.
Walking the trails is a little tricky in spots, you are best to traverse them by skis or snowshoes so as to spread the weight a little. There are many spots of hollowed ice where the water has receded off the trail and many sections have collapsed. Some of the collapsed sections have left small ice “caves”, that this morning were ringed with feathery wispy frost crystals. One larger “cave” was full of stalactites and stalagmites of crystal clear ice.
Only 2-3 chickadees were around, no other sign of animal life . We did spot one tree that had obviously been attacked by a beaver after the higher level ice had attached itself to the tree, the ice shelf was covered with beaver chewings. One side of the tree trunk had been attacked before the water levels rose, and then other side was worked on while standing on the ice shelf. I am not used to envisioning beavers out working on trees while thick ice is around, but maybe they were trying to make emergency additions to their lodges as the water rose higher and higher. One lodge in Muskrat Bay that in the summer is 6 feet up out of the water only has 2-2.5 feet of freeboard now, you can imagine what it was like inside when the water peaked.
2 February 2004 (Chris Traynor)
(In reply to the discussion below.)
Obviously without having the owl examined there is no way of knowing for sure. However, my best guess would be an infection of some type. According to The Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre the most likely single cause of owl death is starvation at about 40% followed by trauma 30-35% (vehicle collisions) and then 20% by infections. This was based on a study of 584 owls of 13 species found dead between 1993-2001. Since this owl had a substantial cache we can rule out starvation. Any collision that could kill it would not have allowed its return to the box. So I would say it died of some infection.
It is also believed that deaths from infection are underrepresented in the stats because these birds are rarely found. Most screech owls probably die in their roost cavities. Aspergillus, herpesvirus and pasteurella mulyocida( a bacteria) are all known causes of owl death by infection. It may also have died of old age. Screech Owls probably live 7-10 years with the record being 13 1/2. The cold weather is not likely to have killed it.
If the Duck Club still has the body it might be worthwhile having it examined.
1 February 2004 (Bill Bower)
(In reply to Christine Hanrahan, below.)
Not unusual to find dead squirrels in the nesting boxes, sometimes more than one. This happens even when there appears to be a well constructed nest.
Didn’t find any flying squirrels in our boxes this winter. When we do find a nest of squirrels we just leave it alone.
On a sad note, we checked our box today that was being used by the screech owl and it was dead in the box. Can’t figure this one out unless it was the extreme cold weather. There was lots of food and it had been eating. Pellets in the box with the cache of voles and pellets in nearly boxes as well.
On an interesting note, we found a dead meadow vole hanging about 4 feet about the ground on a briar bush (not one of those bushes with the long spikes). It was hanging by the back of the neck. The work of a shrike no doubt. One was seen earlier in the winter.
Also saw a small flock of bohemian waxwings. Great day to be out.
31 January 2004 (Christine Hanrahan)
(In reply to Bill Bower, below.)
Thanks for an interesting email. It is always interesting to hear what is going on at Petrie. 7 out of 12 boxes used by wood ducks is a an excellent percentage!
Sounds like Petrie now has a semi-permanent ice sculpture out there on the river!!! The fisherman was a little too optimistic I think.
Also interesting to hear about the studies being done on the merganser species. If you are sent any reports or such in the future regarding this, I wouldn’t mind seeing them.
You mention the dead red squirrel – any suggestions as to what caused its death?
31 January 2004 (Bill Bower)
We were out yesterday (Friday) and checked all 12 boxes at Petrie. Very good results as we had seven of the twelve boxes used by Wood Ducks. Starlings had used one box and Red Squirrels another. One red squirrel was found dead inside a well constructed nest. We replaced one box which was falling apart.
The boxes seemed a little lower this year. Probably has something to do with the water being 2 or 3 feet higher. One adventureous ice fisherman, using a big Ford 1/2 ton, drove a few feet too far out at the western end of the back channels. The truck went through into 5 or 6 feet of water. Not far from the small cut across our walking path. Somehow they managed to get it back on solid ice but it is still there, frozen into a solid block of ice. I doubt that anything will move on it. Be interesting to see if they try and remove it or just leave it. Looks like they had to break the drivers window to escape so another foot deeper and it could have been fatal.
Never any Hooded Merganser nests at Petrie Island, althought there are lots around in the spring. Quite a number nest in our boxes out at Shirley’s Bay.
We are currently collecting feathers, egg shells and egg membranes from Hooded Merganser nest to send to a biologist up in Alaska. They are using DNA to study the three species of merganser to see if individual families migrate between the major flyways. Interesting.
11 January 2004 (David Villeneuve)
No more hockey games among the trees after the snowfall overnight. Walking is pretty good. After a week of extreme cold, I expected the main trail to be frozen. Not so. There was still a stream running from the pond to the river, and it looked about a foot deep. Luckily, there was enough ice on either side that I got around the two wet places. There were even a couple of ominous pieces of open water on the main channel.
I managed to walk to the western tip of the island, because the ice had made everything so smooth. Just past the uprooted clump of trees at the tip, there is a reflective sign embedded at the point. Is this for snowmobilers? No sign of ice fishing huts and vehicles past the western tip, usually a favourite spot, maybe because of the nearby open water.
I spotted a large grey/brown fox about halfway down the island. He/she had a magnificent tail, fully as big as its body. No other signs of life.
As I arrived, a non-Jim photographer was loading his tripod into his van. He agreed that the contrast was rather poor that day. I think someone may have been ahead of me on the island, because I caught occasional sight of footprints, although that may be have from earlier. As I left, there were no other vehicles parked on the island, not even for the ice huts on Cumberland Bay.
7 January 2004 (Jim Robertson)
I had not been back to Petrie for about a 3 weeks knowing how high the water was. But I ventured down this morning. The traffic barricade has been removed and you can again drive to the parking lot.
The water has gone down somewhat – chunks of 2-3” thick ice are still attached to trees some 18” above the existing ice levels. You can walk as far as the start of the main trail, although in several spots you know, by the sound, you are walking over hollow ice.
There is an open stretch of fast flowing water over the trail before you get to the new “observation deck”, so there is not hope of getting down the island.
I checked the official water level website, If you add the 18” the water has gone down to the yesterday’s reported level, the water several weeks ago was virtually as high as it was in spring 2002 when we had three significant floods in April, May and June. Makes you wonder if the polar ice cap has started to melt….
There are few ice fishing huts out on the ice, the others are sitting anxiously in the storage yard at the bait shop.
6 December 2005 (Bill Bower)
First of all, I only found two species of birds at Petrie this morning and both were in the process of killing and devouring mice/voles. (not an owl, not a hawk, not a seagull) Any ideas?
What a busy place for a Tuesday morning. The two legged beavers were at it near the culvert by the parking lot. They took out about 8 nice looking trees. Not sure what they were making room for. Then the “fence builders” were busy over in the new parking lot putting the cedar buffers around the perimeter. Besides that, there was lots more activity over in the sand area. Trucks, levellers, backhoes, shovels and bulldozers were all at it. I guess they were making hay while the sun shines. Beautiful morning it was.
(Jim Robertson: The trees removed were eight dead elm trees. The City is putting in drainage tile and re-grading the centre area and re-sloping the East beach as well as working on the new parking lot)
The ice over in the fishing hole didn’t look all that safe to me, but two ice fishermen were out. They were down on their knees, either looking for fish or praying that the ice held. Actually there was a whole three inches of ice and they did catch some crappie. I’ve got to lose a few pounds and quickly.
Back on the trails, it was a great morning for viewing animal tracks and imagining what had transpired. I didn’t see any cottontails but their tracks were everywhere. There were at least two fox so they will no doubt be having rabbit for lunch one of these days (or nights). One muskrat was out swimming in the main river. Others had been wandering around the bush and out on the ice of the Turtle Pond looking for food and a hole to get them back down below ice level. I followed one and it did find a suitable escape hole. Two or three raccoons had been out on the Turtle Pond and then retreated back to the far west end of the island where they came from. There had been considerable otter activity overnight. Three of them had crossed to the south side of the Turtle Pond and then near the old beaver lodge (on the Beaver Trail) it looked like there had been a convention of them. They had been rolling and playing in the snow and had opened a hole in the ice about forty feet out. The snow was packed down completely. Other tracks were of the squirrel and mouse variety. I didn’t find any beaver or deer tracks.
The river level was up. You couldn’t get down the Muskrat Trail without boots on.
There’s a house for rent down at Petrie Island. Looks like a pretty nice one to me. Don’t know where it came from or what the monthly rental is. Would make a heck of an ice fishing shack.
(Jim Robertson: The house is “sort of a” floating house boat moored at the docks by the bait house.)
So, the only blood I saw this morning belonged to mice (or maybe a vole). A crow got one in the parking lot and a Northern Shrike got one down along the Beaver Trail.
8 November 2005 (Jim Robertson)
A number of signs pointed to the impending weather at Petrie this morning (aside from the cold north wind coming in off the River !)
- There were a small group of Hooded Mergansers in amongst the mallards (and gulls) in the marsh on the west side as you come down the hill from the Queensway. I normally see the hooded mergansers on their way through in the spring, but miss their fall stop at Petrie – not this year. There was one heron in the rushes keeping an eye on the ducks and gulls and two other herons flying around and stopping to rest in tree tops.
- The Gold Finches have taken their winter plumage out of storage. There were 5-10 flitting about the trees by the parking lot when we arrived.
There were also a few chickadees as we walked along the trail, as well as one woodpecker (hairy or downy – we were too far away to tell)
- The Muskrats are busy building a subdivision in Turtle Pond. There are at least 12 lodges. I checked my photographs of the Pond from previous years and could count a maximum of 6-7 in any one year. Who says the wild life is retreating from Petrie ?
- The beavers have started laying in their larders. The Muskrat Bay lodge has a quite a large group of branches next to it in the water. Overall the beavers do not seem to be as busy as previous years (maybe fewer of them?) but it is more concentrated in one spot (Intersection of the Beaver Trail, and the Main Trail) which gives the impression of it being quite bad.
There are a few other downed trees further west on the trail by the end of Muskrat Bay. So far, there are only a few VERY small trees gone from the Turtle Pond area
- No turtles seemed to be trying to break Bill Bower’s record for the last turtle seen late in the year. There were none to be seen (smart turtles !) As well there were no frogs or fish etc.
- The City had a fleet of 6 or 7 snow plows lined up in the works yard at the Queensway being checked out.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/53873347A030B4B
5 October 2005 (Bill Bower)
Another beautiful day and what better place to spend the afternoon than at Petrie Island.
I went looking for birds but found lots of turtles. Not bad for October 5th. Counted about 25 painted turtles basking. There were none in front of the viewing platform. There was one concentration in the Turtle Pond in the cove closest to the parking lot. Then another at the far end on the left just past our last viewing stand. There were 12 turtles on one log. Perhaps these areas are more suitable for spending the winter in, although it will still be several weeks before the turtles head to the bottom for the final time in 2005. Then I came across another turtle not far from the house. It was close to shore and “flash” Bower was able to get his hands on it without drowning.
It turned out to be an adult female Red-Eared Slider. No doubt one of the three or four we have been seeing since mid-August. She was certainly healthy with lots of fat for surviving the cold winter months. Then, while driving out through the parking lot, I found a Snapping Turtle hatchling heading for the turtle pond. I assume it had exited the sand over in the beach area somewhere. Lots of traffic on the roads but this one arrived safely at the waters edge, thanks to a helping hand.
I understand that last Sunday morning was excellent for bird watching at Petrie Island. I missed it. Afternoons aren’t the best but I did find a few, usually by just following the Chickadees around. I noted Yellow-Rumped Warblers, White Throated Sparrows, one Brown Creeper, a Swainson’s Thrush, a Golden Crowned Kinglet and a Junco. The Green Heron is still around in the Turtle Pond and one Flicker still searching for ants. There were a couple Lesser Yellowlegs across from the bait shop and the usual Mallards and Green Winged Teal. I took some photos of a Pileated Woodpecker but it was not the most cooperative subject I have come across.
Looks like another day of above normal temperatures on Thursday and then the drop towards more seasonal ones.
28 September 2005 (Jim Robertson)
The trees might not be very far along in changing colours, but the birds sure seem to know what time of year it is. There was not a robin, flicker or red-winged blackbird to be seen this morning at Petrie.
There were however a few white crowned sparrows making their way back south from wherever they go for the summer. Also around was a noisy kingfisher, 3-4 blue herons, a green heron (in Turtle Pond this time), a downy woodpecker and a good number of skittish ducks (mallards, blacks and wood ducks). A few sandpipers were in evidence as well.
The other sign of fall was the annual appearance of the bear’s paw fungus on the Beaver Trail as well as along the Main Trail just west of the Beaver Trail western terminus. These fungi have been there annually for the past 6 years that I know of.
A domestic rabbit (not one of the ones I have seen before) was running around at the Bait Shop, there were lots of black squirrels, a few chipmunks and one muskrat seen elsewhere. The muskrat seemed to want to swim in the sun’s reflection and then quickly headed for its “den” under a maple tree along the shoreline, so I couldn’t get a picture of it today.
The new Educational Amphibian pond project at the end of the Muskrat trail seems to be working as the pond was full of frogs this morning. We could easily count 15-20 from the new bridge. Wonder what the numbers will be when the heron discover it….
The virginia creeper, coating many tree trunks, is turning bright red, the 6 foot tall common sunflowers are in bloom by the large culvert, a few evening primrose and golden rod are also blooming along with a few goats rue blossoming for their second time this year. The purple asters all seem to be passed their prime and, surprising, all the high bush cranberries have been eaten. (No shots of bright red berries in the snow this year !!) The jack-in-the-pulpit bright red seeds are quite easily seen now that a lot of the ferns have been touch by the frost and are dead. The turtlehead flowers have bloomed and gone while I was away.
While no beavers were out for an early morning swim in the mist, there is lots of evidence that they are starting their fall tree/branch harvest. The western beaches have many branch dragging trails across it.
You’ll notice in the last photo that the City seems to have decreed that you are not allowed to do “nothing” at Petrie.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/C9656D96E5A7070
28 August 2005 (Al Tweddle)
On Sunday, the 28 of August, I rescued 8 snapping turtle hatchlings from the beach parking lot area and I would encourage anyone going in the early morning to watch for turtles on the road or parking lot…the good news is that in previous years these eggs probably never got to hatch as they were trucked away by the sand operation.
The life guards have closed their operation and people are now swimming at their own risk. In general August has been a slower month than July and there have been very few weekend parking problems. The Citizen article reporting beach closings was inaccurate. In August Petrie was closed 4 times, Mooney’s Bay was 8 and Westboro was 9. In July Petrie was closed 5 times, Mooney’s Bay was 6 and Westboro was 8. Britannia was not closed all summer.
PS: Contrary to the recent letter to the Citizen, Al Tweddle, and Jim Robertson feel that the wildlife numbers have not been going down due to the increased activity at the east end of Islands.
18 August 2005 (Jim Robertson)
Today seemed to be bird and frog day at Petrie. We arrived a little late, shortly after the sunrise, and headed down the hill from the Queensway. Two herons caught our eyes in the marsh to the west and then an oddly placed yellow-brown “stick” about 30 yards from the herons refocused the eyes. It was an american bittern.
I knew bitterns were present at Petrie, but in the five and half years I have been down there, I have never seen one. Others have I know. Today we watched, and photographed, it for about 30 minutes. But there was competition.
The two herons seemed to be doing a courtship dance. It seemed to be the wrong time of year for it so we are guessing that it was two juveniles practicing for next spring. The herons strutted about each other with their heads held high and their wings half spread out.
When we were shooting the bittern we kept an eye out for the herons and vice versa. We had the cameras on the herons when the bittern decided to high tail it out of the marsh, so we missed the take-off.
During this half hour time slot, a Kingfisher flew by with a fish in its mouth and a green heron did a fly-past. No shots of those as we were not ready for them.
One of the herons seemed to get bored shortly after this and it too flew off. So we headed further along Trim Road, but only got as far as the large culverts before we were stopped by a flock of about 200-300 tree swallows. Some were lining the wires like starlings or grackles and flying en masse around the culvert, landing in one tree then taking off again.
Finally we made it to the parking lot and the trails. At one point on the trail we found a family of downy woodpeckers working a tree for breakfast. The juveniles were quite small compared to the parents. Their patience and skill for finding breakfast was not as good as the parents. They started complaining to the “old folks” that they expected to be fed and not have to forage for themselves. In the tree at the same time were about 4-5 white breasted nuthatches – probably a family grouping as well. Nearby there were small song birds flitting about, mainly warblers I think.
There were also a good number of ducks around as well. Wood ducks and mallards and/or black ducks. But no black terns today.
The frog part of the day was at end of the trail in Muskrat Bay and the small pond north of it. The bull frogs were out sunning themselves. There were likely 5 or 6 big fellows that we could see.
A few painted turtles were out on logs to catch the sun. Paul Lefort reported that yesterday a good number snakes were sunning themselves.
The evening primrose are in their second, or late, blooming cycle, the arrowhead flowers are very abundant, especially at the west end of Turtle Pond. The turtle head flowers are coming along. One plant had a blossom that was starting to show some white colour, there were about another five plants with early buds. The cardinal flower is out right on time. The orange of the jewel weed blossoms mixes nicely with the purple loosestrife. The elderberry trees are full of purple/black berries. The high bush cranberry at the end of the trail has been stripped bare of fruit, but the one along the Muskrat Trail is laden with berries. The riverside grapes are ripening to a nice purple colour.
A few of the trees are starting to show a few hints of colour. Some swamp milkweed has gone to seed.
The Ottawa Stewardship Council is building a demonstration pond at the end of the Muskrat Trail. Yesterday plants from a low area were dug out and set aside while a back hoe deepened the area a little more. Today the plants were being re-planted and some of the mud dug out was covered with straw to stabilize it into a mound. Joffre Côté from the Stewardship Council is leading the work, being ably assisted by Philip Frye of the Old Field Garden in Oxford Mills. Richard Burnford, a new volunteer at Petrie, was slogging the plants around as was a young lady, Matte (Sorry I did not get her last name).
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/276DA00394F4D5C
28 July 2005 (Jim Robertson)
The weather forecasters said there might be fog over night as things (finally) cooled off.
Well they were right, as we approached Trim Road a solid fog bank was sitting along the river and the Queensway. It had spread its dense white cloud just west of Jeanne d’Arc to east of Trim Road. It very gradually lifted/disintegrated by 8 am.
There was not much out of the ordinary this morning. A heron flew by when we arrived but we didn’t see any down on the water until about 7:45am. There were a number of warblers, woodpeckers, goldfinches (who are likely starting to nest or will be soon), kingbirds and a few flickers in the trees. A rabbit was out munching on grass as was a ground hog in the picnic area. Another ground hog treed itself was we moved on down the trail and turned up the Beaver Trail. A vole was out collecting sweet clover on the trail – don’t see them very often.
Purple loosestrife is still in full bloom, along with Queen Anne’s Lace, Birdsfoot trefoil, some showy tick-trefoil, blue verbain, white and yellow water lilies, sweet white clover, dogbane, burdock, bull thistles and assorted other summer flowers. A few buttonbrush flowers are finished, while others are just starting to bloom.
There have been a few improvements since our last visit, many of garbage cans are now raccoon and gull proof, good for humans, but I am sure the animals miss the open “food” bins and the FOPI interpretative cottage looks spiffy with its new doors.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/2CF1B9101DAE831
4 July 2005 (Jim Robertson)
It was a very colourful morning what with so many wildflowers blooming. The yellow bird’s foot trefoil mixed in with the blue cow vetch were gleaming in the early morning sunlight as you came down the hill from the Queensway.
The marsh is covered with mauve flowering rush, there are large white and pink bindweed blossoms along the trails, along with the purple flowering raspberries, some remaining anemone, white clover, the somewhat rare mauve goat’s rue to name just a few more in bloom.
The purple loosestrife is just starting to bloom and I found two stems of yellow loosestrife (a native, not invasive plant). Swamp and regular milkweed are blooming as well.
The marsh seems to be filling in with reeds and all, there does not seem to be as much water in view as in past years. Maybe I am wrong about that. There is lots of purple pickerel weed in Turtle Pond. (Along with a large fish trying to imitate a shark with a display of his dorsal fin.)
I found two domestic rabbits by the bait shop; the former owner owned some, so maybe these are ones from past years hanging around still. There were two small cottontail rabbits hopping around further east on the Islands. While there were only one or two squirrels about and only one garter snake; there were lots of birds including one of the provincially rare black terns skimming the marsh. Other birds included kingfisher, blue herons, killdeer, white breasted nuthatch, woodpeckers, flycatchers, warblers, robins etc etc
The influx of people over the long week-end must have put a strain on the facilities, and there was some garbage strewn around the garbage barrels, no doubt put there in part by the raccoons who must be enjoying the extra visitors bringing food. The western beaches though are showing signs of more traffic with garbage strewn along the shoreline and remains of bonfires and barbeques.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/B79B7824956CC5E
26 June 2005 (David Villeneuve)
Petrie Island has definitely been discovered by Ottawans. Or at least the beach has. There was traffic chaos as cars drove around searching for parking spots. Cars were parked on both sides of the road as far as the causeway, and some were even south of the causeway. It was a bit scary for people trying to walk along the road, with cars parked on both sides and two lanes of cars trying to enter or exit. Perhaps parking on one side should be permitted?
To add to the confusion, the parking permit machines had run out of paper. People were putting their money in, but nothing was coming out. Imagine the windfall to the city if Bylaw officers should show up.
The island to the west of the interpretive cottage was surprising tranquil in comparison. I only saw one group of hikers on the main trail. Sonshine Families was holding a private picnic at the middle cottage. Their new kayaks and canoes look very nice.
19 June 2005 (Jim Robertson)
(Please note that dogs are no longer permitted at Petrie, the City signage went up this week.)
Today was the annual FOPI Turtle Day at Petrie. Unfortunately the cloudy skies and cool temperatures kept many of the turtles in the water as the sunny day promised by the weatherman did not materialize.
But there were four turtles at FOPI’s land based display: A blanding, a red-eared slider and two painted turtles. One painted was a young adult, the other was a baby about 1.5 inches in diameter. Also featured were a leopard frog and the wild/domestic rabbit mentioned in the last Report.
The turtles (and rabbit) were in large pens by the trail so everyone could find them. The easy access provided a constant flow of adults and kids looking and asking many questions. Al Tweddle, Bill Bower and Gwen Williams were handling the questions. An open air theatre drew people to watch some of the AV shows of Petrie (“Turtles of Petrie” and “Birds of Petrie” were shown).
The afternoon closed with two races: The “Tortoise and the Hare” featuring the rabbit against the blanding and painted turtles (the “Hare” won this time). Then at the water’s edge it was the leopard frog vs the two turtles. The painted turtle won by a nose – the leopard frog, the odds-on favourite, decided to sit the race out and just watched.
Early in the afternoon, Bill Bower, a member of FOPI executive and President of the Ottawa Duck Club checked the wood duck nesting box by the Interpretative cottage expecting it to be empty. No ! Mum was still sitting on the eggs in the nesting box. The box was quickly closed again and Mum calmed down and stayed on the eggs.
Two items of note:
- Sonshine Community Ministries is setting up the S.P.I.R.I.T. Programs to start July 4 running Monday to Friday from 9-5 for kids 8-13 and adults.
S.P.I.R.I.T. stands for: Sonshine’s Petrie Island Recreational Initiatives and Training. Their program will offer canoe/kayak instruction, hiking, orienteering, scavenger hunts, nature studies, games etc to name but a few.
For more information contact 834-8187 ext 29
- A Petrie Island Outdoors Club is being formed. Information meetings will be held at FOPI’s interpretative cottage on Monday June 20th at 6:30pm and Saturday June 25th at 10:30am.
Some of the activities planned are: canoeing, kayaking, cycling, small sail sports, skating, and cross-country skiing. E-mail pioc@rogers.com for more information.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/418AEE42B0453EA
7 June 2005 (Jim Robertson)
A windy bright day with white caps out on the river.
Lots of song birds around, we had two friends along who were identifying the birds by their calls without seeing them. Some day maybe I will be able to… There were a number of herons in Turtle Pond and Muskrat Bay areas. A turkey vulture flew overhead and was chased off by some smaller birds. There were a few mallards in Turtle Pond.
The mosquitoes were being kept down by the wind, but there were MANY dragon/damsel flies, working hard at reducing the mosquito numbers as well.
The beavers have built a small dam between the south channel and Turtle Pond, in an effort to keep the water in Turtle pond, I didn’t know we were in danger of losing it !
On the small island to the west of the culverts there was a raccoon feeling around in the shallow water for clams, didn’t see him find any though. A large rabbit was chewing on the grass by the parking lot. Looked suspiciously like he was a domestic escapee or perhaps was dropped off by someone who no longer wanted him. There were a few bull frogs croaking along the Muskrat Trail.
The flowers are finally starting to bloom: various mustards, blue flag iris, yellow iris, high bush cranberry, nannyberry, dogwood, yellow water lilies, anemone, fleabane, wild roses, starry cross solomon seal were amongst the ones spotted.
There were lots of painted turtles basking in various locations around the inland waters, including a few in the marsh that I had not noticed before. Several map turtles were basking by the main turtle viewing stand. No snapping turtles were spotted, but we found two destroyed nests – the raccoons had a breakfast of nice fresh turtle eggs. We also found a map turtle squatting over a good size hole it had dug in which to lay its eggs. There was a painted turtle walking along the main trail, perhaps back from depositing her eggs.
The canoe launch is in place.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/E0B2834BF402F56
3 June 2005 (Jim Robertson)
It was another hot sunny day and most of the four legged animals were smarter than the two legged ones. They were staying out of the sun. Only three turtles were up basking, all the others were keeping cool in the water.
There were a few birds around (robins, flickers), one ground hog, one muskrat and one garter snake slithered into the tall grasses. The six legged “animals” (mosquitoes) were out in good number, especially along the Beaver Trail where the ferns are close to the trail.
For the first time in my six years of being at Petrie I found some blue-eyed grass. Several good patches right along the trail, not sure how I missed them in previous years.
The main attraction today was the filming of a stop-over by the Destination Nor’west” voyageurs. There are 9 women and men re-creating a canoe trip from Montreal to Winnipeg in 1806. The voyage is being filmed for French language educational TV in Ontario and Quebec.
It is a voyage with a twist. The angle is that it is the 19th century meeting the 21st century. The voyageurs are traveling in the dress of the day and eating the same fare as the fur traders did back then, but at most stopovers they are meeting with local 21st century people who explain the area around them. It was Petrie’s turn today.
Al Tweddle, the President of FOPI gave them a tour of the Island explaining the beaver issues, local unique vegetation and discuss the turtle population amongst other things. At each stop there is a gift exchange, Al traded a VERY large bag of raisins for a 50 pound bag of corn (that one of the voyageurs had to carry around in 30°C heat during Al’s tour !) None of the voyageurs are allowed any 21st century food, while the production crew goes off and eats in local restaurants.
At the cottage there is also a new display of excellent large scale prints of some of the Owls which made Petrie home last winter.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/C28FD924CEA2E76
30 May 2005 (Bill Bower)
I finally made it down for a morning walkabout. Turned out to be a beautiful morning.
I have often stopped along the road in and removed turtles from the road but this morning it was a large green frog that was dallying in the middle of the road by the bait shop and had to be encouraged to move on.
Lots of painted turtles out and then the map turtles began basking at around 9 o’clock. I counted 12 Maps at one point and they were mostly the larger females at around eleven inches in length. I had a close-up look at the Blandings turtles and got some shots of it. A very active turtle as Jim says. It is a large adult female, 9 inches in length with no eggs (?). I have no idea how old it would be. She seems to like Petrie Island but not being photographed.
The gar-pike were spawning this morning further down the trail. Four males had corralled a much larger female and had her nearly beached. Her snout was out of the water. I was able to get some shots of the whole gang.
The best “birding hole” in the whole Ottawa area is that dogwood bush next to the parking lot. If you just walk by you don’t see anything. Stop and wait for some movement back in the bushes and you will see various birds. This morning I noted a Song Sparrow, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, American Redstart and two male Wilson’s Warblers. This makes the fourth year that I have found the little Wilson’s Warbler in this same bush pile. Make sure you check it out the next time down.
A group of walkers came in for a morning stroll. They seemed intent in just keeping up with the leaders and I don’t believe they saw very much. I wouldn’t call it a “Nature Walk” at all. Too bad.
29 May 2005 (Jim Robertson)
Quote from May 25, 2005 dispatch: “Nor did we see the blanding turtle that Al spotted. (Keep your eye out for a turtle with a higher shell than the map and painted turtles. It will have a bright yellow throat.)”
Well Stanley, the elusive blanding turtle, put in his appearance today. He was spotted checking out the new beach by a keen eyed young girl. He acquiesced to have his photo taken, but he should have been names “Speedy” not “Stanley” by the young girl. Blanding turtles, unlike other turtles are VERY fast on their feet and appeared as a blur in several of the shots.
You can learn more about blanding turtles at: http://www.pc.gc.ca/nature/eep-sar/itm3-/eep-sar3b_e.asp
Stanley’s photos have been added to the same location as the May 25th pictures:
http://www.fototime.com/inv/8593944CFA21F20
25 May 2005 (Jim Robertson)
A beautiful sunny morning, with the wind creating white caps on the main channel. The birds and turtles were taking for advantage of the nice day after a few wet dreary ones.
At 6:45am, about 12 turtles were up on the logs by the turtle viewing stand. There were 4 largish map turtles, with the others being painted turtles of varying sizes. As we walked down the trail, more turtles were up on logs in several areas. Some were quite skittish and dove into the water while we were still 30-40 yards away, but some were quite relaxed about the whole thing. At 9:30am there were 25-30 by the viewing stand basking in the warm sun.
We did not see the 61 turtles (a record I think) that Al Tweddle counted by the viewing stand the other day. Nor did we see the blanding turtle that Al spotted. (Keep your eye out for a turtle with a higher shell than the map and painted turtles. It will have a bright yellow throat.
There was quite a variety of birds: – Baltimore oriole – flicker – white breasted nuthatch – osprey – yellow warbler – black terns (these are provincially rare birds that are usually only seen in Ottawa at Petrie) – great blue herons – goldfinches – sandpiper – red-winged blackbirds – tree swallows – robins – chickadees – killdeer – a pair of wood ducks Plus some others that I did not recognize. Then there were all the birds we heard, but did not see.
While no beaver were out swimming, there has been some recent chewing of a downed tree, plus a few beavers tracks on the western beaches. There were raccoon tracks as well on the western beaches. A muskrat was at the end of Turtle Pond, in a very shallow part, eating his breakfast for quite a while. There seemed to be an abundance of black squirrels, but only one chipmunk and no ground hogs. Two rabbits were hopping around foraging for their breakfast.
Some flowers are starting to blossom: black mustard, winter cress (or yellow rocket) jack-in-the-pulpits (particularly along the start of the Beaver Trail) and an interloper, that arrived with a load of fill I suspect, by the parking lot that I have not identified yet.
The ferns are well up, but many still have not completely unfurled their fiddleheads. The water plants are starting to show on the surface, with the water lilies starting to flatten into lily pads.
Wednesday is FOPI’s work day. There were five people down helping today. More are always welcome !
Pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/8593944CFA21F20
10 May 2005 (Jim Robertson)
No herons, no rabbits and no snakes. But lots of other birds and four footed furry creatures.
Herons are perhaps staying away as the water is still a little high. Must be one of the first time I saw no rabbits, might be a low population year for them.
There were several red squirrels and their cousins the black squirrels. Two ground hogs were in evidence. One busy trying to build a new home in the middle of the path at the narrows on the main trail (not the most intelligent thing to do) and another has set up housekeeping just off the trail by the turtle nesting area at the end of the path.
I spotted several birds: red-winged blackbirds, female cowbird, gulls, Canada geese, mallards, song sparrows, white crowned sparrows, robins, flickers, white breasted nuthatch, 4-5 downy woodpeckers and a pileated woodpecker was at work on the south side of Turtle Pond. The best find of the day was a double breasted cormorant in Turtle Pond. I have seen a few of these fishing birds at Petrie before, but always in the south channel by the large culverts.
Two beavers were out swiming. One off the Beaver Trail and one in the main channel just of shore. There were tracks in the sand on the western beaches where the beavers had been coming ashore to munch on toppled poplar trees.
There were no turtles in sight until snouts started to show above the water line around 8AM, by 8:45 there were 12 turtles up on the logs around the turtle viewing stand, including one 10” map turtle.
The grasses are almost 12 inches high and most trees are showing colour with leaves starting to pop. The ferns are starting to grow; some are up 12-15 inches, while others are still tightly curled in their fiddleheads.
There were a few two legged workers around. Installing a pay parking installation and dropping off 12 (count them 12!) port-a-potties. That sure is better than the usual 2.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/58EA6A800FCC3EB
10 April 2005 (Bill Bower)
Beautiful morning but a cold wind coming off the river. I wasn’t able to go down the path due to high water but at least it was flowing out into the river.
There was still quite a bit to see. Lots of geese flying over and six species of ducks around the islands. Nothing unusual, just the wood ducks, hooded and common mergansers, bufflehead, mallards and blacks. I saw the phoebe that had been seen a few days ago. There were two great-blue herons out in the marsh opposite the bait shop. There were away out and hard to identify as they were sleeping with their heads pulled in close. I also saw one yellow-bellied sapsucker and there were two tree swallows flying around out in the marsh area also.
No animals or reptiles seen.
5 April 2005 (Roger Clark)
Visited Petrie Island this morning with Dave Minns & found one male Redhead swimming on the Ottawa River to the east of the island. It was with four Scaup (seemingly Lesser). Also near the beach area were a male & female Brown-headed Cowbird, one Eastern Phoebe, & about 16 Hooded Mergansers.
3 April 2005 (David Villeneuve)
In just 24 hours, the water has risen almost 2 feet. Yesterday morning we could walk around the point on the north-east corner of the beach. Today it is submerged. The pole that is in the east beach was at the water’s edge yesterday, now it is 30 feet out.
2 April 2005 (Jim Robertson)
After hearing Eve Ticknor reporting hooded mergansers and otters yesterday afternoon, I went to Petrie this morning to see what I could find.
I didn’t really expect to see the otters and I didn’t. But there were two small groupings of ducks either side of the “opening” between Turtle Pond and the South Channel. There were at least 50 common mergansers and a minimum of 30 hooded mergansers. You’ll need binoculars to see them well as they are quite far out. Male mergansers are very shy and will fly off if you get much closer than 150-200 yards from them.
No ducks were out by the large culverts past the bait shop. Normally there are many ducks there in the early spring.
There were plenty of red-winged blackbirds and gulls around. One killdeer was out on the marsh ice.
With the snow gone off the ice on Turtle Pond, the many muskrat lodges (or remnants thereof) are in full view.
The water is high but no serious flooding yet. I did not go down the trail, but I suspect the water will be up over the “narrows” on the main trail.
Pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/09397A356687959
1 April 2005 (Eve Ticknor)
I was at the parking lot this afternoon around 3:30. In the bay between Muskrat and Turtle were 2 otters, fishing. They were slipping under the water, sometimes 1, sometimes both, coming up several times to eat their catches. In back of them, just inches away, swam 12 Hooded Mergansers! They have to be one of the most beautiful species of waterfowl.
On my way out I saw and heard a couple of Song Sparrows.
15 March 2005 (Jim Robertson)
The sun knows it is spring with a sunrise time of 6:16am, but someone seems to have forgotten to tell the weatherman !
I’ve decided to name this “twigs and snow” day at Petrie. There really was not a lot more going on.
A pileated woodpecker was squawking across Turtle Pond, one downy was working a tree and a few chickadees and one nuthatch were calling. A chipmunk was looking for food; fortunately for him, there was no owl looking for food in the same place.
Most, but not all, of the ice fishing huts are back up on shore. There is some water on top of the ice in a few areas, but no open water like last month. The open water around the large culverts just north of the Bait shop is unusually small for mid March.
The population of the Islands has increased temporarily by three. Busy two legged beavers have given birth to three snowmen, one at the playground and two in Muskrat Bay.
Pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/DE8E1293F98AB9F
19 February 2005 (Marc Gravel)
I thought I’d check out Petrie late this afternoon for what could be observed after the sudden heavy snow squall which lasted only 25 or so minutes or so it seemed.
First stop, were the frozen marshes of Taylor Falls Bay which yielded 3 Great Gray Owls perched in the thick of the woods here – All 3 were at some distances from each other which allowed me to walk between them and observe from a relative mid range.
Next, on my in to Petrie, I noticed that the turtle x sign had been taken down for the umpteenth time this 2004/05. I tried looking for it in the snow without success. Will report it to the Turtle Shell group unless Bill has already done so 🙂
I went down past the Causeway where I previously reported a Screech Owl and found a Great Gray Owl (#4) perched above the depression beyond the parking lot by this time it was getting dark – 5:30 p.m.
I hadn’t anticipated in taking part of the GGOwl survey this weekend, due in part working from home this weekend, I had little or no time to venture out as I always do on weekends. I needed a break and luckily Petrie Island which is close to home yielded 4 Great Gray Owls among other species – a few cardinals and snow buntings.
No matter which time of day you go out to Petrie Island, there’s always something to discover. Can’t wait for Spring!
13 February 2005 (David Villeneuve)
It took 90 minutes to circumnavigate the island by foot. There is open water in the main channel, but the ice is firm along the shoreline.
Trees are being destroyed by beavers, by tornados, and by erosion. There were several new groups of trees along the shore that have been uprooted by wind and water.
Like Jim on February 11, I too saw some strange animal tracks. It almost looks like the animal was laying down sticks on the snow, in a perfectly rhythmic fashion.
There are now two ice huts in Crappy Bay, and about 100 in Cumberland Bay and along the shore east of the island.
11 Feb 2005 (Marc Gravel)
On February 11th 2005, I observed 6 Great Gray Owls at Taylor Falls Bay within the frozen marsh and the thick of the woods nearby. Two of the Great Gray’s were after one another or trying to force one out of a territory, my guess feeding territory.
Just over the Causeway heading into Petrie Island, I observed a Killdeer in the parking lot on the left as well as an Eastern Screech Owl a few feet into the woods near the depression in the ground where stagnant water pools during the Spring and Summer – In a tree next to the depression, an Eastern Screech Owl perched on a branch – I observed it for a while (10 minutes) then went back to North Service Road for more GGO sightings.
I thought I’d try my luck beyond the the MTO garage for Owls and found instead at the end of the blocked road, at the end of the field – two coyotes at the tree line closer to the river. As I told Jim, I made sure they weren’t dogs though one of them sure looked like one – Its tail was bare – funny looking fella… They didn’t stick around too long before realizing who I was and before you knew it they were gone.
On February 9th 2005 – I observed 3 Great Gray Owls on North Service Road, about the same place I saw the 6 GGO’s on Feb. 11th.
My First GGO sightings were on the 5th, again at North Service Road – Roughly 8-10 were observed along North Service and Taylor Falls Bay, 1 of which I was able to get extremely close to a snap a few photos, before it flew off into the woods startled by the Taylor Family of Orleans 🙂
I’ve attached pictures from the 5th – these same pictures were sent to the Taylor Boys for their school project.
[In answer to a question from David Villeneuve about coyotes] I have seen many coyotes south of Orleans on the fields near French Hill Road down to Innes/Frank Kenny and I’ve also seen them at Mer Bleu. I remember last winter walking the trails at Petrie seeing a coyote out on the ice crossing to Quebec – but never physically at Petrie until last week.My guess is if the owls are abundant on North Service Road – It may also be beneficiary for the coyotes to get a great lunch too.
11 February 2005 (Jim Robertson)
It was a crystal clear blue sky this morning. A perfect background for an owl photograph, with a light breeze ruffling its feathers. Only problem was that the owl(s) must have slept in like everything else seemed to at Petrie this AM.
No owls were in sight, either on the Island or along the North Service Road. A few chickadees, a distant pilated woodpecker, one red and two black squirrels were all that were to be seen/heard.
We were the first humans down the trail, but by the time we headed back to the car, there were about 5-6 other two legged creatures along the trail and about 10-12 cars in the parking lot positioned such that you knew they were there for a walk and not to ice-fish.
I mentioned being the “first humans down the trail”, but the otters (I assume that is what they were as their stomach trails were about 12” across) were up before us and out tobogganing. There were three largish holes (12-16” across) along the shoreline – two on the beaver trail and one further west along the main trail – with foot tracks leading from them and intermittent large wide smooth areas where the animal had been sliding along on its stomach, back on its feet, back to stomach, and then back into the hole. The lack of other tracks in the fresh snow showed that the fun loving tobogganer had definitely come from, and returned, to the hole.
I say fun loving as the animal tracks showed it running along a flat section and then throwing itself on its stomach and sliding, getting up again, running and sliding again. One of the holes was on a smooth bank and the otters seemed to be scurrying up the hill, sliding back down and then up again….
Not sure what time they were out having fun, but I would like to see them doing it.
The water levels are up in both the Rideau and the Ottawa, presumably from the thaw last week. That has created a channel of open water in the main section of the Ottawa River off the Islands. The ice fishing huts are not near it so there is no danger to them.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/E1201F1C027E77C
6 February 2005 (David Villeneuve)
There was only a handful of ice fishermen on Crappy Bay. Arriving on foot along the south channel from Tenth Line Road, I expected to see the bay filled with vehicles, but there was only one hut and a few solitary fishermen. No one was having any luck.
The east side of the beach area, Cumberland Bay, was, in contrast, a complete suburban subdivision. Vehicles and huts as far as the eye could see, which wasn’t that far today because of the unusual smog conditions.
I spotted a large owl flying among the trees on the mainland, and a solitary duck flying along the channel.
16 January 2005 (Jim Robertson)
After an almost 4 month absence due to various reasons, we finally made it back to the Island this morning. A nice sunny morning, no breeze so the –12°C was almost balmy.
With the few days we have had of warm weather, freezing rain and cold follow-ups, it is relatively easy to get around the island as the snow is not deep and has a heavy crust on it. The roads are something else again – bring your skates !
There were lots of cars along the road and in the parking lot, but as expected 95% were for ice fishermen – be they fishing from the luxury of large shack or sitting on an overturned bucket on the ice. There were a few families out on the Petrie trails.
The lack of leaves showed off several summer bird nests including a baltimore oriole’s. Many of the basswood seeds have been eaten by the birds and other animals, as has much bark been torn from dying trees by the woodpeckers.
Some wildflowers information and pictorial pamphlets are posted on large informational sign by the wildflower garden – a taste of things to come in another 4 months !
With not much more fresh snow than a dusting, animals tracks were hard to see, but they were there if you looked. There were lots of red squirrels around as well as their black cousins. A number of downy woodpeckers and a few nuthatches were in evidence (and one robin sitting on a post next to the Queensway as went turned on to it from Trim Road).
But what we went to find, we did. There are a great number of owls in Ottawa this winter, including several reports of a grey owl at Petrie. It took some hunting (and a helpful pointing by another birder) but we found a good sized owl at the end of Muskrat Bay. It moved several times while we photographed it – each time to a better location ! It watched a close by nut hatch intently for a few minutes but did not try to make a breakfast out of it.
Its left eye seemed severely damaged, as it was never opened. Maybe it hurt the eye while hunting.
Pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/926D7679D3999D6
11 January 2005 (Paul Le Fort)
Well, I finally got to the Island today, first visit since early December. I would imagine some of you have visited since.
I parked at Yves and skied to the end. Found the parking lot usable, and the usual four or five vehicles around.
The gate, a design success ruined by an installation failure, is frozen in the open position, and P3 resident Yves says he has had no problems with intruders. (We could always go back to the cable, which worked fine, or use a chain for this winter if we wish.)
There is an old snowmobile track circling the interpretive centre. Someone took a snowmobile right to the end of the Island, using BH Trail, but that was long before the last major snowfall.
The Bill Holland Trail is almost drivable, and many people have hiked it, with and without dogs. One or two ski trails visible, a few days old. Obviously, good access and an open parking area makes the trail a popular place to go. Interestingly, there were no tracks past the observation platform at the far end of it.
No new beaver damage since November.
The crust is such that you can walk anywhere on the Islands, but the skiing is fine.
25 December 2006 (David Villeneuve)
Who would expect Petrie Island to look like this on Christmas day? Ottawa had its first Green Christmas in many years. I even played golf on December 20.
The island was completely deserted. Not surprising since it was only 10 am on Christmas day. There was no sign of life on the main beach. A lone police car passed through the parking lot.
24 December 2006 (Bill Bower)
Tis the season? Tis the “non-typical” Season if you ask me.
No snow as far as you can see, motorcycles on the road, people out and about in their convertibles doing their last minute Xmas shopping. Not enough ice to hold up a skinny ice fisherman. Petrie Island was no exception today. Lots of folks down and enjoying the sunshine. Some people were fishing off the dock in front of the house-boat. One family was out with a couple young kids with nets trying their luck along the shore. One group had sandwiches and pop with them. One guy got wet.
The birdwatchers were out but I never saw a single bird. I guess we can forget about putting up a bird feeder down there. Those people who live up along the North Service Road seem to do a good job at keeping the birds fed during the winter (if you can call this winter).
The temperature must have been nearly +10 degrees down there by 2:00 p.m. It was warm with winter clothes on.
Oh yes, the guy that got wet was me (Should be no surprise to anyone). Of course it could have been Paul (?) Anyway, I was after turtles and did manage to find one not far from the house. So, I caught it and got some photos of it. Probably a dozen or so others got some pictures also before I let it go. It was a young female Slider about six inches long and appeared to be in good health. I had found a painted turtle at Shirley’s Bay on Friday so I wasn’t that surprised to find something today, although I expected to find only painted turtles. This is the first year I have found any turtles in December. How many years before I find one in January?
Bring on the snow and ice so we (who don’t go south) have something to look forwad to come spring.
Merry Xmas!!
9 October 2006 (Isabelle B.)
We went for a beautiful walk on Petrie Island on Monday morning. We saw many wildlife on the island or wetland and one animal in the river. It looks like a otter but we are not sure if there are otters in the Ottawa river. Is it possible?
Reply by Jim Robertson:
Yes it is very possible that you saw a river otter. I used to see them occasionally when I was at Petrie more regularly. They used to “hang out” along the Beaver Trail and across the bay from there.
In the winter, it was not uncommon to find evidence in fresh snow of their coming up on shore and gleefully sliding down the river bank. You could also see where they would run along the snow on the ice and then do a “belly-flop” and slide along the flat surface.
There are also lots of beaver and muskrat at Petrie too, they would be active at this time of year gathering material to make/improve their homes for the winter.
You can see the pictures of the otters’ sliding marks (Feb 11/05 at http://www.fototime.com/inv/E1201F1C027E77C )
26 September 2006 (Richard Burnford)
Although a few hardy souls were windsurfing off the shores of Petrie Island just a few weeks ago, summer has all but left the Island to be replaced by the colours of autumn. Few turtles are to be seen, even the traces of their abandoned and depredated nests having been erased by the City’s mechanical grooming of the trails. Indeed, even the turtles’ sunning platform had been taken over by one very plump duck on this cool fall morning, perhaps taking refuge from the hunters one can hear across the river, or maybe just thinking back on summer prior to leaving for the winter. The beavers are also preparing for winter, with many trails leading into the river. And everywhere there seem to be chipmunks and squirrels, especially chipmunks, more than have been seen all summer.
There are signs of new developments on the Island as well. City surveyors have been down at the Island most of the past week, probably preparing for the construction of the beach pavilion, which is scheduled to begin this autumn, with completion forecast for end-June 2007. Not to be outdone, the Friends of Petrie Island are also in the construction business, with a new storage shed well underway.
Construction notwithstanding, this is surely one of the nicer times of year to visit the Island. Even cool rainy days have their charm, and one can be certain there will be no crowds. One need not be a naturalist to admire the wildlife, though I must confess to being envious of my colleagues who – unlike me – seem to be able to identify almost every bird, animal, and plant they see. As for me, well, I’m OK when it comes to telling the difference between a heron and duck!!
But when it comes right down to it, the most important thing is simply appreciating our good fortune in having a place like Petrie Island so accessible and close to home. And as Mark Leahy suggests in his article on “Petrie Island: Nature Reserve or Coney Island North,” in recognizing the need for vigilance by the community in order to ensure that these treasures remain for future generations to enjoy.
Photos at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/AFC6E4B05C7FBE7
Petrie Island: Nature Reserve or Coney Island North (Mark Leahy)
(The following article was originally published in the Summer 2006 ecOrléans Newsletter and is reproduced with permission of ecOrléans. ecOrléans is the Team Ottawa-Orléans Environment work group. Mark Leahy is co-chair of ecOrléans and was also recently elected as the co-chair of the Petrie Island Advisory Committee. The Friends of Petrie Island have two voting representatives on the Petrie Island Advisory Committee)
Petrie Island has arrived. For many, it’s been their little riverside hideaway for years. A place you could picnic in peace. But now, Petrie Island is attracting city-wide attention. Just what the East-end needs right? Right, if we can maintain Petrie’s delicate balance and give our area a proud ‘claim to fame’. But wrong if the pressure of building a tourist attraction threatens our nature reserve – and makes our locals want to stay home to avoid the crowds. Increasingly, Petrie Island is called upon to accommodate new uses. Powerboats will face off against sailboats. Canoes could be caught in the wake of bass-boats. Through the summer, if we’re not careful, beach volleyball could scramble turtle eggs in the sand. We need to choose our steps wisely while under tremendous pressure to move quickly.
Petrie Island Advisory Committee
In February of this year, the newly created Petrie Island Advisory Committee held its first meeting. The committee includes members from community associations and various groups from the East end including Team Ottawa- Orléans. Its goal is to offer the City of Ottawa input and recommendations on how Orléans wants its prize asset managed and protected. Local city councillors participate in the meetings but don’t vote on motions submitted to the City of Ottawa – which does, however, retain the last word on how Petrie is managed. The committee has its work cut out to try to manage the various interests pulling at the island.
Friends of Petrie Island
Last fall, the Friends of Petrie Island (FOPI) submitted its annual report on the summer season to the City of Ottawa. FOPI promotes conservation and passive recreation on the West side of the Island, away from the greatly expanded beach. FOPI found that the crowds on Petrie more than doubled in the summer of 2005 over the previous year. The parking lots and causeway were very often jammed. Many days several thousand people packed the beach and lined their cars all the way up to North Service Road. FOPI is watching the traffic situation closely. It supports improved pedestrian and cyclist access to Petrie including a bike lane along the access to the causeway. It is also seeking regular bus service to the Island in the summer.
Crowded Beaches = Stomped Nature?
FOPI recently addressed concerns about fears of decreasing wildlife. Members of the group report no significant changes to the area so far. The number of people using the sensitive nature trails was quite low on the hot summer days when the beach area was packed – so busy beaches don’t necessarily translate into stomped plants and trees like the rare Hackberry found on the Island. Other uncommon flora on Petrie include the charmingly-named Mossy Love Grass and Gattinger’s Panic Grass. FOPI also reports that the greatest amount of damage done to the environment here – so far – is from beavers cutting down mature trees.
The Verdict?
So, will Petrie Island’s nature reserve resist turning into a carnival? Very likely – but too soon to tell. Many people are on the case to maintain the balance. The Advisory Committee is in place. FOPI remains vigilant. The Team Ottawa-Orléans Environment workgroup has Petrie squarely on its radar. It’s not likely roller coasters will befoul the Island anytime soon. But that’s not to say the jewel of Orléans won’t remain under considerable pressure to develop further.
30 August 2006 (Bill Bower)
The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping, not to mention a sizeable drop in the number of people visiting the islands. The beaches have been cleared of all the lifesaving equipment and the lifeguards are returning to university (in most cases).
I was down one morning and only met three people on the trails (Al, Richard and Steve) all Friends of PI.
Actually I have been down quite frequently as the birdwatching has been exceptional. The wood warblers have been passing through in great numbers. I just wish I could identify all those females and juveniles in fall colours. I usually tally about nine or ten species a day but find four or five more species I can’t positively identify. Makes it frustrating to say the least. I saw Tony Beck down there last Saturday morning with a group of birders and I imagine they did quite well. Always nice to travel with an expert birder who can identify birds by sound, something I can’t do.
The most frequently observed warblers are the Black and White, Redstart, Magnolia, Yellow, Black-Throated Green, Chestnut Sided, Yellow Rumped, and Common Yellowthroat. Others like the Blackburnian, Northern Parula and the Canada can quite often be seen. A Wilson’s showed up one morning.
The flycatchers are also passing through but they are also difficult to identify, except for the Great Crested.
Some Wood Ducks are around but their numbers, as well as many other species of ducks, will build up over the next couple months. The ponds near the back are always popular with the Wood Ducks in the fall.
Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Kingfishers and Osprey are daily visitors. The best sighting I have had was on Monday when a Great Egret was observed down along the Turtle Pond. I had a great view when it flew over me as it headed down river towards the east. Very easy to see the black legs and yellow bill. I have seen them in the west end of the city before but not at Petrie Island.
This is about the time when the turtle hatchlings begin to make an appearance as they leave their nest and head to water. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find any. September will probably be a better month. The beach area was popular for the nesting females back in June but the hatchlings will have a difficult time making it from their nest and then across the sand to the water. The raccoons patrol it at night and the seagulls take over once daylight comes. Any hatchling that makes it to the water must then avoid the Great Blue Heron, bass, pike and many other predators. Fortunately some do make it and as a result Petrie Island is a great place for viewing turtles. Probably the best concentration of turtles around Ottawa. This morning in the Turtle Pond I saw over thirty turtles including two small northern map turtles and one large red-eared slider basking along with the painted turtles. On days when the temperature is high enough they will continue to bask, even into late October and early November. I haven’t found one in December yet but expect to one of these years.
We recently had a Ranger crew (associated with the MNR Stewardship Council in Manotick) on site for a couple days. The first day the crew (4 plus one leader) constructed and painted ten Wood Duck nesting boxes. The second morning was spent wrapping chicken wire around some of the larger hackberry, nut and other hardwood trees to try and prevent any beaver damage to these healthy trees. Their final afternoon was spent cutting out some of the buckthorn that is trying to gain a foothold on the island. All in all a good experience for these young people and a little exposure to life on Petrie Island.
I have been keeping my eyes open for the Hackberry Emperor Butterfly that was spotted by a visitor back in late July, but, again, no luck. I believe two individual butterflies were seen on two different occasions. Perhaps it is too late in the year now and they are no longer flying. Maybe next year.
Take a trip down some sunny morning. If you get cold you walk along the Beaver Trail to the south side of the island and get into the warm sun. If you get too warm you take a short walk to the north side of the island, walk along the beach area and get a nice cool breeze off the river.
10 July 2006 (Bill Bower)
It was a beautiful morning at Petrie Island today. Hardly a ripple on the river and not a boat in sight.
No sign of the deer this morning but no shortage of rabbits, squirrels and muskrats. Out on the Turtle Pond there was a small bunch of green grass swimming across (all I could see) but it was just a muskrat heading back to its den with fresh grass for food or bedding.
The bird numbers are building up. Some of the island berries are ripening and attracting the Robins. Even the Cedar Waxwings and Kingbirds were getting in on the action. I’ve never seen so many Yellow-Shafted Flickers and Downy Woodpeckers. The Orioles were being quiet but once you found them in the trees they could be seen feeding their families. On the Beaver Trail a pair of House Wrens were busy feeding three young ones.
Female Wood Ducks and their young are hard to find but a female with a brood numbering thirteen was seen just past the bench at the far end of the trail. The young are nearly the size of the female now. I have seen families before in this area and one brood was too large to count. Just a clump of ducklings on a log being closely watched by the mother. Getting close enough to get a photo is nearly impossible. The slightest movement and the whole family disappears into the tall grass.
The Phoebe nest at the Interpretation Centre seems to be successful. A couple eggs have hatched.
One Black Tern was fishing on the north side and an American Bittern was seen flying over. The Great Blue Heron numbers seem to be down but there were two around the Turtle Pond this morning.
My best sighting was back on the Beaver Trail. I was able to get a good look at an adult Black-Billed Cuckoo. It was easy to see the black bill and the red eye ring. This is the first one I have ever seen at Petrie Island and I don’t believe it is on our list of Petrie Island birds. Hopefully others will have a chance to see it also.
A few butterflies were observed but the warm sun kept them active and very difficult to photograph, as in, Butterflies 7 and Bill 0.
The City is still trying to get one-up on the raccoons but the newly installed green garbage containers aren’t doing it. They are supposed to prevent the raccoons from getting into the garbage bins and making a mess. However, a small drainage slot at the back is just large enough for the raccoons to gets their paws in and remove anything they can reach. Back to the drawing board on this one. You would be amazed at how much garbage can be pulled through that one small slot by a hungry raccoon.
25 June 2006 (Richard Burnford)
The Friends of Petrie Island, with the support of the Ottawa Stewardship Council (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) recently conducted a survey of turtle nesting on Petrie Island. The survey concentrated on areas generally thought to be main nesting sites, including the beach and the nature trails. Over a period of more than two weeks, more than 120 observations were recorded, both of nesting turtles and of nesting sites (most involving more than one nest) that had been raided by predators, usually raccoons. On several mornings, more than 10 snapping turtles were observed in “nesting mode,” and while not so frequently observed nesting, there was also evidence of map and painted turtle nests (unfortunately all too often as the aftermath of predation). The data will now be compiled and mapped by the Ottawa Stewardship Council.
This is the first time such a survey has been attempted by FOPI and it represents an important element of FOPI plans to measure environmental changes on the Island. Ideally the survey will be repeated in following years. The information gained will help us better understand the health of the turtle population of the Island and contribute to our understanding of the impacts of recreational use and development on the turtle population as a potential indicator of the environmental integrity of the Island as a whole.
The experience was also personally enriching for the volunteers who participated in the survey. We learned a lot about the turtles on Petrie Island and their nesting. The survey also gave us many opportunities to appreciate the natural aspects of the Island. From a momentary nose to nose encounter with a deer on the River Loop, to watching a very audacious raccoon scoop the eggs from a snapping turtle nest as they were being laid – these are but two of the special experiences that participating in the survey provided. Not to mention the thrill of seeing more than 15 snapping turtles in the space of one hour as we did one morning.
Deer on River Loop, Richard Burnford 2006All in all, even before the number crunching and map plotting has been completed, it is safe to conclude that the turtle nesting survey will provide us with valuable information in our ongoing efforts to monitor and protect the natural environment of Petrie Island.
More photos at http://www.fototime.com/inv/6AE724309F74EF9
17 June 2006 (Jim Robertson)
We visited Petrie this morning with 8-10 photographers in tow. The sunrise was washed out by a significant rainfall, but there were a number of snappers to greet us while performing their egg laying duties. There were signs of other nests as well, along with the tell tale marks of raccoons having dined on the eggs. One of the well-fed raccoons was just off the main trail, not working very hard at hiding itself.
A few map and painted turtles were basking in the humid overcast.
The Canada geese family is still around, mainly on the Ottawa River shoreline, but they did cross over the path into Turtle Pond. A loon was out in the Ottawa River. A Baltimore oriole flew by us a few times while we were on the Muskrat Trail. The usual red winged blackbirds, downy woodpeckers, various LBJs (Little Brown Jobs to those of us who can not name all the birds). One heron reported in as well as one black tern.
Eastern Kingbird by Jim RobertsonThere were also three different birds with nests in close proximity to each other. A yellow-bellied sap sucker has a nest, with young in it, in a hollowed out tree about 6 feet from a second hollowed out tree nest with a flycatcher raising its young. While they seemed to tolerate each other, we did see the flycatcher purposely fly into the sapsucker and try to knock it off a branch. Meanwhile, just around the corner a kingbird sat on the same branch we saw it on last week, but this time its mate was sitting on the nest about 5 feet away on the same tree.
There are a good number of blue irises blooming, while the yellow ones are beginning to fade. The flowering rush has starting to bloom in the marsh, bird’s foot trefoil are blooming, the goat’s rue is starting to show colour, some jack-in-the-pulpit are still in bloom. The Ninebark bush seems to be recovering after it seemed to have died last year. There were lots of blooms on it this year, but it is not as robust as it used to be.
There were more than the average number of bull frogs around; their croaking could be heard most of the morning. The bull frogs were in several places including the new amphibian pond.
More photos at http://www.fototime.com/inv/20CBFBCB3F5506C
6 June 2006 (Jim Robertson)
After a prolonged absence we finally got back down to Petrie this morning. The flowers are certainly coming into bloom right in step with FOPI’s Wildflower “walks” June 3-17. Al Tweddle has done a good job, as usual, of labeling many of the plants and flowers along the Turtle and Bill Holland Trails.
This morning’s blossoms that we noted were: – fleabane – anemone – yellow iris – winter cress – dames rocket – wild rose – yellow waterlilies – highbush cranberries – jack-in-the-pulpit
The carrion plants are growing very quickly, aside from the 3-4 plants on the Bill Holland Trail in the grass north-west of the end of the Turtle Trail, there are a few good specimens on the Basswood trail. The poison ivy is still in a few small areas, but it is right out to the edge of the trail in places.
The carp were in a frenzied spawning mood along the edge of the marsh on the west side as you come down the hill from the Queensway. One person, half jokingly said he though they were alligators. They are very large fish and have large course scales.
We found a map turtle crossing the road in the parking lot area and had quite a way to go still to get to the water so we helped it along to the canoe launch. A snapping turtle was well down the Bill Holland Trail still laying eggs at 9AM. There were signs of several other nests nearby. A painted turtle was up on the river shoreline of the main trail by the eastern end of the Muskrat Trail. Normally painted turtles don’t come up on the sand, so we assumed it was coming from a nest it had just made.
Despite it being a very hot morning there were lots of painted and map turtles basking on various logs all along the trails. Several chipmunks were checking out the trails for a mid-morning snack. A large noisy bullfrog was making use of the newly dedicated Educational Amphibian Pond.
There were a good number of yellow warblers flitting about, along with many grackles, a few flickers, a good number of robins, several tree swallows, lots of red-winged blackbirds, one Baltimore oriole that we spotted and an eastern kingbird sat for a long time on a branch on the way to the new amphibian pond. There was not one heron, which was a first for me in the summer, but the water levels are up a little still and some were reported the other day. Also a first for me at Petrie was a Canada goose family. They did not stay in a photogenic spot so I have no photo, but apparently they have been around for a while. There have always been geese flying by, but this was the first geese, let alone a family, that I have seen adopting Petrie as a home.
One garter snake was slithering through the grass at the end of the main trail.
Several people were out in canoes and kayaks.
Oh yes, the mosquitoes are out in full force. The tree swallows and dragon flies were doing their best to reduce their numbers, but not with great success.
More photos at http://www.fototime.com/inv/C566F91BA7CF20E
3 June 2006 (Richard Burnford)
Neither grey rainy skies nor hungry mosquitoes were enough to deter a few hardy souls from joining City Councilor Bob Monette in the final stage of construction of the Petrie Island Educational Amphibian Pond Project on Saturday, 3 June.
Under the guidance of Joffre Coté from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, volunteers from the Ottawa Stewardship Council, the Team Ottawa-Orleans ecOrléans environmental workgroup, and the Friends of Petrie Island planted native shoreline aquatic vegetation on the banks of the pond and the surrounding area. Family members enthusiastically joined in and the work was quickly completed. There was even time for Joffre to give an impromptu presentation on bull frogs before we trekked back to the parking lot for some well-deserved donuts.
The pond is now essentially complete and the area provides a nice spot, away from the crowds at the beach, to sit quietly and observe the wildlife. A cool rainy day on the Island can be a wonderful time to visit, and last Saturday was no exception. Surprisingly enough, several families were even enjoying a picnic later in the day, and the small picnic shelter proved its worth. The turtles seemed less inclined to get out in the cooler weather, however, and while several Painted Turtles were seen wandering close to the parking lot on Friday (perhaps beginning to look for nesting sites), none were seen to stray from the shoreline on Saturday. They should soon be on the move again, however, and the Friends of Petrie Island will be participating in a turtle nesting survey, with the support of the Ottawa Stewardship Council.
29 May 2006 (Bill Bower)
Pretty nice weekend down at the islands, although there wasn’t much of a crowd when I was there on Saturday morning. Just the usual activities. A couple photographers were out, a few sunbathers, a couple paddlers and there was a volleyball game going on out on the sand.
If you haven’t been down for a few days, there have been some interesting changes. The cottage at 727 Trim Road is no more. It was removed by order of the City last Wednesday. No sign of its existence is left except for a very nice lot with a view. Apparently the old structure was unsafe, un-repairable, un-renovatable and unsightly. If you are really interested in island living, the house is for sale (again). Just think, swimming, boating and fishing right at your back door. Of course in the spring you could have swimming and boating pretty much all the way around the house.
Not a lot of birds observed but some interesting sightings. I found the Black and White Warbler, a Cedar Waxwing and the best sighting of all was a family of Golden Eagles. The Eagles (two adults and a juvenile) were soaring quite low at first but quickly gained altitude as they got out over the river. The juvenile had a few feathers missing from some misfortune.
Deer are not often seen on the islands but they are frequent visitors. I have only seen one and that was a buck which swam across from the Quebec side. There were tracks in the southeastern corner indicating that a couple deer had been over from the mainland for a visit. There are a number of deer that spend the summer and fall in the wooded area along the south side of Orleans Marsh. Actually, there are well used deer trails fairly close to the North Service Road. If you happen to be a deer living in Eastern Ontario then you will be getting ready to celebrate your birthday. Does will now be seeking out secluded areas to have their young, and for a bit of trivia, there are more fawns born around these parts on June 7th than on any other day. Figure that one out.
There was still no sign on any turtle nesting taking place, or at least not in the usual areas. Quite a number were out basking on the logs. Unfortunately one painted turtle was run over in front of the bait shop around mid-day. However, three hatchlings were seen headed for the Turtle Pond after spending the winter in their nest. Anyway, we seem to have a good population of Painted, Map and Snapping Turtles at Petrie Island so let’s hope it continues that way.
I took time to check out the Wood Duck nesting box next to the Interpretation Centre. It now has 13 Wood Duck eggs in it, all nicely covered with down. The female wasn’t there and the eggs were cold so I’m thinking that maybe she hasn’t started incubating them yet. We shall see.
22 May 2006 (Bill Bower)
It was cold, windy and lots of white-caps out on the river. The wind blowing from the north across the river didn’t help any.
Some folks were out in the sand area flying kites. Conditions were perfect. They were neat to watch as one looked like a sailing schooner and the other like a bi-plane.
Lots of fishermen around but they are usually a hearty lot. Frozen fingers mean nothing to them.
One family was having a well attended picnic right behind the Interpretation Centre. They were protected from the wind but the smell from the barbecues was following me around and I had difficulty staying away. Something really good was being served.
There were actually some turtles out on the logs basking. In what I’m just not sure. I saw six painted and six maps.
The dogwood bushes near the parking lot turned out to be a hotbed of bird activity. When I went past in the morning along the turtle trail I don’t recall seeing anything. I saw little during my hike around the islands. However, when I returned later I ended up stopping as a chipmunk caught my attention. While watching it I became aware of more activity in the bush. In the twenty minutes or so that I stood around looking with my field glasses I recorded the following: Song Sparrow, White-Crowned Sparrow, Goldfinch, Robin, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-Throated Blue Warbler and finally a male Wilson’s Warbler. This marks the fifth spring in six years that I have found a Wilson’s Warbler in that particular bush. I may have missed one other warbler that I couldn’t get a clear view of. This bush usually attracts a pair of Gray Catbirds but I guess they haven’t returned yet.
All in all, I’m glad I made the effort to get out on what was otherwise a miserable day. I climbed in my car just as a heavy rain began to fall.
16 May 2006 (Michael Lukyniuk)
The Petrie Islands are a sort of oasis on the Ottawa River in the community of Orleans. Besides public beaches, the islands contain walking paths which wind through marshes and small forests. It’s enchanting in all seasons. This painting captures a leisurely walk in the early fall. Watercolor, 12 x 15 inches.
Les îles Pétrie forment un oasis sur la rivière des Outaouais dans la communauté d’Orléans. À part de sa plage publique, les îles contiennent des sentiers qui traversent les marais et quelques petites forêts. Ces îles sont charmantes à travers toutes les saison. Cette peinture décrit une randonnée paisible en début d’automne. Aquarelle, 12 x 15 pouces.
See more of Michael’s paintings.
16 May 2006 (Bill Bower)
Not a bad morning out on the islands. The rain threatened but stayed away and the mosquito situation wasn’t all that bad.
Lots of birds around but I’m sure half the birds I saw were Yellow Rumped Warblers. They were everywhere. I ended up with thirty birds on my list with the best sightings being the Black Tern, a House Wren, a Spotted Sandpiper and lots of Northern Orioles. There were even two Bittern around. I saw a number of Robin egg shells along the trail which means young Robins somewhere. The only nest I found was occupied by a Mourning Dove. I did see a Warbling Vireo collecting spider webs (complete with spider) so they must be nesting already. I didn’t know they used webs in their nest construction.
Great day for turtles. At “high noon” there were forty-three turtles on the two platforms in front of the observation stand. Thirteen of those were Map Turtles and I found another ten Maps along the south side of the Turtle Pond. And that’s just one pond! Most of the Maps were large females but there were a few males resting on the logs with smiles on their faces. Hope I captured that on film. Other Painted Turtles were seen on the east side of the islands and on the “inside ponds”, which are not the cleanest looking ponds in the world. Those ponds also have a good number of green frogs in them and also a number of unknown fish, which are now trapped. I guess the water is cleaner than it looks as there have been painted turtles in those ponds for as long as I can remember.
A few fishermen were out after gosh knows what. I didn’t see anything being landed. The only successful catch a saw was one man after “fiddle-heads”. He had a good bag full. I guess it beats $4.00 a pound at Farm Boy. He must have New Brunswick roots. [Editor’s note – it is illegal to pick plants on Petrie Island, and is strongly discouraged by the Friends of Petrie Island. The plants are there for everyone to share.]
Should be more birds arriving in the days ahead.
5 May 2006 (Bill Bower)
Not a bad morning out at Petrie. The island is still a bit soggy but no problem navigating the trails with boots on. The leaves aren’t as far advanced as they are in other areas such, as at Mer Bleue, which makes the bird identification process somewhat easier. There were a number of species around but my best sightings were the White Crowned Sparrow, a Palm Warbler, a Loon (out on the river) and an eagle which stayed in the area for 15 – 20 minutes. It was an adult Golden Eagle which is the first one I have seen while visiting the islands. It soared over the islands, back channel and Orleans Marsh. If you aren’t paying attention you might just assume it is a Turkey Vulture flying over. Once you see it with field glasses you can easily note the differences.
The turtles put in an appearance around 9:00 a.m. and I counted about thirty Painted Turtles and five Map Turtles. There were three Maps just in front and the other two were on the south side of the Turtle Pond. Always take a close look at any turtle basking. It could be a Painted, a Map or a Blanding’s. Someone had reported that they had seen a “very flat” turtle with a long snout basking (?) Was it an Eastern Spiny Softshell or just another Map turtle? It would be great if someone could get a picture of a softshell turtle basking at Petrie Island. There are those who think there may still be the odd softshell somewhere in the lower Ottawa. Every year there are reports of sightings. The aquatic equivalent of the Eastern Cougar.
There seem to be lots of green frogs this spring which is good to see. May they go forth and multiply. Some of the photos I have taken seem to indicate that that is what they are up to.
There seems to be a good population of breeding Wood Ducks around the islands this spring. I counted fifteen pair one morning and noted quite a number on Friday. At the far end of the Turtle Pond there were four males together. I did check the nesting box next to the Interpretation Centre a few days back. I removed a dead grey squirrel and there was one Wood Duck egg under it. I’ll check it again to see if the female has returned. Smell isn’t a strong point with ducks. They have been found nesting (quite content) alongside or on top of a another dead duck or a dead animal.
Amongst all the flotsam and jetsam that arrives on the islands each spring there are often some nice timbers that drift in. Such is the case this spring, but man-power alone won’t be sufficient to complete a salvage operation. I little heavier equipment is needed. They can be well used for something. (bench, floats, etc.)
A contractor was in delivering the City “hot houses” for summer use. Al was making sure they were strategically located.
If you are a birdwatcher the next two or three weeks should be perfect at Petrie Island. A little wet weather may make the trip even more worth while.
If you are a fisherman and looking for some supplies, parts for your broken rod, a used boat or something else, then you are too late because the first annual garage sale/swap meet was this morning (Saturday) at the bait shop.
25 April 2006 (Al Tweddle) FOPI Report
The trails at Petrie Island have been flooded and the only access to the picnic area was by the wooden bridge, however the water has peaked and been stable for the last several days. It is expected to decline over the next few days unless we get more rain. There are some advantages:
Monday a muskrat was seen swimming in the picnic area pond and a beaver has been spotted in the flooded areas around the canoe launch
you can also hear it gnawing at around 7:00p.m
a pair of Canada geese have been resident in the area for the last week.
the first basking turtles were spotted by Bill Bower on April 14. Some can be spotted on logs next to the parking lot on sunny days.
Our regular events start:
May 6 and 7 with a Saturday clean up, 9:00 a.m. to noon and opening of the info centre on Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please bring work gloves and a rake if possible
June 3 to 17th, wild flowers and plants will be labeled along the trail and picnic area
June 3 – Dedication and opening of amphibian pond
Ottawa Riverkeepers is planning a canoe/kayak event starting at Victoria island and paddling to Petrie Island in early June (probably the 11th)
Turtle Day will be held June 25th
Canada Day events, Sat, July 1st, will be similar to last year
The info centre will be open weekends in May and June and daily in July and August.
Friends of Petrie Island are initiating 2 projects:
A project to try to measure environmental changes at Petrie Island which will include frog and turtle counts
Long range development plans and uses of Petrie Island documents will also be posted for comment at the info centre.
Summer operation of the beach and park will be similar to last year with portable toilets, as the final planning and construction of the beach house should be completed this year.
FOPI depends on grants, fundraising and memberships to operate our interpretive programs and the info centre. The City pays for the picnic area and trail operation. We encourage everyone to become a member or renew your membership at the info centre or send $10 to our Treasurer, Steve McPhee, 386 Vince St., Orleans, Ontario, K1E 2E3.
21 January 2006 (Petrie Island Outdoors Club Newsletter)
The city has re-graded the east beach, where we have been putting-in for our Thursday Evening and Sunday paddles, to provide a safer slope into the water. Another parking area has been added which is closer to the east beach. This will mean a shorter carry of our boats from car top to put-in. They have also upgraded the parking meters. The city will begin construction of a canteen building with 8 men’s & 8 women’s washrooms this summer. The building will be heated for year round use. Construction of a storage building near the east beach will also commence this spring. It is to be used by the lifeguards.
A Petrie Island Advisory Committee is being formed to work with the City on governance issues concerning Petrie Island.
The Grandmaitre’s have renamed their enterprise Oziles’ — check out their website at www.oziles.com. Yves Grandmaitre has told me that he is upgrading his rental fleet of canoes and kayaks in time for paddling season.
31 August 2014 (Ahmed S. Minhas)
Late August and it’s a sunny, but chilly day. It’s my first time at Petrie Island and I’m anxious to take a hike through and satiate my curiousity. I park my car near Crappie Bay and the first thing I see is a mink running into the bushes from under the small boats launch. Eager to get a hike in, I follow the Bill Holland trail all the way to the River Loop. The clean, fresh air and the crisp, motionless water are soothing. There aren’t many people here, so it’s quiet and all I can hear is the water hitting the shore and the wind blowing through the trees.
Along the trail, I hear a large heron cry out and fly over the water to the other side. I must have startled it while walking on the gravel. Among the signs in the bushes, I see one about the kinds of animals around Petrie Island. Minks, groundhogs, muskrats, beavers and deer, too! Eventually come upon a small beach and clear opening on the right of me. While walking towards there, a group of frogs jump out of the way – and one, as big as my fist hops into the water. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a large frog in my life before.
The sun is slowly coming down for the day and I just take in the sight. It’s remarkably scenic and even more so when among the setting sun and clouds are 18-20 hot air balloons in the distance. The scene is picturesque. After a while, I continue along the trail towards the River Loop. The pathway is sandy and a bunch of turtles are basking to the left of me on rocks and logs. Small in size, but grouped together and even basking on top of each other!
On the way back to my car, I see a tree cut down by beavers and a bunch of groundhogs and chipmunks all scurrying out of my way. And still, I see more and more frogs! During this one trip, I’ve seen every animal listed on all the information signs – all except for the elusive deer. This will fast become my favourite place to come and relax in.
4 July 2014 (Katherine Forster)
A cloudy but warm Thursday at Petrie. There were a couple of people along the Bill Holland Trail. My job today was to survey all the small butternut saplings that were planted in April to see how they were doing after a couple of months.
Saw a leopard frog on the Fern Path (just beyond the wildflower garden) and a couple of frogs lept away from my feet at the corner of Basswood Trail.
The last couple of butternuts that I had to survey were out at the point along Basswood Trail – a favourite spot for those who like fishing
We had planted a couple on the river side and a couple on the forest side and had marked them with small pink flags.
I went off the path to the right, catching sight of one of those small pink flag beside a bush. I dropped my notebook and GPS navigator and was just about to take some measurements when a female mallard flew up from the bush into the air.
Must be a nest”, I thought to myself and I found it very close to the bush with six eggs in it. What a wonderful find!
After all the trees had been surveyed I headed back to the Nature Centre and witnessed a small painted turtle just west of the parking lot. She was just covering up her nesting hole using her back feet to kick the wet sand back in place. Lots of busy mothers tending to their eggs. You never know what you will find when you visit!
25 May 2014 (Al Tweddle & Erika Rose)
At 11 am Sunday, we attempted to enter Petrie Island but found the road was closed and water levels were still high. We managed to get to the nature center wearing rubber boots and noted that 50% of the picnic area was under water. On our way in we saw 3 painted and 4 mapped turtles basking along the turtle trail. We saw 2 geese and 3 goslings swimming through the picnic area. The Bill Holland (BH) trail was completely flooded in the picnic area portion. We ventured to the end of the BH trail by boat, landing where the beaver loop begins. We spotted two muskrats along our boat ride, as well as a heron along the river shore. Along the loop we found a beaver lodge, which is new this year. Portions of the beaver loop are too flooded to walk through.
We proceeded to the sand dune at the west end of the trail, on our way passing a collection of Bladder Nut. As we approached the Ottawa River shoreline we found that the sandy beach along the River Trail was completely under water.
Water levels have receded since their peak on Thursday the 22nd. We expect the road to be open in the next day or so. Rubber boots are recommended on the trails – however in some areas water levels may go above the top of your boots, watch your step!
Figure 1. A beaver caught eating dinner !
Figure 2. Flooded picnic area at Petrie Island.
Figure 3. Eva, one of our monitors trekking through the flooded picnic area.
Figure 4. A muskrat seen along one of the nature trails!
3 May 2014 (Katherine Forster)
Great Turn Out for Jane’s Walk: Turtles at Petrie Island on Saturday May 3rd!
On an early May Saturday Al Tweddle and Eva Kasanda hosted 41 intrepid Jane’s Walkers on a Turtle Trail walk and talk. This year the Ottawa River cooperated allowing the visitors access to the island and the Grand Maitre Nature Reserve. The tour started in the Interpretive Centre, providing shelter from some light rain and allowing visitors to learn about the efforts of the Friends of Petrie Island and the wildlife that lives on the island. Outside one brave Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) showed his (or her) face and Eva Kasanda introduced the group to a pet Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) turtle (courtesy of Bill Bower) and she talked about the dangers of releasing this type of non-native species into the wild.
The tour finished up with a visit to the Experimental Turtle Nesting Site. Al and Eva received lots of great questions and comments and FOPI is looking forward to hosting more walks and talks this year! Promotion of this event and other Jane Walks were seen in Apartment 613, Green Living Ottawa and the Ottawa Citizen! Thanks to everyone who came out!
9 August 2011 (Wayne Lenahan)
When I was heading east on your trail between the River and Beaver Loops I witnessed for the first time, and didn’t know they existed on Petrie Island, I saw a female deer with her two or three young fawns, on the path. I froze and waited to see what she was going to do. I didn’t want her to charge at me in defence of her young. I luckily found an alternative path to travel on nearby, and hoped we wouldn’t meet along the way on this path. We didn’t and I was able to get back to the Conservation Building safely. And on Thurs. Aug. 4, 2011 on the same path previously mentioned I saw a mother Skunk and her baby. Again I stood still as they did to see what she would do, and fortunately she moved and took her baby into the bush. I’ve also witnessed seeing a Muskrat twice, and some kind of woodpecker, probably the Pilated one. Well thought this would be of interest to you.
4 November 2010 (via Jim Robertson)
Spotted at a birder website: “I’m starting to like that beach area on Petrie…a lot 🙂 Let’s see, this fall there have been a Wheatear, Pipits, Horned Larks, Lapland Longspur, Snow Buntings (some of the most approachable I’ve seen), a tame Black-bellied Plover that ate peanuts, Brants and now a Snow Goose.”
29 August 2010 (Jim Robertson)
It had been a little over a year since we last visited Petrie. (Just too many other activities for us old retired folks.) We were heading out on an hour’s drive east of the city so we stopped for a brief 45 minute walkabout on the trails.
Tony Beck had a group of bird watchers at the Park this morning. (Glad to see the birds of Petrie are being better “recognized” now. For the un-initiated see the Petrie Birds video at http://www.petrieisland.org/Slideshows/index.html )
While we didn’t see any herons, we did spot a yellow warbler, some chickadees and two kingfishers in addition to other species. A red-tailed hawk was sitting on overhead wires as we descended from the Queensway. Hope Tony’s group saw more variety than we did.
There were a good number of ground nut blooms along the Turtle trail, large fall asters by the FOPI Interpretative Centre, a few bottle gentian on the Basswood trail, turtlehead along the Bill Holland trail, and jack-in-the-pulpit red seeds were sitting on their stems waiting to fall off or to be chewed off by passing squirrels. A sprinkling of mauve gerardia blooms were in evidence in several areas. The bull thistles were in full seed – scattering their dandelion-like seeds to any adjacent plants etc that they could latch on to. Bladder campion were still much in evidence. The orange and brighter orange touch-me-nots were covered with dew. A few evening primroses, pickerel weed, lots of purple loosestrife, and white water lilies were blooming in areas. Talking about water-lilies, this year’s heat seemed to have produced some quite large leaved plants by the very old abandoned beaver lodge at the west end of the Beaver Trail. (We must have been the first people down the Beaver Trail this morning as we were walking into spider webs all the way along it.)
It has been wet enough that mushrooms were sticking their heads up in various places.
There were a few squirrels around, one of the many chipmunks disappeared into the tall grasses next to the trail as we walked along, but then emerged and sauntered almost between our legs. Talk about being bold!
A vole also scurried across the path at the narrows – we’ve have seen them there before.
A few bull frogs, juvenile and adult, were at the amphibian pond and a good number of leopard frogs leapt across the trails as we walked. One particularly brightly leopard frog was at the start of the Basswood trail by the culverts.
We saw two turtles by the turtle stand (including one VERY large painted turtle) and two at the narrows; the absence of other turtles is likely explained by how warm that water is with all the summer heat we have been having, the turtles don’t likely need to bask as much as they do in May and June.
A few quick and dirty (and fuzzy) grab shots can be found at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/A83790A11B8A3C4
30 May 2010 (Bill Bower)
I saw a Great Egret in the Marsh at Petrie Island this morning. I saw three of them on Friday at Shirley’s Bay so I’m doing pretty good.
The only activity I have seen at the new Wood Duck box #5 on the turtle log has been visits by Tree Swallows and Great Crested Flycatchers. Both will use the nesting boxes on occasion.
You have to see this. instructional and reveals stuff I never knew. wood duck can have many intruders while incubating eggs. make sure you slide down to see all the photos and also click on the movie (highlighted in blue) to see chicks under/beside mom
amazing stuff:
http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/camera/view?cameraID=C100004
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ronQ2i2HI&feature=player_embedded
17 November 2009 (Steve Tomkins)
I spotted this Blue Heron around 3:30pm on November 16th. He was flying around the Turtle Pond near the parking lot. He landed on the far side on the inlet and I figured that he would fly away before I could reach him, but I walked out anyway and was lucky enough to get within 30-40 feet of him before he flew away.
I’ve attached another image showing a distance shot and his location. The weather was pretty nice (around 7-8C) and the foliage is pretty barren now but quite pretty. I’ve attached a sample image of that as well.
7 August 2009 (Jim Robertson)
Again, it had been a while since we had been at Petrie and as we had an errand to run in Orleans, we thought we would take a quick walk around the park. We hadn’t been there at mid-morning very often; most visits are earlier in the day, so we weren’t sure what we would see. It was a partly cloudy, cool morning, and a fair breeze blowing from the north-west, we didn’t have a lot of time to explore but we did get a few pictures and noted some of the flora and fauna.
There had been a rain (again!) overnight so many of the sensitive ferns were still dotted with rain drops. All that rain seems to be drowning some trees as we noticed a few starting to show red leaves, while it is not unusual to see a few red leaves in August there seemed to be quite a few more than expected. Just past the end of the trail, we could see one maple that appeared to be in full fall foliage.
Among the many flowers that we saw (and remembered) were:
white water lilies
pickerel weed
flowering rush
chicory
queen anne’s lace
goat’s rue ( a relatively scarce flower of which Petrie is known for its population)
evening primrose
purple loosestrife
cardinal flower
bull thistle (in bloom and seed)
joe pye weed
milkweed
high bush cranberry in berry
jack-in-the-pulpit seeds in their green stage
sweet pea
There were no ducks to be seen, one heron was in the bay on the way in from the Queensway. We saw two kingbirds, a large kingfisher kept moving down the trail just ahead of us.
One well fed ground hog scurried across the trail at one point and a few black squirrels were around along with one red squirrel which came out to check on us.
As the air was cool and there were still clouds around, there weren’t a lot of turtles out basking, but we did see perhaps 20 painted turtles. On one log there was a painted turtle with what looked like a dented shell and covered in moss, another one with a clean and smooth shell and the third one had a very rough shell, so much so we thought it must be a map turtle, but the markings on its neck and tail seem to indicate a painted turtle.
A few frogs were lying quietly in one of the pools along side the trail, including one “granddaddy” of a frog.
The rain all summer have kept the mosquitoes and other bugs around which meant that damsel and dragon flies were much in evidence.
Pictures at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/92FA0362D87E496
2 April 2009 (Jim Robertson)
After too long an absence, we headed down to Petrie this morning. It was too nice a day to stay inside.
It has been almost 3 years since my last dispatch. After 6 years of intensive visits including over 4 years of dispatches we felt we had to seek life beyond Petrie, but it was nice this morning to come back to the life in Petrie.
The maple tree buds were swelling and there was a few fresh new sprouts coming up through the leaf litter from last fall.
Most of the inland water areas such as Turtle Pond are still well frozen over, but the river itself is wide open and flowing very quickly. The Bill Holland Trail is flooded in a few areas, but nothing a pair of rubber boots could not handle. There are a number of trees down across the trail but all were easy to step over.
Turtle Pond would have been better named Muskrat Pond – there were about 8-10 muskrats out on the ice or swimming in what open water there was around the edges of the pond. We had hoped we might see a turtle up on the ice, but no such luck.
There were black and grey squirrels scurrying about as well as a few chipmunks and red squirrels.
We heard a few flickers, but never saw any; red wing blackbirds were also in relative abundance. Chickadees and nuthatches were flitting about along with some “LBJs” (Little brown jobs ). The song sparrows we singing their hearts out. A good number of robins were looking for breakfast as were a few downy woodpeckers. Only mallards and one wood duck made up the population of ducks we found, the mergansers aren’t back yet. Canada geese were in plentiful supply. We found a crow’s nest by following two crows flying in with full beaks. A good number of gulls were going for ride down the river on an ice flow – sure beats flying !!
A few pictures are at: http://www.fototime.com/inv/D6253E4B69014D2
For comparison you might want to visit a Dispatch from April 2, 2005 at: http://www.petrieisland.org/dispatches/dispatches2005.htm (scroll down to find it)
6 May 2008 (Richard Burnford)
For the past two years, the Friends of Petrie Island and the Ottawa Stewardship Council have conducted surveys of turtle nesting sites on Petrie Island. The objectives of the survey were to learn more about nesting turtle species on the Islands, with a view to protecting both the turtle species and their habitat. The reports for the 2006 and 2007 species are posted on the FOPI website www.fallingbrook.com/petrieisland/documents/documents.htm
In 2008, we will turn our focus to species at risk (SAR) turtles. Six of Ontario’s turtle species are at risk. At least two of these – the Northern Map and the Blanding’s – have been observed on Petrie Island in recent years. There is a need for a better understanding of the population and locations of these and other species at risk turtles on Petrie Island and the surrounding area. All of the data we collect will be submitted, via the OMNR coordinator of the Ottawa Stewardship Council, to the appropriate agencies.
How can you help?
The study relies on reports submitted by volunteer observers and by members of the public. Whether hiking along the nature trails, canoeing along the shoreline, or simply exploring the natural areas, if you see a live or dead species at risk turtle, please let us know. You can fill in the online report at www.fallingbrook.com/petrieisland/, fill out a report at the FOPI Interpretation Centre when it is open, or send us an email. Forms are also available at Oziles’ Marina and Bait Shop. We are only asking for reports of species at risk turtles. Snapping and Painted Turtles and Red Sliders are not part of this study.
Tell us: what kind of turtle you saw; how many; what was it doing (basking in the sun, swimming, nesting, walking, injured, road kill); where you saw it, including either GPS co-ordinates or the grid square from the map; and the date and time you saw it. Please do not disturb turtles in their natural habitat.
A brochure with guidance on identifying turtle species is available on the FOPI website. Copies are also available at the Interpretation Centre and the Bait shop. For a more detailed guide on Ontario turtle species, see the Ontario Turtle Tally website www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/Turtles.asp
The study area (shown on this online map) includes the whole of Petrie Island, the causeway, and the shoreline and wetlands from east of Trim Road to west of the 10th Line Road. Most of this area is inaccessible on foot, so we would especially appreciate reports from people in kayaks, canoes, or small fishing boats who may be able to observe basking or swimming turtles. If you would like to take a more active part in the study, or to report a siting, please contact us at petrieturtles2008@fallingbrook.com.
24 April 2008 (Paul Le Fort)
A Fine Day at Petrie Island – To be specific, April 24 2008
It’s a beautiful spring day, and the shrinking expanses of clean beach at Petrie Island are the domain of a dozen bewildered (don’t ask how we know) and likely homeless muskrats, along with a dozen Canada geese, who patrol the access road and the vicinity of the municipal storage shed. The beavers have had unlimited swimming access, and it shows.Petrie in flood 2008
Birds are everywhere, but appear to be in smaller numbers given the lack of solid ground to forage. Some scurry along the floating rafts of reeds and branches, finding nesting material and neat stuff for a bird.
What is everywhere, is water, water. And not a drop to drink.
Today, Al “Swamp Rat” Tweddle and Paul “Ocean” Le Fort set out to explore the depths (pun intended) of the Ottawa River’s invasion.The Chairman chose his trusty kayak as transportation, a vessel only a few centimeters longer than he is. The Secretary, ever prudent, chose to park the Subaru at the water’s edge and walk in with waders. Let’s get one thing out of the way first: waders will get a person no further than about 100 meters short of the curve on the road, due to the depth of water, current and water temperature, and the fact that the road surface at that point is a little soft. Two kind fishermen graciously provided the Secretary with a boat ride to the beach and brought him back later. Photos were taken for posterity, and just for fun.
Meanwhile, avoiding the narrows where the 6,400 cubic-meter-per-second Ottawa creates visible excitement, the Chair paddled around to the Interpretive Center and cottage area, ascertaining that no serious damage was done. At one point, atempts to paddle through floatin debris resulted in Al showering himself with dripping weeds as he lifted the paddle, making him look like the Brown Navy camouflaged platoons of the Indochina war.
The Chair entered the cottage and found nothing unusual there (no fish..). Outside, the easternmost Turtle Trail bench is damaged, others upright for now. It appears that the clever vertical tubing system put in place to allow the Amphibian Pond bridge to rise to the occasion has been working. The Bill Holland gate structures seem intact and level as well. The FOPI fleet is untouched and not in danger of moving up the side of Ararat, while the new shed, though moated, remains dry. The threat, of course, is that a strong northeaster would bring large waves (and possibly debris) to bear on the front verandah of the Interpretive Center, now awash. The paddlers’ launch dock has been moved north about 20 meters from its winter storage site and is stuck between the trees.
Petrie in flood 2008The permanent human residents have fled upland, leaving their house to sump pumps, with water lapping centimeters below the foundation, truck parked in driveway, wet tires glistening.
It is possible at this time to drive a large pickup or SUV as far as the marina property, and the owners have been doing so. Going further would be foolish without a serious offroad vehicle.
So the Island rests, takes a cool bath, and awaits the return of its best Friends.
Al and I will go on another tour next week, using two kayaks this time, and will report further. Volunteers with canoes, kayaks and other floating things are welcome. No air mattresses, please.
9 September 2007 (David Villeneuve)
This summer the water quality at Petrie Beach was markedly improved over the previous year. In 2007, the beach was closed for only 6 days, compared with 45 days in 2006. In comparison, Westboro beach was closed 22 times in 2007.
It seems that 2006 was an anomaly, as Petrie’s water quality was better in the years before and after. See our statistics here. Some suspect that illegal dumping of sewage was responsible.
1 September 2007 (Richard Burnford)
Photos of the newest member of FOPI are attached. Arrived at about 10am Saturday, 1 September, 2007. Weight – unknown, probably less than 1 ounce. Size- about the size of a loonie. Welcomed into this world by at least seven brothers and sisters, not counting those that had already completed the 300 foot trip to the beach or ended up as a gull’s breakfast. Last seen – swimming towards the middle of the Ottawa River. Unlikely to be back in time for FOPI’s 10th anniversary in September, but may be back in town for the 20th. Will probably be big enough to eat the hat when next seen.
4 August 2007 (Bill Bower)
July was a pretty good month for finding butterflies around Petrie Island. At least it was for me anyway.
Our current list of butterfly species at Petrie Island shows a total of twenty-two. By comparison, the list of butterfly species for the Ottawa District (50 km radius centered on the Peace Tower) shows just over one hundred (103 as of 2006) and the list for the Fletcher Wildlife Garden tops out at thirty-eight.
I’m no expert so if I can find six or eight in a day I’m doing well. The most common sightings at Petrie Island this July seemed to be the Monarch (everyone’s favourite), Eastern Comma, Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral and Eyed Brown. You don’t have to look very hard to find a couple others on your travels around the islands. Some smaller ones like the Summer Azure we tend to overlook.
So what are the chances of finding a butterfly that could be considered a rare sighting for the Ottawa District? Not good you’re probably thinking. I would tend to agree except that I did find one such butterfly in early July, and before the month had ended I had found no less than twelve of them.
This butterfly is called the Hackberry Emperor and the first confirmed record for the Ottawa District was back in July of 2006. I certainly never saw any in my travels (that I know of). This is a very beautiful butterfly and a member of the Brushfooted Butterfly Family. Males are about 1.8 inches and females go up to 2.1 inches. You guessed it, the eggs are laid on and the larvae feed on hackberry trees. And yes, Petrie Island has quite a number of mature and juvenile hackberry trees.
I found the first one on July 3rd. and not being certain of what I had photographed I sent some shots to Christine Hanrahan and to Ross Layberry to be identified. They both came back positive with encouraging comments so now I was hooked. Were there others around the islands or was this just a lucky encounter? Over the next three weeks I made another six trips down and found at least one Hackberry Emperor on each outing. There were three locations where I recorded sightings and all were along the north side of the Bill Holland Trail and mostly at the far end near the covered bench.
I soon learned that these butterflies are extremely fast and very erratic flyers. I lost more than one when my eyes simply couldn’t follow the butterfly in the air to see where it landed. When I did find one that had landed (usually quite high up) it could sit for an hour or more and not move. My patience only paid off once when one of these flew down out of a maple tree and landed on some bladder campion plants.
Using the correct bait in a good location was the key. I soon learned that ripe bananas work quite well while old grapes were great for attracting the local chipmunks who then promptly stole them. Old fruit soon ferments in the hot sun and gives off an inviting scent. After the “mash” reaches that point, most anything that can be called an insect will likely show up.
My best day was on Saturday, July 21st. I must have had just the right banana. I was going to say the right ripe banana but rotten banana would be more like it. A half dozen butterfly species showed up in the heat including a nice Hackberry Emperor. I photographed butterflies from all possible angles over the next hour or so. With the heat rising quickly and having no banana of my own, I headed out. But, I ran into three enthusiastic looking “butterfly people”, complete with nets, looking for the elusive Hackberry Emperor. Someone (Ross Layberry) had passed on word to them of the early July sightings by someone named Bill Bower. The three were Christina Lewis, Bob Bracken and Mike Tate. I introduced myself and back out the trail we headed. They were optimistic for sure but I could see no chance at all of finding another Hackberry Emperor. I tried to distract them by pointing out and talking about the turtles of Petrie Island but they would have none of it. So it was off to the “banana tree” to see what had flown in since I had left the area. A quick check of the “herd” with field glasses revealed a few Eastern Commas and Question Marks, a Mourning Cloak, a Red Admiral and one beautiful looking Hackberry Emperor butterfly. That brought smiles to everyone’s face, especially mine. Someone that knows a great deal about butterflies (actually all three of them do) had now seen a Hackberry Emperor at Petrie Island. The moment was captured on film (make that a compactflash card) and when we decided to leave some thirty minutes later that particular butterfly was still there. I could later confirm that it was a different specimen than the one I had photographed earlier in the day on the same log.
Incidentally, my sightings were all made between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on very warm days, which doesn’t mean anything except that I was, by then, hot and tired and figured it was time to leave the islands to the swimmers and sunbathers.
The question now is – Do we have a viable colony of Hackberry Emperor butterflies living on Petrie Island? I guess it will be up to the experts to decide how many sightings over how many years it takes to confirm that a colony does exist. For my part, I had a great experience this summer, learned a lot more than I knew previously about butterflies and can’t wait for next July to see if I can find and photograph more of these interesting butterflies at Petrie Island.
I guess we can add one more species to the listing in our Handbook and I think it is fair to say that our list will grow even further as other interested people travel the islands and report on their butterfly sightings. Adding another ten species is probably not out of the question. I’ll be looking for sure.
23 April 2007 (Al Tweddle)
What a difference a week makes: last week there was 6″ of snow and the parking lots were empty. On Sunday, there were 102 cars and people were out in shorts, one person even went in the water. Over 20 turtles were out along the shore line on Turtle Bay, a couple of Muskrats were also feeding along the shoreline. The Maple trees are blooming and the Bill Holland trail has been open and in use since Wednesday last week. The construction along the road has limited access in spots, the pipes for the water and sewers are being installed.
Our annual spring clean up day to clear away twigs, and other debris will be held Sat., May 12 from 9 – 12 noon. Extra rakes and gloves, if possible, should be brought, we have garbage bags and some equipment. Please come if you can.
9 February 2007 (Bill Bower)
Talk about having the place to yourself. I was down at 9:30 and headed out to check the thirteen Wood Duck nesting boxes located around the islands. I made sure I had my hot coffee and hand warmers with me. The temperature inside the “hilton” was -15 degrees when I stopped in to pick up the extension ladder. The high winds outside made it feel much colder and there was blowing snow coming in off the river.
Checking the boxes is always interesting and this year was no exception. The overall results were very good with eleven of the thirteen boxes having been used by Wood Ducks (spring 2006). A total of 163 eggs were laid and of those 90 hatched. A number of nests were abandoned and you are never quite sure of the reason(s) for this loss. It could be that the female was killed somewhere or juvenile females that didn’t stick around until the eggs hatched. Two of the successful nests were actually on top of starling nests, which is always good to see. The starlings start nesting first and then the ducks arrive. Sometimes the ducks get discouraged, when faced with a an ever enlarging starling nest, and leave, and sometimes they are persistent and win out, as appears to be the case this past year.
I wasn’t totally alone during my four hour hike. I had a visit from a female Northern Shrike as I was checking one box. She landed on a limb very close to me. On two other occasions while I was checking the boxes towards the west, she arrived but stayed further away. Not sure what it was that attracted her.
Squirrels also like the boxes but usually don’t start to move into the boxes until the fall months. One box was occupied by a red squirrel. The box hadn’t been used by a Wood Duck so I put in more shavings on top of the nest. An old squirrel nest won’t stop the ducks from nesting in a few months. Another box had a large squirrel nest in it, complete with two black squirrels. I had to clean this box out as there were rotten duck eggs on the bottom. I put in extra shavings in case the squirrels returned. They did, but weren’t happy with shavings only. As I left they were busy gathering up “their” nesting material on the ground and returning it to the nest box.
Surprisingly, I hit slush in a number of places which made the going more difficult. I was wondering why the toboggan was getting heavier but then realized it was covered in slush, which , by then, was frozen solid and I couldn’t remove it.
The only other bird activity was a flock of Snow Buntings.
When I finally got back to the “hilton” it was well past lunch time. Inside it was now a balmy -5 degrees. I took off my coat, got out my hot coffee, frozen sandwich, pulled up the smaller bench and ate, in comfort, at the recently constructed “work bench”. All I needed was a mattress and a sleeping bag and I could easily have fallen asleep. Outside the wind was howling as more snow was blowing in off the river.
All in all, an enjoyable outing. Nothing got wet, frozen or broken. Tired, maybe.