Feature Article April 24, 2002
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Unusual visitorsArdoch area residents had 3 swans visiting their village on the river where it goes through the village, for about 2 weeks, and had them disappear last weekend. Which swan species were they? My guess is Tundra Swans, migrating to the north, but hanging around because the lakes and rivers up north were not yet open.
Also this month, residents of Sharbot Lake were treated to the opportunity to see a swan on their lake. This rare visitor is most probably a Trumpeter Swan, and judging from the duskiness on the neck, is a young bird.
Trumpeter Swans used to be abundant east of the Rocky Mountains before the 19th century, but hunting them for the meat and eggs by settlers and native people was the probable cause of their decline. They were also killed for their quills and skins, and records show that over 100,000 skins were sold between 1823 and 1877. Soon there were none left east of the Rockies, and they were near extinction west of the Rockies.
Protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act since 1916, they are gradually making a comeback in British Columbia, and a reintroduction program is showing some success in Ontario. A few years ago a pair of Trumpeters showed up on the Rideau River, where they found a quiet area and built a nest. That first year did not produce any young, but the following year, the pair were successful. From that start, in spite of a female being shot, a young one being killed (probably by a sibling), and the natural toll that occurs, the Trumpeter Swan can now be seen occasionally on the Rideau River or in surrounding areas.
The swan on Sharbot Lake is probably a young bird that will not breed this year, and has been forced to leave the area where the adults are nesting. A pair of breeding birds are aggressively territorial. Both work to build the nest, but incubation is by the female alone. Some time in June or early July the cygnets are born. Covered at first with pale gray down, they are usually fully feathered in 9 to 10 weeks. Let us hope our visitor, this young bird, finds a mate and a nesting area, and raises young of its own in the next year or two.Sighting Reports - It is hoped that this can become a regular feature of The Frontenac News. To do so, we need people to report what, when and where they have seen returning birds, interesting animals, emerging butterflies, flowers, etc. Please call Jean Griffin, at 268-2518.
Reports:Thanks to Ed Johnston of Ardoch and Shirley Peruniak of Sharbot Lake for the reports on the swans. -Nine Double-crested Cormorants were seen April 12 on Sharbot Lake by Shirley Peruniak. - Shirley also reports hearing a Leopard Frog and a Chorus Frog on April 16, and Peter Bell heard an early Gray Treefrog on April 17.- A Pine Warbler was singing in my pines on Armstrong Road on April 12. Beaked Hazelnut was in bloom on Armstrong Road on April 17, and a daring Painted Turtle was crossing Armstrong Road on April 16.
Jean has been interested in nature - flowers, bird watching, etc. all her life, having grown up on a farm in New Brunswick. She is an analytical chemist and worked in Ottawa for the government until her first child came along, when she became a full-time mom. She has 3 children and 2 grandchildren in the Ottawa area. She has travelled to the Galapagos, the Arctic, the Antarctic, Venezuela, Arizona, Yukon/Alaska, the US east coast, and every province in Canada following her passion of birdwatching. She is a life member of Girl Guides of Canada - a leader for 20 years, and has many other interests too numerous to mention!
