The Mute Swan Dispute

On one of my trips to LaSalle lately, I saw two people boating from island to island, visiting them each, spending a couple minutes only, and moving to the next.  They were oiling eggs.

Oiling eggs.
(note: I've pixelated the face as I don't intend to cause anyone trouble)

I am assuming they were oiling Mute Swan eggs given the size of the white eggs I could see them holding.  I had heard that this was being done, but had never seen it before.  The pair that nests every year by the boat launch of Bayfront Park I'm sure is spared as it is a well known spot and attracts many people each year as they watch the 32-37 day incubation and then the hatching fun.  In fact, my encounter with this pair was at the beginning of my birding/photography fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the anticipation and then the slow arrival of the cygnets.  Here are those post in order:

First arrivals

More arrivals

Cygnet Ride

They use vegetable oil to spray onto the eggs to close up the pores in the eggs which doesn't allow oxygen to pass through to the developing embryo/chick inside.  And they oil the eggs instead of destroying them so the swans don't re-lay new eggs, but sit through the full incubation time.  The reason for the oiling is to try and control the Mute Swan population.  It is a swan that was imported from Europe as decoration birds for large estate ponds back in the late 1800's.  But it's huge appetite and very aggressive manner have pushed out many of the other water birds, keeping them from breeding in the area it claims.  Because of their massive "through-put" (food turns into poop), they are also seen as contributors (along with Canada Geese of course) with algae bloom problems that starve the aquatic fauna of oxygen and decrease the water plants that are necessary for a balanced environment.

Now, after realizing the impact these swans have and that they were not naturally here, I think I'd support the control.  My understanding is that they are not eliminating them, but keeping them to a manageable population and in some ways, putting a "predator" in place that isn't naturally here.

There has been a big effort to reintroduce the Trumpeter Swan back into the area after it almost became extinct.  This program is going well by all accounts, and LaSalle beach in Burlington is home to a large group that seem to be well established with many over wintering there.  Here's an interesting YouTube video of Trumpeter Swans being banded and tagged.

Trumpeter Swans

Here are a few resources I found on the topic of oiling the Mute Swan eggs elsewhere...I could only find a few references to this actually being practiced in the Hamilton Harbour area:

http://www.hamiltonharbour.ca/documents/TSH_2012_SupportingDocument.pdf  (bottom of page 7)

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/554464--weather-natural-cycles-putting-wildlife-front-and-centre (end of the article)

Here is another blog post from someone in Vermont on the topic.

http://tailsofbirding.blogspot.ca/2008/02/mute-swan-beautiful-graceful-and.html

I don't do this often, but the egg oiling made me think of an aspect I'd like to share with you...One interesting aspect of the egg oiling, is the amazing design of the egg itself.  Until recently, I hadn't even known that eggs had these thousands of pores for "breathing".  Along with so many other wonders of the natural world around us, the egg is another very powerful evidence for seeing all the beauty and intricate systems as designed, and not the product of chance.

Consider these interesting egg facts which all have to be in place and working for a little bird chick to survive:

Strength and shape - Without both of these the egg would be crushed by the parent bird.

Holes - Thousands of microscopic holes allow for respiration during incubation.

Air pocket - At the end of the incubation period, and just prior to the massive effort to get out, the holes are not sufficient to provide enough oxygen.  There is a little pocket of air which provides just enough for the little bird to break the skin inside, and then chisel a hole in the egg with...

Egg tooth (correct, it's not part of the egg!) - the little bird has to develop with this egg tooth strong enough to break the shell.

This doesn't even include the amazing reproductive system that all has to be in the right order for embryo, fertilization, shell production to take place.  But if any of these parts of the system aren't in place, the chick would die.

Adds another dimension to the question of the Chicken or the Egg dilemma don't you think?  I believe all these amazingly complex designs all point to a God who put them there to make us wonder at how amazingly well he created everything to work.  Problem is, we live in a world that is not without breakdown and problems.  It doesn't all work perfectly.  Despite the underlying, amazingly wonderful designed world that we see, there is disease, trouble, and breakdown.  That is our fault, and along with the rest of the world He created to be good, it groans to be fixed.  It wasn't always that way.  We decided that we knew better and rebelled against the God who made us.  And we're still "benefiting" today.  Because we are part of a long line of people who continue to live our own way, and because we're "in the hole" from the start, we can't fix the problem ourselves. Thankfully God sent a rescuer - Jesus - to pay for the debt of our wrong as a representative.  All He requires is that we admit our guilt and are willing to humble ourselves and ask for His grace through the payment on the cross.  Otherwise, we can't complain about the payment we will be required to make for our less than perfect lives which is the standard of a good, but just God.

If you think I'm all wet here or differ in your opinion, please don't feel bad to let me know.  I'd be glad to discuss further or hear your view.  Please be sure that I don't share these thoughts to discourage, or to say I'm better than you, or anything like that... I'm not any better, and I'm in the same condition as everyone else is.  But I want to share the fix that I know and believe to be so true.  I want you to have the same comfort and peace that I have - to know that the the day you die, you'll have a confident answer as you stand before your Maker.   And some day, I don't want you to say, "Why did you never tell me!?"

And... as I enjoy watching and sharing the birding and wildlife photographs, I'm "afraid" I can't help but see that all these creatures declare HIS handiwork.  So, once in a while, a little "sermon" results and I hope that from it, someone some day, will see Him too.

Take care!
Brian

Not All Detours are Bad

This summer my route to work has been lengthened with two detours.  As frustrating as they can be, both have turned out to benefit me with seeing birds up close.

But first, during a site visit for work out in Campbellville I saw a few opportunities for a few photographs.  I had my camera along to take site photos of a development I had to provide entrance designs for, so was able to take a few photos near the site and on the way back to the office.  A pair of Barn Swallows were preening over Campbellville Pond in the morning light.  Unfortunately the sun was shining from across the pond so the lighting was hard to work with.

Barn Swallows

Some turtles were sunning on a log.  They must have very good eye sight because it is hard to get close without them slipping quickly into the water.

A pair of turtles sunning with one thinking about it.

Honey Bees on Purple Loosestrife

Female American Goldfinch
hiding in the Chickweed

A Trumpeter Swan was preening on a floating log.  It was tagged, so I submitted a bird encounter report.  I haven't heard anything back, and may never get a response.  The number on the metal band on its right leg would have given them more specific information than just the wing tag.  That obviously wasn't going to happen.  I didn't think Trumpeter Swans usually stayed around this area during the middle of summer.  Hopefully I get some sort of response.

Trumpeter Swan with wing tag.

On my way back to the office there were a few Wild Turkeys on the far side of a harvested wheat field.  When I stopped and got out, only one turkey remained for a picture.  Either it was smart enough to know I didn't have a gun, or it will be the one the hunters get during Turkey season.

Wild Turkey

From Wild Turkeys, to Turkey Vultures... As mentioned earlier, my detoured route to work has taken me down Old Guelph Road on the East border of Dundas.  One morning, a number of Turkey Vultures were roosted on a hydro tower, preparing for a day of soaring.

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vultures are not the most attractive birds, their featherless heads giving them a rather unappealing look.  However, they are a bird with many specifically designed characteristics.  Their heads and most of their necks are featherless to minimize the affect of reaching inside dead bodies for tasty treats to eat.  They have an incredible sense of smell enabling them to detect the odour of dead animals before their more mediocre sense of sight locates them.  This is because they can detect this odours at concentrations of as low as just a few part per trillion (AllAboutBirds.org). This sense of smell is sometimes used by officials with trained birds to detect natural gas leaks.   Turkey vultures have amazing digestive systems.  In order to eating decaying animals and to be able to overcome diseases and poisons which killed the animal in the first place, they have special stomach acids and bacteria which will destroy those toxins.

Turkey Vulture

On my continued progress back to work from my field visit mentioned earlier, my route took me along the same detour of Old Guelph road.  At one point right in front of me, a Red-tailed Hawk launched off of a hydro pole and swept down into the long grass in pursuit of some prey.  I pulled over quickly and grabbed my camera (which was unusually with me and at the ready).  As I was stepping out of the car, the bird landed on a hydro pole right across the road.  It must have been preoccupied with its failed operation because it didn't notice me at first. I was hardly 15m away.

Red-tailed Hawk

I was hesitant to even move to raise my camera for fear that it would notice me, but with a slow and steady movement I lifted it and got off a few shots before it did look straight at me for a moment, and then flew off. As it left, it cried out loudly to another Red-tail which must have been perched nearby and they headed out together for the protection of the trees in the distance. A beautiful bird!!

Red-tailed Hawk

On my continued way into the office, (lunch time by this time) I quickly stopped at the York Street bridge which goes over two railroads and the waterway link (a remnant of the old DesJardins Canal) between Coote's Paradise and Hamilton Harbour. In Coote's Paradise, a large group of Double-crested Cormorants were feeding, then lifting off, circling to gain elevation and crossing over at the bridge to spend time in the harbour.

Hundreds of Double-crested Cormorants in Coote's Paradise

Double-crested Cormorant in flight.

Double-crested Cormorant flying over York Street bridge.

Double-crested Cormorant approaching the bridge.

While waiting for the next cormorant to approach, I spotted a dragon fly facing into the wind.  I wonder if it was using the breeze coming from Coote's to blow bugs towards it and just waiting their to snag them as they blew by.  Hard to photograph though - it hovered, but never long in one place and it's a small object focus on zoomed way in.

Hovering Dragonfly.

I popped down the long set of stairs and walked a short bit towards Bayfront Park.  A small man made island off the shore in the Harbour was full of sunning cormorants.

Double-crested Cormorants sunning.

A juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron was perched up in a Willow hanging over the water, and a lone Mute Swan was bathing and preening its feathers, while a two Opsrey were noisily calling as their wheeled about in the air overhead.  

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron

Mute Swan

Osprey

I still chuckle now as I write this.  There was a couple standing beside me exclaiming at how nice the spot was and something to the effect that it was nice to see wildlife around.  I was able to point the Night Heron out to them and tell the the name, just as some Caspian Terns flew round the bend.  Moments later the Osprey noisily appeared, and I'm pretty sure a cormorant surfaced pretty close by.  I can't remember if there was anything else, but I could point out some interesting birds, all literally within a few minute's time span.  It was almost comical.  The couple was very appreciative and it was very rewarding to be able to look back and realize that within a short time, I've learned quite a few birds by name and can share it with others to add to their enjoyment of an afternoon out for a walk.

Just before I left, a Turkey Vulture made a teetering glide just overhead as it crossed the ridge of York Road.  A nice finish to a detoured drive into work.

Turkey Vulture in flight.

Uh Oh! That Didn't Sound Right!

I'll wait till the end to share the bad news...

UPDATE: A colleague at work here (thanks John!) corrected me on my turtle identification.  The two turtles I thought were Painters are actually Red-eared Sliders.  They are not native to Southern Ontario but likely pet releases.  They don't make it through the winters here, so will likely not be around next spring. Unless we get an even crazier winter than the past one!  So replace Painter with Slider when you read the post. :)

I went out today for a short lunch break to Bayfront Park and was enjoying a rather bold Painted Turtle. They are usually quite quick to relinquish the warm sun for the cover of the cool water when anyone approaches. Its fellow sunbathers were more typical, splashing into the water as I approached closer than my initial picture or two.

Painted Turtles sunning,
maybe a Northern Map Turtle?

I didn't realize this until looking at the pictures tonight... In the picture above, the middle turtle has a somewhat "serrated" edge along the back.  The focus is on the front turtle, so hard to really see the pattern on the shell.  Also, the shell doesn't have the "brim" effect the other two Painters do. Might be a Northern Map Turtle?  They are threatened species in Ontario.  Any professional opinions?

The brave one, or the foolish one?

Coming in for a look.

Man, this shell is heavy!

The segue into the next topic is the turtle in the bottom of the picture below.  With the distance, the harsh noon day light, and my lack of knowledge of turtles, I could not tell what kind it was.  It didn't look like a painted turtle to me.  A smaller snapper?  Seemed a strange place to be, and I wonder if it was hanging out there, hoping for an opportune moment for a meal?  Again, anyone know if this is possible?

So, the Mute Swan pair is back by the gazebo in the boat launch bay at the park.  They've made a larger, taller nest just a little north of their last year's site.  Though I wonder, maybe the other nest started out the same size - I only started visiting not long before the goslings hatched.  I wonder if the nest slowly settles as the lower reeds get water logged and lose their buoyancy.  

Mute Swan incubating eggs with a
turtle on the nest edge.

I was told by others there that there are 12 eggs this year which would be a very large clutch.  Last year there were 9 which was also larger than the average 6. I'll see if I can get an actual count soon.


Now the bad news...
You know that great sound and feel of camera shutter action? There is something about that feel and sound that is satisfying.  Well, during a series of quick shots while the turtle was climbing out of the water, (not that they move that quickly) the reassuring click was not the same - it was short and incomplete.  Next, the camera shut off with no warning.  My first thought was that it did not sound right, and second hope was, did the battery die so suddenly that the camera couldn't put out it's usual warning?  I was hoping, but my gut told me no.

'Twas not to be.  Back at the office confirmed the shutter was stuck shut.  I dropped it off at the camera shop tonight to be shipped to Sony for repair, still under warranty thankfully.  It will be 4-6 weeks, or longer if parts aren't available.  Hmm.... Bald Eagles just hatched, Sandhill Cranes nesting, who knows what else during the exciting spring months?

Of course, life does not end, and I should probably put this freed up time towards spring yard cleanup, lots of Church work on the to do list, etc, etc.  Priorities right?  Although I enjoy this hobby, it's telling to see how one reacts when the things we find joy in are removed (although I realize this is just temporary).  Brings back to mind my post about hobbies where I was challenging myself previously.  I'll have to think on whether I followed through on some of my plans there!

I do have more Sandhill Crane pictures to post, so those will come sometime soon.  Till then, I'll have to be content to enjoy seeing things without a camera in between the creature and me.  Maybe that's not a bad thing.  But I'll be anxious for the camera back.

Older Photos

I was going through some of my old photos and doing some house keeping.  I found a few photos from previous trips to Bayfront Park that I hadn't posted and thought I'd share them.  I haven't done much of getting out to photograph anything of late.  Life is quite busy at the moment!

Mute Swan taking off.

I enjoy watching terns make their hunting circuits over the water.  There is something about how they fly that I like.  Their wing strokes are different from gulls, more definite and crisp with a kind of movement that somehow brings the word "lilt" to mind.  It seems so effortless, and you can see them sure ahead with every stroke.  They like to set up a number of  loops which they patrol a few times, and switching between them periodically.  When a small fish is seen close enough to the surface, they tuck and plummet into the water to pursue the prey.

Common Tern looking for lunch.

Going for a Ride

Well, here is a post I was looking forward to putting up for a while... 

I think this was one of my favourite lunch hours so far at Bayfront Park.

Enjoy!

The "ugly" duckling?

Proud momma with five cygnets.

Pile on mom!!

Wait for me!

High, dry, and cozy.

Best seat on the ride.

Starting to preen right away.

Dozing off.

Taking up the rear.

the Cob just up from a snack.

Here is some more information about swans on a neat website I found.  Lots of interesting facts about swans.  A few highlights that you might not have known (or may never care about):

- A swan has 23 vertebrae in that long graceful neck

- Cygnets have to peck for almost a whole day at the egg with the "egg tooth" on their little bills before hatching.  No wonder they look completely wearied when they hatch, wobbling all over the place.

The male is called a "cob", and the female a "pen".

- The cob typically can be distinguished as the larger of the two, and also has a larger knob at the base of its beak.

A beautifully designed bird, enjoyable to watch with their young.

Mute Swans and Cygnets 2

Continuation from the previous post on the cygnets hatching...

Mother Swan helping

Babies are in the nest for one day, and then are already into the water.  Shelter on the back of the female is never far away.

Two hatched, seven eggs left.

Two oldest Cygnets under Mom's watchful eye.

The pair I watched had nine eggs, of which I believe six hatched, and four lived.  Although the young can fly within about two months, they stay with the parents for about a year to learn migration routes, after which they're sent packing to set out on their own.

Siblings.

One more swan post to come with pictures of the other pair and cygnets up for a ride.
I also recently camped at Long Point Provincial Park where I saw a number of birds and other wildlife... a post to come on that in the near future.

Mute Swans and Cygnets

There were two sets of Mute Swans hatching eggs at Bayfront Park in Hamilton.  Over a week or so ago, I visited almost every lunch to watch the activities and try and get some pictures.

Male Mute Swan - in challenge display chasing away a Canada Goose .

Mute Swans are actually not native to North America, but were introduced in the late 19th century by the rich to add to their waterways and ponds for the ornamental effect.  They are considered by some as an invasive species because their numbers have grown so much.  Mute Swans are relatively comfortable around people compared to the other North American swans like the Trumpeter Swan or the Tundra Swan.  These are seen less frequently.  Mute Swans aren't silent, but are named this because their calls are much quieter than other swans.

The couple on the reed nest - of the 9 eggs, only a few are visible

Mute Swans are one of the heaviest flying birds.  The male usually weighs about 12kg (26lb) and their wing span ranges from 2 to 2.5m.

Hatching... the female was panting away, grunting a squeaking ever time
there was some movement below her, sheltering with her wings.

They usually mate for life, and create large nests out of reeds, where they will lay a clutch of large, light brown or greenish eggs which are incubated for about 36 days, with the male and female taking turns, but the female taking charge when they are hatching.  The males especially, will very aggressively guard the nest with some pretty exciting chases.  They will even drown other larger birds which sees as a threat.

A little hole can be seen on the left egg, the egg tooth on the beak
just  visible from a cygnet soon to hatch.

Under a protective wing.

I'll post some more of the rest of my shots... But what an amazing process.