Timiskaming Birds Forum

During my last update to the web site, I added new flags to the Chimney Swift and Rusty Blackbird as "Species of Local Interest".  A read through the species accounts for these species will make it clear why they have been flagged. Rusty Blackbird has never been common in Timiskaming, and documentation for all observations of this species are increasingly important.  Chimney Swifts were a locally common species in some places around Timiskaming in the not too distant past, but their presence has become increasingly scarce in recent years.

Good idea Mike  is there anything we can do locally to help the swifts did i ever mention my idea of erecting a chimney at the marsh. it would be such excellent feeding for them it is just a matter of whetehr they would be able to find the chimney.  I also wonder if we should get organized on a survey as I know we have swifts in haileybury. I think we have had this thread before but it just seems we could be doing something to get a handle on the local population.  Just a thought.

Upon reviewing the number of observations of Bald Eagles reported, both on these forums as well as verbally to me by friends and acquaintances, I have decided to drop the "Of Local Interest" flag for Bald Eagle on our master checklist.  This is an impressive bird when seen in the field, and I do not want people to construe this change as meaning that people are no longer interested in this species.  I strongly encourage you to continue to report your observations of Bald Eagles in these forums, in part so that we can continue to monitor the recovery of the population for this species in the local context.  It is also still listed by the Ministry of Natural Resources as a species of "Special Concern" in northern Ontario. However, given the relative frequency of sightings, it has become impractical to attempt to record all observations in the log on the species page, and it is probably not useful to continue to do so.  The forums will therefore become the primary mechanism for monitoring the local abundance of this species.  The species page will continue to provide a textual summary of ongoing or emerging trends.  Hope this decision meets with the approval of all.

Sounds perfect Mike and very good news as well.