2015
Cormorants and Seagulls
As I travel around Muskoka especially on the Big 3 lakes I notice the cormorants and seagulls have taken over some of the small islands. I approached this particular island on Lake Joseph riding my Seadoo very quietly by turning off the engine and drifting in. The cormorants were fine with me taking a few photos however the gulls went into psycho panic mode and started dive bombing me. It is interesting how the gulls and cormorants get along nesting beside each other. I think the gulls are opportunistic and wait for the cormorants who are great fishers to drop a few scraps.
2012
Cormorants – Fowl or Foul?
Probably the most despised bird around the Muskoka area is the Cormorant. You can easily see the damage they cause to the trees and vegetation on the many small islands in the area. Some people believe this is just the balance of nature and it is meant to be however that theory is largely dispelled. People are concerned with the growing population of a bird that was near extinct only a few years ago and now making a remarkable comeback.
Fisherman complain about fish stocks being down and others about the unsightliness and damage to property. There is definitely a controversy brewing about Cormorants not only in Muskoka but in other places where they are calling for a cull.
2008
Invasion of the Cormorants in Muskoka
If you have ever traveled down Lake Joseph in Muskoka by boat you may have noticed a very strange looking island. It could be a scene right out of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. This small chunk of land is in fairly shallow water and seems to be the home of a large colony of Cormorants. Its very creepy.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2014
Diplomatic Scavengers
While traveling around the lakes I notice that the only birds that hang out with the cormorants are the seagulls. I suspect the opportunistic gulls hang around picking up the fish scraps that the cormorants drop. A diplomatic scavenger of sorts. Ahhh excuse me sir, don’t mind me while I borrow these french fries.
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
2011
The Islands of Muskoka
Most islands on the Big 3 lakes in Muskoka have unique names such as Sunbeam, Monyca or Lookout and have long and interesting histories associated with them. And then there are these numerous small insignificant islands that are basically rocks jutting out of the lake. We like to make up our own names for them – LOL. Some are completely barren with few trees or they can be occupied by flocks of weird birds. You need to be careful navigating around these chunks of granite as they are usually located in shallow waters. Captain – red marker port side!
In: historic muskoka, in and around muskoka ontario, on the water
2009
The Lighthouse near Rosseau
It was a rather drab looking day cruising up to the north end of Lake Rosseau but nevertheless its always great to be on the water. This lighthouse is located on the shoals just south of Rosseau near the distinctive Rosseau Lake College. The lighthouse is still operational and managed by the Canadian Coast Guard. I noticed a few
Please click on the image for a large 1280 pixel size
In: on the water
2008
Muskoka’s Cormorant Bird Explosion
Here is a close up of the freaky cormorant birds that inhabit a small island up on Lake Joe in Muskoka. I have seen them on Lake Rosseau and Lake Muskoka as well. Apparently the double-crested cormorants were near extinction at one time due to the levels of toxic chemicals. The fact that they are coming back is a good thing even if they are creepy, eat lots of fish and destroy some vegetation. Some people think they came from another area however they are a native bird of Canada.
Information from Environment Canada Here
In: in and around muskoka ontario, on the water, uncategorized
