Canada

A Winter Hoot on Amherst Island

Article and photography by Steve Gillick

American and Canadian travellers who have experienced summer in Eastern Ontario with its lakes, beaches, country roads, B & Bs, wineries, shopping, culinary creations and fresh air, need not shy away when colder weather prevails. In fact, in the late fall and winter, Amherst Island takes on the role of “Owl headquarters” for Canada.

A car-ferry departs near the village of Millhaven, about 20 miles west of Kingston. Early morning winter crossings often showcase beautiful sunrises, reflected off the frozen surface of Lake Ontario, as the ferry crunches across the surface on the 20 minute journey to the hamlet of Stella. As the island is only 20 Km (12 miles) long and 7 km wide (4.4 miles), not only is it hard to get lost, but every road leads to picturesque lake views, seasonal bed-and-breakfasts, farms with cattle, sheep, horses and turkeys, White-tailed deer dashing through a field…and raptors!

On a January visit, with snow on the ground and a wind chill of minus 12C (10 F), we saw a number of Red-tailed Hawks, Peregrine Falcons, Red-shouldered Hawks and Northern Harriers. But we also counted 30 Snowy Owls dotting the landscape around the island; some perched in trees and on top of hydro poles, while others positioned themselves on fence posts and rocks in order to catch a meal of small rodents. Snowy Owls are the largest owls by weight in North America and so it’s easy to spot their white colour (males are mostly white; females and juveniles have black or brown markings). Some are quite close to the main roads where their large yellow eyes stare down at photographers, with others appearing as small white dots across farmer’s fields, where respect for private property is essential, as are binoculars or a camera with a tripod.

Later in February when the Snowy Owls become scarce, Long-eared Owls can sometimes be seen sitting alone in trees while Short-eared owls tend to flock and congregate near open fields.

And then there are Northern Saw-whet owls. These diminutive birds have been described as tiny owls with a cat-like faces, large heads and bright yellow eyes. While a Snowy Owl could be nearly 76 centimeters (30 inches) tall and weigh 1.3 kilograms (3 pounds), a Northern Saw-whet may be 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall and weigh 151 grams (5.3 ounces).

These nocturnal hunters can be found during the day, sleeping in coniferous trees, especially in the Island’s Owl Woods Nature Reserve. On one of our visits we were thrilled to spot a large whitish-grey Barred Owl in a tall tree, just before a fellow birder doubled our pleasure by showing us two cedar trees nearby, each with an adorable Northern Saw-whet owl sleeping on a low branch.

Amherst Island has proven itself to be Owl Heaven for us. It’s definitely a great one day or multi-day discovery adventure for travellers whose special interests lay in photography, birding, nature, and the great outdoors.

www.amherstisland.on.ca