Title: Bird Songs of the Central Boreal Forest Ontario &
Label: CD Baby
Product Type: COMPACT DISCS

Bird Songs of the Central Boreal Forest: Ontario and Manitoba including Churchill Chants d'oiseaux de la forêt boréale du centre du Canada : Ontario et Manitoba (incluant la région de Churchill) This 2 CD set covers the bird songs of the central boreal forest in Ontario and Manitoba. It is divided into six habitats: 1. Hudson Bay Shoreline 2. Tundra 3. The Taiga, small trees or "the land of little sticks" 4. Boreal Forest- this is the longest section with most species 5. Lakes and Rivers 6. Marshes and Riparian Wetlands There are 159 bird species and 8 other species including Black Bear (CD 2-track # 40) and Frogs(2-75,76,77). The set incorporates several very rare recordings such as Black Scoter(1-10), Surf Scoter(1-31), Greater Scaup(1-23) and a female Olive-sided Flycatcher(1-79). Some of the most beautiful sounds (in my opinion)are; Hermit Thrush(2-4), Veery(2-2), Rose-breasted Grosbeak(2-32) and Common Loon(2-42). The two birds I think are the most typical sounds of the boreal forest are White-throated Sparrow(2-30) and Ovenbird(2-23). Two of the most ethereall sounds are Swainson's Thrush(2-3) and a pack of Gray Wolves (1-69)on the Sleeping Giant Peninsula of Lake Superior. One of the most intimate recordings is a male Peregrine Falcon ( 1-59)joining his mate at the nest, without knowing about a hidden microphone. Churchill by John Neville Saturday, July 26, 2008 On May 19, 2008 we caught the train from Thompson Manitoba, overnight to Churchill, on Hudson Bay. For two weeks I had been recording bird songs as we travelled north through the Central Boreal Forest. I had dreamed of this opportunity for a long time. Churchill is a birding hotspot in what is technically known as the subarctic. A thin strip of tundra separates the marine ecosystem from the northern edge of the boreal forest. This means that birds from three different ecosystems are in close proximity. There is no road access to Churchill so train and plane starting from Winnipeg are the usual forms of transport. Sitting comfortably in the dining car, there was a definite feeling of romance as the pristine boreal forest passed by our window. More and more bogs and fens, lakes and rivers divided the Spruce, Tamarack, Birch and Willows. The train's speed gradually diminished overnight as we approached our destination. The reason was the heaving by the permafrost under the railed. When we arrived we were greeted by a carpet of snow and solid ice on the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. The stunted trees (Taiga) at the northern edge of the forest are called "the land of little sticks" by the Chipewyan. On our journey north, Snow Geese frequently flew overhead, some above the clouds. They became my first recording opportunity as they arrived in hundreds, and assembled into thousands. Many of them were staging near the river before moving to the high Arctic, while others waited for the snow to melt on the tundra of La Pereusse Bay. After a week I had recorded a variety of species, including: Lesser Yellowlegs, Three-toed Woodpecker, Pine Grosbeak, lovely close-ups of Willow Ptarmigan, Harris' Sparrow, Common Redpoll etc. Although it was still cold enough for three or four layers of clothes at 3am, the daytime temperatures we quickly increasing towards the end of May. The snow was disappearing on a daily basis, and leads of open water were appearing in the river and bay. One such stretch of open water in the river was occupied by four pairs of Black Scoter. They would line up and diver in unison . When they reappeared on the surface they produced gentle piping contact calls and the males a high mellow whistled note. The European Common Scoter is one of two subspecies of the Black Scoter. Two or three dives would take them to the downstream edge of the lead when they would fly back to repeat the process. The birds feed on crustaceans, mollusks, insects and weed. This open water was only a few meters from the shore and allowed a great recording opportunity for a bird that is not often captured in a microphone. The snow quickly melted off the tundra at the beginning of June sometimes producing small creeks across the gravel roads. As the road to Twin Lakes opened up we travelled more and more to that area of tundra, forest and wetlands. One special area known as the fen had Whimbel, Short-billed Dowitcher, American Golden Plover and Hudsonian Godwit. I was able to record all four species although it was sometimes difficult learning the new sounds. Some of the courtship and display songs were quite new and I am not aware of any recordings of these particular activities. Another complication was the variety of sounds made by the Lesser Yellowlegs. In nearby lakes Pacific Loon, Tundra Swan and Sandhill Crane could always be heard early in the morning. We stayed at the Northern Studies Center with a variety of professors and graduate students covering Earth Sciences and Avian Topics. We learned lots from them and shared a little of our own experiences where appropriate. The center used to be a rocket launching site and still has a few disarmed missiles and three rocket launching pads. One day staff from a rehab center arrived and released four Snowy Owls appropriately from a launching pad. As the bay ice began to break up in early June, more and more shorebirds began to show up on a daily basis. Semipalmated Plover, Semipalmated Sandipiper, Ruddy Turnstone and Lapland Longspur all became recordable. Standing on a gravel beach one day amongst large piles of kelp, mussel shells and wood from trees and old ships, I was aggressively bombed by Common Raven!. They were nesting close by on top of some metal cages. The cages are sometimes used for badly behaved Polar Bears who spend too much time around the community. Cape Merry was another memorable site for recording. It is the eastern boundary of the river and looks across the estuary to Fort Prince of Wales. Each location still has 18th century canons and impressive stone fortifications. The rocks on the cape have been smoothed by glacial activity producing close to a paved finish. I sat out at the end one day and recorded Common Eider and Long-tailed Duck. Four male Eider were aggressively courting one desirable female. They circled around her and threw their heads back to call while displaying. On June 4th hundreds of Arctic Tern arrived at the grainery ponds and elsewhere. One day after arriving, they were already into courtship mode and all but ignored me recording them at close quarters. It was really impressive to witness the Terns taking full advantage of the short summer after such a long migration! Wood and Boreal Chorus Frogs became easy to record by the middle of June and sometimes were too noisy when trying to record other critters. There were still a few Caribou on the tundra but I never got close enough to record their "clicking" heels. We had no encounters with Polar Bears but Heather always stayed nearby with the car in case of a chance meeting. All the student groups from the Studies Center had a lookout with a gun when working out on the tundra. We also failed to see the Beluga Whales which were just returning in late June. About three thousand of them show up in the Churchill River by early July. At that time, trips are available across the estuary to Fort Prince of Whales and hydrophones are available to listen to the whales. I recorded forty-five species on the Churchill peninsula and it was definitely a dream come true.

Tracks:
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Section 1 Hudson Bay Shoreline Section 1 : Les Terres Riveraines de la Baie D'hudson
1.3 Ruddy Turnstone Tournepierre À Collier
1.4 Semipalmated Plover Pluvier Semipalmé
1.5 Semipalmated Sandpiper Bécasseau Semipalmé
1.6 Dunlin Bécasseau Variable
1.7 Stilt Sandpiper Becasseau À Echasses
1.8 Red-Necked Phalarope Phalarope À Bec Étroit
1.9 Lapland Longspur Bruant Lapon
1.10 Black Scoter MacReuse À Bec Jaune
1.11 Common Eider Eider À Duvet
1.12 Long-Tailed Duck Harelde Kakawi
1.13 American Pipit Pipit D'amérique
1.14 Common Raven Grand Corbeau
1.15 Section 2 Tundra Section 2 : La Toundra
1.16 Snow Bunting Bruant Des Neiges
1.17 Snow Goose Oie Des Neiges
1.18 Tundra Swan Cygne Siffleur
1.19 Smith's Longspur Buant de Smit
1.20 Canada Goose Bernache Du Canada
1.21 Sandhill Crane Grue Du Canada
1.22 Northern Pintail Canard Pilet
1.23 Greater Scaup Fuligule Milouinan
1.24 Arctic Tern Sterne Arctique
1.25 Pacific Loon Plongeon Du Pacifique
1.26 Red-Throated Loon Plongeon Catmarin
1.27 Short-Eared Owl Hibou Des Marais
1.28 Northern Harrier Busard Saint-Martin
1.29 Savannah Sparrow Bruant Des PRÉS
1.30 Willow Ptarmigan Lagopède Des Saules
1.31 Surf Scoter MacReuse À Front Blanc
1.32 Ross's Gull Mouette Rosée
1.33 American Golden Plover Pluvier Bronzé
1.34 Section 3 Taiga Section 3 : La Taïga
1.35 White-Crowned Sparrow Bruant À Couronne Blanche
1.36 Northern Hawk Owl Chouette Épervière
1.37 Whimbrel Courlis Corlieu
1.38 Short-Billed Dowitcher Bécassin Roux
1.39 Hudsonian Godwit Barqe Hudsonienne
1.40 Lesser Yellowlegs Petit Chevalier
1.41 Gray-Cheeked Thrush Grive À Joues Grises
1.42 Pine Grosbeak Durbec Des Sapins
1.43 Harris' Sparrow Bruant À Face Noire
1.44 American Tree Sparrow Bruant Hudsonien
1.45 Fox Sparrow Bruant Fauve
1.46 Lincoln Sparrow Bruant de Lincoln
1.47 Common Redpoll Sizerin Flammé
1.48 Blackpoll Warbler Paruline Rayée
1.49 Bonaparte's Gull Mouette de Bonaparte
1.50 Rusty Blackbird Quiscale Rouilleux
1.51 House Sparrow Moineau Domestique
1.52 Section 4 Boreal Forest Section 4 : La Forêt Boréale
1.53 Merlin Faucon Émerillon
1.54 Broad-Winged Hawk Petite Buse
1.55 Red-Tailed Hawk Buse À Queue Rousse
1.56 Northern Goshawk Autour Des Palombes
1.57 Sharp-Shinned Hawk Épervier Brun
1.58 American Kestrel Crécerelle D'amérique
1.59 Peregrine Falcon Faucon Pèlerin
1.60 Ruffed Grouse Gélinotte Huppée
1.61 Sharp-Tailed Grouse Tétras À Queue Fine
1.62 Spruce Grouse Tétras Du Canada
1.63 American Woodcock Bécasse D'amérique
1.64 Great-Horned Owl Grand-Duc D'amérique
1.65 Barred Owl Chouette Rayée
1.66 Long-Eared Owl Hibou Moyen-Duc
1.67 Boreal Owl NYCtale de Tengmalm
1.68 Northern Saw-Whet Owl Petite NYCtale
1.69 Wolves Loups
1.70 Common Nighthawk Engoulevent D'amérique
1.71 Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Colibri À Gorge Rubis
1.72 Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Pic MacUlé
1.73 Downy Woodpecker Pic Mineur
1.74 Hairy Woodpecker Pic Chevelu
1.75 Three-Toed Woodpecker Pic À Dos Rayé
1.76 Black-Backed Woodpecker Pic À Dos Noir
1.77 Northern Flicker Pic Flamboyant
1.78 Pileated Woodpecker Grand Pic
1.79 Olive-Sided Flycatcher Moucherolle À CÔTÉS Olive
1.80 Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher Moucherolle À Ventre Jaune
1.81 Alder Flycatcher Moucherolle Des Aulnes
1.82 Least Flycatcher Moucherolle Tchébec
1.83 Eastern Kingbird Tyran Tritri
1.84 Western Kingbird Tryan de L'ouest
1.85 Eastern Phoebe Moucherolle Phébi
1.86 Red-Eyed Vireo Viréo Aux Yeux Rouges
1.87 Blue-Headed Vireo Viréo À Tête Bleue
1.88 Gray Jay Mésangeai Du Canada
1.89 Blue Jay Geai Bleu
1.90 American Crow Corneille D'amérique
1.91 Common Raven in Flight Grand Corbeau en Vol
1.92 Black-Capped Chickadee Mésange À Tête Noire
1.93 Boreal Chickadee Mésange À Tête Brune
1.94 Red-Breasted Nuthatch Sittelle À Poitrine Rousse
1.95 Brown Creeper Grimpereau Brun
1.96 Winter Wren Troglodyte Mignon
1.97 Golden-Crowned Kinglet Roitelet À Couronne Dorée
1.98 Ruby-Crowned Kinglet Roitelet À Couronne Rubis
2.1 Section 4 Boreal Forest Continued Section 4 : La Forêt Boréale (Suite)
2.2 Veery Grive Fauve
2.3 Swainson Thrush Grive À Dos Olive
2.4 Hermit Thrush Grive Solitaire
2.5 American Robin Merle D'amérique
2.6 Cedar Waxwing Jaseur D'amérique
2.7 Golden-Winged Warbler Paruline À Ailes Dorées
2.8 Tennessee Warbler Paruline Obscure
2.9 Orange-Crowned Warbler Paruline Verdtre
2.10 Nashville Warbler Paruline À Joues Grises
2.11 Northern Parula Paruline À Collier
2.12 Chestnut-Sided Warbler Paruline À Flancs Marron
2.13 Magnolia Warbler Paruline À Tête Cendrée
2.14 Cape May Warbler Paruline Tigrée
2.15 Yellow-Rumped Warbler Paruline À Croupion Jaune
2.16 Black-Throated Green Warbler Paruline À Gorge Noire
2.17 Black-Throated Blue Warbler Paruline Bleue
2.18 Blackburnian Warbler Paruline À Gorge Orangée
2.19 Palm Warbler Paruline À Couronne Rousse
2.20 Bay-Breasted Warbler Paruline À Poitrine Baie
2.21 Black and White Warbler Paruline Noire Et Blanc
2.22 American Redstart Paruline Flamboyante
2.23 Ovenbird Paruline Couronnée
2.24 Connecticut Warbler Paruline À Gorge Grise
2.25 Mourning Warbler Paruline Triste
2.26 Canada Warbler Paruline Du Canada
2.27 Wilson's Warbler Paruline À Calotte Noire
2.28 Chipping Sparrow Bruant Familier
2.29 Song Sparrow Bruant Chanteur
2.30 White-Throated Sparrow Bruant À Gorge Blanche
2.31 Dark-Eyed Junko Junco Ardoisé
2.32 Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Cardinal À Poitrine Rose
2.33 Purple Finch Roselin Pourpré
2.34 White-Winged Crossbill Bec-Croisé Bifascié
2.35 Red Crossbill Bec-Croisé Des Sapins
2.36 Pine Sisken Tarin Des Pins
2.37 American Goldfinch Chardonneret Jaune
2.38 Evening Grosbeak Gos-Bec Errant
2.39 Red Squirrel Écureuil Roux D'amérique
2.40 Black Bear Ours Noir
2.41 Section 5 Lakes and Rivers Section 5 : Les Lacs Et Les Rivières
2.42 Common Loon Plonqeon Huard
2.43 Red-Necked Grebe Grèbe Jougris
2.44 Mallard Canard Colvert
2.45 Common Goldeneye Garrot À Oeil D'or
2.46 Common Merganser Grand Harle
2.47 American Wigeon Canard D'amérique
2.48 Ringed-Neck Duck Fuligule À Collier
2.49 Osprey Balbuzard Pêcheur
2.50 Bald Eagle Pygargue À Tête Blanche
2.51 Black-Bellied Plover Pluvier Argenté
2.52 Spotted Sandpiper Chevalier Grivelé
2.53 Solitary Sandpiper Chevalier Solitaire
2.54 Franklin's Gull Mouette de Franklin
2.55 Ring-Billed Gull Goéland À Bec Cercl
2.56 Herring Gull Goéland Argenté
2.57 Common Tern Sterne Pierregarin
2.58 Belted Kingfisher Martin-Pêcheur D'amérique
2.59 River Otter Loutre de Rivière
2.60 Section 6 Marshes and Riparian Wetlands Section 6 : Les Marais Et Les Terres Humides Riveraines
2.61 American Bittern Butor D'amérique
2.62 Killdeer Pluvier Kildir
2.63 Greater Yellowlegs Grand Chevalier
2.64 Wilson's Snipe Bécassine de Wilson
2.65 Pied-Billed Grebe Grèbe À Bec Bigarré
2.66 Blue-Winged Teal Sarcelle À Ailes Bleues
2.67 Tree Swallow Hirondelle Bicolore
2.68 Barn Swallow Hirondelle Rustique
2.69 Yellow Warbler Paruline Jaune
2.70 Common Yellowthroat Paruline Masquée
2.71 Northern Waterthrush Paruline Des Ruisseaux
2.72 Swamp Sparrow Bruant Des Marais
2.73 Red-Winged Blackbird Carouge À Épaulettes
2.74 Common Grackle Quiscale Bronzé
2.75 Wood Frog Grenouille Des Bois
2.76 Boreal Chorus Frogs Rainette Faux-Grillon Boréale
2.77 Spring Peeper Rainette Crucifère
2.78 Conclusion