I am an avid birder who is…

I am an avid birder who is always out in the field in the Dryden District. I have a degree in biology and began working in Ontario Provincial Parks as a naturalist, park interpreter. Since then I have undertaken many bird surveys. I used to have 3 breeding bird survey routes until I got fed up with the southern boreal forest being clear- cut at an unsustainable level for healthy boreal bird populations like the northern goshawk who require mature forest cover for their nesting sites. I have only encountered a Northern Goshawk nest site twice in my life and I am over 65 years. The first time was on a canoe trip during the early nineteen-eighties in what is now White Otter Park. The young goshawks were out of their nest but flightless, deep in the mature forest on Dibble Lake. The second nest site was in Peter Lougheed Park in Alberta during the early nineties. Again the young Goshawks were out of their nest but flightless and deep in mature forest. Northern Goshawks nest deep in mature and old growth forest. Unlike Bald Eagles and Red-tailed Hawks, their nests can't be detected with aerial surveys. Northern Goshawks hunt by flying through the forest or ambushing from a branch. Noisy chickadees alerted me to one goshawk. Sometimes they are seen flying high over the forest but rarely. Only on two occasions have I seen them hunting around my bird feeders, in the 1980's while living on Lac Seul with mature forest all around us, and in recent years once at our home bird feeder in a forested setting. In both instances the goshawks were hunting grouse and squirrels, which frequent our feeders. I hike and snowshoe several old growth forest trails. I kayak and canoe into the wilderness. I have 3 nocturnal owl survey routes. I have been involved in Christmas Bird Counts since 1974 and I can count on 2 hands the number of Northern Goshawks I have encountered. Once an injured eight year old female Northern Goshawk (she was banded in Minnesota) was brought to me from Sioux Lookout. I transferred her to a rehab facility and she was released into the wild after healing. Northern Goshawks must not be captured for falconry.

In my opinion Northern Goshawks are uncommon and at risk because there is not enough of their nesting habitat to support healthy populations. They are more likely encountered in parks and conservation reserves where they are protected. I don't even see one Northern Goshawk a year in the Dryden District. One Northern Goshawk a year can't be removed from the Dryden District. Northern Goshawks should be on the Ontario Species of Risk list as a Species of Concern like the Bald Eagle. I see lots of Bald Eagles, daily at our Eagle Lake cabin. Also common in the Dryden District are: Kestrel, Merlin, Sharp-shinned and Broad-winged Hawks. Cooper's Hawk is not a common sighting. Red-tailed Hawks are not considered common but I do see them in specific areas on a monthly basis.

I don't agree with falconry as a hunting sport. Some traditions need to be abandoned and falconry is one of them. The only people who should be allowed to keep a hawk in captivity are people who are licensed to rehabilitate wildlife and wildlife biologists who are researching behavior or breeding endangered species. Falconry is cruel. Capturing a healthy raptor and enslaving it is cruel. Once it was considered a tradition to own human slaves. Some Italians in Italy still capture migratory songbirds and eat them. Another act of cruelty and endangering wildlife. Not only is the Ontario Conservative government attempting to allow the capture of 5 Northern Goshawks per year but the government also wants to increase the number of approved raptors ( Merlin etc.,) to be captured each year with no limit on the number of falconry license holders. Who is going to make sure these wild birds are not suffering in captivity?

I oppose falconry. I oppose the capture of Northern Goshawks for falconry. I am requesting that Northern Goshawks be placed on the Ontario Species at Risk list as a Species of Concern. The third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas takes place 2021-2025. No decision to allow the capture of wild Northern Goshawks should be permitted until this atlas is completed and a new Northern Goshawk provincial inventory be undertaken and the results published.

I really disagree with many of the recent changes to wildlife management in Ontario.
I disagree with the hunting of Double-crested Cormorants to control their populations. I am afraid that loons and grebes in winter plumage will be shot. Loon populations are declining and grebes are rare. Also Double-crested Cormorants are a native species.

I really disagree with spring bear hunting. Our local bird watching group was really happy to see an end to the spring bear hunt. Spring is a special birding time. We don't need to encounter bear baits and hunters in the forests and wetlands. Spring should be a fishing season. It is enough that we have to take many safety precautions during the fall hunting season. Mother bears and other wildlife with young are stressed with the hunters in the forest during the spring. During the spring of 2019, when the gun lover across the bay from our cabin was firing an automatic weapon for no apparent reason, a terrified female spruce grouse flew into our cabin window and broke her neck. One of our neighbours reported him and the gun lover was restricted to single shots this year.

The current Conservative government is giving into the gun lobbyists. I would like them to protect more wildlife habitat in our Crown forests including Northern Goshawk nesting habitat. Our Prime Minister Trudeau has pledged to support the UN Biodiversity Plan to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030. Ontario has only 12% protected land and in the MNRF Dryden District less than 8% of our Crown Forest is protected.

Before even considering the capture of Northern Goshawks from the wild, protect more of their habitat. Ontario is moving in the wrong direction to ensure biodiversity, backwards. There is too much focus on harvesting wildlife rather than protecting. Some traditions are no longer relevant with the explosion of human populations and climate change on our planet.