Birds:
Amateur birdwatchers have spent many recreational hours observing and identifying bird species nesting at and migrating through the ELA. However the only systematic survey was conducted by Vince St. Louis in support of his PhD thesis research. He reports that ELA is within the summer and winter range of approximately 215 species of birds. Between 1984 and 1989, a total of 117 species were reported by various observers, although many of these observations were never verified. During 1986 and 1987, St. Louis conducted transect surveys of birds around 8 lakes in the ELA. He regularly observed 46 species, which he suggests are probably breeding species. Not all habitats were surveyed, however, and he estimates that approximately 60 to 65 species breed in the ELA.
Among the most commonly encountered of these species are common loons, common mergansers, great blue herons, ring-billed gulls, ravens, grey jays, spruce grouse, white-throated sparrows, grackles, tree swallows, red-winged blackbirds, hairy woodpeckers, black-capped chickadees, nuthatches and redpolls. While less obvious to the untrained eye, white-throated sparrows are commonly heard whistling their distinctive call throughout the summer season. Bald eagles are relatively common during the spring season but nesting sites are rarely observed.
In addition to the species listed above, there are other migrants who pass through the area in spring and fall. Perhaps most obvious among these are the Canada geese (Branta canadensis), snow geese (Chen caerulescens), tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus), and sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) observed migrating overhead.
