Winter Round-Up

It's definitely been a different sort of winter. The cold and snow have meant that my feeders are constantly hopping (literally, at least where the Juncos are concerned). And the extensive ice on the Lakes and other water bodies has led to some unusual(ly abundant) sightings on the Speed River through Guelph. The forests, in comparison, have been almost completely silent... last winter I haunted the Guelph Arboretum for the Bohemian Waxwings, Barred Owl and other species, this year I'm lucky to get a few Chickadees in the same places. Still, Guelph is nothing if not generous in its park system, so instead of giving up and staying indoors, I followed the river and still managed to get a few lifers in the cold months.

 
Lesser Scaup


Greater Scaup
(...there should be some kind of birding merit badge for figuring out Lesser vs. Greater Scaup, seriously. In fact, why aren't there birding merit badges in general?)


Common Goldeneye
(...yeah, I know, pretty common, but it had still somehow managed to elude me until now.)


Long-tailed Duck (female)


...okay, the Mallards were not life birds, obviously. But these lovely gals get an honorable mention. I hadn't been standing still for more than a few seconds, looking at something else on the river, when they waddled up calm as you please and plopped down on the snow not three feet away from me. Didn't seem terribly bothered by my presence, although I still made an effort to back away slowly when it was time to leave.