This year I noticed quite a few of my feeder finches with eye disease, mainly the House Finches of course but also a few of the Goldfinches. I'd never really noticed it in my previous years of feeding at this location, but I suppose with the extreme cold this winter it might make sense... if the birds were forced to roost in constant close proximity to keep warm, maybe in larger numbers than usual, then it would have been far easier for the bacteria to spread.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you think about it, I noticed the number of infected birds (and the number of House Finches in general) declined sharply after one of those mid-winter cold snaps, so I expect that a lot of the weakened birds didn't survive. The couple of House Finches that have returned to my feeders recently appear to have healthy eyes, as do all of the Goldfinches I've checked recently. I'll keep cleaning my feeders on the accelerated schedule for a while, though, just in case.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Admitting Defeat
Yeah, that whole "20 different eBird hotspots in a month" challenge isn't going to happen for me. I should probably have known that I would exhaust all of my 'easy' spots very quickly, and then run into the problem where my other usually reliable spots would have limited access this time of year, or just... not really be worth the trip. I wish this particular challenge had happened a month or two from now when all of those forest tracts with the snowed-in parking lots would be open and full of warblers, and the little ponds along the roadsides would actually be thawed out.
So I am conceding, and will go back to walking some local trails along the river until such time as winter finally releases its grasp for good, and migration kicks into high gear.
Today I went back out to Crane Park, where I got my first Great Blue Heron of the year, and finally found a few of the Hooded Mergansers that the locals have been mentioning. The hoodies were all playing shy and keeping their crests slicked down, which made them look a little goofy.
So I am conceding, and will go back to walking some local trails along the river until such time as winter finally releases its grasp for good, and migration kicks into high gear.
Today I went back out to Crane Park, where I got my first Great Blue Heron of the year, and finally found a few of the Hooded Mergansers that the locals have been mentioning. The hoodies were all playing shy and keeping their crests slicked down, which made them look a little goofy.
Sunday, March 16, 2014
The Birds Are Back In Town
I think migration has officially begun! I spotted a Coot on the Speed River today, and a few Common Grackles in various places a few days ago.
My front garden certainly thinks it's spring; the daffodils are already starting to peek up where the snow is off.
My front garden certainly thinks it's spring; the daffodils are already starting to peek up where the snow is off.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
The One That Got Away
This afternoon's commute was a six-hawk drive, a new record for me (to provide context: on a good day I can usually spot three). The really surprising part, though, is that all but one were on the stretch of Highway 401 through Kitchener. Those Kitchener hawks, man, they are on the ball... stocking up on this nice mild day to get through the snowstorm that's supposed to hit tonight.
Five of the six were definitely Red-tailed. The first one, though... it looked uniformly pale on the belly, no dark band, and the back looked more slaty-grey than brown. Tail was narrow and seemed disproportionately long, compared to what I'd expect from a Red-tailed. Impossible to know for certain from that one quick look as I barrelled down the highway, of course, but I wonder if it could have been a Northern Goshawk?
...and this right here is a large part of why I don't really like car birding. Inevitably, I will see something interesting when there is no possible way to stop and take a closer look at it.
Five of the six were definitely Red-tailed. The first one, though... it looked uniformly pale on the belly, no dark band, and the back looked more slaty-grey than brown. Tail was narrow and seemed disproportionately long, compared to what I'd expect from a Red-tailed. Impossible to know for certain from that one quick look as I barrelled down the highway, of course, but I wonder if it could have been a Northern Goshawk?
...and this right here is a large part of why I don't really like car birding. Inevitably, I will see something interesting when there is no possible way to stop and take a closer look at it.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Size Does Matter
Had another visit from our friendly neighbourhood birdfeeder stalker yesterday....
A Sharp-shinned Hawk, based mainly on the size (somewhere between a Blue Jay and a Mourning Dove) but also on the way it looks like it has a small head and no neck.
Interestingly, while it was sitting up in the tree it looked bigger, and I wasn't sure whether it was a sharpie or a Cooper's Hawk instead. Luckily she(?) came down onto the fence so I could get a better size comparison. Still, it made me wonder if the coop I was sure I saw the other day was actually a coop after all, or whether looking up at it in the tree was giving me the same weird perspective issues and making me think it was bigger than it actually was.
(the Sharp-shinned from yesterday)
(the Cooper's from last month)
I mean, looking at those photos now, they could even be the same bird. I did see a couple of crows on the same branch as the "Cooper's" later that day, and they looked about the same size even with the forced perspective, so I'm going to stick with my ID based on that (sharpies would never be as big as a crow). Still, sharpies and coops are notoriously hard to tell apart, so I'll probably be second-guessing myself over them for a long time to come.
A Sharp-shinned Hawk, based mainly on the size (somewhere between a Blue Jay and a Mourning Dove) but also on the way it looks like it has a small head and no neck.
Interestingly, while it was sitting up in the tree it looked bigger, and I wasn't sure whether it was a sharpie or a Cooper's Hawk instead. Luckily she(?) came down onto the fence so I could get a better size comparison. Still, it made me wonder if the coop I was sure I saw the other day was actually a coop after all, or whether looking up at it in the tree was giving me the same weird perspective issues and making me think it was bigger than it actually was.
(the Sharp-shinned from yesterday)
(the Cooper's from last month)
I mean, looking at those photos now, they could even be the same bird. I did see a couple of crows on the same branch as the "Cooper's" later that day, and they looked about the same size even with the forced perspective, so I'm going to stick with my ID based on that (sharpies would never be as big as a crow). Still, sharpies and coops are notoriously hard to tell apart, so I'll probably be second-guessing myself over them for a long time to come.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Tools Of The Trade
Binoculars:
Vortex "Diamondback", 10x42. I've had these for... five years, now? At least? They've never let me down. I like them because they just 'fit' me well (apparently my eyes are very close together, because I need to fold the eyepieces in closer than some models allow) and they just feel comfortable in the hand.
Camera:
Fujifilm Finepix HS 25. It may look fancy, but it's basically a point-and-shoot with delusions of grandeur. It has 30x zoom, which is almost entirely why I bought it (the rest of the reason being that it was on sale). I'll never get magazine-worthy shots of distant birds, but I usually get enough for diagnostic features (i.e., proof of sightings), so that's good enough. I don't have the budget or patience to be a hardcore photographer, anyway!
Spotting Scope
Vortex "Viper", adjustable 20-60x zoom. Bought this just last year, after squinting across various ponds at various waterfowl with minimal success. I can already tell that it's going to be one of those things that I don't need to use very often, but when I do it's invaluable. The Viper certainly wasn't the most expensive scope I could have bought, but it wasn't the cheapest either; it does a good job and it's a little more portable than the next model up.
Reporting
I use eBird to keep track of my sightings, get local notifications, and look up new places to take my weekend hikes. It probably carries a large part of the blame for turning me into the birder I am today (the rest of the blame falls squarely on the Long Point Bird Observatory, but that's a story for another day). Something about the setup appeals to the anal-retentive organizational part of me that likes seeing pages of observation checklists all neatly sorted by date, location, etc. And although I don't bird only to grow my life list, there is still something immensely satisfying about being able to add a new species to it.
The handy-dandy BirdLog app which connects to eBird really helps in the field... beats fumbling around with pencil and paper, as far as I'm concerned, and when coupled with a basic GPS tracker (I use RunKeeper, but there are so many similar apps) it's easy to track your time and distance.
Vortex "Diamondback", 10x42. I've had these for... five years, now? At least? They've never let me down. I like them because they just 'fit' me well (apparently my eyes are very close together, because I need to fold the eyepieces in closer than some models allow) and they just feel comfortable in the hand.
Camera:
Fujifilm Finepix HS 25. It may look fancy, but it's basically a point-and-shoot with delusions of grandeur. It has 30x zoom, which is almost entirely why I bought it (the rest of the reason being that it was on sale). I'll never get magazine-worthy shots of distant birds, but I usually get enough for diagnostic features (i.e., proof of sightings), so that's good enough. I don't have the budget or patience to be a hardcore photographer, anyway!
Spotting Scope
Vortex "Viper", adjustable 20-60x zoom. Bought this just last year, after squinting across various ponds at various waterfowl with minimal success. I can already tell that it's going to be one of those things that I don't need to use very often, but when I do it's invaluable. The Viper certainly wasn't the most expensive scope I could have bought, but it wasn't the cheapest either; it does a good job and it's a little more portable than the next model up.
Reporting
I use eBird to keep track of my sightings, get local notifications, and look up new places to take my weekend hikes. It probably carries a large part of the blame for turning me into the birder I am today (the rest of the blame falls squarely on the Long Point Bird Observatory, but that's a story for another day). Something about the setup appeals to the anal-retentive organizational part of me that likes seeing pages of observation checklists all neatly sorted by date, location, etc. And although I don't bird only to grow my life list, there is still something immensely satisfying about being able to add a new species to it.
The handy-dandy BirdLog app which connects to eBird really helps in the field... beats fumbling around with pencil and paper, as far as I'm concerned, and when coupled with a basic GPS tracker (I use RunKeeper, but there are so many similar apps) it's easy to track your time and distance.
Gotta Be In It To Win It
The March eBird challenge is up at last: completed checklists from twenty different hotspots. That'll probably be a bit of a stretch for me, given that during the week I'm limited to the occasional jaunt out at lunchtime, or after work if I can get away early enough. I did manage twenty checklists for last month's challenge, but only because I was able to do a few from home when the weather was crappy. Getting twenty unique hotspot locations will be a bit more of a challenge.
Pretty smart of them to have this set up as a contest. They only have to give away one prize, but I bet the spirit of competition will net them a lot of extra data in the process. I am certainly not unaffected.
Will update this post with my progress towards the big goal....
1) Kolb Park, Kitchener, March 4th.
(Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers)
2) Snyders Flats, Waterloo, March 4th
(Not much of anything, really... the Grand River was completely frozen over in that stretch)
3) Puslinch Tract, Wellington, March 5th
(Again, not much of anything... a few Crows and Chickadees, one Cardinal, one Junco)
4) Vance Tract, Wellington, March 5th
(Nada)
5) Confluence of Speed and Eramosa Rivers, Guelph, March 9th
(Mallard, Canada Goose, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls)
6) University of Guelph Arboretum, March 9th
(Pileated Woodpecker, American Robin, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee)
7) Economical Insurance Trailway, Kitchener, March 10th
(Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Merganser, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal (singing!), Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard)
8) Crane Park, Guelph, March 13th
(Red-breased Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin)
9) Water St. Park, Guelph, March 14th
(Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead)
10) Hanlon Creek Park, Guelph, March 14th
(Common Grackle - first of the year!)
11) Riverside Park, Guelph, March 15th
(More of the usual suspects)
12) Speed River Bridge @ Victoria Rd, Guelph, March 16th
(American Coot, Red-tailed Hawk)
13) Speed River, Victoria Rd to Woodlawn, March 16th
(Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneye)
14) Preservation Park, Guelph, March 21st
(Red-winged Blackbird - first of the year)
(... and that's it. Didn't quite make it to 20 this month.)
Pretty smart of them to have this set up as a contest. They only have to give away one prize, but I bet the spirit of competition will net them a lot of extra data in the process. I am certainly not unaffected.
Will update this post with my progress towards the big goal....
1) Kolb Park, Kitchener, March 4th.
(Canada Goose, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers)
2) Snyders Flats, Waterloo, March 4th
(Not much of anything, really... the Grand River was completely frozen over in that stretch)
3) Puslinch Tract, Wellington, March 5th
(Again, not much of anything... a few Crows and Chickadees, one Cardinal, one Junco)
4) Vance Tract, Wellington, March 5th
(Nada)
5) Confluence of Speed and Eramosa Rivers, Guelph, March 9th
(Mallard, Canada Goose, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls)
6) University of Guelph Arboretum, March 9th
(Pileated Woodpecker, American Robin, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco, Black-capped Chickadee)
7) Economical Insurance Trailway, Kitchener, March 10th
(Red-bellied Woodpecker, Common Merganser, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal (singing!), Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard)
8) Crane Park, Guelph, March 13th
(Red-breased Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin)
9) Water St. Park, Guelph, March 14th
(Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead)
10) Hanlon Creek Park, Guelph, March 14th
(Common Grackle - first of the year!)
11) Riverside Park, Guelph, March 15th
(More of the usual suspects)
12) Speed River Bridge @ Victoria Rd, Guelph, March 16th
(American Coot, Red-tailed Hawk)
13) Speed River, Victoria Rd to Woodlawn, March 16th
(Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Goldeneye)
14) Preservation Park, Guelph, March 21st
(Red-winged Blackbird - first of the year)
(... and that's it. Didn't quite make it to 20 this month.)
Monday, March 3, 2014
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.
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.
Achievement Unlocked: Snowy Owl
Seems like everyone and their dog has seen a Snowy Owl this winter. Record numbers reported all over the place. The local birding mailing list was full of people who had seen multiple owls, sometimes all in one outing. But despite my best efforts, the Snowies managed to elude me... until this weekend.
My trusty travelling companion and I went on the hunt yesterday in the Linwood area in Wellington County, and we were successful at last. Came along at just the right time to see a big pale flappy thing landing in a tree halfway back in a field. If it hadn't been moving, I think we still would have missed it; for big freaking birds they apparently hide very well. Stupid survival-enhancing camoflage.
...yeah, I didn't say we got a close look. This is why I bought a scope. If I ever second-guessed myself about that purchase, those doubts have been vanquished forever.
So now my life list is sitting at a comfortable 190 species. I wonder if I can make 200 over the course of spring migration? It might mean venturing further into the confusing realm of gulls and shorebirds, but I think I'm ready to take that step.
My trusty travelling companion and I went on the hunt yesterday in the Linwood area in Wellington County, and we were successful at last. Came along at just the right time to see a big pale flappy thing landing in a tree halfway back in a field. If it hadn't been moving, I think we still would have missed it; for big freaking birds they apparently hide very well. Stupid survival-enhancing camoflage.
...yeah, I didn't say we got a close look. This is why I bought a scope. If I ever second-guessed myself about that purchase, those doubts have been vanquished forever.
So now my life list is sitting at a comfortable 190 species. I wonder if I can make 200 over the course of spring migration? It might mean venturing further into the confusing realm of gulls and shorebirds, but I think I'm ready to take that step.
Here Goes Nothing...
This is probably going to be one of those things that seems like a really good idea at the time, and then later on makes me wonder what on earth I was thinking. Nonetheless, this is me breaking away from my ancient Livejournal and starting an honest-to-goodness blog. Topics to be discussed include birds, and... no, wait, that's pretty much it.
I am located in the scenic City of Guelph, although my work takes me all through Southern Ontario (I'm an ecologist, specializing in pretty much everything but fish). I love birds most of all, although herps are a very, very close second.
Welcome.
I am located in the scenic City of Guelph, although my work takes me all through Southern Ontario (I'm an ecologist, specializing in pretty much everything but fish). I love birds most of all, although herps are a very, very close second.
Welcome.
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