How time flies... here it is almost July already. I'm going to be back lamenting about fall warblers again before you know it.
A couple of weeks ago I went to visit an old friend who just bought a house near Peterborough. Her property is lovely, it has a big chunk of wetland running through the center of it and some isolated areas of rocky meadow beyond that. It had also never really been birded before, so you can imagine me rubbing my greedy little hands together in anticipation as I drove there for the weekend. In the wetland we found a nesting pair of Sandhill Cranes, which was actually a new one for me. Also the expected array of Swamp Sparrows, Common Yellowthroats, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Elsewhere on the property we heard Veery, Alder Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush, Eastern Meadowlark, Ovenbird, Black-and-white Warbler... etc. Lots and lots of birds, many of them either confirmed or probable nesters. The highlight of the trek, though, was a Prairie Warbler singing from that isolated meadow area I mentioned. I didn't get eyes on it, sadly, but its song was a dead match for the recording on my field guide app. Rare species for the area, woo!
Last weekend I participated in the Bruce Trail's 50km challenge (as part of a relay team; I am not in good enough shape yet to try all 50km by myself). My leg of the trail went through a large area of open habitat - hayfield, probably? But as-yet unmown while I was there. So it was grassland bird central up there: Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and both Savannah and Grasshopper Sparrows. I don't often get to hear all of those species practically all at once, over such a large area, so it was a treat.
Well, to be honest, the entire Dufferin Hi-Lands section of trail is a treat, that is a lovely part of the province and I can't wait to go back for my own end-to-end hike of it this year. I don't usually mix birding and hiking on more than a superficial level, because I'm usually trying to keep a pace and don't want to break momentum to dig out my binoculars. But I may have to at least keep a log of what I hear while on the trail next time, I'm curious as to just how many species I can get.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Close To Home
It never ceases to amaze me just how many birds I get right here in the middle of suburbia. I suppose I have the advantage of being in an established neighbourhood with lots of mature trees, and also right next to a park (even though that's mostly grass).
Still, I've tallied 35 species just in and around my yard. Which, considering that I can walk across my entire yard in three good-sized steps, isn't bad. Of those, Canada Goose and Red-tailed Hawk were just fly-overs (usually, anyway; a Red-tailed did land briefly in the tree just behind the house, and let me tell you those things are big up close). The species which are our usual customers are no surprise: Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, both Nuthatches.... etc, etc.
It's the rest that make it really interesting. I love my resident featherheads, but it's always fun when something new shows up. I had an Orange-crowned Warbler make a very brief visit, just once. Then there was The Year Of The Pine Siskin and The Year Of The Redpoll (separate events), in which we were nearly eaten out of house and home by winter flocks. There have been the occasional White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Purple Finch drop by during migration. And just this week, I heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling from somewhere in the subdivision; I figure it must have gotten lost on its way to the forest or something.
You really can find the most unexpected birds in the most unexpected places. :D
Still, I've tallied 35 species just in and around my yard. Which, considering that I can walk across my entire yard in three good-sized steps, isn't bad. Of those, Canada Goose and Red-tailed Hawk were just fly-overs (usually, anyway; a Red-tailed did land briefly in the tree just behind the house, and let me tell you those things are big up close). The species which are our usual customers are no surprise: Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, both Nuthatches.... etc, etc.
It's the rest that make it really interesting. I love my resident featherheads, but it's always fun when something new shows up. I had an Orange-crowned Warbler make a very brief visit, just once. Then there was The Year Of The Pine Siskin and The Year Of The Redpoll (separate events), in which we were nearly eaten out of house and home by winter flocks. There have been the occasional White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, and Purple Finch drop by during migration. And just this week, I heard an Eastern Wood-Pewee calling from somewhere in the subdivision; I figure it must have gotten lost on its way to the forest or something.
You really can find the most unexpected birds in the most unexpected places. :D
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Surprise!
Hunh! Apparently that Cape May Warbler I saw on my lunchtime walk was a lifer for me. I could have sworn I'd seen one before, but my eBird list doesn't lie.
Lucky #231.
Lucky #231.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Here We Go Again
The Grand River is quite low at the moment, so Riverside Park here in Guelph has some lovely mud flats which seem to be attracting shorebirds. I managed a short visit out there this morning to see who was around.
I really wanted one of these to be a Yellowlegs, but I'm pretty sure all four that I saw were Solitary Sandpipers. I honestly can't tell whether the legs are pure yellow or greenish-yellow, but they all had a really prominent white eye-ring, and that dark leading edge at the front of the wing.
Small peeps, which I think are all Least Sandpipers. They seem pretty dark overall, even on the throat, mostly with a cleanly-delineated line between dark breast and white belly (reminiscent of a Pectoral Sandpiper, really, though these are way too small for that). Noticeably smaller than the Semipalmated Plovers that they were with.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were flying over the water, and hanging around the concrete wing-walls near the bridge. Wonder if they will nest there?
These pigeons caught my interest, because those are definitely not the average coloration. Wonder if they're escapees from someone's coop?
And finally, there's one late Bufflehead lady still hanging around. Silly bird, don't you know you're supposed to have moved on by now?
I really wanted one of these to be a Yellowlegs, but I'm pretty sure all four that I saw were Solitary Sandpipers. I honestly can't tell whether the legs are pure yellow or greenish-yellow, but they all had a really prominent white eye-ring, and that dark leading edge at the front of the wing.
Small peeps, which I think are all Least Sandpipers. They seem pretty dark overall, even on the throat, mostly with a cleanly-delineated line between dark breast and white belly (reminiscent of a Pectoral Sandpiper, really, though these are way too small for that). Noticeably smaller than the Semipalmated Plovers that they were with.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were flying over the water, and hanging around the concrete wing-walls near the bridge. Wonder if they will nest there?
These pigeons caught my interest, because those are definitely not the average coloration. Wonder if they're escapees from someone's coop?
And finally, there's one late Bufflehead lady still hanging around. Silly bird, don't you know you're supposed to have moved on by now?
Friday, April 17, 2015
Adventures!
Looks like I'm going to be back in the Presqu'ile area this weekend, once again on my way to a family event. It's not quite the right part of the season for copious shorebirds yet, I think, but looking at the eBird records there are a few interesting things swimming and flapping about. And those records are from a few days ago, even; this time of year, when it comes to migrant birds, a lot can happen in a few days. I have high hopes of seeing something new.
Now, the true debate: do I bring my scope, or not? On one hand, lugging around the extra weight all weekend. On the other, actually being able to see things swimming further out on the water. Decisions, decisions....
Now, the true debate: do I bring my scope, or not? On one hand, lugging around the extra weight all weekend. On the other, actually being able to see things swimming further out on the water. Decisions, decisions....
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
It Begins.
Well, in many ways this has been a good week. Spotted my first Red-winged Blackbirds and Turkey Vultures - welcome back, little buddies! Also a good crop of the usual spring ducks and associates: Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Mallard (of course), Canada Goose (of course), Bufflehead, Redhead, and one Scaup (whether it's Greater or Lesser remains a mystery; whatever expertise I gained with them last year seems to have vanished).
Redheads
(Greater?) Scaup - at first glance, a female, from the white on the face. But the colour pattern is more like a male, which is why it was suggested to me that it's actually a young male just transitioning to his adult plumage.
I'm going to try to keep a close eye on the rivers for the next few weeks, see what else turns up. I'd like to try for some shorebirds this spring, as well, once they start to move, although I'm not sure where to go to find them. Other than Presqu'ile, of course, which was great last fall but is three hours away.
Other goals for this coming migration? I'd like to add some more warblers to my 'collection' - Wilson's and Blackpoll, anyway, those ones regularly get seen in my area for all that I've never been the one to see them. Canada and Cerulean, on the less-common end of things. Maybe this will be my year to get down to Pelee, who knows.
If you can believe it, I've never seen a Mockingbird, either, so that's something that I should probably fix.
Redheads
(Greater?) Scaup - at first glance, a female, from the white on the face. But the colour pattern is more like a male, which is why it was suggested to me that it's actually a young male just transitioning to his adult plumage.
I'm going to try to keep a close eye on the rivers for the next few weeks, see what else turns up. I'd like to try for some shorebirds this spring, as well, once they start to move, although I'm not sure where to go to find them. Other than Presqu'ile, of course, which was great last fall but is three hours away.
Other goals for this coming migration? I'd like to add some more warblers to my 'collection' - Wilson's and Blackpoll, anyway, those ones regularly get seen in my area for all that I've never been the one to see them. Canada and Cerulean, on the less-common end of things. Maybe this will be my year to get down to Pelee, who knows.
If you can believe it, I've never seen a Mockingbird, either, so that's something that I should probably fix.
Friday, March 13, 2015
Spring Has Sprung, The Grass Is... Still Frozen, But Working On It
It's truly amazing how a few days of above-freezing temperatures and sunshine can make everything feel better. I didn't really notice how heavy the winter depression was until it lifted.
The ground is still covered in snow, but the days are getting noticeably longer and apparently the early migrants are already moving. So I may have to restart last year's habit of stopping for a quick look on the river trails after work, see what kind of ducks are hanging around.
Somewhat optimistically, I'm also starting to think about my gardens already. Mostly because I've discovered a community garden in my neighbourhood, which means that I might actually be able to grow some of my own vegetables this year. My own little yard is prohibitively small, and the sheer malicious intelligence of the local squirrel population has meant growing nothing but flowers for the past six years (and even then, only certain flowers; let's not speak of what happened to the lilies, blazing star, and tulips).
In summary: spring! Coming soon to a season near you!
The ground is still covered in snow, but the days are getting noticeably longer and apparently the early migrants are already moving. So I may have to restart last year's habit of stopping for a quick look on the river trails after work, see what kind of ducks are hanging around.
Somewhat optimistically, I'm also starting to think about my gardens already. Mostly because I've discovered a community garden in my neighbourhood, which means that I might actually be able to grow some of my own vegetables this year. My own little yard is prohibitively small, and the sheer malicious intelligence of the local squirrel population has meant growing nothing but flowers for the past six years (and even then, only certain flowers; let's not speak of what happened to the lilies, blazing star, and tulips).
In summary: spring! Coming soon to a season near you!
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
The Winter Blahs
This year's winter has left me with a definite urge to hibernate. Which means, of course, that my birding has been limited to looking out the back window towards my feeders (only the usual suspects so far, in case you were curious - no redpolls or siskins at my house). I've been out snowshoeing a couple of times since the days finally started getting longer again, and hiking once, but the creaking of the snow beneath my feet was so loud that I think I scared all of the birds away.
I did participate in the Christmas Bird Count this year, since the Kitchener count coincided with the one free weekend I had in amongst family visits and other festive events. I tagged along with one of the car crews and covered an area just northeast of the city. Car birding usually isn't my favourite (I prefer to get out and walk), but it was still a fun day, and we did still get out on a few small sections of trail. Heard great horned owls in the early AM. Lots of raptors along the roads, of course - harriers, rough-legged hawks, red-tailed hawks, and a single Cooper's hawk - and a solid showing of other species including brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, red-bellied woodpecker, and an entire flock of cardinals making adorable yet unusual sounds at each other.
Oh, and I also made a trip up to the Elora Research Station a couple weeks back to try and find the flock of snow buntings that keeps being spotted there, but I came up empty. Beginning to think I'm cursed to never see a bunting. Mostly because, as previously mentioned, I don't generally enjoy car birding that much, and the best (practically only) way to find buntings is to drive around country roads and watch the fields. I should probably give Elora another chance, though; I think someone is putting out corn for them, which should give me a fighting chance.
I did participate in the Christmas Bird Count this year, since the Kitchener count coincided with the one free weekend I had in amongst family visits and other festive events. I tagged along with one of the car crews and covered an area just northeast of the city. Car birding usually isn't my favourite (I prefer to get out and walk), but it was still a fun day, and we did still get out on a few small sections of trail. Heard great horned owls in the early AM. Lots of raptors along the roads, of course - harriers, rough-legged hawks, red-tailed hawks, and a single Cooper's hawk - and a solid showing of other species including brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, red-bellied woodpecker, and an entire flock of cardinals making adorable yet unusual sounds at each other.
Oh, and I also made a trip up to the Elora Research Station a couple weeks back to try and find the flock of snow buntings that keeps being spotted there, but I came up empty. Beginning to think I'm cursed to never see a bunting. Mostly because, as previously mentioned, I don't generally enjoy car birding that much, and the best (practically only) way to find buntings is to drive around country roads and watch the fields. I should probably give Elora another chance, though; I think someone is putting out corn for them, which should give me a fighting chance.
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