Great Blue Heron What a perfect weekend - 25C, and not a drop of wind or a cloud in the sky. Perfect weather to get out and experience nature and spectacular fall colours.
20th September 2014
Black-throated Green Warbler Sometimes it is really difficult to decide which location would the best choice to make when it comes to producing a good choice in birds. We can go almost anywhere, even your back yard, and see Chickadees, Bluejays, Goldfinches etc, but to go somewhere reasonably close that one might find something a little more unusual. Not saying I made a great choice this morning, but it did produce Osprey, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Catbirds, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Nuthatches and all the usuals. Hendrie Valley in Burlington was today's location of choice and as it happened, it was pretty good! I had planned to go to the Arboretum at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, with Hendrie Valley as my second drop in location, but at 8:15 the gates still hadn't opened (supposed to open at 8:00), so I went to HV instead ... I suppose that must have been fate!
19th September 2014
Least Bittern Finding myself with an hour or so to kill in Toronto I headed down to Samuel Smith Park in Etobicoke, where there had been several sightings of a Least Bittern. Having never seen one of these guys I headed in to the park. There were a few fellow birder/photographers combing the small inlets around the lake looking for this pretty rare visitor to this end of Ontario. During my search I also came across a Sora Rail, which although I had seen them in the past I had never been lucky enough to get one in front of a lens, but today I got lucky! Shortly after, with the help of another photographer, I spotted the Bittern in one of the inlets, feeding/hunting for small fish etc - He/she didn't seem to mind the attention of our small group, or the clatter of shutters during every move he made. Like all the small Herons their power of concentration is amazing, as they stay motionless for 10 or 15 mins at a stretch, then very slowly easing a few inches at a time, closer to their prey - then wham! they pounce. I've seen similar process many times with Green, Blue or Black Crowned Night Herons and they seldom miss.
14th September 2014
Sharp-shinned Hawk Fall migration is in the fairly early stages, so no better place than Point Pelee. Steve and I set off at 5am for the 3 hour drive to one of the best birding spots in North America - the long peninsula, that is the most southernly point in Canada, funnels the birds which usually results in a high amount of sighting during the spring and fall migration. Today, however, there wasn't too much around. Although there were hundreds of gulls and cormorants, the tip was bare of warblers and other small birds. The West Beach Trail was a bit better with a dozen or so Sharp-shinned Hawks chasing around a few Blue Jays (never saw a hit, but a few close calls), and a few warblers (which came in groups of 3 or 4 birds at a time). The Dulaurier Homestead finished off our day with not much showing. BUT, still a great day.
1st September 2014
Great Egret with with small fish The Monday of the Long weekend - damp and foggy morning but brightened up somewhat and so was able to capture a few early fall images in and around Cambridge - Riverside, Hespeler Mill Pond & RARE property near Blair. Fall migration is in the early stages, with sightings of a few passers-by ... Redstarts, Magnolia Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a Catbird. The Cedar Waxwings seem to be everywhere as well as a few lingering RWB's and American Robins. BTW ... I hear a Black Bear is being seen around Blair - interesting!
