Kitchener Waterloo & Area Birding: Blog commentary on my, (Bill McDonald) birding and wildlife sightings & observations
  • Grenfell's Birding Blog
  • Locations /Hot Spots
  • Bird Library
  • HOW TO
 

January 31st 2015

31/1/2015

0 Comments

 
PictureTufted Titmouse
Date: Saturday January 31st 2015
Weather: Mainly Cloudy -14C (6:30am)
Location: Grand Bend

 First time out in a couple of weeks - I missed my usual weekend outing last week due to an infection that I ended up with from  minor surgery earlier that week, so felt good to be back to normal and out in the countryside enjoying nature. I've been contemplating a trip over to Grand Bend area after hearing that I might sight a Tufted Titmouse in the Pinery Provincial Park, near Grand Bend. I didn't have long to wait - 10mins after getting setup I spotted one, but he was a bit far away, but patience is the name of the game and after an hour or so I was able to photograph two more (might have been the same one twice. but who's counting). TT's are not pretty common south of the border, but up here in Ontario they can only be spotted in the more southerly regions. Common Redpolls were also in abundance - a flock of about 20 came & went throughout the morning. They were a bit of a treat - Redpolls being a winter visitor from the far north, and only come south when food sources are in short supply up north. I think it was two years ago since they were here in any great numbers. Other sightings White & Red-breasted Nuthatches, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-tailed Hawk, American Tree Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jays, Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers, Cardinals & Chickadees.

January 17th  & 18th 2015

PicturePainted Bunting
Date: Saturday January 17th 2015
Weather: Cloudy & Sunny -11C
Location: Brantford - Oakville

Along with a fellow birder/photographer (Jim Utton - Jim is an excellent photographer .. check out his flickr page), we went down to Indian Dam in Brantford - a place I had never been before, to see if we could find any of the resident Bald Eagles that are often found there. We found only the one, who unfortunately was perched in an impossible photographic location. We did however spot a couple of busy beavers who, even in the dead of winter, were collecting branches for their lodge. They kept way over the far side of the river so only poor shots were obtained, but great to see anyways! The river along this stretch is generally ice free, thanks to the dam upstream, so lots of ducks & mergansers. Other than the obligatory Canada Geese, there were a few dozen Common Goldeneye and some Buffleheads. I left Jim at Brantford and headed once again to Oakville to see if I can see the Painted Bunting, that is seen pretty much daily in a small residential area near Lake Ontario. Today was my day ... Even as I was getting out of my vehicle fellow birders are waving at me - the bird was on the ground below a feeder "lunching" on fallen seeds from a feeder above. Painted Buntings are extremely rare in Ontario at any time of the year but to have one in the winter is incredible. I managed a few shots before it flew off, but after a wait of about 90 minutes it arrived back, so was able to grab a few shots - the light was very poor so the quality of the images are equally poor, but I was extremely pleased anyways ... a good day!


January 10th  & 11th 2015

PictureLong-tailed Duck Pair

PictureEarly morning at Mountsberg
Date: Saturday January 3rd 2015
Weather: Dull (8:00am) -3C
Location: Oakville - Burlington

Hard to believe another year has came & went, but I have to say that 2014 was pretty good - see 2014 in Review
My good friend Carlos and I did a bit of a tour around some of the winter hot spots along Lake Ontario, between Oakville & Burlington. Carlos is an excellent and experienced photographer, but typically doesn't do much birding or wildlife type photography, so I wanted to go places that would produce, so started off checking out a good sunrise location on the way towards Lake Ontario - First stop Bronte Harbour, to check out the Snowy Owl that is overwintering around the Marina. The morning light was poor, but the owl was sitting on the ice not too far out, so we managed to get a few shots. From there, over to Sedgwick to photograph the Warblers etc - today we had all of the fabulous five - Wilson's, Yellow-rumped, Tennessee, Nashville and the Orange-crowned Warblers, as well as sightings of Ruby & Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creeper, Downy Woodpecker. As usual all of the species came close, but were generally deep in the thickets. On to La-Salle Marina, then Woodside Cemetery to check out the Eastern Screech Owls, but we came up negative at both locations. Last stop was Hendrie Valley where the usual wintering birds were found - Cardinals, Downys, Ni\uthatches, Chickadees, White-throated & Tree Sparrows and a single Red bellied-Woodpecker. Snow came on about noon so at that point it was a wrap, but I think, a pretty good outing.

January 3rd & 4th 2015

0 Comments
    Feel free to send me Comments  :)



    ​     Me >>>

    Picture
    COMMENTS WELCOME
    LINK to my WEBSITE
    LINK to my FLICKR page

    ​Blog Author

    Pretty much all my life I have had an interest in nature photography albeit in, off and on, phases of interest. Around 13/14 years ago, I found myself, again, getting that nature bug, and I am now, especially since I retired just over 6 years ago, very passionate about  wildlife & wildlife photography.

    ​Enough about me ...             I hope that you enjoy my ramblings and the occasional  decent  image.

                       Bill McDonald

    “In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” 
    ― Robert Lynd
    ​

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013


    Fatbirder's Top 1000 Birding Websites

    If you like my blog then check out my other stuff on FLICKR and on my Webpage ....(hyperlinks are at top of this page)