Well ... I've been contemplating setting up a blog for quite some time, so here goes ... my first entry in my first ever blog .. not sure where this will end up - maybe I'll get fed up after a few entries and maybe be doing this in 20 years ... who knows (not me). Anyways, I was down in the Hamilton area on Sunday morning, so took the opportunity to visit Hendrie Valley, which is part of the Royal Botanical Gardens. I only had an hour or so, very cold (-15C), but it was a pleasant time nevertheless. Just like the blog, it was the first visit to this location and I was pleasantly surprised. There were a few hardy souls out, either jogging, walking or like I was, out on nature patrol. The boardwalk over, and along, the creek that runs through that location, seemed to be the best spot to see what this cold winter day had to offer. Lots of Chickadees, Sparrows (House & American Tree varieties) , Cardinals, Juncos, and like the image to the left, a few White Breasted Nuthatches. I also spotted a Red-Bellied Woodpecker which cooperated during which time I took a few pictures, albeit a bit far off.
As mentioned earlier, this is one of the pictures I was able grab of the " Red Belly" - he was a little far off , but the light was good so even with dramatic cropping a decent image was possible. I have always been confused why they call these Red-Bellied, you would think that some variation of the phrase Red-Headed would have been more appropriate. BTW I've seen a few Red-Headed Woodpeckers over the years, but never had the opportunity to get a picture .. maybe this year! Hey! if anybody could enlighten me where a good location might be ...
This guy was further down the trail, close to the underpass, and looked really sinister and a little evil. I believe this is a Red Tailed Hawk, but from this angle I was unable to positively identify. If anybody can properly identify .. I would be muchly obliged.
February 9th 2013
09/02/2013
It was an incredibly good day for photography yesterday, so my first stop was at Riverside Park in Cambridge. If you have never been, there are many locations where good birding photos can be had - I particularly like the boardwalk over the marsh, and was where I headed. Unfortunately the snow was pretty heavy and hard walking, but there was the usual plethora of Chickadees and Sparrows, one of which (American Tree Sparrow) is shown left. He was sitting all puffed out, obviously trying to keep warm (as was I). The hungry Chickadees were almost suicidal - one or two perched on the end of my lens for a short time (wish I had a 2nd camera for times like that), Also present were White Breasted Nuthatches, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Dark Eyed Juncos, Mourning Doves, but not what I had hoped for, primarily Northern Shrike (I had seen one on a couple of occasions in the past in the same location), Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Downy &/or Hairy Woodpeckers, (any) Hawks or Owls. With the sky clear & blue, the temperature frigid, and with the sun warming your face I've always thought of these days being one of the most pleasurable.
After Riverside I hopped on over to Grass Lake, where I was pretty sure I would see Snow Buntings, and I wasn't disappointed, with a flock of about 30, feeding in the fields, just South of the lake. I spoke with a local a few weeks ago, the last time I was there, and it was mentioned that a Snow Bunting count was being performed in the area around Grass Lake. Again the bright day offered great lighting, so I was able to get some nice shots. Unfortunately a snowmobiler was running around the area, and spooking the birds, but after 10mins they swooped back in. I should say that someone had laid out corn on the edge of the field to provide winter feed for the SB's as well as the other visitors - Horned Larks, Crows and a few Mourning Doves.I had hoped to see a Lapland Longspur but no luck there!
Although there was a couple of Horned Larks with the Buntings, there was a also few other scattered around the fields the Lake, which is where I managed to get shot of this one. He (or maybe it's a she .. ) feeding on the seeds of the exposed tips of plants. He was a little far away for crisp sharp image, so this pic has been dramatically cropped, so my apologies for the quality.
I should mention that Grass Lake is a pretty good place to visit in other parts of the year. I love the late Spring and early Summer, where in the past I have photographed Sandhill Cranes (there are least two regular nesting pairs), Bobolinks, Bitterns, Eastern Meadow Larks, Savannah Sparrows as well as numerous Warblers, Ducks and Grebes, etc.
All of the pics were taken on Saturday the 9th, so hoping to get out tomorrow - making the most of the good weather.
I should mention that Grass Lake is a pretty good place to visit in other parts of the year. I love the late Spring and early Summer, where in the past I have photographed Sandhill Cranes (there are least two regular nesting pairs), Bobolinks, Bitterns, Eastern Meadow Larks, Savannah Sparrows as well as numerous Warblers, Ducks and Grebes, etc.
All of the pics were taken on Saturday the 9th, so hoping to get out tomorrow - making the most of the good weather.
February 10th 2013
09/02/2013
Sunday morning 10am, I went back to Riverside Park to see if I could find the birds I had been hoping for the day before. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker popped by for a few minutes, but was gone after skittering up the old tree. Unfortunately that was the only woody I saw.
A Northern Shrike was present for about 20 minutes, perched at the very tip of tall tree, which is typical of the species. He looked like a juvenile since he didn't have the strong classic markings. In almost all cases where I have seen a Northern Shrike this is where I found him. From What Bird, they say "Since they lack talons, they stun or kill their prey with blows from their powerful beaks. Then, if they do not eat their prey immediately, they impale it on thorns or barbed wire. This serves not only as a food cache but also marks territory and attracts mates.The species name of the Northern Shrike, Lanius excubitor, means, "Butcher watchman."Their nest is so deep that while incubating, all that can be seen of the female is the tip of her tail.A group of shrikes are collectively known as an "abattoir" and a "watch" of shrikes" . He stuck around for about 20 minutes, but snuck off when I glanced away for a few seconds ... I was hoping for a flight shot... maybe next time!
This sleepy Mourning Dove was one of many dozing in the surrounding branches. Well, that about wraps it up for this week and weather permitting, family commitments and god willing I'll be out and about next weekend. The locations, I'm still thinking about.
February 16th 2103
16/02/2013
I had been looking forward to the long weekend all week, but Saturday wasn't cooperating with the light snow, so I decided to set up at home and "ambush" a few birds (through the patio doors) as they came to the feeders, like the dark-Eyed Junco opposite. The technique is to setup a branch in a position just above one the feeders, and pre-focus/position the camera to that branch. In a lot of cases bird sets down on the branch prior to hitting the smörgåsbord. The gura of this style is Alan Murphy - check out this youtube video .... Amazing stuff!!
Trying out a new feature (for me anyways), featuring more of my Saturday morning visitors. In order (top to bottom) American Tree Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Cardinal, Common Redpolls, Goldfinch again and finally a Hairy Woodpecker. Nothing too special, but lots of fun nevertheless. Either press each thumbnail, or look for the slideshow "play" button which will appear as you hover over a position in the top left of the main image........
Trying out a new feature (for me anyways), featuring more of my Saturday morning visitors. In order (top to bottom) American Tree Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Cardinal, Common Redpolls, Goldfinch again and finally a Hairy Woodpecker. Nothing too special, but lots of fun nevertheless. Either press each thumbnail, or look for the slideshow "play" button which will appear as you hover over a position in the top left of the main image........
Saturday afternoon weather did eventually clear up, so the opportunity was there to check out a report I had read that in a field next to the YMCA in Waterloo that Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and more importantly a few Lapland Longspurs were seen a day or two ago. No luck ... nuttin', but on the way back I detoured along some of the back roads and did spot around 10 Horned Larks in a corn field, so I was able to "snap" a few of the closer ones. I liked this pose, as uncomfortable as it must have been, as it shows the "horns" quite well. Forecast is promising tomorrow, so I'm planning a field trip to Algonquin, all going well
February 17th 2013
Algonquin Provincial Park is a 4 hour drive for me, so an early start was the order of the day, and I was able to pull into the West Gate of the park at 8:30. I had never been to the park in the winter before and was in awe of the beautiful scenery, but cold, and I mean cold - temperature was sitting around -28C at 8:30, but "warmed" up to a less frostbiting -15C in the afternoon sun .
For those who are unfamiliar with the park ... Algonquin is Ontario's largest and best known Provincial Park. The park comprises 7725 square km of forest, lake and river, is home to over 260 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians and 1,000 species of plants. Below is some of the images I managed to get. My big find was the Boreal Chickadee ... A first for me!
For those who are unfamiliar with the park ... Algonquin is Ontario's largest and best known Provincial Park. The park comprises 7725 square km of forest, lake and river, is home to over 260 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians and 1,000 species of plants. Below is some of the images I managed to get. My big find was the Boreal Chickadee ... A first for me!
24th February 2013
I wish I could say that the weekend was a spectacular experience when it came to birding opportunities, but reality being what it can be, it was pretty uneventful ... I ventured out to the Huron Natural Area in Kitchener, not too far from house - I had read in the forums that an Eastern Screech Owl as well as a Short Eared Owl had been spotted there a week or so ago. Weather-wise it was a reasonable day, so I took the quiet paths through the park , but with absolute negative success ... I was totally skunked, no birds, or mammals of any sort whatsoever. However I did enjoy the walk (approx 2 or 3 miles).
Today (Monday), I was driving along one of the rural back roads I often take to get to work and was distracted by a flash of colour and was pleasantly surprised to see a Pilleated Woodpecker - I stopped and watched this gorgeous bird for about 10 minutes ...always one of my favorites ... if I only had a camera.
I watched a TV show over the weekend that certainly made an impact on me .. an HBO production called "Birders: The Central Park Effect", a year long study of birding in Central Park New York - very nicely done!
Anyways, the time I saved not out & about, gave me the opportunity to review a few Photoshop Tutorials ... Post processing is a very important part of the process in getting that (almost) perfect pic.Well ... that about wraps things up for this month, and looking forward to great things that may or not happen in March. See you around!
Today (Monday), I was driving along one of the rural back roads I often take to get to work and was distracted by a flash of colour and was pleasantly surprised to see a Pilleated Woodpecker - I stopped and watched this gorgeous bird for about 10 minutes ...always one of my favorites ... if I only had a camera.
I watched a TV show over the weekend that certainly made an impact on me .. an HBO production called "Birders: The Central Park Effect", a year long study of birding in Central Park New York - very nicely done!
Anyways, the time I saved not out & about, gave me the opportunity to review a few Photoshop Tutorials ... Post processing is a very important part of the process in getting that (almost) perfect pic.Well ... that about wraps things up for this month, and looking forward to great things that may or not happen in March. See you around!
