MARCH 2022

March 30th + 31st 2022

LOCATION: Grass Lake to Paris

WEATHER: Typical start to spring .. cold and damp

Grass Lake slowly getting some of the regular species back, with frequent sightings now of Sandhill Cranes, Eastern Meadowlarks and Bluebirds. I had expected to see the Ospreys back before the end of the month, as per previous years, but so far no sign. The other common species .. Savannah Sparrow, and somewhat common species, the Bobolink I wont expect for another couple of weeks yet.
Along West River Road is still producing decent birds with a Northern Shrike in this visit. ... which was within 100ft of the Kestrel the day before. ... great habitat so I shouldn't be surprised.

March 29th 2022

LOCATION: Home in AM, and Grass Lake area in PM

WEATHER: Sunny but cold (warmest was 0C)

I was expecting a delivery some time through the day, so set up in my usual spot  at home - through the dining room patio doors, to a setup on my deck. Activity is definitely down from a few weeks ago, so I expect many of my regulars have headed north or ?. However there was still some things going on, other than just feeding the squirrels. I always get a lot of Downy Woodpeckers, as well as a few daily visits, by a pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Today, I had a Hairy Woodpecker do some rooting around, so that was good.
My delivery arrived just before 2pm, so I headed out, knowing that I had to pick up my grandson at 4pm, so I couldn't go too far. I headed to the Grass Lake area, then along some gravel roads towards Paris. Over the next  30 mins or so I had a flood of activity with an American Woodcock topping the list.  Some days ... it just works !!

March 27th 2022

LOCATION: Home mainly, but short trip to Grass Lake

WEATHER: Blowy and cold, with some snow

Bald Eagle (M)

Forecast was crappy for most of the day, so I did a back yard setup, filled the feeders, rearranged the perches, setup the tripod and 500mm, made some tea and crossed my fingers. 

Some days it isn't too bad - today was like that. I had several birds show up - Cowbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpecker, American Robins, Juncos, Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrow and Cardinals - not a bad collection, and I'm likely missing a few.

Late morning it brightened up so I took a drive out to the Grass Lake area, and although there wasn't too much, I did get the male Bald Eagle overlooking the nest on West River Road.

March 25th + 26th 2022

LOCATION: Home but (Wood Duck+Pileated elsewhere)

WEATHER: Wet with some flurries

Pileated Woodpecker (F)

Yesterday, the 25th, I did a little cruising around the Glen Morris area, and came up with a few Wood Ducks, which were (strangely, I think), all males. They weren't in a pond, but in a wetland within a small woodlot. From here I found a female Pileated Woodpecker that game me all of 2 minutes of shots, but as always ... take them when you can.

Next day (26th) it was pretty misérable outside .. cold and drizzly, so very much a day for staying at home. I refreshed the bird feeders and hoped for the best. Not much came around - a few Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds and some Juncos. A couple of Downy Woodpeckers showed up for a bit as did a Red-bellied Woodpecker, which didn't give me any shot ops ...  The only one that wanted to "play" was the Grackle, so I grabbed a few shots when I could.

March 22nd 2022

LOCATION: Burlington - Flamborough

WEATHER: Mainly sunny, but hazy in pm

Headed to Burlington first thing this morning to see if there was anything around worth shooting. It's that time of year where the winter birds are heading out and the soring birds are not quite moving yet. However it wasn't too bad of a day. Strat point was La Salle Marine, then up to Gates of Heaven Cemetery to see if the Shrike was showing ... and he was but the shoot distance was massive, so image quality pretty poor, however still nice to see. I kinda noticing an odd situation with Shrike - I know of a few places where they hang out, and at the same spots there has always been Bluebirds close by. I'm not really sure if its the Bluebirds that are part of the Shrikes diet or simply the preferred habitat is the same for both species ...  mmmm?

March 18th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries

WEATHER: Another mild day

A couple of surprises today - first was the Coyote that gave me some great views, and a bit later I came across a sunny grove in a woodlot that had 2 or 3 butterflies flying around.

March 17th 2022

LOCATION: La Salle in Burlington

WEATHER: Foggy start then sun, and warm +18C

Red-winged Blackbird

It was a tad foggy this morning for any photography that would be pleasing. It's not that there wasn't anything interesting to shoot - in fact it was quite birdy (in a waterbird sense)  with lots of birds hanging out around the bay. The most interesting from my viewpoint was the couple of dozen Canvasbacks that were hanging out just outside the zone where the fog wasn't an issue .. ie they were in the foggy zone. However a couple of times one or two would drift a little closer, giving us a chance of a shot or two. 

The other species that was fairly prolific were the Red-breasted Mergansers, and in a lesser volume, the Horned Grebes.

Still ... it was nice to get out and enjoy the spring like weather, and meet a few old friends who had the same idea.

March 16th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries, Paris & GlenMorris

WEATHER: Foggy in am then bright sun and 8C

All morning the whole area was blanketed in a wet looking fog, so nature photography was not a good idea, but close to noon it seemed to be lifting so I made the Grass Lake run (as I like to call it) ie North Dumfries to Paris., but passing Grass Lake (obviously).
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Again I had hoped to see and photograph some Sandhill Cranes - I did see a flyover of 2 birds, but a tad far off for my liking.

I cruised a few of the back roads and did see a few birds .. Bluebirds, Pileated, Bald Eagles and even a Killdear, but the highlight was a Barred Owl in a woodlot near Glen Morris. Unfortunately he wasn't sitting in a good spot, but as it was FOY for me I am not complaining. 

Bald Eagle (M)

March 15th 2022

LOCATION: GlenMorris (am) then Kitchener home (pm)

WEATHER: Dull but dry in am then snow in pm

Took a drive around today - started off at Glen Morris then around by Grass Lake before heading home prior to the start of the forecasted snow. The initial target was a reported Barred Owl in a woodlot just past Glen Morris, but after a significant walk along the trails, I came up with nada (again).  Next stop was Grass Lake for a Sandhill Crane, but like the Barred, I never saw one (not going well here). Between Grass Lake and home I know of a spot where I sometimes see a Screech Owl, but today he wasn't around. Strangely there was a Chipmunk that was in a hole 4 or 5 feet from the Owl hole in the same tree, so it makes me think that the Owl may be gone. otherwise Alvin would have been breakfast by now methinks :( 

Home by noon and reworked my backyard feeder setup a bit and spent the next few hours watching and waiting.  As always, I set  up camera inside my dining room and shoot through the patio door. Not perfect as I have the glass distortion and inner reflection to deal with, but with some careful positioning I can at least control that inner reflection somewhat.

Eastern Chipmunk

March 14th 2022

LOCATION: Burlington & Dundas mainly

WEATHER: Sun and cloud and warmer high of +8C

Funny sometimes .. I went out with a few targets in mind, then ended up later back home with not one seen or photographed, but I came across a few others that in may ways better than I had planned for in the first place ... BTW I'm not complaining :)  
Highlight of the day was the pair of Pileated that kept me entertained for a good half hour on a back road near Killean (SE of Cambridge)
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I found myself at a spot I hadn't been to in quite some time - Desjardanis Canal in Dundas, and it was quite birdy with quite a few nice species - American Wigeon, Black Duck, Hooded Merganser,  Pied-billed Grebe and a few other more common species. ... 

March 11th - 13th 2022

LOCATION: At home in Kitchener

WEATHER: Snow, sleet and freezing rain ... Yuk

As you can tell from my "weather" entry above, it wasn't much of a few days, so yet again I resorted to shooting garden birds through my dining room patio doors, which was obviously through glass, and in turn that would obviously affect the clarity of the images, but you gotta do what you gotta do .. right !!
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Images were taken on either the 11th or the 13th.
The only real surprise was a visit both days from the Song Sparrow, and as far as I remember this has been the first visit from this species, so that was my only highlight (I'm easily pleased <wink> )

​Hopefully the weather will improve soon

Mourning Dove having a snooze

March 9th 2022

LOCATION: Flamborough - Burlington

WEATHER: Very Hazy sun .. no shadows

Weather was forecast to be mild, to be almost wind free and best of all very diffused sunlight and as it turned out the light was just perfect. First stop was at La Salle Marina where we managed a few good sightings including Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, a couple of Carolina Wrens, a few Long-tailed Ducks and a female Red-breasted Merganser.
Next stop was the short drive to Inksetter Road, where the rare winter visitor .. a Harris Sparrow, is often found, but unfortunately not today, a few Cedar Waxwings showed but they stayed a bit far away for a decent shot, so time for another move.
From here we headed up Valens Road, where at a certain spot for a few years we have seen an Eastern Meadowlark around this time of year, and today ... there he was ... He stayed a little far out but still a nice first of year bird to add to our list.
Last stop of the day was a spot we knew where there is usually some Eastern Bluebirds, and yes they were around a posed nicely during the hour or so we were there.
Every now and again we get some luck, and today a lot of things fell into place  .. light, wind, birds ... so all in all a good day.

March 6th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries

WEATHER: Sunny and pleasant

Yesterday was pleasantly, and very unseasonably warm, so I expected today to be hot with new migrants, but although I did see a few new faces, generally they were keeping out of the way of my lens.

March 4th 2022

LOCATION: Burlington & points north to Cambridge

WEATHER: More sun, but very cold

Met up with a friend and toured a few spots around Burlington - first stop was La Salle Marina, but it was still iced in so no waterbirds to see or photograph. From there headed to Gates of Heaven Cemetery, where in past years around this time, we had seen and photographed some Bluebirds. We did see 3 or 4, but they didn't cooperate, so left with only a couple of mediocre shots. From here we took some of the side roads between Highway 8 and Highway 6, heading north. Targets were more Bluebirds and possibly a Meadowlark, but nothing until I reached Valens Conservation Area, where a couple of Bluebirds were hanging around some nesting boxes.

March 3rd 2022

LOCATION: Back roads north of Elmira

WEATHER: Cold but sunny

It had been quite a while since I toured around this area. I had heard that there some Snow Buntings around and if I was lucky I might see a Snowy Owl. Found a few Snow Buntings but no sign of a Snowy Owl  - I looked on top of hundreds of hydro poles, and checked out a few white, what turned out to be plastic bags out in the fields, but nothing.
The one species that I had no problem finding were Horned Larks - it seemed that every side road had dozens of them. However they were a tad skittish and very few sat still long enough for a snap or two.

March 1st & 2nd 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries Township

WEATHER: Sunny, but with some cloud

Red-winged Blackbird

I took a drive around some of the back roads in North Dumfries ... quite a common area for me to visit, as it can be quite productive at this time of year with Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, Bluebirds etc, and yesterday (Mar 1) I also headed into FWR Dickson Wilderness Area - I have driven past this trail literally hundreds of times and never checked out this spot. I think I have been missing out as I as I found out there is a boardwalk through a swamp area that right now has lot of activity. Between yesterday and today I saw and photographed Red-winged Blackbird, American Robin, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Carolina Wrens, Goldfinches, Swamp Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Tree Sparrows, and likely a few more that I've forgotten. 
The Red-winged Blackbird I have posted on the left was taken along West River Road and a nice indicator of an impending spring. Along this same road I saw, but didn't photograph, several Eastern Bluebirds and a Northern Shrike.