Great Blue Heron
The warmer weather is gradually beginning to happen, but boy is it slow to get going this year. The snow is lingering in the shadow areas that the sun has yet to get to, but with daytime temperatures in the 8 & 9degC I'm sure they won't be there for long. I keep checking the feeders at home for any "new faces" and was shocked to have this guy land on my fence at the bottom of my yard. He was checking out my goldfish pond I'm sure. Maybe this was the same one I had take a 14 - 15 inch Koi a year or two back .... he could hardly take off with the weight. I remember at the time threatening to get a paintball gun and wait in ambush until the next time he showed up and nail him (or her), and finally scare it off for good - never did and I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to pull the trigger anyways ... although it might have been quite a funny sight to see a heron blue white & fluorescent green!
Time was limited, but I did manage to get out for a short time later in the day (seems to be a recurring theme with me lately ... short birding trips), but I'm in the middle of some home reno projects so ..... Dropped in, so to speak, on the Osprey nest location next to the Grand River Bridge in Blair. The male did make a few trips out for prey, so managed to get a few flight shots, some mediocre and some slightly better .. wind was strong, so keeping the pod steady was a challenge. Visits were made to Grass Lake again then over to the Arboretum at University of Guelph, with minimal success.
Time was limited, but I did manage to get out for a short time later in the day (seems to be a recurring theme with me lately ... short birding trips), but I'm in the middle of some home reno projects so ..... Dropped in, so to speak, on the Osprey nest location next to the Grand River Bridge in Blair. The male did make a few trips out for prey, so managed to get a few flight shots, some mediocre and some slightly better .. wind was strong, so keeping the pod steady was a challenge. Visits were made to Grass Lake again then over to the Arboretum at University of Guelph, with minimal success.
April 14th 2013
Song Sparrow
Another few hours were spent at the Arboretum looking specifically for Golden Crowned Kinglets and any other early spring arrivals (according to local forums there were lots of GCK sightings around). Alas for me I didn't get to see any ... although I did have a glimpse of a small bird with the correct body shape, but he was gone before I could get a good look. I did see my first Song Sparrow of the season - he was singing his heart out (as they do) and gave me some good shots, like the one shown opposite.
The walk around the Arboretum was enjoyable, but very chilly at just inside the plus digits Centigrade. A few other birders were out but in conversation with one of them, they were having a similarly uneventful day. The highlight of my day was an Eastern Bluebird, which was checking out a nest box near the Nature Garden, but before I could get organized properly he was gone, but I did get one take-off shot as he zoomed off, albeit a tad blurred, but I added it below anyways.
On the way back from Guelph I detoured slightly to a spot I had seen, a week or so ago, where I had spotted a hawk nest. Then, as this time, I was unable to get a shot or even formally identify the nester - all I get is the tail and the occasional head coming up for a second or two. I waited for about 15 minutes expecting to see the mate drop by but to no avail - I will keep an eye on the nest over the next few weeks.
The walk around the Arboretum was enjoyable, but very chilly at just inside the plus digits Centigrade. A few other birders were out but in conversation with one of them, they were having a similarly uneventful day. The highlight of my day was an Eastern Bluebird, which was checking out a nest box near the Nature Garden, but before I could get organized properly he was gone, but I did get one take-off shot as he zoomed off, albeit a tad blurred, but I added it below anyways.
On the way back from Guelph I detoured slightly to a spot I had seen, a week or so ago, where I had spotted a hawk nest. Then, as this time, I was unable to get a shot or even formally identify the nester - all I get is the tail and the occasional head coming up for a second or two. I waited for about 15 minutes expecting to see the mate drop by but to no avail - I will keep an eye on the nest over the next few weeks.
April 21st 2013
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
It was such a beautiful spring morning, that I couldn't miss out on some spring migrant opportunities. I had read in a local forum that Homer Watson Park was hot for woodpeckers, as well as some early spring visitors. Homer Watson Park is less that 5 minutes from the house, so off we jolly well went. I arrived shortly after 8:00 am and almost instantly I spotted some Ruby-Crowned Kinglets flitting between perches, so it was pretty difficult to follow them effectively with the 500, but I did get a couple of half decent shots. Golden Crowned Kinglets and Yellow Rumped Warblers were playing the same game in the same general area, so it was quite an eventful morning. Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flickers and a single Hairy Woodpecker were also spotted and photographed, so all in all for a two hour foray and less that 5 minutes from the house I was not disappointed.
April 28th 2013
Savannah Sparrow
I am reading lots of reports of new arrivals this week, but unfortunately I wasn't fortunate enough to have spotted any. Funny thing is that I see a significant amount of the sightings have been in the Toronto City Parks - Tommy Thompson, Leslie Street Spit, etc... Strange, you would think more rural areas, wetlands etc would be more productive. Myself, I checked out a few spots ... Saturday I went to the back entrance to Mountberg Conservation area around 8:30 and other than a couple of flurries in the undergrowth I was basically skunked. I did come across a sleepy coon though (pic below). Following Mountberg I returned to Huron Park in Kitchener where there was quite a bit of activity from several Yellow-Rumped Warblers high up in the trees, and some Northern Flickers that came and went. Sunday I ran over to Grass Lake to check out the Sandhill Crane pair that have nested close to the road. I had hoped to get pics of the Eastern Meadowlark, but although I spotted a couple they wouldn't cooperate with a portrait. Maybe next time.
April 29th 2013
Turkey Vulture
Came across this handsome brute today whilst driving in North Dumfries township. He cooperated for a couple of minutes, but was clearly nervous (birds often poop when nervous).
Well, this probably wraps up April for pictures, but I'm hoping for good things in May. I have a plan to visit Pelee for a few days in the next week or two .. my favorite birding place, and one of the best in Ontario. Migrant warblers are beginning to show in significant numbers, so photo opportunities should be excellent (I hope).
Well, this probably wraps up April for pictures, but I'm hoping for good things in May. I have a plan to visit Pelee for a few days in the next week or two .. my favorite birding place, and one of the best in Ontario. Migrant warblers are beginning to show in significant numbers, so photo opportunities should be excellent (I hope).
April 30th 2013
Black & White Warbler
Looks like I lied in my previous post, and that this is really the final post of the month. Today, on my way back from Oakville I dropped in to one of my favorite spring/summer birding locations - the reservoir side of Mountberg Conservation area. Amongst a few other species I was pleased to locate & photograph three different warblers. The Black & White, Palm & Yellow-Rumped. The Black & White images are a first for me . I had seen B&W's on a few occasions, but never was able to get some shots. All three warblers species were in the same group of short trees, with probably 5 or 6 Yellow-Rumped, 2 or 3 Palm and the single Black & White, sometimes all of them in the same tree, flitting from branch to branch. All of this activity took place over a period of about 20 minutes or ... It was pretty amazing
I was thinking again about the blog, and have decided to modify the format slightly ... so stay tuned!
I was thinking again about the blog, and have decided to modify the format slightly ... so stay tuned!
