April 26th - 29th 2017
Locations: 26th & 28th - Brant County, 27th - Stoney Creek, 29th - Hamilton & Stoney Creek
Weather: Seasonal, except 27th which hit 28C at one point (nice)
There are a few migrants showing up, but it seems a little slow - I suspect it's all going to happen at once. Warblers were seen it the last few days but in lesser quantities than I would have expected. Yellow-rumped have been the most common, but I also spotted a few Palm and Pine Warblers. My FOY Vireo was spotted at Edgelake in Stoney Creek ... a Blue-headed Vireo.
I came across a flooded field along West Dumfries Road that had a dozen or so Yellowlegs, with the bulk of them being Lesser Yellowlegs, but it was nice to see them foraging together. I managed a shot with one of each together that showed the size difference (see below)
I don't get too many Life Birds these days, but I did, a day or two ago, and didn't have to travel very far to see it. Not that this bird is terribly rare, but it has been kind of a nemesis, for me over the last few years .. A Greater White-fronted Goose that was hanging out with a few Canada Geese in Riverside Park Cambridge.
I came across a flooded field along West Dumfries Road that had a dozen or so Yellowlegs, with the bulk of them being Lesser Yellowlegs, but it was nice to see them foraging together. I managed a shot with one of each together that showed the size difference (see below)
I don't get too many Life Birds these days, but I did, a day or two ago, and didn't have to travel very far to see it. Not that this bird is terribly rare, but it has been kind of a nemesis, for me over the last few years .. A Greater White-fronted Goose that was hanging out with a few Canada Geese in Riverside Park Cambridge.
April 24th 2017
Location: Long Point
Weather: Cool start (+1), but warmed up to a seasonal 18C
Up early, picked up my friend Steve, and on the road for 5:30 to head to Long Point. At this time of year lots of the returning migrants will show up at some Lake Eirie's south facing shore lines including Long Point. I'm not sure if the cool start was keeping the birds down or not but it was sure quiet (even the banding station at Old Cut was finding things lean). Still, it was a pleasant day even if the camera shutter didn't get fired much. Kinda reminded me of one of my favorite sayings "Bird Photography is a bit like fishing - Going Fishing is not about catching fish ... it's about Going Fishing"
April 21st - 23rd
Locations: Hamilton and Milton general areas
Weather : Cool mornings but pleasantly warm in the afternoon
On Friday Steve and I headed to Hamilton to check out Edgelake and Fifty Point. Edgelake had lots of migrating Warblers and a few Kinglets, but boy was the trails wet and slimy. Fifty Point was a bit of a wash with little or no birds around. On the way back we checked out Thornapple Loop and found a pair of Eastern Towhees that paraded for us .. nice !! and last stop was at Christie Lake where we had a pair of Bluebirds and a lone Pine Warbler that cooperated for s few shots.
Sunday I was on my own and did the "Milton" run - I started at Robertson Tract and logged a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Brown Thrasher both of which denied me any images ... it often works like that. However on the way out I came across a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers that posed nicely for several minutes. Hilton Falls was next - a place that I have had decent luck in the past, but other than a solitary Pine Warbler it was pretty quiet.
Sunday I was on my own and did the "Milton" run - I started at Robertson Tract and logged a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a Brown Thrasher both of which denied me any images ... it often works like that. However on the way out I came across a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers that posed nicely for several minutes. Hilton Falls was next - a place that I have had decent luck in the past, but other than a solitary Pine Warbler it was pretty quiet.
April 5th - 12th 2017
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Weather: Hot & Sunny
I spent a marvelous week in SE Arizona. I based myself in Tucson and traveled to a few locations in and around the city as well as a several spots a bit further afield. As you can imagine it was cool in the early morning but heated up to around 90F as the day progressed. My biggest enemy while taking these pics was the very harsh light ... I literally deleted hundreds of images as they were, either highlights burned out, or shadows too deep to recover. I have photographed in tropical regions many times but the desert was a bit more challenging. Note to self ... remember to take flash equipment next time :)
