Kitchener Waterloo & Area Birding: Blog commentary on my, (Bill McDonald) birding and wildlife sightings & observations
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DECEMBER 2022

30/11/2022

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December 31st 2022

Well there goes another year - so I want wish everyone who visits a Very Happy New Year. 

December 28th & 29th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER:  Unseasonably warmer, 2-7C
I headed out, both days, around and along some of the back roads around the North Dumfries area, primarily looking for Snow Buntings, of which I found zero, but ended up at FWR Dickson Wilderness Area (again), and was pleased to see and photograph the new "goodie" that has shown up there ... a couple of Rusty Blackbirds. The Tufted Titmouse is still there but seems to be a lot less frequent at the seed offerings.

December 25th 2022

LOCATION: Kitchener, again at home
WEATHER: Cold, but snow eased off, but windy still
First things first ... I want wish anybody who visits this page a Very Merry Christmas and Happy, and fruitful New Year.
Nothing happening today relating to our family Christmas (we plan that for Boxing Day, when all the family spend the day here). So ... I was back setup looking through our patio doors at the feeder setup on our rear deck. I have been hoping for something a bit less common to show up, but so far just the regulars. 

December 23rd 2022

LOCATION: Kitchener, at home
WEATHER: Very cold, snowy & blowy
Winter has definitely arrived, with a bit of snow, bitterly cold and windy. It was therefore a day for shooting from inside the house to my feeder setup in or deck.

December 21st 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER: Pure sun, but chilly (-5C)
Pure sun is not my favorite kind of light, but with no other plans and you never know ... maybe I might find a a shot or two of something more interesting than the usual. As it happened, after a drive around several of the local back roads, I never found anything, other than a distant pair of Tundra Swans. After an hour or two I gave up and headed to FWR Dickson, where I could be sure of seeing a few of the common birds, and of course one of the semi-resident Tufted Titmouse(s)

December 20th 2022

LOCATION: Caledon area
WEATHER: Cloudy and cold
One of our friends lives in a rural area north of Toronto, and for the last few weeks they have been getting Evening Grosbeaks coming to their feeders on an almost daily basis. I was delighted when I, and a couple of other friends, were invited up to take advantage of this awesome photo opportunity. The weather was nicely subdued, and so it was a great situation. As well as the Grosbeaks, several other species were hanging around close to the feeders too.

December 19th 2022

LOCATION: a) 50 Point b) North Dumfries
WEATHER: Flurries then sun & cloud
Started off this morning, along with a good friend, heading to Fifty Point Conservation Area, where word had it that there was a couple of Saw-whet Owls, and probably not too hard to find. As we found out they certainly weren't easy to find, but we did find two of them. The pic below was one that sat reasonably in the open, so managed a decent shot. The other one was tucked in tight inside a Cedar tree foliage, and no way to get a clear shot. Top images were 50 Point.
After a while we headed to FWR Dickson to see if we could find the Tufted Titmouse. Jamie hadn't had the chance to visit this location previously, so we were delighted with getting a few shots of this beauty. Bottom two images from FWR Dickson.

December 17th 2022

LOCATION: Kitchener
WEATHER: Mix of freezing rain and cloud
Most of the day was pretty miserable, so I set up some perches in and around the feeders, with the camera set up on a tripod inside my dining room, aimed through the patio doors to my setup. Unfortunately nothing too exciting came in (probably  trying to stay dry and warm somewhere) However I was still quite happy with a couple of the shots. 
Tip of the Day: Feeder Setups - a) Place your perches above the bird feeder(s) - Birds will almost always stop someplace higher than the food for one last security check. b) Use a tripod and pre-focus on the perch and be ready, as they do not often sit too long. c) Use a good mix of different seed types and ensure it is fresh. d) Squirrels can be a problem so have a pile of peanuts in the shell off to the side and that should keep them busy.

December 12th & 13th 2022

LOCATION: Between Kitchener & Paris
WEATHER: Mild, but dull & some sun now and then
Commentary to follow

December 11th 2022

LOCATION: Kitchener
WEATHER:  Snow 1st thing, then just cloud
With the fresh fall of snow it was a day to keep close to home. I have a liuttle feeder setup along side of our deck, and is visited with a few specoes.. nothing too interesting but still nice to get a few shots of these generally beautiful birds

December 9th & 10th 2022

LOCATION: Kitchener
WEATHER:  Sun abd cloud but mild
Nothing too exciting today, Except when I pulled in for gas at a local gas station, and I noticed this Coopers Hawk forraging around the flower beds and shrubbery in the station forecourt. Luckilly, I had my camera on the passenger seat, and so I was able to grab several shots before it scittered away. THe shot shown here is uncropped .. that's how close it was.  Awesome
Tip of the Day: While we may traditionally think of the best time of year for birding to be in the spring (and who are we kidding, it is), there is still plenty of birding that you can do when winter comes along. It’s just a matter of finding the perfect location for the stragglers and species who haven’t bothered to travel south, and to make sure that you are prepared for harsher conditions while you head outside to enjoy the birdwatching. Birds can get a little lazy too.. especially if they’ve got everything they need right there where they are.

December 8th 2022

LOCATION: Luther Marsh 
WEATHER: Mild. sun and some cloud
I took the hour drive up to the north side of Arthur and Luther Marsh and cruised along the gravel roads in that area. My targets were any of the Winter Finches (Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, White-winged Crossbills and Snow Buntings primarily but some Waxwings were ion the list too. None of the Winter Finches were found, and the only time I managed a few shots were when some Waxwings showed up, which happened a couple of times - thankfully one of those times was with Bohemian ... seems rather odd that none of the targets were in the area yet .. looks like it is a late season.
Tip of the Day: Birding in winter has its advantages. It's easy to spot the silhouette of a hawk perched on a branch or the darting movement of small birds when there aren't any leaves on trees and shrubs. For novices, this is a good time become familiar with the sights and sounds of common resident birds such as chickadees, blue jays, crows, woodpeckers, red tailed hawks, and even eagles. ​

December 7th 2022

LOCATION: FWR Dickson and Kitchener
WEATHER: Misty start, then mainly cloudy, but mild
Started off doing a short tour around some of the back roads in North Dumfries, with not too much to show for all the gas I consumed, but ended up at FWR Dickson, which was quite active, so the day took a bit of a positive hop. 

December 5th 2022

LOCATION: Burlington
WEATHER: Dull, but mild
I took the drive down to Burlington hoping for some interesting waterfowl that might be hanging out along the Lake Ontario shoreline. It was a little uninspiring, but I did see a few Canvasbacks, Black Ducks, Buffleheads and of course Mallards.

December 1st - 4th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER: Mix of sun and cloud
Over the last few days I have kept myself fairly local - North Dumfries, which was a mixture of back roads in this areaas well as FWR Dickson Wilderness area. Overall there wasn't too many birds around, but you take what you can get I suppose.
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NOVEMBER 2022

1/11/2022

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November 28th & 29th 2022

LOCATION: a) Luther Marsh b) North Dumfries
WEATHER: Mild, sun and cloud
28th: Steve and I headed up to the Luther Marsh area, generally working our way along the road just north of the park, but ended up trying out a few other roads, looking for Winter Finches and/or Bohemian Waxwings. However it was a bit of a non event as the only birds we managed a few shots off were the Cedar Waxwings and a very nice Merlin, which gave us some nice shots.
29th: Today I stuck around home and then a short run out to the Grass Lake area. Grass Lake had a few Sandhill Cranes. The Coopers Hawk was through my dining room window ... 
Tip of the Day: At this time of year and until into March, when driving around look for small flocks of birds flying around and perched at the top of trees. Winter finches are known to do just that. The good part is that in the winter the trees are bare, so spotting those perched birds is so much easier.

November 24th & 25th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER: Mix of sun and cloud, but mild
Nov 24th: Checked out the Grand Allee trail for the Harris's Sparrow, but although it was being seen, I was unable to catch a glimpse.  Lots of Fox Sparrows still around, but the prize today was getting a shot of the Northern Mockingbird that hangs out in that area.
Nov 25th: Forecast was initially calling for rain, but when I checked the forecast this morning it had changed to cloudy and mild, so perfect (almost) weather for images (soft shadows and no highlights). Started of along Alps Road and ended up at the FWR Dickson Trail. I saw almost zero before getting to FWR, and I was surprised to see that the parking lot was empty, so even better :). The usual fellas were there - Tufted Titmouse, Tree Sparrows, Nuthatches, Red-belly Woodpecker, Winter Wren etc etc. 
Tip of the Day: Protect your binoculars and camera from the snow as excessive moisture can ruin even the best equipment.

November 23rd 2022

LOCATION: Luther Marsh
WEATHER: Cool start (-6) and misty, but pure sun later
I got up this morning and during my morning coffee I checked out the Rare Bird report for this part of Ontario. There was a sighting yesterday of a Bohemian Waxwing at Luther Marsh, so I headed up on impulse, to check it out.
Around this time of year we start to get sightings of a few other excellent birds in that area so I was quite pumped as to what I might find. I did find the Bohemians which was a flock of about 25 or so, with a couple of Cedar Waxwings in the mix as well. During my hunt I also picked up Common Redpoll on Merlin, but never saw one, which would have been real nice :( 
Further along and a bit later I came across a Northern Shrike, but he was a tad skittish, so I never got very close, but I was pretty happy withy the find/shots anyway :)

November 22nd 2022

LOCATION: Guelph, then North Dumfries
WEATHER: Cold, but some sun
Initially our target was the reported White-eyed Vireo that was being seen next to the WWTP on the south side of Guelph, but today ... no sign of it. We did see the mink though
Headed from there over to Whistlebare Road looking for the Harris's Sparrow, but although it was being seen through the day, we never got a glimpse .. such is life I suppose. On the plus side we saw at least 6 different Fox Sparrows that were foraging together. Word has it that there was actually 7 of them ... incredible !!

November 20th 2022

LOCATION: Whistlebare Road, Blair
WEATHER: Bit of sun and cloud, but bitterly cold
For the past several days there had been a Harris's Sparrow hanging out the trail entrance to RARE Charitable Research Reserve - Grand Allee Trail. Over the same time period I have made several visits with virtually zero luck, but this morning I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and managed a few shots of this rarity. The shots I managed were not top notch, but I was still very pleased with the results - not my first Harris's but awesome nevertheless :)
Tip of the Day: ​One of the most challenging aspects of winter wildlife photography is keeping yourself and your photography gear safe in the sometimes hostile conditions of winter. Wildlife photography is often a waiting game, and while it’s relatively easy to stay warm while on the move, having the correct layers and gear are critical to staying comfortable and safe while waiting for just the right moment, so dress warm as well as, and most importantly, wear good gloves.
​
**  As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title

November 17th & 18th 2022

LOCATION:  ​FWR Dickson
WEATHER: Light snow and COLD
The gift that keeps on giving ... FWR Dickson has a few nice birds that seem to always show up, when one is there, so we keep on going., and of course we keep hoping for something a little more interesting or unusual, by WTH .. what we get is pretty good. 

November 12th 2022

LOCATION: ​FWR Dickson, and at home
WEATHER: Mainly cloud, and getting cooler 
Headed back down to FWR this morning. Mainly because there are a few birds around there and based on Merlin, a chance of a few more interesting species .. eg Red Crossbill, Evening Grosbeak etc etc. Today I saw Cedar Waxwings, Winter Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Fox Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, both Nuthatches, Song Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Juncos, and a few others.

November 11th 2022

LOCATION: FWR Dickson, and at home
WEATHER: Duller with rain maybe, but mild
.. working on it :)

November 9th 2022

LOCATION: Within a couple of miles from home
WEATHER: Yet another sunny day
I read recently one of the reasons bird watching is so important to an individual, is because "it is somewhat of mindless relaxation. In an age of technocratic utilitarianism a man needs as much purposeless activity as he can find."
Anyways today I didn't venture too far - I checked out one of the back roads just outside the city and was delighted to find a Brown Creeper that danced around for 10 minutes or so and gave me lots of shots.
Tip of the Day: Yesterday I found myself a good distance along a trail, and then realized that my camera battery had died, so todays tip is to, either make sure you have spare batteries with you or at least, check before leaving, that you have enough battery power to last the day.

November 7th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER: Mainly sunny, and still mild
I spent most of the morning off and on, at the FWR Dickson Wilderness Area (again). It is hard to resist as there is quite a few good birds being seen there most days .. Yesterday it was reported that even a Red Crossbill was sighted there, that on top of the White-winged Crossbill the other day, and of course almost daily Evening Grosbeaks are sighted, so the area is hard to resist. 
Today a few Evening Grosbeaks popped up, as well as the Fox Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, Eastern Towhee and lots of the usual.
**  As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title

November 5th - 6th 2022

LOCATION: North Dumfries
WEATHER: Sun and and cloud, and mild
Over the last couple of days I have taken a walk into the Dickson trail, and specifically along the boardwalk there. Lots of birds popping back and forward to the seed left along the boardwalk railing, and lots of decent opportunities as these well publicized and decent birds pop out occasionally. Carolina Wren, Tufted Titmouse, Fox Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker, Tree Sparrows, Nuthatches, Winter Wren and a few others are quite common.
​It's a popular place right now, and I have been very happy bumping into some familiar faces.
Tip of the Day:​ Once you get to a spot while out on a trail or parked beside the road or ?? - Take note of your surroundings and be aware of some good perches that are in range of your shots. If there doesn't seem to be anything interesting then adjust your location so that perches are better. Pre-focus on those perches and then be ready ..

November 1st 2022

LOCATION: FWR Dickson Wildlife Area
WEATHER: Misty start, then sun/cloud but very mild
This morning I was looking at the Rare Bird Alert for this area and noticed that a Tufted Titmouse had been spotted at FWR yesterday, so this being a bird I always love to photograph, I headed over to this location and walked around the trails hoping to spot it. Thanks to Merlin (my hearing is very poor, so I rely heavily these days on the Merlin App) I picked up the call at the north end of the Park, and after hanging about for a half hour or so he popped into the open for a few seconds, and I was able to grab a couple of shots.
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    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
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