December 31st 2020
| LOCATION: North west of Waterloo near Heidelberg | WEATHER: Dull |
2020 ... I won't be sorry to see this year fade into the horizon. Most years we manage a trip or two, both as a family vacation, and another one as a uniquely birding trip (usually to northern Kentucky/Ohio, but unfortunately it just couldn't happen, and in fact 2021 is likely a not going to happen event either. ... Oh well. On the plus side birding in Ontario this year was as good as it was most other years so I am most thankful for the opportunities I was given.
Anyways ... today as per the latest lockdown restrictions, I kept my travel distances to a minimum and headed the short ways to the north end of the city looking for the reported Crossbills. Both Red and White-winged have been reported over the last few days, so I did some running around in those areas, and saw a few flocks of winter finches, and I'm not sure if any of them were Red Crossbills, but the White-winged were certainly more available, so a few shots were managed.
How to find these species? I have found the best way is to head to an area where they have been seen, either recently or historically, and drive slowly along these roads, especially where there are good patches of evergreen trees. Crossbills feed on "pine" cones so anywhere that is reasonably remote and where these trees have a decent crop of cones, then stop and scan the tops of the trees, and with luck you will spot some.
Here's a video of this years Warblers ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaD_V86RMS4&feature=youtu.be
Goodbye 2020 !!
Anyways ... today as per the latest lockdown restrictions, I kept my travel distances to a minimum and headed the short ways to the north end of the city looking for the reported Crossbills. Both Red and White-winged have been reported over the last few days, so I did some running around in those areas, and saw a few flocks of winter finches, and I'm not sure if any of them were Red Crossbills, but the White-winged were certainly more available, so a few shots were managed.
How to find these species? I have found the best way is to head to an area where they have been seen, either recently or historically, and drive slowly along these roads, especially where there are good patches of evergreen trees. Crossbills feed on "pine" cones so anywhere that is reasonably remote and where these trees have a decent crop of cones, then stop and scan the tops of the trees, and with luck you will spot some.
Here's a video of this years Warblers ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaD_V86RMS4&feature=youtu.be
Goodbye 2020 !!
December 29th 2020
| LOCATION: Luther Marsh area | WEATHER: Snowy and dull, with occasional sun |
Other than the pic of the Red-bellied Woodpecker, which was shot in my back yard, the shots were all taken along the south and east side of Luther Marsh, in a snow squall as was the case with the Redpolls and in flurries with the other two. The cold and the blowing snow can be really tricky to shoot into and maintain any kind of decent image quality, but we try.
It's very important with the cold weather and with shooting out off, or around your vehicle, to try to keep your equipment as close as possible to the temperature your are working in. Same goes with shooting out of your vehicle window, to try to maintain a similar temperature in your car as outside of it. The temperature differences can play havoc with quality of your images, and will be improved if temperature variances are minimized.
As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title
It's very important with the cold weather and with shooting out off, or around your vehicle, to try to keep your equipment as close as possible to the temperature your are working in. Same goes with shooting out of your vehicle window, to try to maintain a similar temperature in your car as outside of it. The temperature differences can play havoc with quality of your images, and will be improved if temperature variances are minimized.
As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title
December 27th 2020
| Location: Home area | Weather: Dull and dank |
I can't say I wasn't happy with these two sightings this morning - especially the Bohemian Waxwings. The Waxwing flock was very small ie around 8 or 9 birds, but exciting nonetheless, and I was very thankful to get a couple of shots in the open. Very close to the same location I also spotted a similar sized flock of Cedar Waxwings, but they vamoosed before I could point a camera, but they were very close (less than 30 feet away and at eye level), so it would have been quite a day if I could pulled off a few images before the flew off.
For those of you who aren't sure how to tell these two Waxwing species apart - the Bohemian has the reddish brown streak on the underside of their tail, where the Cedar doesn't - theirs is a pale yellowish colour.
For those of you who aren't sure how to tell these two Waxwing species apart - the Bohemian has the reddish brown streak on the underside of their tail, where the Cedar doesn't - theirs is a pale yellowish colour.
December 23rd, 25th & 26th 2020
| Location: Mostly in my back yard (Kitchener) | Weather: Prior to Xmas - mild and dry, after - snowy |
During days when I don't go out, I usually setup my camera on a tripod just inside the dining room patio door, and shoot through the glass towards the feeders. Works pretty good, and occasionally get some nice birds visiting. Unfortunately over the last few days it's been the common ones, but I keep hoping.
As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title
December 21st 2020
| Location: Amherst Island | Weather: Fairly mild with the odd flurry |
 Common Redpoll | A group of us have been anxiously waiting for a day when the weather was looking good for a visit to the island. From KW, the drive each way is in the neighbourhood of 4 hours, if you include ferry time, so it needs to be as perfect as it can be ... What's a perfect day? Generally I prefer a dull or cloudy day, but with some brighter patches, so that the light levels are flat, but still able to use a lower ISO. Forecast, the night before, was looking good with great weather and with the bonus of very little wind. Unfortunately the weatherman had a bad day and the weather was dull all day with the occasional flurry. Oh well too late when you are there, so you have to make the most of it. Sightings were down from the last time we were there (3 weeks ago) with almost no Rough-legged Hawks, but on the plus side I saw 3 Snowy Owls. One of the main targets was the Short-eared Owl of which the island abounds, but only along Front Road at the east end of the village. A few times it seemed that the majority of them took to the air and it was around 25 birds or so, so quite spectacular. Unfortunately, they kept their distance, so images were quite mediocre. Oh well nice to see nonetheless. |
December 19th 2020
| Location: At home in Kitchener | Weather: Dull, then some light snow |
The last few days have been a bit dry when it came to finding and photographing birds, so with today's forecast being a little bleak, I decided that today should be a day of saving the gas, and staying at home. All these images were taken through the glass of my dining room patio doors.
As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title
As always ... click on any image to show full size. Also by hovering your cursor over any image will provide a title
December 15th 2020
| Location: Burlington - Oakville | Weather: A mix of sun & cloud |
Today's plan was to hit the Lake Ontario lakeshore- first in Hamilton harbour area then along the shoreline up to somewhere around Oakville, and see what is hanging about. First stop was La Salle park in Burlington where there were lots of waterfowl species - primarily, Canvasbacks, Northern Pintail, Black Duck, Bufflehead, Mallards, American Coot, Trumpeter Swans and some Mergansers. The Pintail I saw was very unintimidated by my presence and actually at one point came out of the water, and came as close as 5 feet ... incredible.
Another drop in spot was Paletta Mansions where I had two very nice encounters - first was a Winter Wren that popped into the open after a short wait, but the highlight was a Red-tailed Hawk that flew in and landed less than 40 feet away ... and stayed (in fact was still there after I left)
Final venue was Sedgewick Park in Oakville - In past years this has been a superb place to find over-wintering songbirds, and although this year is a bit less so, I did find a Northern Parula that showed it's face briefly while I was there.
Another drop in spot was Paletta Mansions where I had two very nice encounters - first was a Winter Wren that popped into the open after a short wait, but the highlight was a Red-tailed Hawk that flew in and landed less than 40 feet away ... and stayed (in fact was still there after I left)
Final venue was Sedgewick Park in Oakville - In past years this has been a superb place to find over-wintering songbirds, and although this year is a bit less so, I did find a Northern Parula that showed it's face briefly while I was there.
December 13th 2020
| Location: Luther Marsh and surrounding area | Weather: Dull and a bit damp |
Up and around the Luther Marsh area is a very good place right now to find and photograph Snow Buntings, so Steve, Helen & myself converged at a spot we know at the south end of the Marsh to see if we could "nail" a few of these beauties. It was bitterly cold with an exceptionally icy wind, but the Buntings didn't seem to be disturbed by the arctic temperatures (but I know we were ... Brrr!). A couple of flocks dropped by over the next couple of hours or so and so we managed a few decent shots.
After getting my fill of shots from our Snow friends, I headed up along the north road above the Marsh hoping to see other species. I did see a couple of Northern Shrikes along the side of the road, but as usual they were too far out and terribly skittish, so shots were a non issue. However, about mid way along that road I caught a glimpse of some Bohemian Waxwings, numbering around 50 individuals and was delighted when they came in quite close and gave Helen and myself a few descent photo opportunities. Turned out be a decent day after all ... despite the freezing temperatures.
After getting my fill of shots from our Snow friends, I headed up along the north road above the Marsh hoping to see other species. I did see a couple of Northern Shrikes along the side of the road, but as usual they were too far out and terribly skittish, so shots were a non issue. However, about mid way along that road I caught a glimpse of some Bohemian Waxwings, numbering around 50 individuals and was delighted when they came in quite close and gave Helen and myself a few descent photo opportunities. Turned out be a decent day after all ... despite the freezing temperatures.
December 9th 2020
| Location: Melbourne | Weather: Very dull |
It was that kinda day .... Very dull and uneventful !! The plan to go to Melbourne was to see if we could find and photograph some Short-eared Owls that often winter in the area, and had been seen recently, but ..... Helen and I came back with almost nothing to show for our trouble. The only consolation was the Merlin that posed OK for us, and an amazing flock of Snow Buntings (numbering in the 3 -4 hundred area) that we came across.... which I haven't posted ... but it was spectacular
December 7th 2020
| Location: Home, in Kitchener | Weather: Dull |
A day at home shooting through the glass of my dining room patio doors.
December 5th 2020
| Location: South side of Luther Marsh | Weather: Cloudy and occasionally misty a tad. |
After finding a few flocks of Snow Buntings the other day near Luther Marsh, I couldn't resist heading back up today. Of course I was hoping for something a little more unique than I had photographed a couple of days ago, but to be honest there not too many options for getting that winner shot.
I did really like the face of the one I have cropped closeup, so I zoomed in during post processing and made this a portrait type image, which I kinda like. For comparison, the image on top left is the original
I did really like the face of the one I have cropped closeup, so I zoomed in during post processing and made this a portrait type image, which I kinda like. For comparison, the image on top left is the original
December 3rd 2020
| Location: Up and around Luther Marsh | Weather: Cloudy and dull'ish |
After checking the weather forecast for KW, Hamilton, Toronto & Mount Forest, which other than Mount Forest, was bright sun, but Mount Forest was dull'ish ... so that info made it definite ... Mount Forest and Luther Marsh it was to be. Shooting in harsh sun is one of my pet hates, and I've never fully understood why so many photographers like to juggle with those harsh highlights and deep shadows, but each to their own.
At this time of year the Luther Marsh area can be quite good with lots of winter finches dropping by (like those White-winged Crossbills we found in this area, last week). Right now a few desirable species are being reported ... including Bohemian Waxwings, which as I left home, was my primary target. Unfortunatel ... no hide nor hair of any as ai drove around the park perimeter. What I did find though, was three separate flocks of Snow Buntings located around the south end of the park. One flock was quite small with a number in or around 30 individuals, but the other two flocks I came across was easily a 100 birds each.
Other than those birds I came across an individual Common Redpoll foraging along the side of the road, and Northern Shrike that was a tad too far to photograph properly, but hey ... I'l take it.
At this time of year the Luther Marsh area can be quite good with lots of winter finches dropping by (like those White-winged Crossbills we found in this area, last week). Right now a few desirable species are being reported ... including Bohemian Waxwings, which as I left home, was my primary target. Unfortunatel ... no hide nor hair of any as ai drove around the park perimeter. What I did find though, was three separate flocks of Snow Buntings located around the south end of the park. One flock was quite small with a number in or around 30 individuals, but the other two flocks I came across was easily a 100 birds each.
Other than those birds I came across an individual Common Redpoll foraging along the side of the road, and Northern Shrike that was a tad too far to photograph properly, but hey ... I'l take it.
December 2nd 2020
| Location: In and around KW | Weather: Sunny |
Today was one of these too sunny , dramatic lighting kind of days, so my morning run was over by, and home by 09:30 no point in the harsh light). Sightings were minimal with a small flock of Redpolls (couldn't find any Hoary's in the flock) and pretty much that was it .
In the afternoon, it seemed like a decent day to see if I could find the Barred Owl that has been hanging out in Waterloo, and I was delighted to find it sitting really low on a stick just off the main path.
In the afternoon, it seemed like a decent day to see if I could find the Barred Owl that has been hanging out in Waterloo, and I was delighted to find it sitting really low on a stick just off the main path.
December 1st 2020
| Location: Home in Kitchener | Weather: Snowy |
Today was one of these days where it was pretty smart to stay home. Overnight and throughout the day it snowed, albeit not heavy, but the prolonged duration, resulted in a few inches of this cold, white and wet crap to cover our landscape. Over the last few days I had rigged up a few perches around our bird feeders so throughout (off and on) the day I was able to get a few shots through my dining room patio doors. Shooting through glass is never a perfect way to get images, but with the R5 and the close proximity of the perches made it functional, with some decent clarity of most of the shots.
