26th June 2018
Location: Tobermory
Weather: Sunny & Hot
A few weeks ago I was up in this same area and managed to find several Golden-winged Warblers along a section of gravel road just a bit south of Tobermory. Today we headed back to the same road and although we did catch a glimpse of a couple they were, for the most part, very shy and didn't come out into the open. We did, however, see a couple Black-throated Green Warblers, Redstarts and Chestnut-sided, so although the target bird didn't make it onto my viewfinder, the other ones made up for it somewhat.
25th June 2018
Location: Cambridge - Brantford
Weather: Sunny and very warm
After a couple of days not being able to get out during the seemingly non-stop rain, it was nice to see the sun this morning. I headed down to a spot at the end of Oak Park Road near Brantford. Target at this location was primarily Orchard Orioles and although I did see one I was unable to get a shot, so as per one of my golden rules, If the bird doesn't want to be photographed, then pack up and go somewhere else.... so I did. My next spot was along West Dumfries Road near Paris where for the last few years I had seen a Yellow-throated Vireo, and yes, he was hanging around at almost the exact same spot as I had photographed him in the past. I like when a plan works out :) As I was pretty close to Grass Lake I made that my final location of the day, and I'm glad I did - Amongst several Savannah Sparrows I found a Grasshopper Sparrow, and since my luck seemed to be holding, it posed on the wire fence for me, for at least five minutes. Not the best day I've ever had, but certainly not the worst.
23rd June 2018
Location: My back yard in Kitchener
Weather: Rainy for the most part
With rain forecast pretty much all weekend I did a little setup around the perimeter of my deck, and around or close to the feeders. I setup the camera/lens through the open patio door and It worked out reasonably well (I think). Nothing very unusual, but better than lazing around in front of the TV.
22nd June 2018
Location: Riverside park, Cambridge
Weather: Cool start (+16) but warmed much more later
For the last 5 or 6 weeks I have been monitoring a Pileated Woodpecker nest site. Now I should say I didn't find the nest - a friend from Cambridge had initially discovered it but had let me in on the discovery (Thanks Robert). Anyways an image I have long since craved was to get a Pileated nest hole with a bunch of youngsters all squeezing out of the hole at the same time to get fed. This would be the classic image of a pileated family, but in this case, and for some odd reason, the parents excavated two holes, and of course now that babies are here they are using both openings. BTW there are two babies and they both look like young males. Over the last week I have staked out the nest site but was unable to catch the activity when the parent visits. Today however, I was able to see the parents come by several times and watch the activity at the nest holes. Awesome stuff.
20th June 2018
Location: West of Algonquin near Sundridge
Weather: Cooler start but warmed up to a bright and pleasant 25C (still too bright for photography)
| It had been a few weeks since an earlier and very successful trip to the same area, and after finding myself with a couple of days free, I headed up in the morning with the plan to spend two days. After sleeping in (damned alarm didn't go off ... or maybe I set it wrong, anyways) I headed out the door at close to 5:00 am (I had planned 3:00am) I drove the 4 hours north with much anticipation. I headed up along a gravel road about 15km, then up a cart track another few km's and found a likely spot with a few birds showing and calling. My first bird of the day was a super gorgeous Northern Parula and then an inquisitive Black-throated Blue Warbler. I could hear a Black-backed Woodpecker calling and hammering close by (maybe it was a Three-toed, but I'm not sure) but I couldn't locate it for an image ... maybe next time. Throughout the day I saw and I photographed several songbirds including Canada Warbler, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Mourning Warbler and a few misc other birds. The original plan was to get a hotel late in the day, but by 7:00pm I was rethinking the plan .... I had had a decent day, so decided that I was going to head home to have a nights sleep in my own bed - 4 hour drive back, and yes a long day, but a good one !!!! |  Magnolia Warbler |
18th June 2018
Location: Silvercreek Conservation Area
Weather: Sunny and hot (too bright for photography, but ...)
Every year I I like to visit this great little area for some spring songbirds. A few weeks ago I visited with a friend and discovered a couple of nesting Warblers - Blackburnian Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler. These was no sign of these two today, but I did get some great views of an Indigo Bunting and a Red-eyed Vireo - both very interesting birds, and first of year photographs for me. The Indigo has a special affection for me as it was the bird that got me truly interested in Bird Photography - many years ago I was looking on line at the Weather Channel and someone had posted a picture of an Indigo Bunting. I had always been an avid Amateur Photographer, but not really into birds. Anyways this image had the WOW factor and after a bit research I found out where it was spotted and went there, found it, photographed it and was instantly hooked right there and then.
10th June 2018
Location: Luther Marsh area
Weather: Pretty hot - sunny
The trouble with "update later" as I did in this case (I was tired and running late so I added the note "update later") .. anyways later can be continually delayed as the mood isn't there. However and anyways I found these birds on a day trip up to the Luther marsh area. The target was the Clay-coloured Sparrow and this area has significant quantities of these little beauties so it wasn't with too much looking that I found this one. Actually I saw several sitting on fence posts, along with Savannah Sparrows, as I drove around. Since it was a Marsh I also had no problem finding the other two highlighted birds here .. the Yellow Warbler and the "bandit" himself .. the Common Yellowthroat.
6th & 7th June 2018
Location: Sundridge area, and areas west of Algonquin
Weather: Cooler starts but getting hot in the afternoons. Sunny
 Mourning Warbler | Around this time last year I made a couple of trips to the same general area searching for, and photographing what for me are the glamour boys of the bird world ... namely Warblers and other songbirds. Over the two days I spent in that area I did see quite a few of our targets but sightings were down from last year, unfortunately. Still ... we all have good days and bad days, but still amazing to visit the area .. other than the black flies and mosquitoes of course:). All said and done, it was a reasonably successful trip with numerous sightings of Canada Warblers, a few Ovenbirds, a few Chestnut-sided Warblers, and one or two Black-throated Blue Warblers, Northern Parula, Mourning Warblers, American Redstarts and a few others. Strangely enough a couple of the birds that were common last year were not around ... Blackburnian Warblers and Black-throated Green Warblers. They may of course have been keeping a low profile during the time we were there, but we would still have expected to have heard their unmistakable calls. Maybe my next trip in another week or so will be more successful with those two. I hope |
