Monday, March 9, 2015

Rondeau Redpoll Run


The last two months have been really busy, but amazingly, I've still birded quite a bit. I just haven't seen much that was noteworthy! On top of work and night school, I decided a few months ago that it would be a good idea to do the electrical installation for the new house that my wife and I are having built. I haven't posted a blog posting in 6 weeks, but today's Redpoll citing along with an a generous gift from a reader prompted me get back into the swing of things. Its funny but readers who are birders in Ontario might not realize that the Common Redpoll just does not show up in Windsor. It seems to not be seen much south of Rondeau (see range map). I've only seen this bird twice before today and those looks were fleeting. So this is my third look at a Common Redpoll in my five years of birding!

Late January - went to Rondeau to see Redpolls that were report, I missed them but did get a chance to bird the park a little with Blake. I did see some Pine Siskens at the feeder.



February -Seeing a Belted Kingfisher around Feb 8th was pretty exciting. Considering how cold it got, I hope this little fella made it through the Winter. I guess an Eastern Phoebe was seen at Ojibway Park in Mid February...  It was so cold... I cant even imagine how it was surviving. It must have been a Frozen Phoebe! I saw a Long-tailed Duck, - a rarity at the Detroit River but common an hour north in the Sarnia River. Unfortunately, my car was so full of electrical equipment, I didn't have my camera.



A few weeks ago, Blake mentioned to me in an email that a birder in the Chatham area who enjoys reading my blog wanted to give me some of her old field guides and books related to birding. He mentioned that he would just keep the donated books in his trunk till the next time we meet. So I couldn't resist the opportunity to see Redpolls and obtain these donated books today. On the way to Rondeau I noticed about 10 hawks, 8 were Redtails but I think I saw one or two Rough legged Hawks. My first for the year!

Seeing a Rough legged Hawk is always fun. The plumage details found in its dark "mittens" and belly band are diagnostic. But what caught my attention was how it perches on the tips of the thinnest outer branches of the tree that it perches in. Something a Red-tailed hawk does not do. How many people stop along the highway to see this stuff?



First of Season White Crowned Sparrow


I've had several friends, family and co-workers just give me books about birding! One co-worker gave me both the "Golden" field guide (1966) and the Audubon bird Guide - Eastern Land Birds (1946) as well as Audubon Prints! Today I obtained two boxes of birding books, botany field guides, OFO Journals, "Birding Point Pelee" by Henrietta Oneil, the complete Audubon Collection of birds and Mammals. My birding library is growing!! Thanks to Irene for the kind and thoughtful gift. I'm going to read every book you sent!

Good birding!


Dwaynejava

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