Wintering Eastern Meadowlark in Essex???

This morning, I talked my son into going for a drive with me through Essex - in the 'pleasent valley' area near Harrow - which often hosts some great birds - even over the winter.

Over the last few days, people have seen Red-headed Woodpecker, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Shrikes, Eastern Meadowlarks etc. Decent birds for February!

I had gone out a few times over the last few weekends and came up short until this weekend. The Meadowlarks were not easily found. From Couture Sideroad - I noticed some small blobs in the distance in a soyabean field and luckily my eye caught light a one bird's bright yellow breast - through binoculars.  These photos are pretty heavily cropped - and this is with a 400mm lens.

Some other highlights about the outing was simply spending time with my son, seeing Rick Mayos out there as well as seeing the sun out!

Good birding!
Dwayne

Feb 2020 Birding

I haven't really blogged much this year so far. I still want to ... but I have not seen much of note this year so far!

Today I brought my son for a walk to Belle River Marina - it was mentioned by a few other birders as of late and I thought I would try my luck at that spot.

I believe that I observed Greater and Lesser Black backed Gulls. I have not confidently identified Lesser black backed Gulls over the years... so its  a pretty good sighting for me!

Of course, with this mild winter we've had, I think many people have had red-winged blackbirds for a while now - but it was nice to hear them singing this weekend at both Belle-Isle and Ojibway Park.

Another neat sighting - perhaps even a first for this blog is a Kentucky Coffee Tree - a rare tree in Canada.

I have driven out for a drive in the "pleasent valley" area of Essex County - out near Harrow.  There is always some nice birds to see in that habitat of open fields, floodplains, forest and even landfill site. Eastern Meadowlarks were seen for weeks on end but I was unable to catch up with them!

One afternoon, I was lucky enough to see a rough-legged hawk out there. It might be the only one I've seen this winter and last winter. 

Its nice to see the days getting longer. The tide of migration is swinging back in our direction - northern hemisphere. Good birding!

Dwayne