Backyard Orange Crowned Warblers, Fox Sparrows, Phoebe Oct 23rd Birding

I was sitting in my kitchen at around 3:30PM today, and noticed a little bird foraging between my back fence and some goldenrod which had gone to seed. I glassed the bird with my binoculars and was amazed... I'm quite certain I saw Orange Crowned Warbler!!! After 20 minutes went by, I had to go for a walk behind my house... there is a weedy hedgerow that is quite birdy! [Editor's Note: The date that is watermarked at the bottom of these images is wrong. These are taken on Oct 23rd, 2021]

Walking behind my house was a nice treat. I had seen a few Hermit Thrushes (and Wood Thrush?) Downy Woodpeckeres, Eastern Phoebe,  Ruby Crowned Kinglet, and Orange Crowned Kinglets. I saw some Song Sparrows, White throated, White Crowned, Dark eyed Juncos, a Swamp Sparrow and a FOX SPARROW! I think I might even had a Savannah Sparrow. 

I feel that I had seen 4-6 different Orange crowned Warblers back there. Between those and a Fox Sparrow - I am just blown away at the diversity of birds behind my house. I should be keeping a list, or at least posting to E-bird and perhaps listing that way.  

Anyhow - with Gas being at 1.50/L and an expired Pelee Pass - I've been content birding at South Cameron Woodlot. 

BONUS Photos-

Backyard Sparrow Bonanza Continues (Part 2) Oct 17th

 

Wow,,, So yet again, I spent 30 - 45 minutes birding from my kitchen table this morning, looking to my back yard through my back patio - and the birding was surprisingly good! This weekend's birding has provided the following sparrows:

House Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White crowned Sparrow
White throated Sparrow
Dark eyed Junco
Vesper Sparrow (*new yard species)
Clay colored Sparrow (*new yard species)

And today:

Lincoln's Sparrow (*new yard species)
Purple Finch (*new yard species)

Recap of yesterday's Sparrow Highlights: 

Today's Lincoln's Sparrow:

The previous blog posting from yesterday featured a nice selection of sparrow species, highlights being Clay Coloured and Vesper Sparrows - but today - I had a Lincoln's Sparrow! I also had Purple Finch, a pair of Red bellied Woodpeckers as well another Hermit Thrush. 

I have a mental bird list of species I've seen in/from my backyard --- and I think I need to make a page dedicated page to keep track of those species. I think I also should have a small bird bath pond or water fountain as I've noted a small flooded area behind my fence has attracted many species. 

Good Birding!

Dwayne

Backyard Birding - Sparrowfest? + New Binoculars

 

On Friday Oct 15th I had gotten home from work and spent a few minutes 20-30 just setting at my dinner table, looking out at my back yard through my patio door. It seems particularly "birdy" and having a new pair of binoculars* I was geeked to check out what was in my back yard. Today, Saturday Oct 16th, I think I had some other noteworthy sightings, --- I think Clay Coloured Sparrows!

Amazingly I had some pretty good birds!

There was a very active Eastern Phoebe. 

White Crowned, White throated Sparrows, + a single FOS Dark eyed Junco

Field Sparrow, Chipping, Song, House as well a first ever (yard bird!) Vesper Sparrow!!?!?!?

For Warblers, I had Palm, Yellow rumped and Palm Warblers

I also noted a Hermit Thrush!

Unless I'm mistaken, I think I've found two new yard birds - Vesper Sparrow and Clay colored Sparrow. Both new yard birds!

Quick note on Binoculars - 

* With great sadness, I realized recently that I have lost/misplaced or was a victim of theft for my recent pair of Vortex Diamondback Binoculars. I sometimes park my car in my driveway and either forget to lock my door, or leave my windows open.

So I had bought another pair of Vortex Diamondback Binos (8x42). Shortly after buying those, I noticed that BestBuy had an open box Nikon Monarch 5's for ~$200 so... I couldn't help but pick those up as well. Then as I was clearning my garage out last week, I had found an old pair of Nikon Monarch 5's that had fallen under my garage landing steps. So I went from having 0 binoculars over the last 1-2 months to having 3 pairs at the time of me typing this. I had explained to my wife that even though 3 pairs may be excessive, ... I can bring my two boys out with me and they will have their own pretty awesome binoculars. 

Which of the two binocular brands do I like better???  --- I cant really say. They are both quite amazing. I know everyone has their own budgets and preferences for binoculars, but I am quite happy with $300 binoculars. I tend to lose them alot anyway...