Northern Mockingbird was a nice find on March 1st - Seen at Ojibway Park in Windsor !
In SW Ontario - Jan and Feb are the coldest, dreariest months to live through. Cold, lack of sunlight make birding (and living/working) a little bit challenging. But some decent birds have been around (few and far between).
The listing below shows some of the nicer (seasonal) birds that I was able to see over the last month or two ...
Rough Legged Hawk - Mike S noted this bird out near Harrow and I made an effort to go see it. The bird was flushed by a snowplow driving by. On the way home, I found a raptor perched on a thin branch (see second photo) but I'm not 100% sure it was a Rough Legged. Still always nice to see one.
Northern Shrike - Seen in a lot adjacent to Black Oak Herritage Park. Found by Ian Woodfield.
Eastern Screech Owl - This was interesting --- my brother told me that a warehouse worker at a local car factory had an Owl Sitting on a hood of a car in a warehouse. The warehouse is called "the barn" --- so I was tempted to call this a barn owl. The doors to this warehouse open and close all day so I'm sure it can leave when it feels it needs to do so. I was granted private access to see the bird.
Saw Whet Owl - I recently was able to see two of these birds within meters of each other. Its always amazing to see this species.
Fox Sparrows - Always nice to see in the winter at Ojibway.
Eastern Towhee - I feel I have seen a female (early feb) and now a male Towhee at Ojibway Park in Windsor this Feb. Really nice to see this bird with a snowy backdrop.
Northern Mockingbird - Self found at Ojibway this weekend. A pleasant surprise. It flew by me and its white-black wing flashes were diagnostic.
Spring is just around the corner. The onslaught of migrants will be trickling in soon enough!
Good birding,
Dwayne
