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

Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, Robins at Ojibway Park in Windsor

 

I went to Ojibway Park today to seek out the long staying Northern Mockingbird that has delighted and eluded birders over the last week or so. I had gone to see it yesterday and dipped on seeing the bird - although I was not willing to wait around too long due to time constraints.

Today though - I went again and saw it relatively quickly. I had walked to "the bridge" at Ojibway and had not seen it. On the way back to the parking lot, I stopped at a few points and finally say this bird - which was amazing to see. It is Robin-sized with a pretty long tail. 

This bird is common as you go south towards Florida but can be a rarity in Ontario. Although... its pretty common in Southwestern Ontario and breeds in a few locations along Lake Erie. A few years ago, one of these birds was at another location within the Ojibway Park complex and I had heard it singing while sitting in my car. I would say that a Northern Mockingbird singing its sounds of other birds singing might be one of the 'neatest' bird experiences I have had... It really is a treat!

A few other birds seen today were the common birds at Ojibway at this time: American Tree Sparrow, Red bellied Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Black Capped Chickadee, as well as a small flock of about 5-6 American Robins!

One last note in this posting was that I had my camera on "auto white balance" for the first few shots of the NOMO and then I tried switching to "cloudy white balance". The "cloudy white balance" shots reveal more browns and warm tones while the auto white balance has the colder, greyer colours. 

Good Birding!

Dwayne

October Back Yard Birds and Other Sightings

The last week or two have been a little lack-luster for birding. The weekends have had horrible weather and weekdays are filled with work commitments!

Backyard birds over the last few weeks include:

• Palm Warblers
• White crowned Sparrows
• White throated Sparrows
• Red breasted Woodpecker
• Dark eyed Junco
• Blue Jays
• Cardinals

I had ventured out to Hillman Marsh about two weeks ago since I was out in Essex for a work commitment. I went to Hillman as I heard that some Nelson's Sparrows were being seen there. Unfortunately, there were gail-force winds making birding (and standing outside) difficult. I did see a roadkilled Eastern Fox Snake which was sad to see.

Karen H recently informed me that there was a Blue-Morph Snow Goose at the Volmer Pond in Lasalle and I was able to follow up on that sighting. Overhead, a Bald Eagle soared in the sky... always nice to see. 

It will be interesting to see if this year is a great year for winter finches (See Ron Pittaway's Winter Finch Forecast). I think seeing Common Redpolls or White winged Crossbills will be a nice treat to make the upcoming winter season a little more bearable. I bought a new nyjer seed feeder in hopes of attracting some good northern birds.

Perhaps the same factors that are giving Snowy Owls booming populations in the north will also make sightings of Gyrfalcons and Northern Shrikes a little more abundant as well.

This weekend seems to be a complete washout in terms of rain... It would have been really nice to go to Holiday Beach to do some hawk-watching. Late October always gives some nice views of late migrating raptors such as Red Shouldered and Rough Legged Hawks as well as Golden Eagles.

Maybe next weekend's weather will be a little better? Lets hope....

Good birding,
Dwayne

Late September Birding in Amherstburg

 

Not much happening birdwise for me this last week. I got out to Holiday Beach this past Friday (after work) and saw some expected seasonal raptors (Coopers, Sharp-shinned, Kestrels, Osprey etc).  A few passerines seen include a Black throated Blue warbler, a Catbird, Carolina Wren, Eastern Phoebe, Wilsons, American Redstart, Magnolia as well as Hundreds of Blue Jays flying over the Holiday Beach Observation Tower. I found it harder to see passerines this year at the hawk tower because an Owl decoy was placed on top of the tower in an effort to get raptors to dive in towards the decoy.

I've wanted to go out to Ridgetown and Blenhiem Lagoons to see some shorebirds, but I've been really busy. Almost a hiatus-like busy-ness. I'm taking another night course at the U of Windsor, as well as working full time and spending time with the family.

A Red Phalarope was seen at Pelee Sunday, but I missed the Ontbirds report... it went to my junk mail folder... I would have easily chased that lifer.  But, it wasn't to be. I might try to see them closer to the east coast in the summer some time in the future. 

Common Buckey, Grey Hairstreak and even this Summer Azure still hanging out at Holiday Beach

Mid to late September is a great time to watch thousands of Blue Jays migrate along Lake Erie's North shore.

I'm looking forward to October. I am really hoping to see Nothern Saw-whet Owls as well as American Pipits which have both eluded me in my first three years of birding. Purple Sandpiper would be nice to see as well. Any winter finches would be a nice addition to my life list as well.

Good Birding,
Dwaynejava

Ojibway Park Birding at the end of September

 

I went for a quick walk at Ojibway Park tonight after work.  I have less and less time to bird lately. Even when I do go out, I end up hardly seeing any birds! It's kind of depressing no?

I was pretty geeked out about a recent "winter finch forecast" on the Ontbirds email listserv that predicts Common Redpolls this Winter. Will Northern Shrikes make an appearance? Those would be awesome life list additions.

The new Ojibway visitor center is coming along quite nicely, and it will be exciting to see this new, beautiful facility open up to the public. I wonder when the scheduled grand opening will be?


Some birds seen tonight were:
Blue Jays (many flocks in migration)
Red Bellied Woodpeckers
White throated Sparrows (skulking)
Black Capped Chickadee
Nashville Warbler
Black throated Green Warbler

Red bellied Woodpeckers are quite easily seen at Ojibway Park, particularly in the Winter... they visit the feeders behind the visitor center.

 This Black throated Green responded to my feeble pishing attempts.

 Many flocks of Jays were flying south over the park.

I really miss the mid Summer walks at Ojibway! Even with a few migrant warblers mixed in, Fall birding just isn't the same. 

My friend Rick from Leamington tells me that there is an OFO walk at PPNP this weekend. Anyone going?

Good birding!
Dwayne

Holiday Beach Butterflies

Migrating Blue Jays

I stopped by Holiday Beach with the family this afternoon and had a pretty good time. Jim P, the official Hawk Counter at Holiday Beach pointed out some very high flying Broad Winged Hawks that were basically invisible to the naked eye and just tiny pepper flakes in 10x binoculars. There were hundreds flying by but very difficult to get a good view of. At times, some large flocks of Blue Jays flew by the tower which was pretty cool.

A Northern Flicker in the distance, I did not use my 500mm lens today

I then walked towards the beach hoping to see something a little more warbler-like but did not see much. A small flock of Chickadees and a few Redstarts and little yellow warblers flew by at one point, but I did not really pursue them. Rather, a small sandy dune with some Goldenrod was buzzing with butterfly activity. I'm still new to Butterfly watching but took some shots anyway. I attempted to label them, even if only generally labeled.

At a few times today, I saw Sharp Shin Hawks overhead, and instead of photographing them, I looked at them through my binoculars. I've really enjoyed using the binoculars in the last few days. I love them!

Good birding,
Dwayne

Bonus: Snake on the road! This was tiny, probably less than a foot long.

Lifer! Red Breasted Nuthatch...

I've been dying to see a Red Breasted Nuthatch. My  life list additions have dried up a little since September (with the exception of the winter ducks I've been photographing). So as I left to my mothers' house for breakfast, I figured I would grab the SLR and 500mm lens.

As I gazed out her window upon arrival, I noticed a tiny bird, almost the size of a kinglet facing away from me. So, I went to a differnent room in the house to get a side view. I first noticed it was a nuthatch, then, the stripe... An RBN!!!

I have honestly looked all winter for this bird in various parks and habitats... and to find it during a routine family breakfast at my mothers house was awesome!

I wish it was not on a feeder, in a more natural setting, but a lifer is a lifer!

A few more birds crossed my path today. There was great light out... Blue Jays, Cardinals a canonical Dark Eyed Junico.

I'm not sure but during a walk at Malden park I noticed a sparrow singing its heart out... is it a swampy? ID please. Im not really into sparrow or gull identification yet... Also a female downy woodpecker was almost following me as I walked at Malden... weird eh?