Backyard Birding - Sept 2023 - Sometimes the good birds come to you - Golden Winged Warbler at South Cameron Woodlot

 

On the weekends, I like to get up early (between 8-9am), make a coffee, and sit on my back porch and bird the hedgerow of trees and shrubs behind my yard. On Sat Sept 16 - I had noticed a warbler fumbling around that was light coloured, and attempted to photograph it. At first, I felt like I did not get a chance to photograph the bird, and I was thinking if I should Ebird the sighting or not. Moments later, I realized that I had some poor, diagnostic photos of the bird!  A Golden-winged Warbler!!! I was trying to explain to my wife how rare it is to cross paths with this bird --- Would it be as rare as finding a $20 bill on the ground? a $100 bill?   This is most certainly my only self-found southbound migrant that I have ever seen of this bird, even in 13+ years of bird watching. 

Ebird Checklist: 

eBird Checklist - 16 Sep 2023 - Windsor--South Cameron Woodlot - 25 species (+1 other taxa)

On Saturday morning, besides the Golden-Winged  --- I had seen several Broad-winged hawks flying low overhead. A small kettle of them was noted as well. A Lincoln's Sparrow, Least Flycatcher, Swainson's Thrush, Nashville, Tennessee and Common Yellowthroat were noted as well. Pretty amazing!

There is a small field behind the hedgerow with some interesting plants in it - even though it is ploughed and cropped for zoning and future building purposes. In the field, I have seen many different sedges, Winged Loosestrife, Dense Blazingstar, Boneset, as well as many goldenrods and asters.

Butterflies seen just this week include: Pearl Crescents, Common Checkered Skipper, Monarchs, Eastern tailed Blue among others.

I find it really fun to find birds while simply sitting in my back yard. I do not have to buy gas or spend hours driving --- I just sit and relax. 90% of the time during the fall, if I am patient, I am typically rewarded with at least one mildly interesting bird. A warbler or a flycatcher perhaps. Sometimes a decent sparrow.  A wise birder once said to me that "sometimes if you are patient enough - the good birds will come to you"... Well Saturday was one of those days!

Good Birding!

Dwayne

Tropicana - Tropical Kingbird in Windsor + some Orange Crowned Warblers Return

 

Over the last few weeks, I have enjoyed birding, just in my back yard - watching the fall migration take place.

On weekends in September - I had observed a few large kettles of hawks fly overhead.

Over the last two weekends, I was able to find at least one Orange Crowned Warbler in the hedgerow behind my house.

I was sitting in my living room this past weekend, and heard a "bang" sound on my window. I was amazed to see a small warbler on the ground below the window. I was sad to see that an Ovenbird struck my window.  I gently placed it on a small structure off the ground, just in case maybe it would recover, and perhaps avoid being eaten by a cat or some other predator while it recovered. It was gone the following morning - so it either recovered or was predated by another animal. 

I have seen Lincoln's Sparrows in my back yard

Back in August, even had a new lifer butterfly - a Zabulon Skipper - which I have never seen until this year.

But over the last day or two --- a level 5 rarity showed up just minutes away from my home in Windsor. I could almost ride my bike to see this bird -- a Tropical Kingbird!  I feel I have seen these birds during my trip to South East Arizona - so its not a lifer for me - but still-  its a great bird to behold - especially if one lives in Windsor.

Good Birding!

Dwayne

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

Covid-19 Could Present an Interesting Ornithological Study for the Point Pelee Area #Ornithology

I was thinking recently that the Covid-19 shutdown of Point Pelee this year could present an interesting scientific inquiry on the disturbance of breeding birds by humans.

Since the park has been shut down to visitors this year, I am proposing that June Breeding Bird surveys in the park are taken - with an emphasis on declining species (White eyed Vireo and Yellow breasted Chat, Mourning Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Yellow throated Vireo and Red headed Woodpecker come to mind).

Having a land-locked natural area free of human traffic during May - migration season, with well documented breeding records from the past -- presents a really interesting opportunity to answer a simple question: Are declining species breeding site selection affected by the presence of humans?

I think it could be a publishable study... I would love to read such as study.

Anyway - just a thought.


Here are some bird pics from the last week or so...

Good Birding!