Snowy Owls!!!

After attending a meeting in Sarnia today, I took a small detour on my way home and was amazed to find 4 Snowy Owls!  I pulled over onto the side of the road, put my hazards on - and snapped a few photos from the comfort of my car.

The lighting was already starting to get dark and gloomy but I attempted to photograph these amazing arctic visors.

An acquaintance from work was going to carpool with me but I told her that I wanted to go birding after the meeting. She stated that she would have "Burdened my Birdin' " ... I was certainly impressed with her pun!

Other birds seen included Bald Eagle, American Kestrel and LOTS of Tundra Swans!
Good Birding!

Some Bonus Pics from last weekend in Erieau. I was hoping this was a rough legged hawk, but I think its just a common red tailed hawk. Still I had nice views in good sunlight.

I invested in Tesla a few months ago and I was really interested to see what the new tesla truck would look like. The look has grown on me. Someone on the internet put a downpayment on a truck order and posted the receipt --- It has an owl on it!

Birds of Prey - Stamps?

A woman from Michigan recently purchased one of my photos and I could not help but notice on the envelope she sent me... A Northern Goshawk Stamp!!! [larger view]


USPS Raptor Stamps Press Release:
http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2012/pr12_006.htm

Or order a set for $6.45

I've also noticed that the Canadian Mint is producing a series of bird-related coins. Each of these are about $30. They sell these at the Post Office and a recent trip to a small post-office in a Shopper's Drug Mart had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak coin. Oddly enough, they are $0.25 cent face value, but larger than quarters, ... silver-dollar sized.

Evening Grosbeak - http://www.mint.ca/store/coin/evening-grosbeak-coloured-coin-2012-prod1520001#.UM6Teazo6So
Rose breasted Grosbeak  - http://www.mint.ca/store/coin/rosebreasted-grosbeak-coloured-coin-2012-prod1290008#.UM6Tiazo6So 
Goldfinch - http://www.mint.ca/store/coin/goldfinch-coloured-coin-2010-prod820004#.UM6Tjqzo6So

Here are some Random Hawk Photos from the last month:

Red Tailed Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Rough legged Hawk (dark morph)

Good birding,
Dwaynejava

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

Northern Goshawk & Golden Eagles at Holiday Beach v2

Friday after work, I headed out to Holiday Beach for an hour or so of hawk-watching. For some readers that do not know, Holiday Beach is located in the deepest, Southwestern point of Ontario. Hawks migrating from the northern boreal northward are funnelled between lake erie and lake huron (and lake St Clair) and must cross over to Michigan over this small geographic location, Holiday Beach. Anyway, upon arrival, Sarah from PPNP mentioned that it had been a great day so far with 10 or so Golden Eagles having gone by earlier in the day.

Long story short, the next hour was really good. Coopers Hawks, Northern Harriers, 2 Bald Eagles, 2 Golden Eagles, many TV's and Buteo Jamaicensis (or Red tailed Hawks... if you prefer english to latin names) and a juvenile Northern Goshawk! (Lifer #287). Sarah called out the Goshawk as it travelled at tree level over the beach, about 40m away from the tower. The Goshawk had a huge lump in its gullet, hinting that it may have just eaten something. The photo is poor because it was heavily backlit and well... rushed. This Accipiter looks similar to a Coopers Hawk but Steve & Sarah were confident the ID was correct. I'm not there yet because well, I've never seen a Goshawk with the exception of this brief fly-by. I can tell a Coopers from a Sharp-shinned though. 

Saturday morning, I headed out to Point Pelee in hopes of searching for Saw whet Owls, but no luck. I searched DeLaurier Trail and Sparrow field with no luck. I tried an area near Sanctuary that has been good for Eastern Screech Owls and Great Horned Owls and did find a Screech Owl, although, not a surprise! I continue to be fooled and eluded by the camo of Owls. I recall having a friend show me the location of a Long-eared Owl earlier this year, and even pointing directly at it in a tree, I could not see it... So I imagine the same thing is happening with my search of Saw Whet Owls. I quickly walked out to the tip of Point Pelee while visiting Sparrow Field and noted hundreds (or possibly thousands) of ducks a few hundred meters off the west beach. A scope would have been needed to see them, although, a few Common Mergansers were hanging out just meters off the tip parking lot.

Delaurier trail had the typical mix of birds for right now... Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Caronlina Wren (heard) White throated Sparrows, and Yellow Rumped Warblers. A few Robins (Nova Scotian?) were hanging out as well. Yet another Golden Eagle flew overhead, but headed back north towards the park entrance. Perhaps it thought it head toward Holiday Beach (taking the land route) rather than heading over Lake Erie considering a light southerly wind.

Good birding!
Dwayneajava.

Lifer summary- Northern Goshawk #287

Long eared Owl and some other Pelee area birds

My wife is too good to me to let me go out for these occasional mini-birding trips! I was lucky enough to make it out to Point Pelee and Hillman Marsh area today for a quick two hour nature walk.
 
I ran into a friend of a friend who happens to be a subject matter expert when it comes to owls at Point Pelee. He was driving by me and we spoke for a minute and he agreed to show me the location of this wonderful, mysterious bird. (lifer #225).

My main impression after seeing a long eared owl is... How beautiful.  Its smaller than I thought it would be. It was very skinny around the chest, I don't think the photo gives a good context of scale. Its like a rolled-up pennysaver newspaper. In my mind, I was thinking this would be a big as the great horned owl. It is so well camouflaged that even though it was 10-15ft away from me, I would completely lose the owl if I looked away even momentarily... very weird.

Just a quick mention of birding ethics with Owls... Never use flash on them*. Never try to attract birds with Ipods. This is unethical and not in the birds best interests. We also remained in our car and used it as a blind. This gave us limited angles with which to photograph. Use a strong telephoto lens and give the owl some room (I use a Sigma 500mm zoom lens and most of my photos are cropped which increases zoom even further).  Make an attempt to observe the bird without flushing it and then leave it be.

This Eastern Screech Owl has been featured before on my blog (deja vue?). I guess its always exciting to see an owl, even if its in its predictable and favorite tree hole. I walked Shuster Trail to east beach and then walked to the tip. Nothing overly exciting today other than the Long-eared Owl!

Some birds seen today include:

Horned Larks
Northern Flicker
Eastern Screech Owl
Long eared Owl (lifer #225)
Red Tailed Hawks (5 along highway 3 to Windsor)
Rough legged Hawks (2 dark morphs)
Sharp Shinned Hawk
Cardinals
Dark eyed Junco
Robins
Various gulls and duck along East Beach of PPNP.

Good birding,
Dwaynejava

*Instead of using flash, use other techniques such as increase ISO settings, increase aperture, lean on a steady object to reduce camera shake. 

3 Lifers at Holiday Beach

As usual, I stopped by Holiday Beach today after work (on Friday), and spent some time on the hawk observation tower with Jim & Karen. Not too much was happening today. Some large groups of Turkey Vultures went by (100-200). I did see many American Coot, Northern Shoveler and even a Wood Duck among others.

The good news is that I saw three lifers today! The bad news... no photos! I saw a Red shouldered Hawk through a 60x scope. Pine Siskin & Orange Crowned Warbler were also seen but not photographed! The hawk above was taken near Howard Ave just south of Huron Church Road.

Black billed Cuckoo #201

Broad winged Hawk #202

Rusty Blackbird #203

Red Shouldered Hawk #204

Pine Siskin #205

Orange Crowned Warbler #206

In hindsight, I have the a terrible obscured photo that I took after watching the orange-crowned warbler bathing through a scope. I could not even see the bird when I shot this, I just photographed the general area.

 The resident Osprey was flying around and perched nearby.

American Coots were numerous today. I have not seen this bird on very many occasions.

The Pine Siskens are an unofficial lifer, because I heard them, and I saw a small flock fly from tree to tree below the hawk tower, but I was really unable to lock focus on them as they did that. They may have been in front of us for 15 seconds and sadly, I did not really see the tell-tale wingbars or a decent view of the bird.

I am looking forward to going to Holiday Beach in late October. Some new raptors will be coming through at that time. I would also love to see some Saw-Whet Owls!

Good Birding!
Dwayne


PS: I've always had a problem with paying $10 to get into Holiday Beach (Isn't that too expensive?). This article below is great to read, but its too bad that Amherstburg is using this nature reserve as a cash cow. Couldn't ERCA put $380,000 to better use, such as acquiring more land?

Holiday Beach facelift gets $385K boost

 http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/Holiday+Beach+facelift+gets+385K+boost/3681340/story.html

The Windsor Star October 16, 2010

The Holiday Beach Conservation Area is getting a new face.
The entrance to the park has been under construction for the past two weeks.
The paved road has been ripped apart and replaced with dirt and gravel as workers remodel the entrance.
The park will feature parking spaces for the first time, including spots for the handicapped. There will also be an automated pay gate for visitors who want to use a credit card to pay the entry fee.
Conservative MP Jeff Watson announced Friday the federal government is paying about 90 per cent of the construction costs or $385,000.
The Essex Region Conservation Authority is paying the remainder.
"This investment builds on the federal government's investment to the environment, habitats and biodiversity," Watson said. "Protecting the environment creates tourism jobs in the future."
Amherstburg Mayor Wayne Hurst said the improvements to the park will pay great dividends to the town. There are only two more days to camp at the park, which will be closed until spring. Visitors can still park and walk in to enjoy the facilities.
Holiday Beach is popular with bird watchers, especially considering word is getting out that the conservation area is a secondary site to Point Pelee National Park, said Kevin Money, director of conservation areas for ERCA.
The park has become a bit of a hot spot since the discovery of a pair of mating prothonotary warblers, the only breeding couple in Essex County. The endangered bird requires a specific habitat -- a cavity in a dead tree over standing water. Biologists erected nesting boxes for the prothonotary warblers in the wetlands of the park.

© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star

Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/technology/Holiday+Beach+facelift+gets+385K+boost/3681340/story.html#ixzz12XwESuaT

Hillman Marsh & Point Pelee in Late September

 Wing-tagged Egret 10E at Hillman

Even though my birding travails as of late have been basically fruitless, I couldn't help but stop by Hillman Marsh this morning. When I arrived, I walked over to the bridge over Hillman Creek,  and I quickly noticed a wing-tagged Egret! I was going to add a caption.. "don't label me" (to the photo above)... but when I add captions lately, it prevents the reader from seeing the larger version of the photo. Some Yellowlegs and some peeps were around Hillman this morning, but nothing overly exciting.

 I might be wrong on the ID here, but this shorebird was quite larger than those around it and has a slightly upturned bill. The Sibley field guide to Eastern N American birds statest that the bill length of a Greater Yellowlegs is about 1.5x the length of its head (Lesser has a bill length equal to the length of its head). Having seen many Solitary Sandpipers lately, I'm actually amazed at how similar they look to the Greater & Lesser Yellowlegs!

I then proceeded to Point Pelee and headed straight to the visitor center. I had read on the Point Pelee Twitter page that there were many Kinglets and Vireos lately. I was hoping the sightings book would hint at where to find them. But the sightings book listed exclusive raptors over the last few days.  I figured I would go to the tip of the park. There seemed to be very birds on my last two PPNP trips. Are the raptors scaring them away or am I just missing them???


The tip of Point Pelee was very sparse this morning when I went,  and I saw very little with the exception of one small pocket of passerines along the east beach about 20m south of the 42 parallel path.

  Yellow Rumped in great light and razor sharp focus... Click for larger view...

In a fleeting 2 minutes I saw:
Red Breasted Nuthatch
Flycatcher
Yellow Rumped Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Nashville Warbler
American Redstart
Blue Jays

Above them were
Red Tailed Hawks
Turkey Vultures
Sharp Shinned Hawks
Merlin/Peregrin Falcon

 I ran into Rick from Leamington as I was leaving the park and we quickly checked out Delaurier for some Golden Crowned Kinglets that he had seen earlier. Rick has taken some incredible photos and video footage since I've seen him last. I would like to publish some of his video or at least link to them if he puts them online.

Merlin or Peregrine Falcon? My field guide isn't helping on this one.

Overall, I find that the passerine migration has really slowed down, at least from my meager observations. I wish I would have seen a Lincoln's Sparrow or some Vireos, but I guess some Raptors and a tiny group of warblers will do.

Good Birding!
Dwayne

Bonus: Last night after work, I saw this Solitary Sandpiper at Ojibway Park. ... But not much else!