Searching for Northern Shrike at Malden...

Is it just me or do Golden crowned Kinglets always look upset? LOL! Anyway, I read with amazement on Friday night that a Northern Shrike was spotted at Malden Park. Wow! I went as early as I could on Saturday morning, but had no luck finding it!

I will go back and check throughout the Winter. I would love to see a Northern Shrike. I've seen a Loggerhead Shrike in Florida, but they are almost easy to see if you go to Titusville, one hour east of Orlando.

Anyway, on my search, I took some photos of common birds including:
Downy Woodpecker
Golden Crowned Kinglet
House Finch
Tufted Titmouse
American Tree sparrow (first for this Fall)
and some others.

I did not see my Northern Shrike. I will have to continue looking!

Good birding!
Dwayne

PS: Here is a Loggerhead Shrike I saw in Florida in March 2010:

Hawktoberfest Over?

I found this great resource from Lake Erie Metroparks Hawk Observatory Website (http://www.drhawkwatch.org/) and figured I would share it. It orders the raptors in the order that they arrive between September and November.This park is located Southwest of Holiday Beach, so it should represent the basic pattern of migration at Holiday Beach.

I would love to see a Rough Legged Hawk and a Saw-Whet Owl. A better look at a Golden Eagle & Red shouldered would be nice as well!

Image source:  http://www.drhawkwatch.org

The Ojibway group is going to Holiday Beach this Sunday. If the winds are good, I might try to join them! Perhaps I will finally see a Purple Finch :-).

Good Birding,
Dwayne

Resources for birding by ear

This is from Miami Florida in March 2010. There has been a recent influx of Cattle Egret in Ontario (late Oct 2010). I was tempted to go see some in Chatham, but I figured since I've seen them before, I would spare the environmental costs of driving two hours to see them. It would be a new addition to say... my Canada life list.

I've come across a pretty cool resource for those birders who are trying to learn various bird calls. This site is really good. If you click the "Guest Link" for Canada... You have 400 birds to chose from. Pretty cool!

http://www.natureinstruct.org/dendroica/ (Right click, Open in new Tab)

I also came across another interesting site/ page by David Sibley discussing "The two faces of the Downy Woodpecker" interesting article for such a common bird. I've never noticed this phenomenon.



http://www.sibleyguides.com/2010/02/the-two-faces-of-downy-woodpecker/ (Right click, Open in new Tab)

Of course, any birders in Essex County who are wondering "whats in season this month?" and "Where am I most likely to see a particular bird" can use this link to ebird.ca's bar graphs.  The link I provide is to Essex County, but if you are interested in another county, just go to Ebird.ca and start from the beginning.


http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/GuideMe?step=saveChoices&getLocations=counties&parentState=CA-ON&bMonth=01&bYear=1900&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&reportType=location&counties=CA-ON-ES&continue.x=62&continue.y=14&continue=Continue   (Right click, Open in new Tab)

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This week at Point Pelee, while birding near Delaurier Trail, I was asked by PPNP staff and a Photographer about getting photographed for some of their promotional materials. Who would have thought that I would be a model? Ha!!!

Saturday was not overly exciting. I stopped at the Day's Inn Hotel and looked at the mudflats in Sturgeon Creek. There were Hundreds of Geese, Gulls and Shorebirds. At Point Pelee, I parked at the West Beach Parking lot and walked Tilden's Trail & later Anders' footpath near Delaurier.

 I saw this Carolina Wren while driving just north or Delaurier Homestead.  Tildens Trail was quiet with the exception of one small pocket of BC Chickadees, Yellow Rumped Warblers, Ruby Crowned Kinglets and yet another box-shaped Winter Wren. One interesting observation from this last weekend of birding was how often I heard Carolina Wrens. Have not really seen/heard them since April this year when I photographed one for the first time. That was one of my favorite lifers!

Ojibway Prairie in late October. The days are getting shorter. I took this photo at 6:30 tonight!

Good Birding!
Dwayne

Winter Wrens and a few more lifers...

  
Wow, its been at least four Fridays in a row that I visited Holiday Beach. It really is a nice way to end off the work week! On my way into Holiday Beach, I stopped at one point because I thought I heard Pine Siskin, but it was flocks of Black Capped Chickadees (In Dogberry thickets). I heard another strange call that I was unfamiliar with... Jim from the HBMO later informed me it was a call note from a Carolina Wren Chickadee. It was sureal to be on the tower and hearing a Carolina Wren make its call notes then its Tea-Kettle, Tea-Kettle Tea kettle call!

I only had about 1.5 hours to hang out at the Hawk Tower, but I had three, maybe four lifers!

Winter Wren ( Lifer 207)
Golden Eagle (Lifer 208)
Northern Pintail (Lifer 209)
Gadwal (Lifer 210)

Some other birds seen were:
Caronlina Wren (Heard, seen, but not photographed)
Seasonal Sparrows
Major Ducks
Eastern Towhee
Red Winged Blackbirds were numerous
American Kestrel near the Query

 Eastern Comma butterfly just below the observation tower.

I've really wanted to see the Winter Wren. I was really hoping to see it because I had read that they pass through this area at this time of year. I've read so much about them in the last two weeks, I feel like had deserved to see one! I was a little shocked at how easily seen they were along the short road to the Hawk Tower. I must have photographed 2 and seen about 4 others skulking about. The first photo was the result of me pished directly near the thicket near the hawk tower for 10 seconds! The one in the photo above was all over the place. It found a small woodpecker hole and was jumping in and out of it. Perhaps he will stay the Winter? At one point, I heard this little guy even make a scolding call. You gotta love wrens!!!

This is a Golden Eagle chasing flocks of Starlings. Almost not worth posting. Jim let me view this awesome bird through his scope, but this is the best I could do with my 500mm 'bigma' lens.

 Look at this duck density behind the trout pond. There must be 7-10 species in this photo alone!

(Wood Duck, American Coot, Mallards, Northern Pintail, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Pied Billed Grebe    (in other panned photos American Widgeon) in hindsight... it was incredible. Hunting taking place seems to have concentrated many ducks towards the trout pond).

This is a Northern Pintail Duck.  Does anyone know what type of duck is at the top of this shot? (two thoughts are: Gadwal, & Eurasian Wigeon) Gadwal it is... Lifer! #210

Good birding!
Dwayne

'The End'