300 Hummingbird species can't be wrong...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

'Hummers' thrive on nectar

Ronald Orenstein, in his 1997 book "SONGBIRDS~ Celebrating Nature's Voices" reminds us that in the Old World, there are no hummingbirds.   He quickly points out that in the New World, avian nectar feeding is dominated by hummingbirds, whose more than three hundred species far outnumber the short list of songbird nectar specialists: honeycreepers, dacnises, flower-piercers, the Orangequit - a nectar feeding finch confined to Jamaica - and the widespread Bananaquit.  Overwhelmingly, 'hummers' know what they like when it comes to taste.

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BarrytheBirder

Ospreys hover while hunting fish...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

American Osprey

(Pandion haliaetus)

Ospreys exist by eating fish almost exclusively and they are very adept at seizing and hanging onto their prey.  Philip Perry, in his 1990 book 'Birds of Prey' says: 'The long talons and sharp spicules on the soles of an Osprey's feet enable it to maintain a firm hold on a slippery fish.   In addition, it can reverse its outer toe so that two toes face forward and two backward for an even better grip".  Indeed, a nifty adaptation for a fish-eater.

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BarrytheBirder    

Hawks have to eat also...

                                                                                                 Photo by BarrytheBirder

COOPER'S HAWK

(Accipitor cooperii)

This handsome and fierce-looking raptor is a regular in the winter near the bird feeders.   It has great eyesight and agility when swooping under the feeders to attack feeding birds, particularly Mourning Doves.   It is more often unsuccessful in its attacks, but does succeed often enough to survive the cold and snowy winters and keep itself strong and healthy.  The male pictured here is about 15" long (smaller than the females by a couple of inches).   It is almost identical in appearance to the Sharp-shinned hawk, except that it is about 4" longer and has a distinctive dark crown to the top of its head, unlike the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawk which has a slate-grey top to its head and nape.

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BarrytheBirder

Other than the Cowbird...what other bird lays eggs in other birds' nests?

Photo: D Gordon E. Robertson

The Solitary Sandpiper

(Tringa solitaria)

You learn something new every day as a birdwatcher.   I was reading a very old field guide on birds recently that said Solitary Sandpipers lay their eggs in old songbird nests, often placed high in trees.   I quickly checked one of my modern field guides and it said the same thing.   I'd never heard of this before, but it is quite true.   Almost all sandpipers migrate in flocks and nest on the ground.  However, the Solitary Sandpiper breaks both of those rules.  In migration, it is almost always alone, as its name would suggest, and it inhabits northern spruce bogs.   It does not however nest on wet ground, but lays its eggs in old songbird nests, high up in trees.

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BarrytheBirder   

One-legged Starling still around three month's later...

                                                                                                  Photo by BarrytheBirder

The one-legged Starling I showed in this space back in  September is still hanging around and seems healthy.   More power to it.

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BarrytheBirder

Hawk Owl stays on at Schomberg's Dufferin Marsh...

                                                                                                       Photos by BarrytheBirder

Hundreds of birders from near and far continue to visit Schomberg's Dufferin Marsh to see and photograph the Hawk Owl that has been visiting for many days now.  The photo at bottom would indicate that Schomberg resident fatigue is starting to set in as birders and their vehicles take up roadsides and parking spots at the site.

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BarrytheBirder

"Three French Hens..."

Photo: BackyardChickenCoops.com.au

Three French Hens

FAVEROLLES

Faverolles are a breed of chicken developed in northern France in the 1860s.   The fluffy and feathery breed is famous for its friendly nature and pleasing looks.   The Faverolles breed is a combination of Couchin, Houdan and Dorking chickens.   They are big, strong birds and are reliable and regular egg layers.  Plumage colours include black, buff, cuckoo, laced blue, salmon and white.   'The Twelve Days of Christmas' appeared in 1780 as a chant of French origin.  The modern tune had its origin in 1909 from an arrangement of a folk melody by Frederic Austin.

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BarrytheBirder

Ruddy Duck ~ (Oxyura jamaicencis)

                                                                                                         Photo by BarrytheBirder

RUDDY DUCK

Carving by Jim Harkness ~ 1982

Early in the last century, this very sprightly duck was known, among other names, as the 'Bumble Bee Coot'.   The name came about because of the duck's rapid flight with its stiff, short wings that produced a buzzing sound.   But this duck also had many names in the early 1900s, including Broad-bill Dipper, Bull-neck, Stiff-tail and Bristle-tail, among many others.    It rarely flies and must vigorously patter across the surface of water to get airborne.   It does not walk on land, but it is an agile and powerful diver and swimmer. It is an uncommon spring and fall migrant, and rare breeder in Ontario.

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BarrytheBirder

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

Photo by Dave Kemp

The Red-breasted Merganser (22") is a crested bird (both male and female) that is mostly found in salt water, but is also found inland where it breeds from Maine to Illinois northward.   It is found on lakes and rivers, often with rocky shorelines in Ontario.   Its flight is fast and strong; as much as 130 kms/h (78 mph).   It is an uncommon to locally abundant migrant in Ontario.
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BarrytheBirder

Hooded Merganser (Laphodytes cucullatus)

 Photos by Dave Kemp

The Hooded Merganser (17") is unlikely to be taken for any other duck, because of its small size and large crest with which both males and females are adorned; that of the male being black with a large white patch, and that of the female plain brown.   Their varied courtship display includes bobbing, crest-raising, wing-flapping and stylish preening.   They are common spring and fall migrants in Ontario, but uncommon breeders in the province.   They nest in holes of trees on the banks of, or near, streams or lakes.

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BarrytheBirder

More about old-time bird names...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

TURKEY VULTURE a.k.a. Buzzard

I was looking through a very old birding guide published in 1906 recently and some ancient names for modern birds caught my eye.   Following are a dozen or so examples...

Puffin                             -  Sea Parrot

Western Grebe              -  Swan Grebe

Loon                              -  Great Northern Diver

Anhinga                         -  Snake Bird

Red-necked Pheasant  -  Mongolian Pheasant

Bobwhite                       -  Virginia Partridge

Dovekie                         -  Sea Dove

Black Guillemot             -  Sea Pigeon

Ross's Gull                    -  Wedge-tailed Gull

Spruce Grouse              -  Canada Grouse

Peregrine Falcon           -  Duck Hawk

Osprey                          -  Fish Hawk

Saw-whet Owl               -  Acadian Owl

In fact, these few alternate names are among many thousands that have been used over the years and centuries.

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BarrytheBirder

One pigeon species dies ~ another survives

Photo credit: Bryan Boyle / Royal Ontario Museum

Passenger Pigeon

(Ectopistes migratorius)

Up to about 1880, Passenger Pigeons in eastern North America filled the skies by an estimated five billion birds.  Within 50 to 55 years they were extinct.  Basically, they were hunted to extinction.  They were easy prey because they were so numerous and always flocked together.   For hunters, the Passenger Pigeons were like sitting ducks, until there were no more.   The Mourning Dove (photo below), smaller but somewhat similar in appearance, did not flock together...no more than a few at a time.   The result?  85 years after the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, Mourning Doves thrive and are immensely abundant at about 475 million at any given time.   This despite 25 to 30 million being killed by hunters each year.   Long may the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), with its lovely, gentle cooing, live among us.

Photo by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

  

800 Whooping Cranes in North America...

                                                            U.S. Department of Agriculture photo by John Noll

My latest email of the December, 2019, issue of the Eastern Crane Bulletin tells me there is "...a total global Whooping Crane population of more than 800 birds".  The most whoopers (431 birds) show up in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population which breeds in Canada and winters in Texas, another 163 birds in active reintroduced populations, and 201 birds held in captivity, for a total of 800 birds.  60-70 years ago the population was down to about two dozen.   May they continue to flourish.
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BarrytheBirder

A couple more photos of the Hawk Owl sighting in Schomberg

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Where there's a will...there's a way

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Barry Wallace

Hawk Owl seen by many at Schomberg's Dufferin Marsh

Photos by BarrytheBirder

NORTHERN HAWK OWL

(Surnia ulula)

My friend, neighbour and birder extraordinaire, Gerry Binsfeld called today to alert me to the presence of a Hawk Owl, pictured above, in the nearby village of Schomberg, at the Dufferin Marsh on Dr. Kay Drive.   There were already dozens of birders there when I arrived (see photo below) and they all seemed to have cameras with telephoto lens the size of shoulder rocket-launchers.

 

  

The northern Hawk Owl is a medium-sized, day-flying owl, with completely barred underparts (see photos) and black sideburns on each side of its pale face.   Birdwatchers at Schomberg were able to get close to this impressive looking bird.   Its normal range is the boreal forests of North America but some years it sporadically irrupts and appears south of its normal range.   This is only the second time I have ever seen a Hawk Owl up close and personal.   The first time was just over 23 years ago on Dec. 7, 1996, at Nashville, south of Bolton, Ontario.   On that day, I was looking up and down a road but could see no Hawk Owl.   My wife Linda asked me "What's that bird directly above you at the top of that tree?"  Sure enough it was a Hawk Owl.

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BarrytheBirder   

Blessed are the nest-builders...

Anna's Hummingbird photo by Dave Kemp

A bird's nest.   Mark it well, within, without,

No tool had he that wrought, no knife to cut,

No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert,

No glue to join; his little beak was all.

And yet how neatly finish'd!   What nice hand,

With every implement and means of art,

And twenty years' apprenticeship to boot

Could make me such another?

                                           - Hurdis

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BarrytheBirder

Cedar Waxwing was known as the 'Cedar-bird' 100 years ago

                                                                                            Photo by BarrytheBirder

"There is no bird so well groomed as the waxwing, which takes scrupulous care so that there is never a feather out of place ... or a spot of dirt to be found anywhere on its velvety coat".

So said A. Radclyyfe Dugmore in his book "Bird Homes" published in Toronto, Ontario, in 1900.   The 'Cedar-bird' is of course the Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedorum).   A group of Cedar Waxwings is called and "ear-full" or a "museum" of waxwings.   Cedar Waxwings are named for the waxy red tips of their secondary wings feathers, but the purpose of these waxy secretions is officially unknown.   They like to nest in cedar trees or fruit-bearing trees, where in winter they can feed on abundant berries of many kinds.   They are common in all seasons here in southern Ontario.

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BarrytheBirder

Winter's American Goldfinches...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

December...and every perch is occupied

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BarrytheBirder

One of my favourite birds in December - the Slate-coloured Junco

Photo by BarrytheBirder

There are 12 subspecies of Juncos in North America.  The "Slate-coloured" Junco is the most widespread and the the only form found regularly in eastern North America.   It does however breed from Alaska to Newfoundland, up through the boreal forest and down through the Appalachias to Georgia.   It is a ground feeder normally and goes voraciously through a lot of expensive Niger seed in my backyard.   When the Niger seed is gone, it will consume other seeds from the hanging feeders.

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BarrytheBirder

Mill Pond Lake - Richmond Hill

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Mute Swans in their winter pens

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if you wish.

Barry

theBirder

Female Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

Photo by BarrytheBirder

As the field guides always say, in their understated way...

"Comes to suet feeders."

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BarrytheBirder

Winter's Wild Turkeys...

                                                                                                  Photo by BarrytheBirder

...foraging row upon row of cut corn stalks

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BarrytheBirder

My birding buddy has passed away...

                                                                                                Photo by BarrytheBirder

My dear wife Linda passed away three and half weeks ago of inoperable cancer.   I am slowly coming to grips with the loss of her.  The photo above is a personal favourite of mine, as it shows Linda feeding the wintertime ducks at nearby Lake Wilcox.   Oh, how she loved to do this.

BarrytheBirder   

Open water at Seneca for Canada Geese...

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Cold temperatures are covering most of the open water in King Township, but a few spots are still open and Canada Geese are taking advantage of spots like Lake Seneca at Seneca College that has some open water.

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BarrytheBirder

Sunset at Sauble Beach...

                                                                                 Photo by BarrytheBirder

Strollers and seagull

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BarrytheBirder

Slim pickins for bird photos in the Holland Marsh

Photo by BarrytheBirder

I went up to the Holland Marsh on Wednesday to take some bird pictures, but completely struck out.   The best I could do was the photo above, which doesn't really count, does it?   Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

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BarrytheBirder

King's 15th Sideroad ~ between Weston Road and Concession 7

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Doves on a wire

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BarrytheBirder

Seeds and sleet...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Female Northern Cardinal

(Cardinalis cardinalis)

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BarrytheBirder

Freezing rain and sleet begin...

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Saturday, December 1st, began with freezing rain, then sleet, and then snow, but the Mourning Doves were not concerned at all as long as I kept the feeders full.

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BarrytheBirder

Hummingbird at James Bay, Northern Quebec...

Photo April Dawn Georgekish-Gull

This decorative hummingbird is to be found hanging by the house of a niece of mine in the Cree village of Wemindji. Her name is April and she has created an interesting artistic juxtaposition of a hummingbird in her snowy village on the eastern shore of James Bay, in northern Quebec.   The most northernly limit in central-Canada of real Ruby-throated Hummingbirds is approximately 465 kilometres south of my neice's native village.   So the ornate 'hummer' pictured above is the best hummingbird she can expect to see up her way.
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BarrytheBirder

Favourite bird photo from Jamaica trip...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Bananaquit

(Coereba flaveola)

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BarrytheBirder