Vancouver Island Kingfishers - Photos by Dave Kemp

Dave Kemp photos

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Aurora, Ontario, on the Oak Ridges Moraine...

Photo by BarrytheBirder 

Summer 'hummer'

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

(Archilochus colubris)

Please comment if you wish.

Photo by Barry Wallace

Now that's a mouthful...

                                                                                             Photo by Dave Kemp

Hooded Merganser (Female)

Vancouver Island, British Columbia

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BarrytheBirder

24 hours on Lake Muskoka with friends...

Explanation 

This blog was meant to appear elsewhere in another blogsite I write called "Camera on King&Aurora".

I have decided not to switch the blog to its originally intended location, in the interest of spending less time explaining how it happened and how much is involved in getting things sorted out.   I appreciate your understanding.

Regards, Barry 

Photos by Barry Wallace

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

More Turkey Vulture...

                                                                                                           Photo by BarrytheBirder

A vulture carrying two dead raccoons boards an airplane.

The stewardess looks at him and says; "I'm sorry sir, 

only one carrion per passenger".

With apologies by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture...

                                                                                                       Photo by BarrytheBirder

Can look ominous so easily...

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BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawk has been around all summer

Photo submitted by Kyle Grant / Delmanor 

Swainson's Hawk

The Swainson's Hawk (Buteo Swainsoni) that has been spending the summer near the Aurora, Ontario retirement residence in which I live, continues to attract attention.   Especially when it enters the foyer of the building in pursuit of some small rodent   A Delmanor resident helped the big bird from western Canada find its way out, but not before getting this photograph in the main entrance.   It will be very interesting to see if this hawk will head back out west and then south as part of its winter migration.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Deepest diving bird...

 

Emperor Penguin

1,850 feet

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BarrytheBirder

Kingfisher identification...

 I have a birdwatching friend that claims 

the bird on the left is the male.

Hmmmm...maybe.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Belted Kingfisher - Vancouver Island

Megaceryle alcyon

Photo by  Dave Kemp

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Vancouver Island... Greater Yellowlegs

                                                                                                  Photo by Dave Kemp

Please comment if you wish.

Barry Wallace

Last BARRYtheBIRDER blog....

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawk

(most recent bird added to my life list - #426)

Save the birds and we Save ourselves

Pungent pun

Scientifically, a raven has 17 primary wing feathers, the big ones 

at the end of the wing are called pinion feathers.

A crow has only 16.   Therefore the difference between a raven 

and a crow is only a matter of a pinion.

 "...hope you enjoyed birdwatching with me 

over the last 17 years."  

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

Ducks christen new pool early...

Bailey Family photo

My daughter Allison sent me the above photo which she took this week, of the pool under construction in her backyard in Aurora.   No sooner had things got underway, than a pair of Mallard ducks decided to check it out.  There's still quite a bit of construction to be completed but these ducks may make a repeat visit in a few weeks time.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Delmanor Retirement Residence ~ in flight

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Library Sculpture

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BarrytheBirder

Dave Kemp's West coast shots...

 

Photo by Dave Kemp

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

2024 Backyard Bird Count results...

Photo by Bill Klouw 

7,920 SPECIES IDENTIFIED

201 countries or sub-regions

384,416 ebird checklists

164,740 photos, videos and sounds recorded

642,000 estimated global participants

The 2024 Backyard Bird Count was conducted by the

Cornell Lab, Audubon and Birds Canada.

Go to 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count  for more results

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Time to think of Pont Pelee...

 

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Spring migration of Warbler species at Point Pelee, Ontario, is a must-see for most birders in this part of the world.   I believe 42 species have been seen there and the one-day record is 34 species, set in 1979, but which may have been surpassed last year.   The Point Pelee Checklist has 42 species on it of which 36 species are seen in most years.    

 

However it is felt that only four regularly breeding warblers are found at Pelee: Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, and Red-breasted Chat.

 

Point Pelee is a 'rite of passage' for birders in Ontario.  Best wishes if it is on your spring schedule this year

          Please comment if you wish.

        BarrytheBirder

Another Turkey Vulture spotted...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

It's been two weeks since I saw my first Turkey Vulture of 2024, but a second one has now appeared over the forest of the Oak Ridges Moraine, in south Aurora.   This bird species has expanded both its winter and summer ranges northward.   It feeds mostly on carrion and refuse.   It is 25" (69cm) long and has a wingspan of 69" (175cm) and is noticeably smaller the a Bald Eagle.  The sighting was on the west side of Yonge Street, opposite the Aurora Cemetery, over Delmanor Retirement Residence.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

King Township declares its official bird...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Meet King Township's official bird

The Black-capped Chickadee

The Black-capped Chickadee has been chosen as King Township's official bird after five months of voting last year and over 230 entries, beating out the American Robin, the Cooper's Hawk, the Northern Cardinal and the Pine Warbler.   King  was named a certified Bird Friendly City, the 19th in Canada, in March of last year by Nature Canada.   2024 will feature some exciting bird initiatives and contests this year featuring the Black-capped Chickadee.   The naming contest  was launched on World Migratory Bird Day on May 13 of last year and closed on October 6.

Please 

comment

if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

INSTANT URBAN LEGEND!

Photos by BarrytheBirder

SWAINSON'S HAWK

Buteo swainsoni

The Swainson's Hawk, pictured here, has been spotted by many people in Aurora for several days recently, in the neighbourhood of the Delmanor Retirement Residence, on Yonge Street opposite the Aurora Cemetery.   This hawk normally nests on plains and prairies in western Canada and the United States and is a very rare spring, and primarily, fall migrant in eastern North America.   It winters chiefly in South America and rarely in southern Florida and south Texas.     

It is distinguished from most other buteo hawks by long narrow, pointed wings.   All but the darkest of these birds show contrast between paler wing linings and dark flight feathers (quite notable in these photos).   It is 21" long with a wingspan of 52" and is quite close in size to local Red-tailed Hawks.    

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

New photos from Dave Kemp on Vancouver Island...

CLAPPER RAIL

CINNAMON TEAL

BRANT GEESE

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbirds are back...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbirds have suddenly arrived throughout the King Township and Town of Aurora areas.   What a welcome sight and sound.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder