Doleful dove at the feeder...

This Mourning Dove seems to tire of eating niger seeds, on the snowy ground, and perches up over the hanging feeders where the smaller birds, like the goldfinches feed.  The doves can't use the hanging feeders, but just sit and look forlorn.

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if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Hawk Owl still drawing birders to Schomberg...

                                                                                                 Photo by BarrytheBirder

Birders are still being drawn from near and far to see the Hawk Owl at the small Dufferin Marsh, in the middle of the village of Schomberg.   The photo below shows a licence plate for a birder from Massachusetts: a distance of somewhere between 670 and 1,000 km., depending on the actual starting point in the state.

One of the birders in this group is clad in a complete camouflage set of clothes.  Even his camera lenses and tripod are fitted out with the same camouflage gear.

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if you wish.

Barry

theBirder

   

Wild Birds Unlimited - grand re-opening

Photos by BarrytheBirder 

 Birds of prey were special guests

Pictured above is Spencer Bailey of Aurora at the grand re-opening of the Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop, near the Mandarin Restaurant on Yonge Street in Newmarket, last Saturday.   Highlights included the birds of prey from the Mountsberg Raptor Centre in Hamilton.   They included a Broad-winged Hawk (pictured above), and a Horned Owl (two photos immediately below).

Seen again, above, is the Broad-winged Hawk and behind it is a Merlin... (see close-up photo) below.   Note the size of the Merlin's talons.

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BarrytheBirder

What a breathtakingly beautiful bird...

Photo by Duncan Wright

WWHITE TERNW

(Gygis alba)

I have just discovered, online, the White Tern (Gygis alba).  I'd no idea such a lovely creature existed until I inadvertently came across it a day or so ago.   I'd never heard of one before, never seen a picture of one before and never read about one before.   The White Tern is found across the world's tropical oceans, where I have never really been.   My most southerly destinations being places like Bonaire, Curacao, and Trinidad.   However the photo above was taken west of Hawaii, in the North Pacific, which I suppose could be broadly described as a tropical ocean.   Here is some of what I have quickly discovered.   The White Tern has a wingspan of 76-87 cm (30-34").   It is a long-living bird, having been recorded as living for 42 years.   They generally roam no more than 45 km from their home island, to which they always return at dusk, so skeptical navigators can often follow them to a landfall.   The White Tern was named Honolulu, Hawaii's official bird in 2007.   This lovely bird is not thought of as threatened as it is widespread with several large colonies around the world.

Please comment if you wish.    

BarrytheBirder

An intriguing older name...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Green Heron

(Butorides virescens)

I happened across a bit of historic birding nomenclature that caught my eye recently.   It was an old common name for the Green Heron:

'Fly up-the-creek heron'

It's a quirky name but simply refers to the birds habit of flying up and down shallow creeks looking for small crustaceous or fishy food.   And it's a successful hunter; which speaks to its fairly common presence in its southern Canadian and central US range.

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BarrytheBirder

Official bird of King Township?

Photos by Barry Wallace

EASTERN KINGBIRD

(Tyrannus tyrannus)

King Township does not have an official bird, as far as I know.   However it's time we did have one and I'd like to propose the Eastern Kingbird.   Apart from the extreme appropriateness of its official name 'Kingbird', this bird reminds me of the collective traits of many King Township residents.  Famed birder Roger Tory Peterson, in his acclaimed field guide of the Birds of Eastern and Central North America has the following to say about this tyrant flycatcher: "White band across tip of tail identifies this species.   Red crown mark is concealed and rarely seen.  Often seems to fly quiveringly on 'tips of wings'.   Harasses crows, hawks.  Voice; a rapid sputter of high bickering notes.   Habitat: Wood edges, river groves,  farms, shelterbelts, orchards, roadsides, wires and fence posts".  The general behaviour of this fiesty, tyrant flycatcher reminds me of many King residents who welcome a fight (above their weight in many cases) to protect their territory.

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

No wild birds at Lake Wilcox...

                                                                                              Photo by Barry Wallace

I was looking for birds to photograph at nearby Lake Wilcox this past Saturday, but couldn't find any flying birds of interest.   The fellow pictured above did however catch my eye.   Google says kiteboarding, also known as kite surfing, is an action sport combining aspects of wake boarding, snowboarding, wind surfing, surfing, paragliding and skateboarding into one extreme sport.

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BarrytheBirder

Might we have an early spring?

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

These Muscovy Ducks at the nearby Pine Farms Apple Orchard are not wild birds but they certainly appreciate getting out of their pen for a taste of early spring weather. 

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BarrytheBirder

10th anniversary of Varied Thrush sighting...

Photo by Barry Wallace

VARIED THRUSH

(Ixoreus naevius)

It's been ten years this month since I took the photo above of a Varied Thrush at Cold Creek Conservation Area, a few miles from my home.   I'd never seen one before and haven't seen another one since then.   I was very impressed with its markings and colours and even more so with its amazing friendliness.  Many people got to see and photograph this cooperative bird.   I've wondered a few times over the years if it ever made it all the way back to its native British Columbia shores.

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BarrytheBirder  

More official provincial and territories birds...

Raven photo by Bob/Nancy Wallace

     Yukon Territory: Common Raven
     Ontario: Common Loon
     Saskatchewan: Sharp-tailed Grouse
     Northwest Territories: Gyrfalcon
     Nunavut: Rock Ptarmigan

As of yet, there is no official national bird of Canada, but a recent, unauthorized survey and subsequent selection process declared the Gray Jay as the bird that should be Canada's national bird.   The Gray Jay was not the top pick of participants in the survey portion of the process.   The Canadian government has not commented on the unauthorized selection.   Stay tuned.

Please comment if you wish.

Barry the Birder 

British Columbia's official bird is also a jay...

Photo by Dave Kemp

STELLAR'S JAY

The official bird of British Columbia

Found from southern B.C. to northern B.C. and in the Queen Charlotte Islands.  It was declared the official provicial bird on December 17, 1987.   It was voted most popular bird by citizens of British Columbia.
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BarrytheBirder

More official birds from Canada's provinces...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Nova Scotia ~ Osprey

New Brunswick ~ Black-capped Chickadee

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BarrytheBirder

Other official Canadian provincial birds...

Having mentioned the official bird of one of Canada's provinces yesterday, I feel obliged to mention Canada's other official provincial and territorial birds.

                                                                           Snowy Owl photo by BarrytheBirder

Owls are official birds in three

Canadian provinces.

     1. Alberta - Great Horned Owl

     2. Manitoba - Great Gray Owl 

     3. Quebec - Snowy Owl

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BarrytheBirder

Is a Blue Jay really blue?

                                                                                    Photo by BarrytheBirder

BLUE JAY

(Cyanocitta cristata)

The pigment in Blue Jay feathers is melanin, which is brown.  The blue colour is caused by scattering light through modified cells on the surface of the feather barbs.   Yes, but why?  Oh, and by the way, the Blue Jay is the official bird of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Hawk Owl persists in Schomberg...

Photos

by

Barry

the

Birder

The Hawk Owl at Dufferin Marsh in Schomberg continues to draw birders from near and far.   The mother and daughter duo above were from Toronto and were getting great photos on Friday of this week.   The Hawk Owl is well into its third month at the marsh in the centre of the village.

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BarrytheBirder

It likely happens more often than you think...

 Photo: Audubon / Jocelyn Anderson

The photos shown here are recent pictures from the Audubon website which feature young adoptive birds that have been taken in by other species parents.   The photo above and below show a young Canada Goose with its adoptive Sandhill Crane family.

The bottom photo shows a Goldeneye duckling getting a lift from its adopted Common Loon parent in British Columbia.

Accidental adoptions like these are not always successful and the unfortunate interloper often does not survive.   But those that do often go on to rejoin their own breed and live a normal existence thereafter.

 Photo: Audubon / Jocelyn Anderson 

Photo: Audubon / Doug Giles

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BarrytheBirder

A superb nightime hunter...

                                                                Photo: Peter Trimming / British Wildlife Centre

BARN OWL
(Tyto alba)

I was just flipping through my copy of Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds and came across his entry for Barn Owl.   For some reason I always thought the Barn Owl was a single species found in North America.   Thanks to Mr. Kaufmann, I now know Barn Owls are: "One of the most widespread of all 'landbirds', found on six continents and many islands".   Elsewhere I have learned there are two families of owls.   One family is the Barn Owl family, of which there are 16 species.   The second family is known as the True Owl family, of which there are nearly 220 living species.
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BarrytheBirder     

Plump Chipping Sparrows thriving at my backyard feeders...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

2020 is turning out to be the second winter in a row when we have had Chipping Sparrows at the feeders every day, here just of north of Toronto and Lake Ontario.  They are plump and a delight to watch. I have read reports that Chipping Sparrow populations are decreasing in North America.   What a shame.   'Chippies' are charmers.   Long may they thrive here throughout the year.  

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BarrytheBirder

Found in southern Canada ~ but is a winter migrant...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Eastern Towhee
(Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

After going on and on about my new towhee t-shirt yesterday, I realized I had a few Eastern Towhee photos that I could share, so here are some.   There's really no mistaking this bird with is three distinctive colours.   Its 'drink you tea' song is rather distinctive also.   And what about that name 'towhee'?  The name is echoic of one of its calls, and as far back as the 1700s listeners picked up on the imitative call of the bird.

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BarrytheBirder

I finally own a Phil Chadwick artwork...

I've been an admirer of Phil Chadwick's paintings for decades.   He was a resident of King Township for many years before moving to the eastern Ontario countryside several years ago.   Phil is a highly acclaimed and well-known 'plein air' artist, or outdoor artist, particularly of landscapes, lakesides, riverscapes and waterfall subject matter.   He has created thousands of works over the decades, been very successful at selling his work and has reached a stage in his art career, that reproductions of his originals are in demand and available in many forms.   One of those forms now is high-quality t-shirts.   When I saw the Eastern Towhee t-shirt (pictured above), I had to have one...and now BarrytheBirder does have one.   I'd like to think I will still have a 'Chadwick' artwork hanging on a wall one day and maybe I will...likely a print of one of his paintings.   You can find endless images of Phil's work online, including much more subject matter  than lakes and streams and breathtaking clouds...even fine portraits of people and their pets.   Have a look online.   His work is remarkable and outstanding.
Please comment if you wish.
BarrytheBirder