Great Blue Reflectons by Phil Chadwick

by Phil Chadwick
Great Blue Reflections 

'Great Blue Reflections' is a work by former Canadian weatherman and resident of King Township, Phil Chadwick.   Prints of this work are available at Fine Art America.

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BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawks are around and about...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawks ( Buteo swainsoni ) , more at home in the U.S.A. mid-west, such as Kansas, have been spotted over south-west Aurora in recent weeks.   This is the third year in a row that  this species has shown up hereabouts, nesting and reproducing.    Local birders will be keen to see them this spring and summer.  More photos to come hopefully.

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BarrytheBirder

First Osprey of the season spotted...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

I spotted my first Osprey of the season yesterday on the Ravenshoe Sideroad, just south-west of Keswick, Ontario.   It was perched on a piece of irrigation equipment located ion the northern-most reaches of the Holland Marsh, south of Lake Simcoe's Cooks Bay.   The irrigation equipment has the tattered remains of an Osprey nest sitting upon it, with the new Osprey perched close by (see photo below).   The larger photo below shows a close-up of the nest and appears the nest in an advanced state of disrepair.   I suppose the owner-operator of this marshlands growing site might decide to either dismantle this nest completely, or if it not impeding the operation of the irrigation function,, he may decide to let the osprey use the nest on an ongoing basis.   The nest would seem to need some rehabilitation however before reuse. 

Meanwhile, nearby other historical Osprey nests, atop lighting towers at a  Ravenshoe Sisderoad baseball park await the arrival of Ospreys to the new season.   The photos below shows activity at the site from the summer of 2025.

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BarrytheBirder

Cozumel birds revisited...

Cozumel is known as 'The Island of Swallows'

Cozumelis known as the "Island of the swallows" because its name is derived from the ancient Maya words Cuzum (swallow) and Lumil (land of), forming Cuzamil, which translates to "Land or Place of the Swallows".

 

The most common swallow in Cozumel is the Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea), which I was unfortunately unable to photograph.

Photo by Audubon Society

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BarrytheBirder

Yellow Warbler momentarily stunned after hitting window.

Photo by BarrytheBirder

This Yellow Warbler hit a window and momentarily stunned itself, before quickly recovering and moving on.

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BarryutheBirder

120 species in the Wood Warbler family...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)

There are about 120 species of warblers in this new world family.   About half the numerous species occur in North America.   A few species, such as the Gray-crowned Yellowthroat and the Rufous-capped Warbler are tropical or Mexican species, occasionally found in Texas.

Common Yellowthroat

Yellow Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

American Redstart

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BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbird - early spring migrant

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbird

One of spring's earliest migrants in southern Ontario is the Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus).   They are currently showing up in early April.

Female

Fledgling

Red-winged Blackbirds are found in practically every marsh and weedy ditch in temperate North America.   The males orange shoulder patches can be obvious (especially in song display) or partially hidden in body feathers.    The patches are usually bordered yellow (see top photo).

Outside the nesting season, they wander through farmlands, marshes, and forest edges, and walking on the ground in open fields, and foraging in those fields.

They breed from central Alaska east to southern Newfoundland.   They winter from southern British Columbia and southern New England southward.

Their distinctive song is a loud forced 'konk-a-ree' and and calls include a low 'chuck' and a metallic 'kink'.

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BarrytheBirder

Early spring migrants...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbird

The spring migration of 2026 in well underway, and two of the early arrivals in York Region, here in southern Ontario, are Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles.

Grackle

Spring migration

One of my favourite times of the year

Let the feathers fly!

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BarrytheBirder 

2,005,008 hits on this blogsite...

Photo by Judy Craig

As of April 14, 2026, I have received 2,005,008 hits on this blogsite, since I began it back on December 31, 2006.   I included a haiku in that first blog, which read as follows...

I walk and look up

counting a thousand blackbirds

I fall to the ground.

I'm not sure why I chose that particular haiku to use those 19 years ago, so I'll have to look for something new.   How about this...

Robins returning

Snow still in the deep woods

But spring prevails.

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BarrytheBirder

Brown Thrasher shows up in Aurora, Ontario

                                                               Photos by Lissa Dwyer

My partner, Pat Cromie's daughter, Lissa Dwyer photographed this Brown Thrasher, in her backyard in Aurora, Ontario, about 40 kilometeres of Toronto, Ontario, this past weekend. 

Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) are found along the southern Canadian border and throughout the eastern United States, as far south as Texas and Florida.   Easily recognized by their rufous brown colouring above, heavy stripes below, with long tail and yellow or orange eyes.   They can be secretive and solitary.

Although declining in numbers in recent years, in many areas, this foxy-brown bird lurks in eastern thickets where it usually feeds on the ground or in bushes, but may sing from treetops.   They are common in hedgerows, brush, and woodland edges, often close to human habitation.

They sing a long series of of various melodious phrases, each phrase usually given two or three times.

Brown Thrashers migrate to northern breeding grounds from late March through early May, with peak movement  occurring now, in April.

I have seen this Thrasher a few times over the years and find them particularly eye-catching, but sadly have never got a picture of one.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Black-throated Sparrow...

Photo by Johnathon Eckerson / Macaulery Library

Black-throated Sparrow (Amphiospiza bilineata)

I'm not sure why, but I have recently become attracted to the Black-throated Sparrow.  I have never seen one myself but its portrayed appearance is very appealing to me.  The black lores and triangular black patch on the throat and breast contrast distinctly with the white eyebrow, white whisker stripe and white underparts.

I have never seen one because I live in southern Ontario, just north of Toronto, and the White-throated Sparrow is native to the south-western U.S.A and Mexico.   It is fairly common in desert locales, especially on rocky slopes; and is casual to the eastern U.S.A. in fall and winter.

I am familiar with a few types of sparrows, but they are generally not  outstandingly noticeable creatures.   The White-throated Sparrow certainly seems to be quite noticeable to me.   I envy anyone who sees them regularly and would love to photograph them.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Photo by BarrytheBitrder

Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)

With temperatures at 17 and 18 degrees celsius for the next five days, local fields and streams and woodlands should be awash in warblers and other spring migrants this week.   They are so welcome.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Wilson's Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Louisiana Waterhrush - early spring migrant in southern Ontario

Photo by Andy Ekerson / Macauley Library

The Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motocilla), a relatively large member of the wood warbler family,  is one of the earliest spring migrants to arrive in southern Canada, particularly in Southern Ontario along the north shores of Lake Erie and the Niagara Escarpment.   It typically arrives by mid-April.

It is usually found in steep, forested ravines with fast-flowing steams.   Males and females are identical in appearance, with both having bright white eyebrows.   This bird is at the northern limits of its range in Ontario.   Local declines have occurred as forests were cleared and wetlands drained, particularly in southwestern Ontario.

The Louisianna Waterthrush was was already assessed as a 'species of concern' when the Endangered Species Act took effect in 2008.   The species was reassessed as threatened in June 2016.

The Canadian breeding population is estimated to be between 105 to 195 pairs, which represents less than one percent of the total continental population.   Although the species has declined locally in some parts of the breeding range, overall population levels have been relatively stable in both Canada and much of the U.S.A. over the past years.

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BarrytheBirder

When do spring-migrating warblers start to arrive in Canada?

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Pine Warbler

The earliest warblers to arrive in Canada during spring migration are generally the Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler (see photo above), and Palm Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush.

1. The Yellow-rumped Warbler (myrtle subspecies) is by far the earliest and most abundant, sometimes appearing in late March or early April in southern Canada.  They are often found in large numbers and are among the last to leave in the fall.

2. The Pine Warbler is among the first to arrive, frequently arriving mid-April to early May, and is often seen in pine forests.

3. The Palm Warbler arrives early, often in mid-April, and often noted for being about two weeks ahead of most other warbler species.   They are most commonly seen on the ground or in low shrubs.

4. The Louisiana Waterthrush is a rare but very early arrival, with some returning in the second week of April, in Ontario.

Following these, the next wave in late April to early May includes Black & White Warblers, Yellow Warblers and Black-throated Green Warblers.

The Ontario Field Ornithologists says  that while these hardy species start the season, the peak warbler migration in Canada occurs from mid-May (roughly May 10th to 20th),

during which 20 or more species can be seen in a single in hotpspots like Point Pelee, Ontario

Yellow Warbler

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BarrytheBirder

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

Folk Art by Robert Wallace

Photo by BarrytheBirder

The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widespread heron in Canada and the U.S.A.   Frequently solitary,  except around nesting colonies, lone birds are often seen flapping overhead, even miles from water.   They stand patiently at the waterside, waiting to spear fish or other amphibian creatures.  Two distinct forms of Great Blue are restricted to Florida: "Great White Heron (all white with yellow bill, pale legs) and  Wundemann's Heron (white-headed), mostly in the Keys.

The Great Blue is common buts breeds sporadically across large parts of its range.   A few birds winter far north of its breeding range.

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BarrytheBirder                                                    

Eastern Bluebirds...

 

Photo by Kevin Henseler

Eastern Bluebirds photo by Kevin Henseler at Lewis and Clark Lake, South Dakota.   Eastern Bluebirds are early spring migrants, arriving in places like southern Ontario, where I live, even before the last snows melt.

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BarrytheBirder

Early bird gets the worm...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

This traditionally early-arriving spring migrant thrush is often seen in southern Canada and the northern United States in early April looking for worms and insects and any other foodstuff as it prepares for the nesting season.   It is traditionally thought to signal the end of winter and is always welcomed enthusiastically.

It is common and widespread and brightens both forest and suburbs with its loud, flowing song, a variable "cheerilly, cheer-up cheerio"!

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BarrytheBirder

Eastern Bluebirds will arrive soon...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

According to my National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern Northern America, by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer, Eastern Bluebirds have been in decline in recent decades due largely to competition with European Starlings and House Sparrows for nesting sites, but the provision of specially designed boxes has resulted in a comeback.

Eastern Bluebirds have Chestnut throats, sides and flanks, contrasting white bellies, and white undertail coverts, making them one of the most attractive of thrushes.

They are commonly found in the Great Lakes regions in summer, in open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards, nesting in holes in trees and posts, and in nesting boxes.

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BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawks around and about...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

It looks like the Town of Aurora, just north of Toronto, Ontario, will be playing host again this summer to a group of Swainson's Hawks that have inhabited the forests around the town for the past two summers.   In the past two weeks, five of the raptors have been seen circling over tall fir trees in the southwest part of town, where some were observed nesting last summer.   These birds as big as Red-tailed Hawks and seem quite comfortable circling close together  high overhead.   IO am seeing these birds often flying above the Delmanor Retirement Residence on Butternut Ridge Trail in southwest Aurora, west of Yonge Street.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Vancouver Island hummingbird...

 
Photo by Dave Kemp

My friend from British Columbia, Dave Kemp, sent me the photo above, of what I believe is a female Rufous Hummingbird (or Allen's Hummingbird), which he recently photographed on Vancouver Island.

This bird is common on the U.S. west coast and in lower British Columbia, and is the most widespread western 'hummer'.   Small numbers appear each winter in Texas and Louisiana.  It even reaches south-east Alaska in summer.   They are normally found in gardens, meadows, woodlands and wetlands.

They breed from southern Alaska to southern Oregon and western Montana.   They winter in Mexico and occasionally in southern California.    

The male's wings  make a slight trilling sound in flight.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawks spotted mating...

 
Photos by BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawks mating over Aurora

Two of the half dozen Swainson's Hawks seen last year flying and mating over the town of Aurora, in York Region, north of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, appear to have recently returned and are seen above mating in tall fir trees yesterday, above the Oak Ridges Moraine in southwest Aurora, Ontario.  These Swainson's Hawks would seem to be part of a family of Swainson's that inhabited this same spot last year when four young hawks were produced.  Photos below are of the hawks raised last year in a nest on Butternut Ridge Trail, west of Yonge Street.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder