Trumpeter Swan on Holland River

Photos by BarrytheBirder

This lone Trumpeter Swan was  preening itself on the edge of the Holland River, in Northern King Township this week.   The tag on its right wing, and band on its left leg, means that it was part of a captive breeding program or it was the offspring of a mated pair in a breeding program.   The re-introduction of wild Trumpeter Swans in Ontario has been quite successful.

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BtheB

Holland Marsh birds

Photos by Barry theBirder

All summer I've watched this little  flock of female Mallards and a nearby Great Blue Heron (see picture below) in one of the Holland Marsh canals.   I first spotted them when they were quite small and I've never seen the parents of these ducks nor have I seen any male members of the group.   Even when they are swimming about, they are always this close together.

This Great Blue Heron has become far too reliable and I have taken its picture several times.   I must give it a rest and look for some Green or Black-crowned Night-Herons.

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BtheB

Berry thief

Photo by BarrytheBirder

I watched this morning as a Robin, I'm not sure whether it was a male or a female, patrolled around the garden and made several hops straight up into the berry bushes and helped itself to red currants, raspberries and blackberries.   Later, while making some tea, I mentioned the encounter to my wife and she said "I hope you shooed it away".   We don't have that many berries this hot, dry summer and Linda is very protective of her berries, although I have spied her picking some each time she passes the bushes and popping them into her mouth.

BtheB

Spotted Sandpipers at Bond Lake

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Despite the heavy forest cover right to the shores around most of Bond Lake, south of the community of Oak Ridges, in northern Richmond Hill, I found Spotted Sandpipers in more than one spot on my walk around the water-side trail this morning.   The trail is one of the finest nature walks in York Region and takes approximately 45 minutes.   The surrounding woods, featuring huge maples and hemlocks, and some massive pines, is alive with birds sounds.   Trail maintenance is good and fallen trees are dealt with fairly quickly.   If you walk this trail in the near future, you might want to take a garbage bag with you.   The trail's popularity contributes to refuse, left behind by the unthinking.   Any garbage you collect can be left at the cans near the Yonge Street entrances.

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BtheB

Great Blue Heron cooling off

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Recent temperatures have been so high in southern Ontario that it brought to mind this photo of a Great Blue Heron which I took in King Township's Holland Marsh not long ago.   Even a Great Blue sometimes feels the need to get into some cool water right up to its armpits...or rather wing tips.

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BtheB   

Trumpeter Swans on King Township Lake

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator

This family of six Trumpeter Swans was enjoying a balmy June day on Crawford's Pond, on the east side of the 6th Concession of King Township, below the 16th Sideroad, on Tuesday of this week.   Extirpated from Ontario in the late 1800s, Trumpeters have been successfully re-introduced, via captive foster parents.   Officially, they are considered 'rare introduced breeders'.   They are our largest swans and magnificent to see on the wing.   My use of the Crawford name for this lake dates back to the late 1950s, when the Crawford family owned this lovely property, just south of the King Ridge.   I do not know who owns it today.

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BtheB

Antique birdhouses and cages

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The 2012  Nobleton and King City Horticultural Society Garden Tour was held on July 8 and antique birdhouses and birdcages were featured in many gardens.   The communal birdhouse above cleverly featured maple tree syrup spigots as perches, at the home of Margi Denobile, in Nobleton, which also featured the antique birdcage below.   In the bottom photo are a trio of old church-like birdhouses in a garden at the home of Sandra and Steve Willert, at Eversley.  

Northern King Township Osprey nest successful

Photos by BarrytheBirder

While a long-time Osprey nests at Seneca College's King Campus on Dufferin Street, and another at the Waterski Park on Keele Street, near Ansnorveldt, were both unsuccessful breeding sites this year, another long-time nest was successful at the end of Bathurst Street, in the extreme northern end of King Township.   While these pictures were being taken, parents were encouraging at least two healthy-looking youngsters to stretch their wings and attempt practise flights.

  

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 BtheB

2nd long-time Osprey nest fails in King

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Earlier this year, there was great disappointment among local birdwatchers when the Ospreys failed to return to their nest atop a light standard in the parking lot at Seneca College's Eaton Campus, near the south side of Lake Jonda.   The photo above was taken in 2010.   Now a second, long-time Osprey nest has also failed to produce young Osprey at the Waterski Park, on Keele Street, south-west of the hamlet  of Ansnorveldt, on the south side of the Holland Marsh.   This second nest had been occupied for almost 20 years and was a faithful producer of young Osprey throughout that time.   Paul, the gentleman who operates the Waterski Park said the Osprey pair showed up as usual and were around the nest up until the latter part of June but no offspring were noticed.   He feels either the Osprey p[air were unsuccessful in their mating attempt this year or perhaps a predator got to the eggs or the hatchlings, in the late spring.   These  two nests played a huge part in the resurgence of the Osprey breed in southern Ontario over the last 20 years.   Their times as successful mating pairs were probably nearing a natural reproductive end anyway, but it's a shame to think there will be no young Osprey being taught how to fly and fish, at these sites this year.

The Osprey nest on the north shore of the Waterski Park lake now sits empty after the long-time resident Ospreys appear to have been unsuccessful in raising any young this year.

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BtheB