Carrying Place Golf and Country Club

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

Mute Swans

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Barry Wallace

They never sing to me like this...

 

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BarrytheBirder

Photos by Dave Kemp from British Columbia...

 

    Photos by Dave Kemp

A mature Bald Eagle

catches a flounder and brings it ashore in the Courtney Estuary  on the east coast of Vancouver Island.   The flounder (a flatfish) is in the eagles talons underwater in these top photos.

Out of the water (above) and on to shore (below)

Love your photos and thanks for sharing Dave

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BarrytheBirder

Hummingbirds disappear again...

 

Photo by Barry Wallace

For a second time this spring, Hummingbirds have appeared and then disappeared at my backyard feeders.  I am surprised and dismayed.   Is our Spring season becoming so changeable that nature's timing is flummoxed?   Pity.   Wherever they wound up, I'll miss them dearly.

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BarrytheBirder

At Seneca College...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Birds do it, bees do it...

I know, I know, bees are not birds, but I didn't have a bird photo for today's blog, so a bee photo will have to do.  The bees above burst forth from there hives along the main entrance to Seneca College in King, on this past holiday weekend.   The buzz is... they're welcome back.

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BarrytheBirder   

Trumpeter Swans abandon Aurora nest...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

 No swan eggs on arboretum nest 

The pair of Trumpeter Swans that nested on the large pond of the Aurora Arboretum appear to have abandoned their nest.   The female appeared to be nesting, but nothing seemed to happen.   Aurora set up barricades to keep people from getting too close to the pond-side nest, but either there were no eggs laid or if there were any they disappeared.   Pity, but perhaps predictable. 

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BarrytheBirder

Enjoying a bath...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Bathing is its own reward

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BarrytheBirder

Young European Starling confronts parent...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

 Young starling wants more food...busy parent hops to it!

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BarrytheBirder

                         

Blue-winged Teals over Comox, British Columbia...

Photos by Dave Kemp 

Blue-winged Teals

(Anas discors) 

Male (above)   ~   Female (below)

Dave Kemp's great photos of the Blue-winged Teals show the pale blue shoulder patches on both sexes, plus the male's white crescent in front of the eye is very distinctive.   This small duck with the comparatively big beak and small head is found coast to coast in Canada, south of the tundra, but is most numerous in the central part of the continent.   The west coast is where it is least common, so nice photo captures Dave.   Best wishes in your new digs in Comox.

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BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture in King City is a...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

KEELE STREET SENTINEL

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BarrytheBirder

Hummingbird returns...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Archilochus colubris

Appeared in early May - then vanished

But two and half weeks later  they have appeared again.   It's so nice to have these remarkable little 'hummers' back at the feeders.  They have a mouse-like twittering squeak...if you are close enough.   There wings also make a humming sound in flight, hence their name.   During courtship, the female sits quietly on a perch, while the male swings in a pendulum dance, displaying in a wide arc and buzzing loudly with each dip.

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BarrytheBirder

Some make it...some don't

Photo by BarrytheBirder

The flock of Canada Geese goslings, above, which I photographed this past Tuesday, are the same ones I photographed a couple of week ago right after they hatched, on the Seneca College grounds.  They were a big family of twelve, including the parents, I believe.   And they're still a big family, at twelve.   They may very well all grow to maturity in the Seneca setting.   What amazes me about Canada Geese flocks, is that there are families that are never reduced in size.

On the other hand, bewilderingly, there are parent Canada Geese who have only two or three goslings in tow.   Taken being preyed upon by other creatures, or lost in accidents, how can be such large discrepancies between different families?   I've seen this situation appear many, many times over the years.   I've always felt that the loss of one, or two, or three goslings is to be expected, but how can a whole flock of goslings go missing.   I'm always puzzled when I seen these poor small feathered few.

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BarrytheBirder

Welcome visitors...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

   In the midst of our village, on a tiny pond,  

A pair of Mallard Ducks stake a claim.

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Barry the Birder

At the entrance to Seneca College...

A pair of Turkey Vultures were doing what comes naturally, but were blocking traffic.

They were 

eventually persuaded 

to make way and 

headed for a large 

nearby tree branch.

Ahhh...spring!

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

Near Nobleton...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Sandpiper Ripples

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BarrytheBirder

New west coast bird photos from Dave Kemp...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Long-billed Dowitchers

My British Columbia friend Dave Kemp who has been very kind about sharing some of his bird photos with me over the last year or so, has recently moved north to Comox on the east side of Vancouver Island.   He has just sent me some photos from around and about the new place he calls home.  Above is a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers and below are a Purple Martin and at bottom a Spotted Sandpiper.   Nice shots Dave.

 

Dave and I have never met but I send my very best wishes for great pleasure in his new Vancouver Island home, as well as great birding.

BarrytheBirder

Roadside wetlands on the 15th

 

Photos by Barry Wallace

A slow drive along the central stretch of the sides of the 15th Sideroad, between Hwy. 27 and and the 10th Concession of King, makes for interesting viewing on either the north or south sides.  Birds include many Mallard Ducks and Red-winged Blackbirds in or just above what appears to be blackish, dark brown water from years of old, decayed leaf matter, just under the surface.  Dandelions grow along the water's edge and detritus of many sorts has found its way into the dark water (see bottom photo).

 

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Barry Wallace

High-perching cormorants...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

These Double-crested Cormorants were perched above the Holland Marsh Canal near the junction of Hwy. 9 and the West Canal Bank Road recently.   There was nothing particularly noticeable, except that the birds were perched at the top of 40' high trees.   They are usually perched much lower, just a few feet above water where they regularly dive for fish.   They can fly fairly high above water or the ground, but are normally perched much closer to the ground or water.   On western Canada's rocky coastline, these cormorants will generally perch and nest upon high, rocky coastlines, whereas eastern nest sites are much lower.

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BarrytheBirder  

3 spring arrivals on Mother's Day

 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

(First-year juvenile)

Baltimore Oriole

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

Trumpeter Swans ~ Aurora Arboretum Pond

Photos by Allison Bailey

These photos were taken on Mother's Day by my daughter Allison Bailey, who lives close to the Aurora Arboretum Pond.

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BarrytheBirder

First Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the spring...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pictured above is a first-year juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeak at one of the back-yard feeders.   Note the brown-tipped winter plumage, yet to turn black, that was acquired before fall migration.    Also noteworthy is the very large, triangular bill.   Below right is a photo of a mature male.

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BarrytheBirder

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club...

 

Photos by Barry Wallace

MUTE SWAN

(Cygnus olor)

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 BarrytheBirder

Spotted Sandpiper in B.C.

 

Photo by Dave Kemp

SPOTTED SANDPIPER

Actitus macularia

My British Columbia birding acquaintance, Dave Kemp, sent me this photo of a Spotted Sandpiper from B.C.'s south coast.

This bird is found throughout North America, but is only found 12 months of the year on the lower B.C. and northern U.S. shorelines.   Ahhh...lucky westcoasters!

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BarrytheBirder

Pileated Woodpecker a daily visitor...

 

Photo by Doreen Hiltz

Oh to have a Pileated Woodpecker visit each day!

My new birding friend, Doreen, sent me the photo (above) of a Pileated Woodpecker visiting a feeder in her backyard, north of Newmarket.   Doreen says it shows up every day.   I'm lucky to see a 'Pileated' every couple of months...maybe!   I've invited myself to Doreen's backyard and hope to get some photos myself, of this big, remarkable, feathered creature.

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BarrytheBirder 

Pileated Woodpecker a daily visitor...

 

Photo by Doreen Hiltz

Oh to have a Pileated Woodpecker visit each day!

My new birdwatching friend, Doreen, sent me the photo above of a Pileated Woodpecker visiting at a feeder in her backyard, north of Newmarket.   Doreen says it shows up every day.   I'm lucky to see a 'Pileated' every couple of months...maybe!   I've invited myself to Doreen's backyard and hope to get some photos myself, of this big, remarkable feathered creature.

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BarrytheBirder     

At the feeder...

 

Male

and 

female 

Northern

Cardinals

sharing

backyard

tasty

seed 

treats

Photos by Barry Wallace

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BarrytheBirder