Blue Heron from B.C.

My friend, Don Flucker, from Ladner, British Columbia, photographed this Great Blue Heron near his floating home recently, in the Fraser River delta. It's a remarkable picture in that it shows almost every primary, sercondary and tertial feather in its spectacular wingspan. Some people describe the Great Blue Heron as having a prehistoric look and there's certainly a hint of that here. I suspect Don caught this GBH at the moment of lift-off, but there's also a suggestion that milady has been caught at her bath or during a fan dance: presuming of course that this lovely creature is a female. It's as if Don had asked this bird to "Show us your feathers" and it responded with a perfectly-posed plumage portrait. Thanks for passing this shot along, Don, and well done.
BtheB

Super sturgeon not an hoax

I posted this fish photo and blogged about it on April 28. It was supposed to have been caught in Lake of the Woods, Ontario, but I wondered if it was an hoax, because of it huge size. My friend Don Flucker, of Ladner, B.C., in the Fraser River Delta, has emailed me to say this 11' sturgeon is the real deal, but it's not from Ontario. It was hooked upstream from Don, in the Fraser River, by a guy, named Cyril Paquin, who was fishing for sturgeon for the very first time! Talk about beginner's luck. This is the 2nd biggest fish on record for the Fraser. Thanks, Don.
BtheB

Usual suspects showing up

Last week it was White-throated Sparrows. This week it's White-crowned Sparrows in the backyard (see photo above). I also have Chipping Sparrows and a tan-coloured version of the White-throated sparrow. A few streets away, in the centre of the village, my friend Gerry Binsfeld has a Carolina Wren in his backyard. That bird is not one of the usual suspects. It is a rare, year-round resident in Ontario, just barely making it to the north shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario during the spring migration.
BtheB

Is this sturgeon for real?

Not being a fisherman, I don't usually mention fish and fishing here, but this picture is an exception. It was passed on to me via three old newspaper colleagues of mine, Pat Pappas, Tim Whittaker and Peter Marsh. This sturgeon was caught and released in Lake of the Woods, near Kenora, a couple of weeks ago. It weighed in at over 1,000 lbs., measured 11'1" long, 56" in girth, and took 4 guys (taking turns) 6.5 hrs. to reel in. Apparently any sturgeon over 5' in length has to be released unharmed and cannot be removed from the water. Sturgeon over 5' are regarded as good brooding/breeding stock. The story goes that this great specimen was worn out from the fight to catch it, but was released shortly after the photo was taken.
In the Caspian Sea, sturgeons grow to 18' and 4400 lbs., but in Ontario,the record for Lake Sturgeon is just over 5.5' and 168 lbs, while the record in adjacent Minnesota is also 5.5' but only 94 lbs. So either this is the catch of the century or an hoax.
Comments?
BtheB

The last couple of mornings I've had to chip ice off the birdbaths, so regulars like this cardinal and house finch can get a drink. The spring migration has stalled a bit it seems. So much for my witless speculation that the hummingbirds might come back early this year. I've had none so far. They'll probably make their appearance around May 10, much like always. Meanwhile there are eight nectar feeders waiting for them, as well as me and my camera.
BtheB

Birding for beginners on June 5

Yellow-rumped Warbler ~ Jokers Hill ~ photo by BarrytheBirder, September 2009

I will be leading a one-day workshop entitled 'Birding for Beginners' on Saturday, June 5, 2010, between 9.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., at the University of Toronto's Koffler Scientific Reserve in King Township, at Jokers Hill, on Dufferin Street just south of Hwy. 9. The cost is $60 per person, including lunch from Dorio's Bakery in Kettleby, as well as the use of binoculars supplied by the university. My intention is make the day both informative and entertaining. Jokers Hill is a 348-hectare ecological observatory situated on the top of the Oak Ridges Moraine and a perfect setting for a day of learning about and enjoying eastern North-American birds (see photo below). For more details and registration info go to http://ksr.utoronto.ca/

Photo by BarrytheBirder, Jokers Hill, 2009

Good birding, BtheB

Today's new spring arrivals

White-throated Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Here are a couple of perky spring migrants that will probably stay in the backyard for a couple of days. As far as I'm concerned, they can hang around for as long as they want.

BtheB

Sandhill Cranes and lots of ducks

I stumbled across a new wetlands area, north of the Queensville Flats, in upper York Region this week. I made a mental note to go back with my spotting scope and did so today. Here's an incomplete list of the birds I spotted in the water-covered fields and marshes, on the north side of the Ravenshoe Road, 2.5 kms. east of Leslie Street.
~ 3 Sandhill Cranes
~ 500 Canada Geese
~ 8 pairs of Northern Pintails
~ A pair of American Black Ducks
~ 2 pairs of Northern Shovellers
~ A pair of American Wigeons
~ 2 pairs of Blue-winged Teals
~ 1 pair of Green-winged Teal
~ 1 Canvasback
~ 1 Willet
~ 1 Lesser Yellowlegs
Even with my telephoto camera lens, I couldn't get get close enough for any good pictures. But later in the day, at the Cold Creek Conservation area, my luck was better. Below are shots of a Turkey Vulture, nesting Tree Swallows, and a basking Midland Painted turtle.

A pretty good day, all things considered. Here's hoping yours was also.

BtheB

Goldfinches in breeding plumage

It's that time of year (mid-April) when you can once again tell the difference between the male and female goldfinches. I took this picture a few minutes ago, in the backyard. The males have almost completed their change to bright yellow breeding plumage. They are a welcome sight, indeed.


"Time for your close-up, Mr. G".


BtheB

The "upside-down bird"

Kenn Kaufman, in his Lives of North American Birds book, calls nuthatches the "upside-down birds". The photo, at left, which I took recently, neatly illustrates that description. Nuthatches have extremely strong toes and claws, with which to grip bark and other uneven surfaces. It also helps if you only weigh 10.5 to 13 grams, as is the case with the Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) pictured here. This captivating little bird is found in every continental U.S. state and every Canadian province.

Mid-April to early May marks the start of the breeding season for many birds in this neck of the woods. The male Red-breasted Nuthatch, having caught the eye of a female, performs as follows: he turns his back on the lady (seems non-productive), points his head in the air, droops his wings, and sways from side to side. This doesn't sound very alluring but maybe it helps him to 'shake his booty' in a sexy way. Appearances notwithstanding, it seems to work quite well, as there are always plenty of Red-breasted Nuthatches about. The male feeds the female, both on and off the nest, and both parents feed the nestlings. They seem content to raise just one brood a year. Sounds all very dutiful and practical to me, which is good because we all need lots of nuthatches around and about, to entertain us.

BtheB

I shot these two pictures this afternoon, at the new wetlands area of Seneca College's King Campus. It's now mid-April and Tree Swallows are to be found everywhere in southern Ontario. What good-lookers they are. And their beauty is exceeded only by their flying prowess. My birder-friend, Gerry Binsfeld, advised a group of us one day, that he had taught his kids to use binoculars by telling them to: "...follow the swallow...". It's good advice. If you can follow a swallow with your binoculars, then you can follow just about any bird.
As for honey bees, their populations are dying off at alarming rates in many places around the world. Great efforts are be made to comprehend this calamity and so far, as I understand it, it is referred to as a syndrome, as opposed to an identified disease. But the healthy-looking bee pictured above was very busy trying to put a huge dent into a crop of emerging Coltsfoot along the Oak Ridges Trail. Its success can be measured by the sacks of pollen attached to its hind legs. Please comment if you wish.
BtheB

Margaret Atwood fires us up

Linda and I went to the Granite Club last week, to listen to the husband-and-wife team of Grahame Gibson and Margaret Atwood reflect on wildlife and wildife habitat at ON Nature's fund-raising Green Tea Party. The authors/naturalists were very interesting and inspiring as they updated the status of many biodiversity projects around the world, some of which they are personally involved in. Among many other things, they are currently Joint Honourary Presidents of Birdlife International's Rare Bird Club. And while their conservation efforts are not flagging, there was a detectable aura of foreboding and gloom about prospects for world-wide biodiversity. At one point, Ms Atwood mused that civil disobedience might be the next necessary step to make politicians, and the people who elect them, wake up and smell the coffee when it comes to wildlife species declines, habitat destruction, and degraded and poisoned environments. Linda and I have decided that we are not too old for civil disobedience and will join such insurrections as they present themselves. In fact, we are on the look-out for legitimate protests that involve animals and the environment. Meanwhile, I highly recommend an essay that Margaret Atwood published recently, in England, on birds and the greening of the world. Her insight and arguments are compelling. Click on http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/09/margaret-atwood-birds-review .
BtheB

Will hummingbirds arrive early?

I just filled-up my eight hummingbird feeders in the backyard. This is 3 weeks earlier than last year. What with global warming, several lovely days of sunshine, and certain flowers already up, I decided to anticipate the early arrival of one of my favourite birds. Last year my first 'hummer' showed up on May 9, the day after one showed up, at my neighbour, Shirley Ormsby's, place. For a few years now, Shirley has beaten me to the punch, by being the first to call and say: "They're baaa-aack". Have a safe journey, my little friends.
BtheB

Scenes from Seneca

A few metres east of Keele Street on the Oak Ridges Trail, north of King City, is a rivulet that passes under a narrow boardwalk and spills into a small pool. It is a perfect little scene, accompanied by the sweet sound of gurgling water. The picture below doesn't do it justice, so keep an eye out for it if you pass by that way. Beyond this spot today, I saw many Canada Geese on Lake Jonda, or as it's known now: Lake Seneca. Among the geese, I counted 25 Common Mergansers and a few Mallard Ducks. Away from the lake, I spotted three Killdeers and three Tree Swallows: firsts of the season. I also saw and heard numerous Song Sparrows. That's one of them, pictured above. I still haven't seen any bluebirds, but they'll be along. I certainly recommend the King Campus of Seneca College for birdwatching.
BtheB

Migrants at Cold Creek

I went looking for bluebirds at Cold Creek Conservation Area today, but they have not returned yet. I had to settle for my first Turkey Vulture of the season. The ice is off the ponds at Cold Creek and Canada Geese have returned to claim their favourite spots. The pair which I photographed, above, seem to have taken a liking to the island in the main pond. They were one of eight pairs, which is a lot for such a small pond. I imagine things will get quite confrontational in short order, but I also know that eventually everyone will find a spot they can work with. It's forecasted to be a beautiful, sunny, warm week. I hope to post a picture here of the first bluebirds of the season, some time very soon.
BtheB

The Grackle

The GRACKLE

He loudly intrudes hither and thither

Causing some to quake and others to quiver

A black and blue fellow

With eyes sickly yellow

Yet confronted the coward's all a-dither

I don't know why I have this love-hate relationship with grackles, but I do. One moment I'm shooing them away from the feeders, so smaller birds have a chance at the seeds, and the next moment I'm thinking this strikingly good-looking bird is one of my favourites. As it happens, I was in the backyard last week with my camera and one of the visiting grackles commented to me that he had seen me taking pictures of starlings. He claimed he was a much better example of avian resplendency, than the starling. So, I took his picture also. You see it above. I tweaked the sharpness a bit to make him look even more menacingly edgy than he normally appears. I was so impressed with my own efforts, that I blew up the image and had it framed, which you see below. It has now taken a place on a wall in the BarrytheBirder den, which you can see even further below. Ah, Quiscalus quiscula, it seems people either love you or hate you. And while the grackle has only one latin name, he has many nicknames, such as Cling-cling, Chango, Mozambique, Bequia-sweet and Tinkling. He's known as Ting-Ting in Jamaica, Ching-ching in the Caymen Islands, and Pichon Prieto in Puerto Rico. In Haiti, he's known as just plain Merle. I'm not fond of grackles because they are greedy, shrieking bullies. But I like them because they are bold and handsome (in a Darth Vader kind of way) and because they are harbingers of spring. Please comment if you wish. BtheB

Local trail a delight

For my money, the Ed Millar Side Trail, off the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail, just north of King City, on Seneca College lands, is one the prettiest, short, public walks in all of King Township. Access is from Keele Street, about 100 metres north of King's 16th Sideroad. Even in mid-March, the trail beguiles. It helps, of course, when the temperature is 16C and the sun is shining. Below are some shots I took today. A downed tree presents no real obstacle. Two cuts from a chain saw, roll the cut-section aside, and carry on.
This Seneca beaver pond is thawing and bubbling over the top of the dam. It looks like the beavers and the King Township Roads Department have reached a compromise on water levels. Keele Street isn't flooded and the beavers have not made any adjustments to the dam's height, in over a year.

The trail climbs along an elevated ridge that culminates with a pleasing contrast of very tall, slender, White Birches (some 70 to 80' tall) and a mass of dark Hemlocks. There is even a handful of Black Spruce, which are more common, much further north in the Boreal Forest, especially in boggy areas. If you look about here, you will see that this particular area is surrounded by many wet and boggy spots, including the beaver pond/swamp. In a few weeks, this trail will be in its spring glory and it will be a reward for any walker with an hour for leisure. For the lucky ones who walk softly, the many ephemeral wet spots often are home here to Wood Ducks (spectacular sights in their right). One last trail note: there is parking for three or four vehicles, on the east side of Keele, where the stile climbs over the wire fence. Enjoy, BtheB

Blackbirds are back

My friend and neighbour, Ed Millar, emailed me yesterday to say he had a bunch of grackles and a Red-winged Blackbird in his backyard. I replied that if he had them yesterday, I would probably have them today. Then, my wife, Linda, informed me she had heard Red-winged Blackbirds, in the neighbourhood, a week ago. Sure enough, today there were grackles, cowbirds, starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds in the backyard. The starlings were making short work of the last of the suet (see the photo above). To me, the appearance of blackbirds means spring has arrived. I trust blackbirds about these things a lot more than I do those grumpy groundhogs at Wiarton and Punxsutawny. I love it when a neophyte birder sees a starling in its winter/early-spring, plumage, with all those white spots against the glossy black, green and purple colours. Somehow, new birders often have a pre-conceived idea that the starling's appearance is plain and dull. When they see one up close and are told what they are looking at, they are usually amazed at its striking presence.

Please comment if you wish. BtheB

She's gone

Edith Muriel Wallace

February 27, 2010

Edith Muriel Wallace, of King City, 7 days after her 94th birthday, at King City Lodge Nursing Home. Wife of the late Emerson Wallace and dear mother of Barry Wallace (Linda) King City, Diane Wallace of Calgary, Denise Georgekish (Fred - deceased) Wemindji, Quebec, and Robert Wallace (Nancy) Parry Sound. Cremation has taken place and a private interment of Muriel and Emerson's ashes will take place, later this year, at the 6th Line Cemetery, Churchill, Ontario. Their ashes will join the remains of Muriel's parents, Sid and Alice Thomas, and her beloved Auntie Laura Thomas. Muriel was a 55-year resident of King City and active in her community. She was a Past President and first Life-time Member of Kingcrafts, a member of King City United Church, a singer in its choir and a CGIT leader. She was a blood donor for four decades, beginning during WWII. She will be remembered as a skilled and prize-winning quilter, a gifted arts and crafts person, and an avid collector of antiques, Canadiana, and collectibles. For many years, Muriel's handmade wildflower cards were collectors items themselves. And who can forget her homemade bread and all those 1st Place Fair Ribbons? While Muriel travelled throughout the United States, to Mexico and to Britain, she loved to travel in Canada most of all, and saw Canada from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and north to James Bay. She revelled in Canadian Native culture, both as a collector and a lecturer in her own community. Muriel was one of seven children of Sidney and Alice Thomas, and is survived by three of her sisters: Audrey, Mabel and Jean. Muriel also leaves eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Many thanks to Dr. Paul Randall and to Muriel's second family: the staff of King Lodge who cared for her so kindly and respectfully for the past 10 years.

Canoeing in February

Well, not exactly. But two recent trips to the Canadian Canoe Museum, in Peterborough, Ontario, have made my new, least-favourite month, February, almost bearable. One step inside the museum and one is transported to a state of mind that sighs of summers on the water, loons calling, and campfire smoke inducing leafy and rocky mirages.

My friend and neighbour, Mike 'Wood & Canvas' Ormsby, got me to re-visit the museum for the first time since it opened 13 years ago. Like many other people, Mike is my go-to-guy for all things about canoeing. He introduced me to museum General Manager, John Summers, and Curator, Jeremy Ward, who gave us a behind-the-scenes tour of the museum's huge separate storage facility where most of the collection's approximately 600 craft are stored (see photo above).

We had such a great time, we went back two weeks later for another go-around: this time meeting Professor Kirk Wipper, who founded the collection back in the 1950s. At 85, Kirk is still a volunteer resource person at the museum and a charming gentleman (see photo below). The Canadian Canoe Museum is the largest of its in the world and brilliantly uplifting for anyone with an interest in canoes. I can't recommend it highly enough and plan to go back in May to collect the canoe I'm planning to win with a fund-raising raffle ticket I purchased at the CCM. The canoe is being built as I write this blog and you can see it underway in the Rona Building Centre, adjacent to the museum on Monaghan Street in Peterborough.

Mike Ormsby and canoe legend, Kirk Wipper