Hawk Owl keeps birders coming to Schomberg...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Birders can't get enough of Hawk Owl

The Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) at the Dufferin Marsh, at Hwy. 27 and Dr. Kay Drive in Schomberg, has been drawing birders from all over southern Ontario for three weeks now and there appears to be no end in sight for all concerned.   The Hawk Owl is constantly hunting for small prey and the birders/photographers are continually scuttling after it for that perfect shot.   I have to wonder if long-time Dufferin Marsh champion, Mary Asselstine knows whether to laugh or cry at the siege by birders.

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BarrytheBirder

Peacocks in Victoria ~ early January

                                                                                                     Photo by Joey Georgekish

My nephew Joey Georgekish took the photo above of a peacock in Victoria, British Columbia, a few days ago, while visiting there with his son, Jaxon.   Look at the green grass and ferns.   Joey knows which part of Canada to visit in early January.   Meanwhile, I have to settle for chilly chickadees and shivering starlings in southern Ontario.

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BarrytheBirder

Red-tailed Hawk on the shore of Lake Wilcox...

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

There's nothing different or special about this Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), but it caught my eye as it spent several minutes preening itself on the shore of nearby Lake Wilcox.   Once the grooming is done, it will be ready to again soar high overhead looking down for rodents, rabbits or perhaps small birds.

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BarrytheBirder

Here is an assortment of wee birds at the feeders...

Photos by Barry Wallace

Take your pick. Purple Finches, House Finches, Juncos, Tree Sparrows, House Sparrows, Goldfinches, Common Redpolls, Siskens.   They're all here, except when the Blue Jays and Starlings barge in, of course.   But there's always enough seeds for all.

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BarrytheBirder

   

Ospreys a little harder to spot this year...maybe

Photos by BarrytheBirder

As Ospreys seem to be more circumspect in where they put their nests in King Township, landowners are going to greater lengths to prevent people from trespassing on private property.   Birders hoping to see Ospreys may find it harder to spot this grand fish-eating raptor.   At left is an Osprey nest I spotted last year, on Dufferin Street, near the hamlet of Snowball, and which I hope hope is re-occupied in 2020.  It is high on a hill in the middle of a large estate that is well-fenced and signed against trespassing.   At least this one nest is visible from the road and one can only hope the nest will be occupied again this year.   Unfortunately, it will take a spotting scope to get a good look at any activity.

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BarrytheBirder

Searching for birds to photograph...

 Photos by BarrytheBirder

Well, it's now the first day of the new year and I'm still hard-pressed to find some interesting bird pictures.   The two pictures here were taken fairly close together on one of the Holland Marsh roads.   If the chicken above looks big , it is .... almost 2 metres tall.

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BarrytheBirder

European Starling (Sturnis vulgaris)

Photo by BarrytheBirder

SPECKLED STARLING SPECTACLE

This gregarious, garrulous blackbird is heavily speckled hereabouts in winter.   And it's not supposed to be able to feed at feeders like the one above - but does...easily and frequently.

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BarrytheBirder

Few birds on last day of 2019...

Photos by Barry Wallace

I drove up into the Holland Marsh on the last day of 2019 hoping to spot a Snowy Owl but was disappointed.   The best I could do was Mallard ducks on the Holland River at the outlet of the Art Janse Pumping Station on the canal (photo below).   Hoping for better luck in the new year.

BarrytheBirder

300 Hummingbird species can't be wrong...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

'Hummers' thrive on nectar

Ronald Orenstein, in his 1997 book "SONGBIRDS~ Celebrating Nature's Voices" reminds us that in the Old World, there are no hummingbirds.   He quickly points out that in the New World, avian nectar feeding is dominated by hummingbirds, whose more than three hundred species far outnumber the short list of songbird nectar specialists: honeycreepers, dacnises, flower-piercers, the Orangequit - a nectar feeding finch confined to Jamaica - and the widespread Bananaquit.  Overwhelmingly, 'hummers' know what they like when it comes to taste.

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BarrytheBirder

Ospreys hover while hunting fish...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

American Osprey

(Pandion haliaetus)

Ospreys exist by eating fish almost exclusively and they are very adept at seizing and hanging onto their prey.  Philip Perry, in his 1990 book 'Birds of Prey' says: 'The long talons and sharp spicules on the soles of an Osprey's feet enable it to maintain a firm hold on a slippery fish.   In addition, it can reverse its outer toe so that two toes face forward and two backward for an even better grip".  Indeed, a nifty adaptation for a fish-eater.

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BarrytheBirder    

Hawks have to eat also...

                                                                                                 Photo by BarrytheBirder

COOPER'S HAWK

(Accipitor cooperii)

This handsome and fierce-looking raptor is a regular in the winter near the bird feeders.   It has great eyesight and agility when swooping under the feeders to attack feeding birds, particularly Mourning Doves.   It is more often unsuccessful in its attacks, but does succeed often enough to survive the cold and snowy winters and keep itself strong and healthy.  The male pictured here is about 15" long (smaller than the females by a couple of inches).   It is almost identical in appearance to the Sharp-shinned hawk, except that it is about 4" longer and has a distinctive dark crown to the top of its head, unlike the smaller Sharp-shinned Hawk which has a slate-grey top to its head and nape.

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BarrytheBirder

Other than the Cowbird...what other bird lays eggs in other birds' nests?

Photo: D Gordon E. Robertson

The Solitary Sandpiper

(Tringa solitaria)

You learn something new every day as a birdwatcher.   I was reading a very old field guide on birds recently that said Solitary Sandpipers lay their eggs in old songbird nests, often placed high in trees.   I quickly checked one of my modern field guides and it said the same thing.   I'd never heard of this before, but it is quite true.   Almost all sandpipers migrate in flocks and nest on the ground.  However, the Solitary Sandpiper breaks both of those rules.  In migration, it is almost always alone, as its name would suggest, and it inhabits northern spruce bogs.   It does not however nest on wet ground, but lays its eggs in old songbird nests, high up in trees.

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BarrytheBirder   

One-legged Starling still around three month's later...

                                                                                                  Photo by BarrytheBirder

The one-legged Starling I showed in this space back in  September is still hanging around and seems healthy.   More power to it.

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BarrytheBirder

Hawk Owl stays on at Schomberg's Dufferin Marsh...

                                                                                                       Photos by BarrytheBirder

Hundreds of birders from near and far continue to visit Schomberg's Dufferin Marsh to see and photograph the Hawk Owl that has been visiting for many days now.  The photo at bottom would indicate that Schomberg resident fatigue is starting to set in as birders and their vehicles take up roadsides and parking spots at the site.

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BarrytheBirder

"Three French Hens..."

Photo: BackyardChickenCoops.com.au

Three French Hens

FAVEROLLES

Faverolles are a breed of chicken developed in northern France in the 1860s.   The fluffy and feathery breed is famous for its friendly nature and pleasing looks.   The Faverolles breed is a combination of Couchin, Houdan and Dorking chickens.   They are big, strong birds and are reliable and regular egg layers.  Plumage colours include black, buff, cuckoo, laced blue, salmon and white.   'The Twelve Days of Christmas' appeared in 1780 as a chant of French origin.  The modern tune had its origin in 1909 from an arrangement of a folk melody by Frederic Austin.

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BarrytheBirder

Ruddy Duck ~ (Oxyura jamaicencis)

                                                                                                         Photo by BarrytheBirder

RUDDY DUCK

Carving by Jim Harkness ~ 1982

Early in the last century, this very sprightly duck was known, among other names, as the 'Bumble Bee Coot'.   The name came about because of the duck's rapid flight with its stiff, short wings that produced a buzzing sound.   But this duck also had many names in the early 1900s, including Broad-bill Dipper, Bull-neck, Stiff-tail and Bristle-tail, among many others.    It rarely flies and must vigorously patter across the surface of water to get airborne.   It does not walk on land, but it is an agile and powerful diver and swimmer. It is an uncommon spring and fall migrant, and rare breeder in Ontario.

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BarrytheBirder

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

Photo by Dave Kemp

The Red-breasted Merganser (22") is a crested bird (both male and female) that is mostly found in salt water, but is also found inland where it breeds from Maine to Illinois northward.   It is found on lakes and rivers, often with rocky shorelines in Ontario.   Its flight is fast and strong; as much as 130 kms/h (78 mph).   It is an uncommon to locally abundant migrant in Ontario.
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BarrytheBirder

Hooded Merganser (Laphodytes cucullatus)

 Photos by Dave Kemp

The Hooded Merganser (17") is unlikely to be taken for any other duck, because of its small size and large crest with which both males and females are adorned; that of the male being black with a large white patch, and that of the female plain brown.   Their varied courtship display includes bobbing, crest-raising, wing-flapping and stylish preening.   They are common spring and fall migrants in Ontario, but uncommon breeders in the province.   They nest in holes of trees on the banks of, or near, streams or lakes.

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BarrytheBirder

More about old-time bird names...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

TURKEY VULTURE a.k.a. Buzzard

I was looking through a very old birding guide published in 1906 recently and some ancient names for modern birds caught my eye.   Following are a dozen or so examples...

Puffin                             -  Sea Parrot

Western Grebe              -  Swan Grebe

Loon                              -  Great Northern Diver

Anhinga                         -  Snake Bird

Red-necked Pheasant  -  Mongolian Pheasant

Bobwhite                       -  Virginia Partridge

Dovekie                         -  Sea Dove

Black Guillemot             -  Sea Pigeon

Ross's Gull                    -  Wedge-tailed Gull

Spruce Grouse              -  Canada Grouse

Peregrine Falcon           -  Duck Hawk

Osprey                          -  Fish Hawk

Saw-whet Owl               -  Acadian Owl

In fact, these few alternate names are among many thousands that have been used over the years and centuries.

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BarrytheBirder

One pigeon species dies ~ another survives

Photo credit: Bryan Boyle / Royal Ontario Museum

Passenger Pigeon

(Ectopistes migratorius)

Up to about 1880, Passenger Pigeons in eastern North America filled the skies by an estimated five billion birds.  Within 50 to 55 years they were extinct.  Basically, they were hunted to extinction.  They were easy prey because they were so numerous and always flocked together.   For hunters, the Passenger Pigeons were like sitting ducks, until there were no more.   The Mourning Dove (photo below), smaller but somewhat similar in appearance, did not flock together...no more than a few at a time.   The result?  85 years after the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon, Mourning Doves thrive and are immensely abundant at about 475 million at any given time.   This despite 25 to 30 million being killed by hunters each year.   Long may the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), with its lovely, gentle cooing, live among us.

Photo by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder