Wild Turkey finds a morsel...

 

...and then departs

Wildlife Habitat Canada ~ Competition Winner...

2021 On Golden Pond ~ Common Goldeneye

Artist : John Sluiter

Pigeon Lake, Ontario

The Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp (CWHC) is a symbol of original Canadian art that serves to provide funds for conservation and draw attention to the importance of wildlife and their habitats.   The image on the stamp is selected each year through an art competition.

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BarrytheBirder

White Doves - Easter Monday

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Spotted over Dufferin Street and the King/Vaughan Line

- south of King City

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BarrytheBirder

Early morning on the King Ridge...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Daydreaming Goose

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Barrythebirder

Snively Reserve ~ Oak Ridges

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Snively Reserve is a largish wetland in the north-west part of Oak Ridges, in Richmond Hill.   It is virtually inaccessible by human foot traffic, but is a treasure for wildlife.  Some access is available on the south side of Paradelle Drive.

Canada Geese exist in peaceful isolation

Song Sparrows like to be near water

The presence of beaver is quite evident along certain portions of the Snively Reserve's edges, as seen in these photos.

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BarrytheBirder

Early Ring-necked Ducks in Aurora...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Ring-necked Duck

(Aythya collaris)

This pair of early-migrating Ring-necked Ducks appeared on the McKenzie Marsh, in Aurora, at the end of March.   Except for a pair of migrating Trumpeter Swans, the 'Ring-neckeds' had the biggest of the marsh ponds all to themselves.

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BarrytheBirder

Richmond Hill Millpond

There used to be 

two beautiful 

Mute Swans on 

the Richmond Hill 

Mill Pond.

Now, sadly, 

there is but one. 

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comment 

if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Two more photos of local Great Horned Owls...

Photos by Cameron McNab

Here are two more pictures of the Great Horned Owl nest featured in yesterdays' blog.  These two photos were taken by Holland Landing resident Cameron McNab.  The top photo is one of two adult owls and the lower photo shows one of two owlets.   My thanks to birder Doreen Hiltz for alerting to me to sighting.  

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if you wish.

BarrytheBirder 

Great Horned Owl in Newmarket...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

...early morning snooze

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BarrytheBirder

                                                                                                         

This solitary Mute Swan is on the Mill Pond In Richmond Hill.   

Last year there were two of them.

They had been together for a few years.

This year there seems but one        

Mixed feelings are a tasteless dish.

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BarrytheBirder

                                               

                                                Photos by BarrytheBIrder

First Tree Swallow of spring...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Tree Swallow on Oak Ridges Trail

I saw my first spring Tree Swallow this past week on the Oak Ridges Trail north of King City.   They do return to Ontario in early spring and they usually feed on flying insects.   They will however rely on berries and seeds until there are lots of the flying bugs.   Their habitats include open woodlands, marshes, roadsides, pastures and fields, but because their main  food supply is flying insects and because they are adept flyers, they spend a large amount of time in the air, foraging above marshes, ponds and small lakes.

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BarrytheBirder  

Turkey Vulture dines on rabbit...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

    Crow gets the leftovers...

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BarrytheBirder

Local Trumpeter Swan activity...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Eight of eleven Trumpeter Swans that over-wintered on the big pond at Carrying Place Golf & Country on Weston Road in King Township, remain at the site.   Could it be that the remaining swans intend to make this a permanent site?   Finding a nesting site that is mostly hidden could be a challenge.

        

Meanwhile, over at the Glenville Pond site, on Dufferin Street, south of Hwy. 9, a Trumpeter Swan decoy (at left) has been put in place to attract migrants from the south.   A program to raise Trumpeter Swans at Glenville has been underway for a few years and there is probably an expectation that Trumpeters released here may return her to breed.   Below is a photo showing Trumpeter Swans in this location a few years ago.

   

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if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Spring morning sunshine on an American Robin...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

    Advice from a robin...

                                           ...be an early bird

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BarrytheBirder

                              

Rudimentary Canada Goose carving...

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

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BarrytheBirder

East Humber River

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Early morning Mallard

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BarrytheBirder

A conumdrum...

Photo by Barry Wallace

I sometimes wonder how often the  

 tiny birds reuse tiny nests from last year.

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BarrytheBirder

 

18th Sideroad - west of Pottageville

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture

 (Cathartes aura)

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BarrytheBirder

 

Looking for birds at the Maple Nature Reserve Meadows...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

On the first day of spring I found myself at the Maple Nature Reserve, on the southeast corner of Dufferin Street and the Teston Sideroad, about 3 or 4 kms. south of King City.   I had never been on these trails before so I thought it might be an interesting spot to look for spring birds migrating north.   The only bird of interest was a Hairy Woodpecker (photo below).  If you are standing under the huge communications tower pictured immediately below, you are in the right place.   It is on on the south side of the Teston Sideroad, east of Dufferin.

Hairy Woodpecker

I only spotted this well-hidden Cottontail Rabbit by the gleam in its eye.

The adorable pooch pictured above was walking with its mistress, and her parents. The parents are Sarah and Mark, the Asian couple who have owned and operated the King City dry-cleaning shop for several years and live nearby to the trails they were walking upon.   Pictured below is part of the trail's excellent signage.   The trails are rather steep in places and were still partially covered with wet ice on Saturday, however after this week's upcoming warmer temperatures, the ice should be all gone by next weekend.

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BarrytheBirder

First day of spring and a first robin welcomed...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

AMERICAN ROBIN

(Turdus migratorius)

Some American Robins will return this spring from as far south as Mexico and will fly to the northern coast of Alaska.  The one pictured above in my Ontario backyard will hopefully be with me for the next seven or eight months.

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BarrytheBirder