Early spring birds...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture

American Robin

My lady friend Pat and I spotted two early spring species this past Thursday.

One was a Turkey Vulture soaring high above Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora.   We also spotted two robins on the ground around Delmanor.   Robin sightings are being reported all over southern Ontario these days..  Winter has almost disappeared and we are expecting temperatures next week between 10 and 15C.   Winter seems to have been almost non-existent temperature-wise with scant snow in the upper part of the greater Toronto area.   What else will an early spring bring?

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BarrytheBirder   

 

Some Great Blue Herons winter on B.C.'s west coast....

 

                                                                Photo by Dave Kemp

Great Blue Herons are found across Canada in summer but a few thousand stay on British Columbia's west coast in winter.  The one pictured above was seen recently on southern Vancouver Island.   It was photographed by B.C. photographer and naturalist Dave Kemp whose photos I regularly share in this blog space.   The number of Great Blues that winter in lower B.C. and thought to number in the low thousands.

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BarrytheBirder

 

King City ...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Feeders full of Redpolls

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BarrytheBirder

Perfect photo...

 Photographer Unknown

Hooded Merganser (female)

I don't remember how or where I came across this wonderful photograph of a landing female Common Merganser, but I think its one of the best duck photos I have ever seen of a waterfowl making a  perfect landing. 

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BarrytheBirder

Spring just around the corner on lower Vancouver Island...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Black Turnstone

 

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BarrytheBirder

Female Mallard Ducks

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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comment

if you wish.

Barry the Birder

So far, It's a short winter in southern Ontario

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Mourning Doves getting early spring start in Southern Ontario

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BarrytheBirder

Photos by Dave Kemp - Vancouver Island

Trumpeter Swans

Common Mergansers

Common Goldeneye

Long-tailed Duck

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BarrytheBirder

Blue Jay watching its back

Photo by BarrytheBirder

'...wise are the wary'

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BarrytheBirder

Great Backyard Bird Count underway

 

After only two days the 4 day annual global birding event known as The Great Backyard Bird Count has reached 134,101 checklists and 7,073 species have been identified.   Go to Cornell Lab of Ornithology for continuing results.

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BarrytheBirder

  

Vancouver Island Oystercatchers by Dave Kemp

OYSTERCATCHERS

Vancouver Island Glacier

WAXING MOON

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BarrytheBirder

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Winter gulls

on farm pond

near the Holland Marsh

in York Region

Ontario

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Goldeneyes on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Photos by Dave Kemp

 

Female Goldeneye

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BarrytheBirder

Bald Eagle on Vancouver Island...

 

Photos by Dave Kemp

The Catch by a Bald Eagle

Success

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BarrytheBirder

Some of my favourite Juncos pictures...

 

BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

Vancouver Island - early February

Common Goldeneyes

Photos by Dave Kemp

Trumpeter Swans

Surf & White-winged Scoters

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BarrytheBirder

Winter Goldfinches - King City, Ontario

Photo by BarrytheBirder

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BarrytheBirder

Turkeys on Vancouver Island...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Dave Kemp, who sent me these pictures from Vancouver Island in B.C., identifies these turkeys as tame birds in the process of becoming wild, stream-lined versions of the barnyard birds.   The photo below shows Vancouver Island mountains as a backdrop to the turkey photo.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder