Boat trip birds...

                                                                                                Photos by Barry the Birder

                               Osprey

My partner Pat and I just took a 5-day, 168 kilometre scenic boat trip on the Kawartha Voyager from southern Muskoka to the Kawartha Lakes, in south/central Ontario.   Between us, Pat and I recorded 30 species; me using my telephoto camera lens and Pat using her cellphone "Merlin" app.

To me, the most significant species was a Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, recorded by Pat.   Because of global warming, primarily, this species has been expanding its northern range and Pat recorded its call near Peterborough, Ontario, approximately 100 kilometres north of Lake Ontario.   This is probably the farthest north this bird now shows up in Canada.

The 30 species Pat and I listed were:

Bald Eagle, Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, House Wren, Common Yellowthroat, Blue Jay, Robin, Cedar Waxwing, American Redstart, Eastern Kingbird, Marsh Wren, Swamp Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Crow, Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Goldfinch, Warbling Vireo, Eastern Wood Pewee, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loon, Ring-billed Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Tern, Great Egret, Red-eyed Vireo and the Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.

Canada Geese

Trumpeter Swans

Great Blue Heron

Mute Swan

Double-crested Cormorant

Common Tern

Kawartha Voyager

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Barry the Birder

American Tree Swallow (Trachycineta bicolor)

                                                                      Photo by BarrytheBirder

Only two colours but very distinctive, the Tree Swallow is a dark, glossy blue above and and white below.   Tree Swallows are common in any wooded habitat near water, especially where decaying or dead trees are abundant, providing nesting hole opportunities.   They will also nest in nest boxes, fence posts and barn eaves.

According to the National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America Tree Swallows generally migrate north earlier in the spring and linger farther north in the fall than other swallows.   During migration, flocks may number in the thousands.

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BarrytheBirder

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

                                                                   Photos by Sharon H.

American Robins normally search for earthworms, insects and sometimes berries.  The one pictured here has discovered, and paid many trips to a nectar feeder normally used by Baltimore Orioles.   Any port in a storm, I suppose.

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BarrytheBirder

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

 

                                                                  Photos by BarrytheBirder

Introduced to North America in New York in 1890-91

Starlings are now found throughout the North American continent.   They are bold, aggressive and abundant.   I have dozens of Starling photos in my files, but I have to say that most of those pictures, for whatever reasons, show adult Starlings feeding their young.   See below...

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BarrytheBirder

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

Photo by BarrytheBirder

This sparrow has a strongly outlined white throat, a mostly dark bill, and dark crown stripes and eye line.   There is a broad eyebrow that is yellow in front of the eye.   It is common in woodland undergrowth, gardens and brush.  Unlike the upright posture of the of the White-crowned Sparrow, the White-throated Sparrow has a short-necked, hunched posture.

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BarrytheBirder

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

                                                                                                 Photo by BarrytheBirder

The Fox Sparrow is well-named because of the foxy reddish colouring on its rump, tail and wings.   It is found in a broad narrow range across Canada and the north-western United States.   It is uncommon but quickly recognized by its noticeable red colouring.   It is a longish sparrow at 7".

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BarrytheBirder

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

                                                                         Macauley Library Photo

Song Sparrows in Canada and the U.S.A. are common and widespread.  They like dense low cover, but can become rather tame around gardens, parks, even apartment balcony feeders, like my partner Pat's.   They are notable for their long tails (see photo).

House Sparrows (imported from Europe and now thriving in Canada and the U.S.A.) are major competitors of Song Sparrows and unpopular with many people for this reason.

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BarrytheBirder

Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)

                                                                                                    Photos by BarrytheBirder

Pine Siskins have quite noticeable streaking and the yellow at at the base of their tails and in flight feathers is conspicuous in flight.   Their bills are thinner than in other finches.   They are fond of company and may flock with goldfinches in the winter.  They are found in mixed and coniferous woods in summer; shrubs, fields and forests in winter, and their winter range can be inconsistently variable.

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BarrytheBirder

Peacocks...

                                                                                               Photos by BarrytheBirder

Peacocks are not native to Canada but can be found in various locations due often to escaped or released birds from private collections or hobby farms.  They are not usually found in the wild in southern Ontario, Canada, where I live, but some peacock populations have established themselves in specific areas, such as the 'Toronto Islands'.

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Barry theBirder

Snowy Owl (Nyctia scandiaca)

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Snowy Owl is circumpolar breeding in Canada, Alaska and the Aleutians.  It practically is never seen perched in a tree, preferring instead to sit on the ground, rooftops or other exposed perching places.   In the far north, its main food supply is lemmings.   Lemming populations fluctuate and when they decrease 'Snowies' must migrate south to avoid starvation.   In lower latitudes, Snowy Owls prey on rabbits and other small game.

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BarrytheBirder

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

GREAT HORNED OWL

The Great Horned Owl is the biggest of North American 'eared' owls, exceeded in size only by the uncommon Great Grey Owl.   It preys on many creatures including rabbits and grouse, plus lizards, frogs and beetles.   An early nester, it lays its eggs as early as late January.

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BarrytheBirder

                                                  

Barred Owl (Strix varia)

Photos by BarrytheBirder

The Barred Owl is a large, stocky, gray-brown owl with cross-barring on its neck and chest and streaks on its belly.   Its normal habitat is low, dark wet woods and swampy forests, where it rests during the day and comes out at night to feed on rodents, birds, frogs and crayfish.

The Barred Owl seen in these photos had become entangled in the branches of the low shrubby trees seen in these photos.   It spent two or three minutes struggling to free itself before getting a stable perch. 

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BarrytheBirder 

Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)

 
                                                                                                  Photos by BarrytheBirder

I took these Northern Hawk Owl photos, above, several years ago in the village of Schomberg, about 50 kms. north of Toronto, Ontario.   The 'Hawk Owl' had been seen in this spot for a few days and it wasn't long before dozens of birders, most with cameras and big lenses (see below), gathered around this uncommon bird and much time was spent get shots of it.

The Northern Hawk Owl is a unique medium-sized owl of boreal forests, in Canada, Alaska and north-western Europe.   It has a noticeably long tail for an owl and sometimes looks like a small hawk, with quicks wing-beats.

They regularly feed on small rodents by sound and sight.   They often perch on top of fir trees or snags or posts, surveying nearby landscapes for prey.

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BarrytheBirder

As a dedicated birdwatcher...

                                                                                                Photo by BarrytheBirder

...even door-hangers catch my eye.

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BarrytheBirder

Birds going CRAZY over new sunflower chips on balcony feeding station!

The folks at WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED in Newmarket, Ontario, where I buy all my bird seed, introduced me to a new product recently.   It is sunflower chips.   I bought a bag and tried it out on my partner Pat's 3rd floor apartment balcony, where she also a couple of hummingbird feeders.   The sunflower chips were quickly discovered by Goldfinchs, Mourning Doves and Song Sparrows.   These birds can't get enough of this new feed.   We have a dozen Goldfinches at a time feeding in a not-very-large spot on the balcony.   It's now a constant stream of birds feeding here.

I bought a 5 lb. bag at the beginning and it only lasted a little over 2 weeks.  I'm now into a second bag and thinking about buying larger bags in the future.   This product comes in several sizes up to 50 lb. bags, but at almost 84 years of age, I try not to lift anything over 50 lbs, anymore.   The Wild Birds Unlimited Store in Newmarket has devoted a huge amount of space to this new product, with the various-sized bags stacked high in the centre of the store.   It's selling like crazy.

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BarrytheBirder

OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

                                                                                                   Photos by BarrytheBirder

This wonderful species was once threatened but conservation programs have been successful, and the species is now fairly common.

Nicknames for the Osprey include fish hawk, sea hawk, river hawk and eagle hawk.   These nicknames reflect the Osprey's fish diet and habitats near water.

Ospreys are found throughout Canada, in Alaska and the western United States, plus Florida, and coastal Mexico.   Osprey are also unusual in that they are the sole living species that occurs nearly worldwide.

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BarrytheBirder

Yellow Warbler survives window hit...

                                                                            Photo by Sharon H.

The Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) pictured above was photographed right after it hit a window near Brechin, on Lake Simcoe, Ontario.   The look on its face indicates how it is trying to shake off the impact.   The event did have a happy ending however.   Thanks for the photo Sharon.

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BarrytheBirder

Some more recent Swainson's Hawk photos...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Herewith are two more photos of the Swainson's Hawk that has been recently circling Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora, Ontario.

Photo by Lisa P.

The photo above shows very well just how white the undersides of this raptor are.   The white feathers go from just under its chin down to its talons and down the tip of its tail.   Thanks for sharing the photo Lisa.

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BarrytheBirder

A nest can be made anywhere...

Photo by Shauuna Sanders Nakogee

The nest these two young Robins are in was made

in a hanging basket by an opportunistic  parent.

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BarrytheBirder

How often do domestic chickens lay eggs?

                                                                                                Photos by BarrytheBirder

Domestic chickens lay up to 250 eggs in their first year,

 and almost everyday thereafter.

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Barry Wallace