A Friday morning at Humber Trails

Black & White Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Female)

House Wren

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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Birds prefer pooping on red cars

I am not amused.

It has just been announced by British automotive supplier, Halfords, that bright red cars attract more bird droppings than any other colours.   Halfords researchers checked out 1,140 cars in Brighton, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Bristol over two consecutive days and found that 18% of red cars were marked with droppings, compared to 14% for blue, 11% for black, 7% for  white, 3% for grey or silver and just 1% for green cars.   What colour is my Jeep Liberty?   Bright red!   Car polish company Autoglym says the damage to vehicle paintwork comes not from the acid or alkali in bird faeces, but from the paint lacquer softening and expanding to form an uneven mould around the dropping and producing a dull patch.   Apparently, the grainy poop of seed-eating birds produces the most blemishes, so that pigeons are worse than seagulls, for instance.   My Jeep Liberty is now 11 years old and I estimate I have washed it about 600 times, or a little over once a week, since 2001.   It was one of the first ever made and imported into Canada from the USA.   I'm starting to think I may keep this great vehicle as my own personal collector's item.   I've already resigned myself to knowing that I will have to re-paint it if I want to turn it over to my grandkids one day.   I've also decided that life is too short to be worrying about falling bird poop.   Besides, I've heard in some places in the world, it's a symbol of good luck.

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Tranquility prevailing...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

This Great Blue Heron found itself accompanied by a large gaggle of Canada Geese in a secluded lagoon off the West Holland River, alongside the Pumphouse Road, in King Township, near Bradford.
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Purple Martins in the Marsh

Photos by BarrytheBirder

This Purple Martin House has been occupied for over 20 years.   It is located on Louis Bierling's front lawn on the west side of Dufferin Street, between Wilhelmena Ave. and Juliana Road, in the community of Ansnorveldt, in the Holland Marsh area of King Township.   Purple Martins (Progne subis) are the largest of the North American Swallows.   They are deep blue in colour but often appear to be black all-over, including the belly.   Roger Tory Peterson's Birds of East and Central North American states that  Purple Martins nest in "...towns, farms, open or semi-open country, often near water...attracted to martin houses, especially with water and large open areas nearby".   The Holland Marsh is certainly a suitable habitat.   Louis Bierling told me that his Purple Martins usually head south in August of each year.
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Sweet sweet sweet I'm so sweet

Photo by BarrytheBirder

MYellow WarblerM

Dendroica petechia

According to my National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America, the call of the Yellow Warbler is " sweet sweet sweet I'm so sweet".   That's a bit too cutesy for me.   I'll go with Roger Tory Peterson's description: " weet weet weet weet tsee tsee".   This the yellowest of our warblers and the male, with his red breast stripes, is one of my favourites birds.   The photo above was taken on the shore of Lake Jonda at Seneca College, near King City.   Yellow Warblers are perennial victims of cowbirds, which lay their eggs in Yellow Warbler nests, as well as many, many other bird species.   Here's what my Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds has to say about this nest parasitism: "In temperate North America it (Yellow Warbler) is one of the principal victims of the cowbird, which lays its eggs in the nests of other birds.   The warbler often responds to the unwanted egg by burying it, along with some of its own eggs, under a new nest lining.   Occasionally, a nest is found with up to six layers, each containing one or more cowbird eggs".   

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Busy Tree Swallows at Cold Creek

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Tree Swallows at Cold Creek Conservation Area, on the 11th Concession of King, don't need to refer to this map to find their way around, but it makes a great perch.   Of the approximately four dozen birdboxes at Cold Creek, most are occupied by Tree Swallows.   In mid-June the swallow parents are kept busy by their nestlings.   The pictures below show them coming and going, passing in the doorway, plus doing some housekeeping as well.   Looks like '...no rest for the wicked'.

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Canada Geese move up to King Oaks

Photo by BarrytheBirder

One-month-old Canada Geese float across an attractive, landscaped, storm-water retention pond at the new King Oaks subdivision on Keele Street South in King City.   Previously, the forebears of these goslings were paddling about the marshes of the old Rumble Farm.   Do these young birds realize they are the first residents of King Oaks and that they are enjoying 'luxury estate living'?

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Rare June days ... time to bathe

"Ahhhh ... that felt great ... well, on my way".

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Goldfinches & Daylilies

Photo by BarrytheBirder

A yellow place in the garden

First rain in 3 weeks soaks goslings

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Canada Geese goslings huddle on a wet lawn in King City's Kingcross Estates, during Friday's all-day rain, which most likely was the first rain these wee, feathered creatures have experienced.   They did seem puzzled as to what they should be doing.

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Bluebirds at Cold Creek

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Feeding nestlings keep bluebird parents busy

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Popular birdhouse

Phoebe ~ Swallow neighbourliness  

A recent visit to the Pine Farms Apple Orchard, on the 16th Sideroad, allowed me me to watch a Tree Swallow go back and forth to its nest in a colourful birdbox, midst minature apple trees and blooming flower beds.   An Eastern Phoebe was particularly attracted to the same box, which it was using as a launching pad for short forays to snatch insects.   The Tree Swallow seemed quite unperturbed by this double-duty usage of its nestbox.   

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Barred Owls by Dave Kemp

Photos by Dave Kemp

MBARRED OWLM

Strix varia

My new friend, Dave Kemp, from British Columbia sent me these recent photos which he took in Minoru Park, in the centre of Richmond, B.C.   To me, the feather patterns and dark, haunting eyes of these beautiful owls give them an otherworldly look that Dave has captured beautifully.

See more of Dave Kemp's great photographs at by Googling Dave Kemp's Picture Perfect Photo Gallery or go to www.pictureperfect.nu/photogallery/ .

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Robin's nest under a deck

Photos by Cam Inglis

My friend Cam Inglis in Kingston, Ontario, is an accomplished photographer and videographer and while I am accustomed to seeing his photos of sailboats, mountains, deserts and other exotic subject matter from around the world, I was surprised to receive these photos of a robin's nest under his deck at home.   These nestlings have that nest pretty much full it seems to me and should be near ready to try flying.   Mom (below) is still very busy feeding these young critters and will no doubt welcome some imminent flight training by her offspring.   Nice shots, Cameron.

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My backyard Chickadees

Photo by BarrytheBirder

M Black-capped ChickadeeM

Parus atricapillus

Black-capped Chickadees have been using the birdhouse pictured above, in our backyard in King City, for 20 years.   I'm ashamed to admit that I have never cleaned it out in all those years.   The chickadees seem to cope quite well however.   I'm not sure if they are able to carry off the detritus that's left behind after raising so many broods over the years, or whether it's just about full to the rafters.   I have promised myself that this year, after the breeding/brooding season, I will take this house down, completely deconstruct it, clean it out and return it to its spot on the garden shed.   Chickadees are tame, inquisitive, trusting and ubiquitous (you'll find them from Alaska to Newfoundland and in the northern half of the lower 48 states.   They're one of those birds we all have in common, it seems.   They always seem to be around.   That's because they seldom fly long distances.   According to Wikipedia: "Clutch size is 6-8 eggs...incubation lasts 11 to 14 days and is by the female only, who is fed by the male".   The chickadee's name is imitative of its call (chick-a-dee-dee-dee) and it has been stated that it was Thoreau who gave this bird its American English name in 1838, in his Journal.
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Ospreys at Seneca College disappear

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Actually it's not that the Ospreys have disappeared.   They never showed up at all this year.   The same pair had arrived to nest high atop the same light standard, in the main parking lot, for a couple of decades it seemed.   This year they are no-shows.   The photograph above is one that I took last year.   I've had to look elsewhere in King Township for Ospreys this year.   I found a pair today in a nest on a large private pond, north of Kettleby.   The gentleman managing the property said the large nest has been occupied for years and that he has seen as many as nine fully-grown Ospreys trying to take over the nest at the same time.   The original couple of birds always seem to win the territorial fight with their own offspring and other interlopers.   I was asked not to reveal the location of the pond and the nest, for fear of harassment of the birds.   Illegal duck hunters on ATVs are an ongoing trespassing problem on this property.   After getting a good look at these birds today, I drove off thinking that maybe some of the offspring of these Ospreys will spot the empty nest at Seneca College's Eaton Hall campus, on their way south, and make mental notes to visit there, next spring.

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Winter in South Africa

My bird blogging buddy, Mpho Phiri, in his Mafikeng Birding Blog says: " It's already winter time down here in South Africa.   All migrants are gone and some of the locals are really wonderful and keep the spirit of birding alive".   Three of the locals Mpho refers to are seen here in photos he has taken.   At top is a Bomakierie (or Bushshrike) with its back feathers all blown up.   Below is a Temminck's Courser and at the bottom is a Marico (or Mariqua) Flycatcher.   It's amazing that wherever one goes in the world, flycatchers all look the same.   Good photos, Mpho. 

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Whither the Purple Martins?

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Each time I walk under this Purple Martin birdhouse in front of Eaton Hall, at Seneca College's Eaton Hall, I wonder when the last time was that a Purple Martin nested here.   Was it a few years ago, many years ago, decades maybe?   Wouldn't it be a delight to see them once again inhabitat this spot?   Meanwhile, below, the first Canada Goose goslings have hatched at Seneca.   This pair show up about a week ago.

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Bluebirds at Cold Creek

Photo by BarrytheBirder

While almost every birdbox at Cold Creek Conservation Area is occupied by Tree Swallows this year, Box 12, near the picnic pavillion is home to Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis).   Pictured above and below is the female, coming and going while tending her young.      While the blue of the female's feathers is quite subdued, there is no mistaking the bright blue of the male.   He is the only small, bright blue bird in most of Eastern North America.

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Pacific coast cygnets

Photos by Don Flucker

MMute SwanM

Cygnus olor

My old acquaintance, from his Ontario days, Don Flucker, took these photos of Mute Swans near his home in Ladner, British Columbia.   Don has forwarded Mute Swans pictures before, but these are the first that show so many cygnets.   There were nine of the dear little creatures with their parents when Don captured these images.   Female Mute Swans usually lay 6 to 8 eggs (as many as 11), which is normally a couple more than most other breeds of swans.   Predation of cygnets is a problem for all swan types, but Mute Swans are the most active and fearsome in defence of their nests and young.   Don says that this same pair of Mute Swans started out last year with six cygnets but only two made it to maturity.   Don also mentioned eagles and seals, in particular, as predators of young swans.   When it comes to collective nouns to describe a group of swans there are many choices, far more in fact, than for just about any other bird species.   Take your pick from the following list: ballet, bevy, drift, game, herd, lamentation, regatta, school, team, whiting, or bank (on the ground) and wedge (in flight).   I think I'm rather partial to 'a drift of swans'.   It conjures up such a peaceful image.

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