Backyard Birding

House Sparrow Adult Male Breeding And Adult Female Drinking
House Sparrow Adult Female Drinking
House Sparrow Adult Female Drinking
House Sparrow Adult Male Breeding Perched
Two House Sparrow Male Breeding Adults Drinking House Sparrow Adult Female Drinking

Mourning Dove Adult Bathing
House Sparrow Adult Female And Adult Male Breeding Drinking
Song Sparrow Adult Eastern Perched

First as I went in the backyard there were Dark-eyed Juncos warbling and calling. Although they was frightened when they saw me and flew away. Then some House Sparrows came feeding on seeds but they were throwing seeds everywhere! They left a big mess and I have to clean it up. Why do birds throw seeds everywhere? But soon quarreling male sparrows came flying here and the rest of the sparrows joined the fight. After they left a Song Sparrow came for a moment to eat the seeds. Accept it wasn't a messy eater. So I was glad to see it. For a while after that sparrows were bathing and drinking in our bird bath and pond. And some doves did too. Anyway not much happened today accept this so I can't write a long blog.

Birdman

Birding In My Backyard

Mourning Dove Adults Roosting
Mourning Dove Adult Perched
American Robin Adult Male Perched

After school today I went birding in my backyard. There were already many birds including House Sparrows bathing and Mourning Doves preening their feathers and I got some photos of them but not many were clear and I only post three pictures per post unless it is an important post. But after the sparrows and doves left a dove soon returned to roost on the fence. Although there were not many birds a squirrel was trying to attack a robin. You would think it react by displaying but it was a female. After this I went inside to eat supper.

Birdman

Birding At Home/Florell Park

House Sparrow Adult Female, Adult Male Breeding Foraging
Song Sparrow Adult Eastern Perched
American Robin Adult Male Displaying

This afternoon after church I went birding in my back yard. I sat down and waited for about 10 minutes. Then a House Sparrow came calling chep chep chep. Soon more came but they were all hiding in a dense Cedar Tree. But soon enough they came to the feeders and I got some shots of them throwing seed and displaying. Later a Song Sparrow came looking for seed, I got a fantastic shot of it perched on a log. Then another one came but Jesse came screaming in the back yard. I can't blame him if he wants to have a little fun though. I just wish he would have screamed after the Song Sparrows left, oh well. Then my dad came telling us we were going to the park soon. So I got ready and packed my camera. After we arrived at the park I took my dog for a run and played with Jesse. After about 30 minutes of playing we went birding at a forest edge nearby. As we walked in I watched two very aggressive squirrels fight, then they each retreated to their nest cavity. After that I saw a Northern Cardinal fly up to its nest and was silent. After walking for a bit I heard a Ruffed Grouse "drumming" and what could be a Hairy Woodpecker "drilling" a cavity in a tree. Then we went back to the park and played soccer. But soon it was 4:00 p.m. so we left and I went back to birding in the back yard. I saw a adult male robin displaying which scared all the birds. Accept its mate which soon came and the male left. Then it followed, and I heard whit-tew, whit-tew. So I searched for a cardinal and I soon found it. It was in the neighbours yard. I got some shots of it and went inside to have super.

Upcoming Events: May 16-19; Point Pelee National Park Trip

June 20th; Moving to Kitchener, Ontario

Birdman

Hydroelectic Marsh/Thickson Woods

Adult Eastern Song Sparrow
Adult Male American Robins
Typical Adult Male Red-winged Blackbird
Bird Nest
Adult Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Adult Female Golden-crowned Kinglet

Today my dad and I went birding at Hydro Marsh and Thickson Woods. First we drove to Hydro Marsh. Before we even parked we could hear lots of birds. First we walked in and there were many signs about spirits and other myths. Then we went to a tall canopy forest. First there were some blackbirds, grackles and ducks. Then some geese came along the river by the canopy. But after that we were amazed, there was a group of Buffleheads! I took many pictures of them. Then we kept walking until my dad thought he saw a red Mallard. It was just a regular one though. Then we turned back and there were more grackles and blackbirds. After that a chickadee came to see if we had any food for him. So we went out of the canopy and went into a marsh trail. There we saw a cardinal singing and some icterids displaying. Then on the path ahead of us was a flock of Rufus-sided and Eastern Towhees feeding on seed. We again were amazed. We kept walking and mergansers came in the marsh! Three new birds in one day, wow! So we went off the marsh trail and went over to a trail that was alongside Ontario Lake. There was a Terbine. I didn't realise they were that big until you get up close to one. And further along that trail were robins, blackbirds and people walking their dogs. So we walked back to the truck and we saw our first goldfinches this year. As we were in the truck we heard our first House Finches also. Then as we arrived at Thickson Woods we heard many kinglets. So we parked, got out and started birding. There was another new bird, oh that looks familiar. We saw it at Hydro Marsh and didn't realise to now. Guess what it is.......Its a Song Sparrow! Another new bird. How many new species can a birder see in one day. I mean this is awesome! Oh, and there were some Buffleheads and nuthatches. So we kept on walking and there were Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. The golden-crowns were gleaning insects hovering upside down while the ruby-crowns were gleaning right-side-up. So that is......six new species. Who thinks there is even more new birds later on? Well, I assure you there is even more new species after this. So after that we went from the main trail to the forest one. As we walked in tons of birds were singing, I didn't know which one to try to identify first. And then we heard a cardinal, followed the sound and found it high it a Pine Tree. Oh ya I forgot to tell you this is a mixed forest were walking in, so any bird that loves forests could be here. There was also a birder watching something. But we didn't get to see it. After walking for a bit we heard pew pew pew, anyone know what it is. I think its a Canada Warbler. Then we heard a grackle but it was soon interrupted by a loud buzzing, I think it is some type of corvid or icterid. Anyway after that we went to a mixed habitat, if you know what I mean. I mean it was part meadow, part forest and part marsh. Weird, eh? Ya and we thought the swallows would be here by now. But all we saw there were robins and sparrows. Oh, but there was a cardinal displaying. It was so weird to watch. It was bobbing and tilting its head side to side. Sorry, the video I took of it, well I didn't post it because it wouldn't load. Sorry, but It was so cool and maybe a little weird to watch. After that we left. We saw so many new species today! Thank you dad for taking me. And spending time and money for me!
Birdman

Backyard Birding

American Robin Nest
Adult Female Northern Cardinal
Adult Male Breeding House Sparrow

Adventures In My Back Yard

Pale Adult Female American Robin
Adult Breeding European Starling
Common Grackles
Ring-billed Gull

After school I went birding in my back yard. First I saw American Robin mates chasing each other. Then the male flew in search of food and the female stayed feeding for worms. Then it sung plurrri, kliwi, plurrri, kliwi repeatedly. Then two European Starlings came, they perched on a tree for ten minutes then flew. After that grackles and gulls came flying and I got some shots of them.

Birdman

Backyard Birding Beginning Soon

Starting soon I will be birding in my backyard. I am just cleaning my feeders. So expect pictures of birds on very clean feeders and nest boxes soon. It is amazing how God created birds, as some birders refer to as feathered friends.
Ttyl.
Birdman

Spring Pictures From 2004-2008 in Ontario

My Dog Max
Icycles
Fresh Adult Black-capped Chickadee
Saquaro Cactus
Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal
Young American Robins

More On Last Birding Trip

Left: Adult Female Breeding Common Merganser Center, Right: Adult Male Breeding Common Merganser
Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal
Top, Bottom Left: Adult Bohemian Waxwing Bottom Right: Adult Cedar Waxwing

Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal

Yesterday we also managed to see Barn Swallows and Bohemian Waxwings. These are only some of my best pictures. I will use my other best pictures sometime later.

Birdman

Birding With Cousin Ruth & Timothy

Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal

Adult Male American Robin
Adult Male American Robin
Pileated Woodpecker hole

Adult Cedar Waxwing

Today at 8:30am cousin Ruth picked me up to go birding. Her husband, Timothy had also come to go birding. First we went to a place where people recently saw a Bald Eagle. When we went there we saw Common Mergansers, and Northern Cardinals. Then we went to another birding trail. As we drove in, I noticed a woodpecker hole. Then we started walking into the trail. We heard many different bird songs. Including a Bird of Prey. Then we went to a feeding station and there were Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers feeding. Then we heard the call of a Pileated Woodpecker. Later, we went to another feeding station. We saw a hawk soaring, then cousin Ruth spotted a glimpse of a Pileated Woodpecker. Soon, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, White-breasted Nuthatches and Red-bellied Woodpeckers came. So we turned back and found another feeding station where a weird sparrow was perched. And Blue Jays came looking for peanuts. After all that excitement we left and went to where cousin Ruth works at a hospital. There we spotted a bright red cardinal defending its territory. So we where on our way to the van and a flock of Cedar Waxwings came! Along with a few American Robins. Cousin Ruth showed me where her feeders where and I spotted a Cedar Waxwing away from the flock. I got closer and closer until the camera lens touched it! It then flew saying seeeww! It had probably got drunked from eating the raw berries. It was probably very sick. I hope it recovers. So after that amazing experience we went in the van and on the way out there was a Cooper's Hawk near its nest. Anyway, after that we went to another trail where there was a mature tall forest. Hopefully I too could see the Pileated Woodpecker. But we searched for nearly and hour and no Pileated Woodpecker. But I still had a great time, thanks to Ruth!
That was my exciting Saturday!
Birdman

Spring 2006

Oriole Feeder
My Pond
Window Feeder

Creek

Icycles near creek
Mixed Forest
Creek

Yesterday after school my dad took me hiking at a creek. It was a very steep way down to the creek. I almost slipped on the muddy hill. After we finally got down their way a creek surrounded in forest. It soon changed to a marsh surrounding the creek then a field. We didn't see many birds there. But we weren't birding so I didn't expect to see any. We had a challenging hike through the changing habitats. Hopefully, my dad enjoyed the challenging hike too.

Birdman

Northern Cardinal

Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal perched
Adult Male Eastern Northern Cardinal singing

Whether there rare or common in your area, the sighting of a cardinal is always joyful. The males very bright red and the females red and brown plumage are both beautiful birds. They live nearly everywhere in eastern and southwestern north america a similar species to the Northern Cardinal is the Pyrrhuloxia otherwise known as the "Arizona cardinal". It also lives in southwestern north america and the male and female look similar to the female Northern Cardinal. Except with less red and more gray. Although they look similar, nobody could mistake a Northern Cardinal with its black mask and its beautiful song "whit whit whit cheer cheer cheer" or "what-a-cheer-cheer-cheer". The Pyrrhuloxia's sounds like "whoooit" or " tikitikitikitik". But both of them have the same call "tick" or chip". Both of birds are beautiful and I hope everyone gets a chance to see both of these beautiful

birds!

Birdman

Common Goldeneye

Adult female breeding Common Goldeneye
Adult male breeding Common Goldeneye

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

L 18.5" ws 26" wt 1.9 lb (850 g) Male is larger than female

Stocky; rather large-headed like Barrow's. Files in small bunches with deep wingbeats.

Voice: Female gives low, grating arr arr . . . like Aythya ducks, often in flight. Male in display gives rasping, buzzy whistle jip JEEEV and low, hollow rattle. Wings produce low, metallic whistle in flight; loudest in adult male, female nearly silent.

Darlington Park

Adult Breeding Male Common Goldeneye
Worn adult Eastern Black-capped Chickadee
Coyote
Adult male American Robin

Eastern Dark adult Red-tailed Hawk
1st year Juvenile Cooper's Hawk
Spring Thaw 2008

Adult male Eastern Downy Woodpecker

Today my dad and I went birding at Darlington Park. I awoke to a beautiful sunrise and then woke my dad and we got ready for the drive. We packed all our needed supplies and drove off. On our way there my dad spotted a Coyote and I got a shot of it. And as we arrived there I noticed a bird sightings board. I walked over to it and no bird sightings were submitted. So we went over to a trail and we spotted some chickadees. They we foraging for seeds on coniferous trees. Later there was a flock of Blue Jays. They were the loudest birds I've ever heard! All you could hear was JAAAYYY!!!!! JAAAYYY!!!!! BOURUNK!!!!! Until they finally left. Then a singing cardinal came flying around. It was very bright red. As some people refer to it as the red cardinal but the proper name is the Northern Cardinal. Anyway, we kept walking and found some more chickadees. Which my dad had mistaken for more cardinals. There was many waterfowl by the lake. Including goldeneyes, swans and geese. Again the geese were very loud, but two of them were courting. It was very interesting to watch. After that we turned our attention to the goldeneyes. They were so far away that I couldn't identify them until I looked at them on the computer. Then we went to the the ravine where we saw the Great Gray Owl last year. My dad thought we would see it again but they're so rare in Oshawa that I disagreed. So we walked there and all that was there were chickadees and a Sharp-shined Hawk. We left the ravine and walked back to the truck. On the way there, we saw a pair of cardinals singing. We had a great time. And as we arrived back home my friends had come over to play the Wii . Now they have left and I am typing this blog.

Hope you had a great Easter Weekend!!

Birdman