Mallard Nest

Today as I arrived in Kitchener I first went to the Mallard nest I was told about. At first I thought they were mistaken, but my dad soon shook the bush and it jumped out at him. Then it went back in the bush at a position that I could see it. I took some pictures of it then left it alone because it was probably very stressed after this. I soon went to help my dad unpack the trailer and unfortunately many Brown-headed Cowbirds were feeding at our unfinished bird feeder station. My brother wanted to scare the nest parasites (cowbirds) away but I said there was also many other types of birds there too and the cowbirds usually come back after being flushed. Oh well, despite the nest parasites I am happy to hear Mallards are reproducing. I will soon get some more info ie; when they courted, mated, started and finished the nest and when the female laid the eggs. I will also try to post some close photos of the nest if the female doesn't think I'm a harm to her nest. Maybe while the female is incubating the nest I could get a picture of the male bringing food to the family. Also, I just found out that Mourning Doves have a difference between each gender.

Birdman

Long Birding Day

Dark-eyed Junco Slate-colored Adult Male

American Robin Pale Adult Female
Mourning Dove Adult
House Sparrow Adult Male Breeding


Mourning Dove Adults
House Sparrow Adult Female
Common Gray Squirrel

Common Grackle Adult Male Interior (Bronzed)
Mourning Dove Adults
Mourning Dove Adult

Today after school I went birding in my backyard and stayed for 3 hours straight! Here's how it all started. I had just came home from school and I took my dog for a walk and I heard Blue Jays calling. Then when I came home I left Max inside and went in the backyard. I saw Mourning Doves eating out of the feeder and a Common Grackle singing. Then the Mourning Doves did a courtship display on the fence... and did what mon@rch calls "you know what". Uhhgg! I left that spot immediately so I didn't have to see it. They stopped doing "you know what" and went back to feeding again. Soon House Sparrows came to join the feeding frenzy and they all where having a good time until a squirrel came. As soon as came it did a "begging" stand as if it was a dog. Then it ate some seed and stared a the doves right against the cedar edge. After that a House Sparrow pair came to an abandoned American Robin nest in the open and started building to it. Then about a dozen House Sparrow pairs came and each of them prearranged the twigs there own way. Then the first pair came back and took some twigs from it and so did the other dozen pairs. But I soon turned my attention to the Song Sparrows and Northern Cardinals singing out in the distance. I tried to find them but they were in a dense coniferous tree so I couldn't spot them. Anyway, they were soon mimicked by a European Starling. But with various whistles. Then a American Robin came calling and singing loudly. It stayed on the tree for a while then it left. So all the other birds began feeding again and some juncos came to feed also. It was about 7 o'clock then so I went inside.
Birdman