Findings End of September 2023

This week, I went to the Coves and Uplands Wetland a couple of times.  Rusty Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Grackles are migrating through this area.  The trees would be covered with blackbirds and groups of them flying around.

Green Heron

Green Heron

I always enjoy watching Great Blue Herons and Green Herons.

Great Blue Heron

Killdeer

Rusty Blackbird

Sandpipers have been migrating too.

Solitary Sandpiper

Mourning Doves

It was a nice surprise to see an American Wigeon and a Northern Pintail at the wetlands.

American Wigeon

Northern Pintail

There are still some Great Egrets around.

Great Egret

Great Egret

A different day at Uplands Wetland, I still see Rusty Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Turkey Vultures, some Green-winged Teals, Belted Kingfishers, Killdeers, lots of Blue Jays, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Palm Warblers.

Immature Green Heron

Eastern Phoebe

I was looking up at a woodpecker high in a tree when I came across this guy sleeping in a hole.

Birding at Wetlands

Week of September 17, 2023

I have been visiting area ponds and wetlands.  I got some nice variety of birds lately.  Lots of Canada Geese, Mallards, Turkey Vultures have been going through in numbers, lots of Blue Jays, American Crow, Belted Kingfisher, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Robins, Northern Cardinals, American Goldfinches, Song Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, Common Grackles, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Doves, and Black-capped Chickadees.

On this day, I saw a Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Killdeers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Green-winged Teals, Northern Pintail, Rusty Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbird, Eastern Phoebe, Palm Warbler, and Yellow-rumped Warblers.  

Great Blue Heron

Green-winged Teals

Green-winged Teal

Belted Kingfisher

The Wilson's Snipe was a nice surprise.  I rarely see them.

Wilson's Snipe

Solitary Sandpiper

Rusty Blackbirds

Northern Pintail

Today, I saw a Red Admiral, a Monarch, Cabbage Whites and some Sulphurs.

I'm still seeing turtles and frogs sunning themselves.

First Week of September 2023 - Feeling more like Fall

 Week of September 3, 2023

I went to a few places....a pond out Wonderland Rd. South, Hyde Park and Uplands Wetland.  I'm not getting many shorebirds...hopefully this week.  Not many butterflies were seen.  The trees are starting to turn slightly.

At the pond south of Wonderland Rd, Double-crested Cormorants were swimming around, Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, Song Sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees.  I did see one Monarch.

Killdeer

Green Heron

Great Blue Heron

Pied-billed Grebe

I popped into Springbank Park one morning and found a female Common Merganser on the rocks.  Also saw a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.  

Common Merganser

Yellow-rumped Warbler

At Upland Wetlands, there was a Great Egret and two Great Blue Herons.  The only shorebirds I've seen there recently are Killdeers.  The water level is high.  Other birds I saw were Belted Kingfisher, lots of Cedar Waxwings, Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches, House Finches, Common Yellowthroat, Mourning Doves, Mallards and Canada Geese.  I have seen more Turkey Vultures flying over lately.