My Bird of the Year 2017

December 31, 2017   -15C, windchill -18C, Partly cloudy.  The windchill is supposed to be -27C tonight!

My bird of the year 2017 is the Endangered Piping Plover. 
They are small stout shorebirds.  It was so cute seeing them scurry around on the sand down to the shore, etc.  I was really thrilled to see them! 

Birding in Springbank Park

Springbank Park - London, Ontario      -13C    feels like -17C    Sunny

I went for a walk in Springbank Park.  It was very, very cold.  We've had a lot of snow lately, so I couldn't walk right along the Thames River, I stayed on the walking road.  Some of the bird photos I took were quite far away.  With a lot of twigs and branches along the river, I could not see what was on the water very well.

Being very cold, the Mallards were sleeping/resting and staying close to keep warm.

Mallards

Mallards

Mallards 

Common Merganser (female)

Hooded Merganser

I also saw a Blue Jay, Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Goldeneyes and Canada Geese. 

A Walk Along Thames River

Springbank Park - London, Ontario    cloudy,  -1c, feels like -6c

The morning started out sunny so I thought I would go do some birding in Springbank Park.  It ended up turning cloudy...so much for the sun.

I saw these 2 Red-tailed Hawks flying over. 

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

There was a lot of Canada Geese on the grounds at the west end of the park.

Canada Geese

I walked along the river.  The river was high because of the rain and snow melt this past weekend.

Blue Jay

I found some Common Mergansers.  They were at the opposite side of the river amongst some Canada Geese. 

Common Mergansers (Males)

Common Merganser (female)

Further along the river there are a lot of shrubbery between the path and river so could not see what was on the river too well.  There was about 4 Black-capped Chickadees right in front of me.  Most of the time I could not get photos as they were to close!  I held out my hand and one landed on my hand.  Then it came back on my hand, again.  And another one landed on my head on my hat!  Sweet little birds!

Black-capped Chickadee

There was a little flock of goldfinches at a little stream going into the river.

American Goldfinch

Northern Cardinal

I also saw some Dark-eyed Juncos, Common Crows, Downy Woodpecker and Mallards.

Chilly Morning Birding

Springbank Park - near Wonderland Rd area, London, Ontario

Cloudy, -6c, feels like -13c.   wind W 19km/h

I went for a walk in Springbank this morning to see if I can find any interesting birds.  It was quite cold.  As I walked, I looked up and saw two large birds flying close to each other over the river.  I tried to get my camera on them but they were too far away at that point.  One of them decided to turn around and come back.  There were a group of gulls in the middle of the river and all of a sudden they took off  before the eagle flew by.  The gulls all returned to the rocks in the river.  Once again they took off again as the other eagle came along.  I got some shots of this one as I was ready.  I was pleased to see the bald eagles.   

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Ring-billed Gulls

Ring-billed Gulls

It was lovely to see these handsome Hooded Mergansers.

Hooded Mergansers (males)

Hooded Merganser (female)

Exploring around to find Birds

Hyde Park Drainage Pond      4c  partly cloudy, strong N wind, 30 gust
London, Ontario

I went to the Hyde Park Drainage Pond to see what was there.  It started out sunny but turned cloudy..there was a strong N wind.  I saw a Red-tailed Hawk fly by, Buffleheads, Mallards and also Canada Geese.

Red-tailed Hawk

Bufflehead (male)

Buffleheads (females)

Searching for BIrds

Gibbons Park, London, Ontario          3c, sunny

I thought I would check out Gibbons Park this morning.  It was quiet.  There were Mallards and Canada Geese in the river.  I also saw a Downy Woodpecker busy working away at a dead tree.

I spent sometime watching the woodpecker.

Buffleheads

Hyde Park Drainage Pond and Area

0 °c , snowflerries, cloudy, westerly winds - gusts 28
I saw Bufflehead, Canada Geese, Mallards, Crows, Cooper's Hawk and 3 Turkey Vultures.

Buffleheads dive for mollusks, crustaceans, insect larvae, and plant matter.

Male Bufflehead

Blustery Day - Little success in Birding

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario

A very cold, cloudy, rainy day. The winds were strong from the West gusting to 46km/h. It was 3c but with the wind felt like -2c.
I went to the Hyde Park Drainage Pond. The pond is out in the open so with strong wind and rain can be difficult for birding. The pond's water was choppy.  I got my camera on some Bufflehead. They were across the pond.  There were also Mallards.
Trying to keep my camera steady from the wind was impossible. I took some shots of the Bufflehead and went back to the car as my fingers began to freeze.  

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Windy walk in Springbank

Cloudy, 5c, strong south winds

I thought I would get out to Springbank Park to do some birding this morning before the rain starts.  It was quite windy plus overcast and it felt damp.  There was a flock of gulls at the shallow part of the river....Ring-billed Gulls and a couple of Herring Gulls.

Ring-billed Gulls

Herring Gull

Walking along the river, I saw a few birds otherwise it was quiet. I also saw Mallards and Canada Geese.

Blue Jay

Downy Woodpecker

Black-capped Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

Diving Ducks

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, Hyde Park Rd, London, Ontario

It is a cool morning, 4c, sunny, winds light-westerly...had our first heavy frost this morning. 
There was a few Canada Geese, Mallards and a couple of  Bufflehead.  They were resting and diving for food.  They are cute little ducks.  I also saw Ring-billed Gulls and Blue Jays.

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

The ducks were at the other side of the pond...so quite far away.  The duck below was separate from the Buffleheads, Ruddy Duck.

Ruddy Duck

A couple of White-tailed Deer wandering across the field.