Roaming Gibbons Park

Gibbons Park, London, Ontario                      17c, sunny

I decided to take a walk in Gibbons Park today.  It was 10c when I was out this morning.  I went over to the area where the owls are and they are still there.  I saw one adult owl but the two owlets apparently were further over on other trees together.  I didn't see them.  The adult owl was facing the sun for some warmth.

I saw the common birds.  I was trying to find a warbler but with no luck.
The birds I saw or heard....Red-winged Blackbird, Carolina Wren, Black-capped Chickadee, Mallard, Canada Geese, Song Sparrow, Common Grackle, American Robin, Downy Woodpecker, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl. Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Northern Flicker.

Thames River

The photos below is the damage from the February Flood. 

Revisit Westminster Ponds

Westminster Ponds, ESA, London, Ontario              10c, sunny

I haven't been to Westminster Ponds for awhile so I decided to go there this morning.  There has been big changes since I was there last. Westminster Ponds is going through a restoration to add accessible trails and boardwalk.  Also removing an infestation of buckthorn and standing dead ash trees.
Westminster Ponds is also designated as a Provincially Significant Wetland.

There is some clearing going on...

I didn't go far as the trails are very muddy and wet.  I just stayed around the viewing area. 

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cardinal

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Saw a couple of Horned Grebes.

Horned Grebe

Horned Grebe

Eastern Phoebe

Red-winged Blackbird - female

Bufflehead

Downy Woodpecker

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow

Viewing Platform

Sifton Bog Check

Sifton Bog, ESA, London, Ontario                         6c, overcast, rain

I haven't been to Sifton Bog since September 2017.  With the snow gone....can access the bog now.  I walked the boardwalk this morning.  A light rain was coming down.  It was fairly quiet.  I got to the viewing platform.  There are a pair of Canada Geese that have a nest right in front of the platform.  There were a pair of Mallards, too. 

On the way back, a White-throated Sparrow was singing.  It stayed long enough to get some photos.

Very dreary looking right now but in a month or so it will be all green!

Hyde Park Stroll

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario        16c,  partly cloudy

Another nice day for a walk.  I went to Hyde Park today to see what's around.  I saw a nice number of birds.  

Mallard, Canada Geese, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Duck, Ring-billed Gull, Song Sparrow, Robin, Common Grackle, Mourning Dove, American Goldfinch, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Great Blue Heron, Tree Swallow and Barn Swallow.

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Ring-necked Ducks

Song Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron

Nice warm day at Springbank

Springbank Park - London, Ontario                 16c, sunny

Took a morning walk....what a lovely day!  It's so nice to see some flowers out in bloom. I saw a nice variety of wildlife.
Birds I saw are Mallards, Canada Geese, Song Sparrows, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins, Common Flicker, and American Goldfinch.

Short walk - Hyde Park

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario         14c,  sunny

I had to get out to do a little birding on this beautiful day.  I didn't see a lot of birds...Mallard, Canada Geese, Song Sparrows, Cardinal, Turkey Vultures, and a Tree Swallow. 

Song Sparrow

Turkey Vulture

This sparrow below was jumping around in the dead vegetation.  I couldn't get a good picture so I'm not sure what it is.  The first picture is the back/tail of the sparrow in the centre and the second picture is the face sideways.

The two dead pieces in the centre going right is where you can see the full side of the face .....with the eye in the middle.

Pussy Willows

Coltsfoot

A Pleasant Day

Gibbons Park, London, Ontario

sunny, 6c

I went out for a walk early this afternoon.  With the ice and rain we had this past weekend the river is high.  The path in Gibbons close to the river was covered with water.  

I saw a Great-Horned Owl, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Mallard, Canada Geese, Red-winged Blackbird, American Robin, Common Crow, Song Sparrow and Cardinal.

Looking at the trees, they are ready to burst any time.  It was a nice pleasant day for a change.

The owlets have left the nest.  There are a bunch of very high trees which the owlets are in somewhere.  There were other birders in the area and they found one owlet but I could not get my eye on it.  About 4 trees over, the Mom was sleeping.  The other birders found it earlier in the day and it was very nice that a couple of birders helped me find the Mom.  About 7 birders were there. 

Her eyes are closed.

I saw this American Goldfinch singing away.

Strolling in Greenway

Greenway Park and Woodland Cemetery, London, Ontario

Overcast,  9c,  Easterly winds

Most of the week was rain and cold.  I went for a walk this afternoon as the weekend sounds like its going to be rainy again.

As I was driving to Greenway, the traffic on Springbank Dr was backing up.  I was wondering why.  As the traffic slowly moved again, apparently a Wild Turkey was standing on the middle of the road.  Some people chase it to the side.  I hope it moved on away from the road.      

The part of Greenway where I was walking, I saw Mallard, Canada Geese, Cooper's Hawk, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackle, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Wren, Song Sparrow, and Common Crow.

Song Sparrow

American Robin

I left Greenway and went to Woodland Cemetery to see the deer.  I usually find them at the back of the cemetery in the old section. I finally found a small group of them. I think they were all females, didn't see any bucks. I counted 18.