My Bird of the Year 2018

Today December 31, 2018 is around zero degrees and overcast with significant rainfall later in the day.  Last year at this time was really frigid cold.

I didn't see any rare birds this year.  I love owls.  So I think the Great Horned Owl will be my bird.  I don't see many owls.  For as long as I have been birding, there are lots of owls I have not seen.  Eastern Screech Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, and the Northern Hawk Owl.  I've seen the Snowy Owl a few times through the years.  When I was in Florida in the '80s, I saw the Burrowing Owl and Barred Owl.

Here are photos of the Great Horned Owl I saw in March and April 2018.

I also want to mention the first time I have ever seen this insect - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.  I read about them and seen pictures of them but never seen one.  I just didn't see one but two this summer!

These photos were taken July 26, 2018 - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.

These photos were taken August 15, 2018 - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.

Happy New Year!

The Coves ESA

The Coves, ESA, London, Ontario

I went for a walk in the Coves this morning.  It was -1c, feeling like -8c, and cloudy.  I saw Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatches.  

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

It was really nice to see the Belted Kingfisher.  It was on a branch right beside the water.  After I took the second photo, it plunged head first right into the water.  Then it flew to the other side of the water and I lost sight of it.

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Further down the water were Canada Geese and some Mallards.  This is the only open water I found.  Most of the cove sections are frozen.

Not too far from there, this Red-tailed Hawk was in the tree looking around.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

There were a few Cardinals around plus American Goldfinches.  I also saw a Bald Eagle flyover.

Northern Cardinal

Some Boxing Day Birding

Greenway Park, London, Ontario

I went to Greenway Park this morning to see what I can find.  It's been a couple of days since I've been out birding.  At the start, light snow was falling.  It was cloudy, -1c.  There were Common Mergansers, Buffleheads, lots of Mallards and Canada Geese.  

Common Merganser

Common Merganser

I never get tired of American Robins (8) especially seeing them in December.

This immature Double-crested Cormorant was at the edge of the river.

I also saw a Great-Blue Heron, Common Crows, Cardinals and Ring-billed Gulls.

Bufflehead

There was a nice flurry of  Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinches, and White-breasted Nuthatches.

American Goldfinch

Dark-eyed Junco

Black-capped Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

I enjoyed hearing the Carolina Wren singing away.

Carolina Wren

London CBC 2018 - The Coves ESA

The Coves ESA, London, Ontario

Saturday, December 15, 2018 was the London Christmas Bird Count 2018.  It was 5c and overcast...no sun.  There was no snow.  Where we were walking the ground was soft and muddy at times.

We started at Euston Park.  Euston Park is found south of the Cove ponds between Emery St, and Wharncliffe Rd. S  The woods west end of the park is part of the Coves ESA.  Silver Creek flows north through those woods to the Coves.

At the start, we saw American Goldfinches, White-breasted Nuthatches, one American Robin, and Northern Cardinals.  There were a lot of Dark-eyed Juncos (24), American Goldfinches (19), Northern Cardinals (24), Blue Jay (1), and Common Crows (3),  

We walked around all the Cove sections.  We had a lot of woodpeckers species, Red-bellied Woodpecker (3), Downy Woodpecker (12) and Hairy Woodpecker (1).           

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

We got both Nuthatches, Red-breasted Nuthatch (3) and White-breasted Nuthatch (3) and Black-capped Chickadees (15), and heard (1) Carolina Wren.   

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

We saw 3 Brown Creepers.  I love Brown Creepers...they are cute little birds.  I don't see them often.  I tried to get a good photo of the Brown Creeper but ended up with a photo of a tree truck.  

The hawks were out hunting.  This Red-tailed Hawk went flying down for his prey and flew up to another nearby tree with a mouse.  We saw 3 Red-tailed Hawks in total.

Most of the Coves were frozen but there were some small open water and moving streams.  That's where we saw 4 Great Blue Herons.  Also around the reeds, there were Song Sparrows (9), Swamp Sparrows (5), and Mallards (46).

Great-Blue Heron

There was a field of Canada Geese (105), lots of Mourning Doves (28) and Rock Doves (29).  We saw one Herring Gull and one Ring-billed Gull fly overhead.  Also saw or heard House Sparrows (15).

So a total of 29 species were found but I only saw 25 species.  I missed the Cooper's Hawk and Winter Wren.  After we were done for the day, a couple of birders saw a Merlin and a Starling.

So we were out birding for 5 hours.  It was a fun day.

Short Stop at Hyde Park

Hyde Park Drainage Pond, London, Ontario - December 14, 2018

With rain earlier this morning and milder temperatures, we've lost most of the snow.  It was 5c, partly cloudy. 
I briefly stopped at Hyde Park this afternoon.  This Red-tailed Hawk was quite comfortable looking around.

These Ring-billed Gulls were standing right in the middle of the pond on thin ice. 

Springbank Park Walk

Springbank Park, London, Ontario      

I decided to go to Springbank Park this morning.  It wasn't too cold, -2c and cloudy.  It started out slow.  I saw Mallards, lots of Canada Geese, a Blue Jay and a couple of House Sparrows.  I heard a Belted Kingfisher..... spotted it going into the tree but lost it for a photo.
Walking along the river there were Common Goldeneyes and Hooded Mergansers.  As I was looking down the bank, I spotted a Great Blue Heron. 

Hooded Mergansers

Hooded Merganser  (female)

Hooded Merganser

Common Goldeneye

I also saw Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Great Blue Heron

Greenway Park

December 3, 2018 - Greenway Park, London, Ontario

I walked several areas in Greenway Park to see what I can find.  It was 1c, damp, cold and overcast.  It was quiet.  I saw some Mallards, Common Crow, Red-tailed Hawk and Cardinal.

Walking along the Thames, there were 3 Common Mergansers (2 males and 1 female), and a Great Blue Heron flew by over the water.

Common Merganser (male)

I heard a Carolina Wren and a White-breasted Nuthatch.  There was a patch of weeds, etc. where I saw the American Goldfinches and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Dark-eyed Junco

American Goldfinch

A flock of American Goldfinches.