Year 2019

Today December 31, 2019, we actually got snow through the night.  This is more like winter but I see it's not going to last very long as rain is in the forecast for the end of the week.

I only got one new bird this year...Trumpeter Swan.  I tried for 3 other birds but I couldn't locate them (Evening Grosbeak, Sedge Wren and Summer Tanager).

I got a couple of Butterfly lifers which was nice.

Eastern Coma

Question Mark

Good Birding 2020

Springbank Park Dam Area

Springbank Park, London, Ontario - (Still having camera problems)

I thought I would walk around the Dam area today.  It was cold -7c, feeling like -16c with snow on the ground.  First off, a Bald Eagle came flying over.  It flew around for a bit before drifting off.  That was nice to see!

In the bushes along the river, there were Northern Cardinals, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos.  I enjoyed watching them for awhile.  

Amongst the hundreds of Mallards, I saw this strange looking Mallard.  

Black Duck

 

Mourning Dove

A Stroll Along Thamas River.

Greenway Park, London, Ontario

I have not posted much lately as I haven't seen too much.  Today was a nice day for a walk along Thames River. 

There were lots of Canada Geese and Mallards in the river or on the grass.  I saw 2 Great Blue Herons which was nice.   There were also a few Ring-billed Gulls flying around.

Common Merganser

The 2 Great Blue Herons were at the other side of the river along the bank.

I counted 7 Hooded Mergansers and 7 Common Mergansers.

Hooded Mergansers

Hooded Mergansers

I also saw a little flock of Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees and a couple of Northern Cardinals.

Great Blue Heron

Active Mergansers

November 30, 2019 - The Coves, London, Ontario

I did some birding Saturday, November 30 in The Coves.  It was quiet.  I saw some Canada Geese, Mallards, and a Northern Cardinal.  
At the other Cove, there were about 14 Hooded Mergansers swimming and diving around actively.  When I looked at the photos at home, I noticed I got 2 Mergansers with fish.  

 

November Birding

I have been doing some birding around the area this week.

November 18, 2019 - Westminster Ponds

It was an overcast day, high of 3c.  There were a few Canada Geese in the pond plus about 16 Hooded Mergansers.  They were in the distance.  I also saw a Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves (12), a Red-winged Blackbird and a Ring-billed Gull.  My photos are not so great as I'm having camera problems.  

Canada Geese

Hooded Mergansers

November 19, 2019 - The Coves

It was another overcast day, high of 6c.  The Coves were ice covered.  I saw a Great Blue Heron in the trees.  Below the heron was a little open water going into a stream.  That is where I saw the Wood Ducks and Mallards.  I walked over to the other Cove and saw some action in bushes along the side.  Black-capped Chickadees flew in and along came a Downy Woodpecker.  Also two Carolina Wrens were singing.  

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

Carolina Wren

November 20, 2019 - Hyde Park

Not too much in the water as most of it was frozen but there was a little opening where I saw the Common Goldeneye.  There were Mallards and Canada Geese in the water and on the ice.  I went to the area where there are a lot of bushes with berries.  I saw Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinch, Tree Sparrows, a Song Sparrow and a Robin.  

Common Goldeneye top middle

Northern Cardinal

House Finch

November 23, 2019 - The Coves

It was quiet at first when I was walking along the path.  On the way back, I spotted two Northern Flickers, a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos with some American Goldfinch.  A Carolina Wren was singing and then saw some Black-capped Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers.  

Mallards

Northern Flicker

Cold Robins

November 14, 2019 - The Coves, London, Ontario

It was an overcast day today with light snow.  I walked along the Coves to see what's around.  There were lots of Cedar Waxwings in the trees and Dark-eyed Juncos flying bush to bush.  There were some Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, a Fox Sparrow, a Red-tailed Hawk and a Great Blue Heron.  The water is frozen.  The Great Blue Heron was flying low over the iced water. 

At the other Cove, it is now frozen with some small open water.  That's where I saw a large flock of American Robins in the trees and flying down to the small open water, drinking and bathing.  Some Cedar Waxwings, Dark-eyed Juncos and Northern Cardinals joined them.  

Here are some photos I took of the American Robins today.

Some November Birding

I'm having problems with my camera (Canon SX50 HS PowerShot) right now.  The viewfinder got all scratched up.  So when I look through the viewfinder, it's blurry and I can't tell if the bird is in focus or not.

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November 6, 2019 - Hyde Park, London, Ontario

I decided to go to Hyde Park to see what was around.  It was a cool, partly cloudy day.  I saw a nice variety of birds.  There were large flocks of American Goldfinches feeding on the goldenrods.  In some bushes near by, I saw House Finches, Song Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and some Tree Sparrows.  

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

American Robin

Dark-eyed Junco

House Finches

Lots of American Goldfinches.

November 9, 2019 - The Coves, London, Ontario

In the last few days we've had snow and it's cold enough to stay on the ground.  
The trees no longer have leaves but small bushes and shrubs still have some leaves.  At the one Cove, the water is frozen.  Along the path large flocks of Cedar Waxwings were flying tree to tree.  A little further the American Robins were flying over and landing on the banks of the Coves looking under leaves for something to eat.  

 A Red-tailed Hawk was high up in a tree looking around.

At the other Cove, the water was open.  I first saw a Great Blue Heron along the edge. 

Further down, I spotted some Hooded Mergansers.  

Amongst the Mallards, I found a Common Goldeneye.