Kilally Meadows, ESA

Evening with Nature London

The Kilally Meadows is located northeast London.  It's situated within the floodplain of the North Thames River and Meander Creek.  There are woods, meadows and wet swamps in the area.  Sycamores, Poplars, Elms and Willows trees grow along the river.  It's a very nice area.

I enjoyed watching a pair of Ospreys building their nest.  This Osprey platform is being used for the first time. 

Bringing in nesting material.

A couple of Merlins were flying around.  This Merlin is perched on a light standard at a baseball field next to the start of the trails.  

Adorable Owl

I thought I better go see the Great Horned Owls before the baby is gone from the nest.  The baby has stepped out of the nest which is just at the left.  It is so cute....all fluff.  The nest is in a Willow Tree.
The parents were in the tall pine/evergreen trees not too far away.  

The Coves

Here are some photos I took today.  I was up early, so starting out it was a little cool and cloudy but the sun finally came through by mid-morning.  A lot of singing birds.

Great Blue Heron

Northern Flicker

Carolina Wren

Hyde Park Walk

I didn't bother going out birding yesterday as it poured all day.  Today, a very nice day, 12c and sunny.

There was not much on the pond today.....4 Horned Grebes, and some Mallards.
I walked around the pond and a couple of Turkey Vultures were circling around, saw a Red-tailed Hawk and two Osprey with nesting material.  Along the walkway, I saw two butterflies and could not get my camera on them.  They were small and orange in colour.  I couldn't identify them.  Frustrating!   

Horned Grebe

This beautiful Eastern Phoebe landed for a few seconds.   

Eastern Phoebe

There were lots of Song Sparrows singing, Northern Cardinals, Red-winged Blackbirds, Robins, Killdeers and American Goldfinch.

Song Sparrow

I enjoyed watching the Tree Swallows flying around and landing on the dead tree catching bugs. 

Tree Swallow

It was a nice day for a walk...I saw in total 19 species of birds.

A Pleasant Day in the Coves

Finally, a nice sunny day.  It was 10c when I was out this morning but warmed up to be a very nice day.  I spent a couple of hours in the Coves today.  Nice sounds of Spring.  Lots of Song Sparrows, American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Common Grackles and of course, Canada Geese and Mallards.

I saw one Great Blue Heron.  I love taking photos of herons.

A lovely male Wood Duck.

This Black-capped Chickadee was working away at a hole.  I also saw Downy Woodpeckers working on holes, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers.

There were some birds I couldn't get photos....Eastern Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren, Osprey, Brown Creeper, and a flyover Double-crested Cormorant.

A few Spring flowers have started blooming.  Very pretty.

It was a good day seeing 26 species of birds!

The Coves

The Coves - London, Ontario

This past week, I've been out a few times.  Have not seen anything much to report.  Today, in the morning I decided to go to the Coves.  It was 14c at the time, partly cloudy and windy.  I didn't see any unusual birds.  There were many Song Sparrows singing, Northern Cardinals, American Robins and Carolina Wrens. 

Brown-headed Cowbird

I saw my first turtle...FOY.  A Midland Painted Turtle. 

Midland Painted Turtle

Carolina Wren

Song Sparrow

A Woolly Bear crawling along the pathway.

Woolly Bear

Greenway Park

I saw another turtle.  There were American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Canada Geese, Mallards, Mourning Dove and Turkey Vulture.

Hyde Park Drainage Pond

I saw my FOY Tree Swallows (2) in Hyde Park this afternoon.  It was 15c, overcast and still very windy. I also saw a Pied-billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, some Canada Geese, Mallards and a lone American Wigeon.

Starling and Tree Swallow

American Wigeon

Horned Grebe

Not a great photo of the Osprey.  It flew over carrying nesting material.

Strolling in Greenway Park

Greenway Park, London, Ontario

It was a cool morning (-2c) but sunny.  There is still snow on the ground from the weekend snowfall.  The birds were singing....Song Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, American Goldfinches, American Robins, Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays.

The river is high as the little island out in the Thames River was pretty much covered with water.  This is the area I usually see the Common Mergansers.  There were lots of Canada Geese and Mallards.  

There were Downy Woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

Lots and lots of American Robins.  There were a couple of flocks running along the edge of the walkway and on the small amount of grass that is not covered with snow.  There were at least 25 but probably more. 

There were two Killdeers.  They were at the edge of the road.

It was nice to see 3 Turkey Vultures.

I popped into Woodland Cemetery on the way home to check on the deer.  There were lots of deer there.