Birding - Week of January 20-24, 2020

Tuesday, January 21, 2020 - Fanshawe CA, London, Ontario

I decided to go to Fanshawe this morning to see if I can find the Chipping Sparrow.  Watching the birds feeding at the entrance of Tamarack Trail, there were lots of Northern Cardinals, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, White-throated Sparrows, and Mourning Doves.  I did finally see the Chipping Sparrow.  It was nice.

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Cardinal

White-throated Sparrow

Northern Cardinal and Chipping Sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

White-throated Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

I went to the Dam to see what was in the water.  The one side the water was frozen.   The other side was open water.  All I saw was Canada Geese.  I scanned around the edges looking for ducks and found a busy Muskrat...swimming around and eating.
 

Wednesday, January 22, 2020 - The Coves

It was quiet at the Coves this morning.  The water is frozen again.  I saw Downy Woodpeckers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Tree Sparrows, heard Carolina Wrens, Northern Cardinals and the Red-tailed Hawk.

Thursday, January 23, 2020 - Greenway Park

There were a few ducks in the Thames River today.  Lots of Canada Geese, Mallards, some Common Mergansers, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneyes.  Along the edge of the river, the Red-bellied Woodpeckers were active, Downy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jays, heard a Carolina Wren and an American Robin.  

Bufflehead

Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Mallards and Canada Geese

 

Common Goldeneyes

 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-tailed Hawk

Water Overflow - The Coves

Wednesday, January 15, 2020 - The Coves, London, Ontario

Flooding is still an issue mid-week from the heavy rainfall Saturday, January 11.  
The one cove, I was only able to walk around less than half the cove as a lot of water overflowed right over the trail to the other side.  The trails were quite muddy too.  The coves were free from ice.  

Great Blue Heron

I heard Northern Cardinals singing and a Carolina Wren.  The Red-tailed Hawk was around, Downy Woodpeckers, Dark-eyed Juncos and American Crows.

Canada Geese

Mallards

This section of the cove where there are reeds was full of water.  Usually there is just a little stream of water going through and the rest of the area is covered with thick reeds. 

I saw this Bald Eagle right in the middle of the water.  Probably standing on a rock or large log.  I didn't want to get too close, so I tried taking photos through branches and twigs.  

Flooding in London, Ontario

January 13, 2020 - Greenway Park, London, Ontario

We had heavy rainfall in Southwestern Ontario this past weekend.  In the London area, we had 56.6mm of rainfall which broke the record of 33.2mm back in 1980. 

I went for a walk this morning and took some photos of the Thames River.  The water levels are very high and fast moving.   Some trees have been knocked down along the river bank.

Common Mergansers

Red-tailed Hawk

January 8, 2020 - The Coves

I went for a walk at the Coves in the morning.  It was very quiet.  I didn't see too many birds.  At one Cove, I noticed sparrows across the marsh area flying around.  I was trying to identify the sparrows with my bins.  They would fly, go down into the reeds so it was difficult to identify.  I did see Song Sparrows and possible Tree Sparrows.  I was looking to the left and put my bins down and right in front of me was a Red-tailed Hawk.  I didn't even notice it.  It was right there starring at me.....15 minutes has past as I was taking photos of it.  

 

Then it flew to a tree just right of me...a little higher looking down at me.  It was watching and listening for any movement below in the reeds.  I decided to leave, the hawk still sitting in the tree looking around.