More Thames River Ducks

 Week of February 15-20, 2021, London, Ontario

Again this week I birded along the Thames River for more ducks.  Parts of the Thames is now frozen over.

Ruddy Duck - was sleeping most of the time.

Common Merganser (female)

Common Goldeneye (female)

White-winged Scoter - a rare duck for Middlesex County

Northern Shoveler

Redheads

Common Goldeneye (male) - diving

American Black Duck

A New Lifer - Spotted Towhee

 February 15, 2021

Spotted Towhee

There has been a Spotted Towhee spotted at a backyard feeder over the past few days in London, Ontario. 

I went this morning in hoping to see it.  When I got there, about 12 birders were there already.  It was in the woods at first and then flew to a spruce tree near the feeder.  The towhee was feeding on the deck and flying back and forth from the spruce tree.  

The spotted Towhee is common in brushy habitats in south British Columbia and Western to Central USA. 

Here are some of the photos I took.

Thames River Ducks

This past week (February 8-13), I spent most of my birding time along the Thames River.  We've had very cold, frigid temperatures feeling like -20c with some cloudy and sunny days.  There has been some interesting ducks seen at the Thames.  

Red-breasted Merganser  (female)

Two Common Mergansers, the female Red-breasted
 Merganser and a Canada Goose

Common Merganser  (male)

American Black Duck

Bufflehead

Through the week, ice has started to appear along the banks of the river for the first time this winter.

Herring Gull

Mass of Mallards and Canada Geese

Common Goldeneye

I find it a treat to see Redheads as we don't see them too often in London.

Redheads  (females)

Redhead  (male)

This is another duck we don't see too often.

Greater Scaup

Hooded Merganser  (female)

By the end of the week, the ice is moving further towards the centre of the river.

I've never seen this before, a Canada Goose eating fish.

Hooded Merganser  (male)

Redheads

Redheads

Bird Walks in London, Ontario

Well, winter has arrived.  It has been very cold, snowy and a windy week.  I went birding at some places in London this past week.

I was looking at a Mourning Dove in a tree and suddenly it flow off with 20 other Mourning Doves (which I didn't see) on the ground under bushes.   I then realized a Cooper's Hawk came flying in and landed in a tree above me.  

House Finch

I saw 4 Great Blue Herons on this day.

At Huron Street Woods, there was a Pied-billed Grebe reported recently.  I finally found it.

At Gibbons Park, mother Great Horned Owl is in her nest.  

Song Sparrow

Common Mergansers

A Red-tailed Hawk flew into a tree right in front of me for a few minutes and flew down to dead tree trunk.  It was looking around and suddenly flew to the ground under bushes and caught something.  

It stayed under the bush and ate his meal (I think it was a mole).

Common Mergansers

Saturday, February 6, I went to Greenway Park.  It was so cold with the wind (feels like -20c).  The Canada Geese and Mallards were mostly along the edge of the river or sleeping on the ice.  This is the first time during this mild winter that the Thames River is freezing over.

Common Goldeneye