A Cold Week of Birding

I didn't get out birding as much as I usually do this week as it was so cold with the windchill feeling like -20.  My camera didn't like the cold.

Week of January 24 - I finally got a Snowy Owl for my Middlesex County list.  I have seen Snowy Owls a while ago in Elgin County.  It was enjoying the sun on its face as it was a really cold day.  I was on a highway so I stayed in the car and took the photos through the front windshield.

Springbank Park - A really cold day feeling like -16c.  I saw two groups of robins totaling 30 robins along the banks of the Thames.  Also some Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinals, and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.  I quit early that day.

Greenway - With the cold, the river is really icing over.  I saw the Bald Eagle in its usual perch high in the tree.  Some Hooded Merganser and Buffleheads.

Hooded Merganser

I saw a few Robins, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadees, a couple of Great Blue Herons, and lots of Canada Geese and Mallards along the edge of the river trying to keep warm.  

Downy Woodpecker

I didn't last very long today either as it was feeling like -18c.

Birding in London Parks

I got around to some London parks this past week.  A very cold week.  At Gibbons Park, there were the usual Canada Geese and Mallards.  I also saw some Hooded Mergansers swimming around and fishing.  They are fast little swimmers.

Hooded Mergansers

Other birds I saw were White-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinch, Blue Jays and 5 Robins, which is always nice to see.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Some scenes of Thames River.

Greenway Park - Lots of Canada Geese (over 200), Mallards (over 200) along the banks of the river, Bufflehead, Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Great Blue Heron, and some Black Ducks.

Black Duck to the right

This Bald Eagle was flying around and landed right above me!  Magnificent birds!

This poor thing (Great Blue Heron) is really tucked in to stay warm.  It was really cold, feeling like -19c.  

Yesterday, I went to Fanshawe CA to see what was around.  I walked to the dam.  The lake was frozen the one side but there was water below the dam where I saw the Common Goldeneyes, Canada Geese and Mallards.  Really cold!  I mainly watched the birds at the start of Tamarack Trail.  People leave bird seed there.  Lots of nice birds, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Tree Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and Downy Woodpeckers.  

At one of the parks, the Great Horned Owl just started nesting last week.

Birding - Some Frosty Days

I went to Greenway Park a few times this week.  Wednesday, January 12, it was -12c, feeling like -20c....really cold.  I saw some nice ducks along the river.  Lots of Canada Geese, Mallards, some Black Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Buffleheads and Common Goldeneyes.  Also, along the river were some Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatch, Cardinals and Blue Jays.

Common Goldeneye (female)

Then I came across 10 Great Blue Herons.  Eight resting at the north side of the river and two at the south side.  I just look down the river bank and there they were!   I've never seen so many at one time!

These two were just below from where I was standing.

Hooded Merganser

Common Merganser

Common Goldeneye (male)

Yesterday, January 15 was bitterly cold, -17c, feeling like -25c.  Again there were lots of Canada Geese, Mallards, some Buffleheads and Common Goldeneyes.

Muscovy Ducks -  there were 3 of them

Common Goldeneyes

I was watching the adult Bald Eagle and a juvenile came flying in and landed in the same tree.

Early January Birding

The Coves - January 1, 2022

I started the year at the Coves. It was overcast, 3c with no snow on the ground.  I saw a nice variety of birds.  Belted Kingfisher, Great Blue Herons, Blue Jays, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, Carolina Wren, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, and Hooded Mergansers.

Belted Kingfisher

Red-tailed Hawk

Great Blue Heron

The Coves - January 4, 2022

I went back to the Coves this morning.  It was a rare sunny day, with snow on the ground.  The birds were enjoying the sun as they were active on the trees.  Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadees, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Dark-eyed Juncos, and a Red-tailed Hawk.

House Finches

After the Coves, I checked out Greenway Park.  There were lots of Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Bufflehead, Canada Geese and Mallards.  A beautiful Bald Eagle was perched across the river.

Bald Eagle

Common Mergansers

Springbank Park - January 5, 2022

I didn't see many birds today.

Hooded Mergansers far away fishing

Gibbons Park - January 6, 2022

Today is a colder day, feels like -15c with light snow.  I didn't see much.  A lot of Canada Geese, Mallards, some Hooded Mergansers and Common Mergansers.  

Common Mergansers

Canada Geese resting