Some Pleasant Days Birding

This past week I was birding in the Hyde Park area, Springbank Park and Kilally Meadows.  There were a nice variety of birds.  In Hyde Park, I saw my FOY Eastern Kingbird.  Also Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Canada Geese with their goslings, Turkey Vultures, Killdeers, Field Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Yellow Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Common Yellowthroat, Catbirds, and Baltimore Orioles. 

I'm looking for butterflies and dragonflies too.  I've only seen Cabbage Whites and no dragonflies so far.

Green Heron

Eastern Kingbird

I was watching the Great Blue Heron for awhile.  The Red-winged Blackbirds were not happy with the heron around so the heron was being harassed.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Common Yellowthroat

There were some nice birds at Springbank Park.  Here is a Wood Duck having a sleep on a rock.  

Carolina Wren

Solitary Sandpiper

At Kilally Meadows there are a lot of Yellow Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Baltimore Orioles.  The Eastern Towhee was nice to see.  I heard it singing and found it in an open bush.  

Two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.

Saw my first Bullfrog of the season.

American Bullfrog

Local May Birding

I did some birding around London area this week....got a few first-of-year birds which is nice.

Grasshopper Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Eastern Meadowlark

The Northern Mockingbird is a rare bird for our region.

Northern Mockingbird

Baltimore Oriole

Killdeer

Birds I found in Springbank Park.

Least Sandpiper

I watched a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers.  They have a nest in a tree cavity...busy catching bugs for their young.

Great Crested Flycatcher

Hyde Park Area

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Yellow Warbler

Tree Swallow

Wild Flowers

 Some wild flowers I've seen recently in May.

Snake Shock

 May 5, 2023 

(If you don't like snakes close out of blog)

I accidentally came across this snake in an open field near a stream.  A Yellow Warbler was singing in a large bush and I was trying to get a photo of it.  It kept moving around so I tried to get closer.  It flew to another bush so I never got the photo.  As I turned around, I looked down and this snake was right beside me.  I couldn't believe the size of it.  It was in a defensive state with its neck spread out like a cobra so obviously I was getting really close to it.  I've never seen a snake like this before.  It's a Eastern Hognose Snake.  They are Species-at-Risk - Threatened.

I have not seen a snake for awhile not even a Garter Snake in my bird outings.