Recent Mid-November Birding 2004

Today (Nov 18), I saw my first Hooded Mergansers of the season at the Coves.  There were 3 of them together. I heard a Carolina Wren singing, saw some Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-breasted Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and American Tree Sparrows.

This Hooded Merganser was really motoring along....cute little ducks.

Downy Woodpecker

At Greenway Park, there were 3 Greater Yellowlegs.  This is the latest date (November 18) I have ever seen Greater Yellowlegs.  Actually, I've never seen one for the month of November.  I counted 6 Great Blue Herons...some were in the trees and others at the other end too far away for photos.

November 19 at Springbank Park, the Thames River is low right now so lots of rocks for the birds to stand on.  Ring-billed Gulls below.  

I counted over 200 Mallards. 

A  Cooper's Hawk across the river

Mid November Birding - 2024

Last week, I went to Westminster Ponds to check things out.  It was a sunny day but strong cold north winds.  There was not much in the water, found about 20 Buffleheads, a Pied-billed Grebe and Canada Geese.  Walking a trail, I saw Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, American Tree Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Northern Cardinal and one Red-winged Blackbird.

Bufflehead

Bufflehead

Pied-billed Grebe

November 13, I went to Fanshawe Lake and Fanshawe CA.  Again, very cold strong winds coming from the East.  

At Fanshawe Lake, there were about 250 Ring-billed Gulls.  I could not find a different gull in there.

Ring-billed Gulls

At Fanshawe CA, found one American Coot and about 8 Pied-billed Grebes.  

American Coot

Pied-billed Grebe

At Fanshawe Dam, there were Common Mergansers, lots of Mallards, Canada Geese, couple of American Black Ducks and Green-winged Teals. 

Common Merganser

 

We had overcast skies at the end of the week.  In Hyde Park, a lot of Canada Geese.  I counted about 270 Geese in one pond and about 80 Mallards.  Could not find any different ducks in the group.   

Red-tailed Hawk

West London Birding - November 2024

Last week, I went to Komoka North.  It was a little cooler, overcast with a strong west wind.  There were lots of Canada Geese, with a couple of Pied-billed Grebes, some Gadwalls, Ruddy Ducks and Green winged Teals.  The four Mute Swans were around.  It was really nice to see an Eastern Bluebird, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, American Goldfinches, American Tree Sparrows, and a few American Robins.

Ruddy Ducks

Canada Geese

Mute Swans

Eastern Bluebird

At Hyde Park, it was a warm day, part cloud, 16c-19c.  Unbelivable weather for November.  There was even Clouded Sulphurs flying around.

I saw a nice flyover of a group of Canada Geese, some Mallards, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinal, American Tree Sparrows, American Robins, and Blue Jays.

American Tree Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Yesterday at the Coves, I didn't get any photos of birds but there were three White-tailed Deer around which was very nice to see.

Mild First Week of November 2024

Westminster Ponds

For the first week of November, the weather has been mild with some sunny days and some overcast days.  

Red-bellied Woodpecker

American Goldfinch

Trees across Saunders Pond

Uplands North Wetland

There were 16 Green-winged Teal together in the pond which was nice.

Green-winged Teal

The Coves 

I was watching lots of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings in the berry bushes flying from bush to bush. I looked up and there was a Cooper's Hawk in a tree watching.  There were a lot of American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, White throated Sparrows, Golden crowned Kinglets in the Goldenrods feeding on the seeds.  I also saw a Yellow-rumped Warbler and four Eastern Bluebirds.  

At Greenway Park. I saw the usual Canada Geese and Mallards, a couple of Killdeers, a Great Blue Heron and a Bald Eagle far up in a tree.

Bald Eagle