March into April Findings

 End of March into April 2021

I have been birding around London trying to find some new migrants.  Now, one starts to find some birds building nests or finding suitable areas to build a nest.  

I found this Canada Goose on the bank of the Thames River on her nest.

The Black-capped Chickadees were doing some house cleaning in a hole of the tree branch.  The pair were taking turns going in and out of the hole.

Song Sparrow

The Ospreys are returning and at this particular Ospreys nest it was occupied by a Canada Goose high in the light standard of a baseball diamond.

A Red-tailed Hawk is flying with nesting material.

American Robin

Dark-eyed Junco

Cooper's Hawk

I am starting to find plants and flowers now.  So I will be concentrating on plants along with finding birds. 

Common Snowdrop

Mayapple

A Pleasant Day in the Coves

Finally, a nice sunny day.  It was 10c when I was out this morning but warmed up to be a very nice day.  I spent a couple of hours in the Coves today.  Nice sounds of Spring.  Lots of Song Sparrows, American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and Common Grackles and of course, Canada Geese and Mallards.

I saw one Great Blue Heron.  I love taking photos of herons.

A lovely male Wood Duck.

This Black-capped Chickadee was working away at a hole.  I also saw Downy Woodpeckers working on holes, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers.

There were some birds I couldn't get photos....Eastern Phoebe, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Carolina Wren, Osprey, Brown Creeper, and a flyover Double-crested Cormorant.

A few Spring flowers have started blooming.  Very pretty.

It was a good day seeing 26 species of birds!

Happenings Last Week - January 23 & 24 and Today January 28

Springbank Park - London, Ontario

It's a bitterly cold day today, windchill -26c, cloudy with light snow.
I didn't stay out birding too long.....not many birds to be seen.  An immature Bald Eagle flew by, there were Mallards, Canada Geese, a Common Merganser and a Common Goldeneye.  I was looking for the drake Wood Duck and still could not find it.  This is my fourth attempt.  I didn't take any photos today.     

Last Week
Springbank Park - Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Today it was pouring rain.  Looking for a drake Wood Duck with no luck.

Springbank Park - Thursday, January 24, 2019

Greenway Park - Thursday, January 24, 2019 

There were a lot of Common Goldeneyes.  I was trying to take photos of them through branches, etc.  

Springbank Action

Springbank Park, London, Ontario

I thought I would go to Springbank on this chilly morning to see what I can find.  First, I spotted this Red-tailed Hawk.  After a few minutes, it flew to the opposite side of the parking lot.  This is when I noticed it had something in his talons.  I thought it looked like a squirrel...a really big squirrel as I just saw the tail at that point.
I got closer to the hawk again and couldn't figure out what he had.  I realized then it's way to big for a squirrel.  Looking closer....it was a skunk!

Lots of Canada Geese and Mallards.  Also, there were Hooded Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes.

Hooded Mergansers

There were a nice variety of birds today.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

White-breasted Nuthatch

Downy Woodpecker

Dark-eyed Junco and Northern Cardinal

Chilly Morning

Springbank Park - Dam

When I started out this morning it was 2c, sunny.  I walked at the dam area in Springbank.  It was quiet.  I heard the kingfisher first and found him fishing. There were Mallards, Black-capped Chickadees, robins, and cardinals.

Belted Kingfisher (male)

Red-winged Blackbird

Black-capped Chickadee

The Hyde Park Drainage Pond

There were roughly 150 Canada Geese in the pond today.

Great Blue Heron

House Finch

Cardinal

American Goldfinch