Last Week of February 2025

Last week did some birding Monday, February 24, 2025 at Greenway Park.  That's all the birding I did for the week as I was sick with a terrible cold.  Here are some of the ducks I saw.

Buffleheads

Green-winged Teal

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Goldeneye

I will be out birding again first week of March!

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

Mid-March Findings

This week, I saw more signs of Spring with a couple of warm days.  Song Sparrows, Cardinals and Red-winged Blackbirds were singing.  The snow is gradually melting but ponds still have a layer of ice.

Song Sparrow

 

I saw my first of year Turkey Vulture.

Also, first of year Tundra Swans.  I heard them first and saw two very long V formations and a smaller one fly over.  I estimated there were 115.  I love hearing them.  

American Crows have been vocal lately.

This one day, there were 4 Great Blue Herons together.

I've been visiting some ponds in Hyde Park, here is another Great Blue Heron.  

 

Bufflehead

I saw this Gadwall which was nice.  I don't see them very often.

The weather does not look good next week...showing rain almost every day.  Hopefully, I can get out birding a few times.

Some March Birding

Greenway Park, London, Ontario

Here are a few photos I took today.  Most of my photos were over-exposed.  It was a very sunny and bright day.  

I watched a Red-tailed Hawk hunting.

There were lots of Canada Geese and Mallards.  I saw two Buffleheads and 4 Common Mergansers.  

Bufflehead

Common Merganser  (male)

Downy Woodpecker

Findings at Greenway and Springbank Parks

Greenway Park, London, Ontario

I had to go out birding on this mild day.  The snow is melting into slush and a lot of water around.  It went to 6c and partly cloudy.  A lot of people were out for walks, taking their dogs for walks and joggers.
The first bird I saw was an immature bald eagle flying overhead.  There were lots of Canada Geese and Mallards.

I went to another area of the park where Common Goldeneyes, Buffleheads and Common Mergansers can be seen through all the branches and twigs.

Common Goldeneyes and Buffleheads

Common Goldeneyes

Common Goldeneye

Common Merganser  (female)

Common Mergansers

It was nice to see Robins (5).

White-breasted Nuthatch

I went to Springbank Park too.  Didn't take any photos.  I saw White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, Mallards and Canada Geese.

Milder Weather Birding

Springbank Park, London, Ontario

It was much milder today as the past week or so was frigid cold - 25c.  I went out this afternoon and it was 0c, windchill -6c, overcast with a brisk SW wind.  I was looking for the Wood Duck again as it was seen this morning and at noon.  I couldn't find it.

Lots of Canada Geese and Mallards around. 

Small groups of Bufflehead.

Bufflehead

This Herring Gull was standing right in the middle of the river not far from the Common Mergansers.  

Herring Gull

Common Merganser

There was a little flurry of Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals and one Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Dark-eyed Junco

Northern Cardinal (female)