Very Cold Days in January 2025

 January 30, 2025

All the ponds in the area are frozen right now.  The only open water is the Thames River.  I was out birding in temperatures that feel like -28c.  We had more snow too.   Here are some birds I saw the last few weeks.

Redhead

American Robin

Common Mergansers (females)

Bufflehead

Green-winged Teal

Red tailed Hawk

Bald Eagle (immature)

Bald Eagle

Common Goldeneyes

Great Blue Heron

First Week of September 2023 - Feeling more like Fall

 Week of September 3, 2023

I went to a few places....a pond out Wonderland Rd. South, Hyde Park and Uplands Wetland.  I'm not getting many shorebirds...hopefully this week.  Not many butterflies were seen.  The trees are starting to turn slightly.

At the pond south of Wonderland Rd, Double-crested Cormorants were swimming around, Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Cedar Waxwings, American Goldfinches, Song Sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees.  I did see one Monarch.

Killdeer

Green Heron

Great Blue Heron

Pied-billed Grebe

I popped into Springbank Park one morning and found a female Common Merganser on the rocks.  Also saw a few Yellow-rumped Warblers.  

Common Merganser

Yellow-rumped Warbler

At Upland Wetlands, there was a Great Egret and two Great Blue Herons.  The only shorebirds I've seen there recently are Killdeers.  The water level is high.  Other birds I saw were Belted Kingfisher, lots of Cedar Waxwings, Song Sparrows, American Goldfinches, House Finches, Common Yellowthroat, Mourning Doves, Mallards and Canada Geese.  I have seen more Turkey Vultures flying over lately.

Birding Going Into March

On February 27, 2023, I went to the Coves to see what was around.  It was a chilly morning and overcast.  I saw a total of 5 Great Blue Herons.  The photo below shows 3 of them. The other one was at other side of the tree to the right so could not get him in the photo but captured a photo of three of them together trying to keep warm.  

There are 2 local Red-tailed Hawks in the area.  They are a pair flying around and one landed in a tree above me.

There were lots of woodpeckers around - Downy Woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Also White-breasted Nuthatches, Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, Carolina Wren, House Finches, Song Sparrows and American Tree Sparrows.

It was a beautiful day March 2, 2023 at Greenway Park...sunny, high of 3c.  The Morning Doves were enjoying the warmth of the sun. 

The Redhead is still hanging around with the Mallards at Thames River.  There were lots of gulls - Ring-billed Gulls and one Herring Gull.  Common Mergansers were swimming and diving and Buffleheads.  

It's wonderful to hear Cardinals singing.

Sandpiper Surprise

I thought I would go to Greenway Park, November 23, 2022 for a walk along Thames River.  The weather was nice 7c and sunny.  A lot of Canada Geese and Mallards around. 

A very large Canada Goose

It was nice to see some Common Mergansers and Hooded Mergansers.  

Common Merganser

Hooded Mergansers

While looking at the ducks, I scanned the other side of the river along the bank.  I noticed something small moving and realized it was a Spotted Sandpiper.  I've never seen a Spotted Sandpiper this late in the season.  It was moving around and feeding like crazy.  I tried my best to take some photos along the river bank where the Spotted Sandpiper was moving along.  

Spotted Sandpiper

Not far from the Spotted Sandpiper, I saw something else.  It was a Wilson's Snipe!  I've never seen a Wilson's Snipe this late in the season.  They both blended very well with a background of leaves, branches and rocks.  I did get some photos but not great.

Wilson's Snipe

There was also a couple of Killdeers.

First Week of November 2022

I was out birding for a couple of days this past week.  The weather has been unseasonably warm with some fog several mornings. Greenway Park and Westminster Ponds were the places I visited.  I have been enjoying finding sparrows and finches - Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, House Finches, American Goldfinches and Purple Finches.  Also Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Hairy Woodpeckers.   There has been a steady migration of American Robins through the week.

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

Lots of Cedar Waxwings

Cedar Waxwings

Common Merganser - female

Double-crested Cormorant

Green-winged Teal

American Black Duck

White-breasted Nuthatch

Great Blue Heron

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Mourning Dove

Looking at the weather for next week, looks like another pleasant week for birding!

Some Recent Outings

I have been out birding but have not seen much.  I see the usual birds on my rounds in London.  Recently I was at the Thames River area to look for ducks.  I love seeing the winter ducks.  There were Hooded Mergansers and some Common Mergansers...lots of Mallards and Canada Geese.  I have not seen Common Goldeneyes yet.

Hooded Merganser (male)

Common Merganser (male)

Common Merganser (female)

Hooded Mergansers

These two Great Blue Herons were at the waters edge on the sunny side of the river trying to keep warm.