Frigid Cold Days in January 2026

Frigid Cold - Most of January, we've had frigid, cold temperatures feeling like -25c, -27c.  We've had lots of snow, too.  I have been birding out in these temperatures, mainly along the Thames River.  

The last couple of days, I saw Redheads which are not common, Greater Scaups, not common and a female Harlequin Duck (rare).  I've seen lots of Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneyes and Bufflehead.  A Pied-billed Grebe has been hanging around for awhile.

Great Blue Herons

Pied-billed Grebe

Bald Eagle

Common Merganser (female)

Redhead

Gadwall 

Common Goldeneye

Greater Scaup

Harlequin Duck

More Birding at London Area Ponds

This week I checked out more ponds in the area.  This pond on Wonderland Rd S had 5 Canada Geese swimming around.  Along the edge of the pond, there were American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, and a Fox Sparrow...my first of the season. Someone had thrown seed on the pathway...the birds were enjoying it.  Also House Sparrows.

Fox Sparrow

Dark-eyed Junco

At Westminster Ponds, I saw a Pied-billed Grebe, American Coots, Mallards, Canada Geese and American Black Ducks.

The photo of the Pied-billed Grebe is a distant photo...not very clear.

American Coots

American Black Ducks

I also saw Dark-eyed Juncos, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, Great Blue Heron, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-tailed Hawk and a Ring-billed Gull.

Downy Woodpecker

At the Hyde Park ponds, I counted 148 Canada Geese, 42 Mallards, a Great-Blue Heron and one Gadwall.

Canada Geese

Gadwall

Great Blue Heron

Northern Flicker

A far away shot of the Belted Kingfisher.

Belted Kingfisher