Places around London, June 2026

I went to the Coves yesterday.  Lots of Mallard families, two Great Blue Herons, Killdeers, Catbirds, Song Sparrows, Red-tailed Hawk, American Goldfinches, Eastern Warbling Vireos, Red-winged Blackbirds,  Northern Yellow Warblers to name a few.  I did not see any dragonflies and for butterflies a Little Wood Satyr and Cabbage Whites.

Great Blue Heron

Killdeer

Lots of Mallard families.

White-tailed Deer

Little Wood Satyr

Komoka North

Eastern Bluebird

Lots of Painted Turtles 

Common Milkweed starting to bloom

Here are some scenes from Medway Valley Heritage Forest ESA.  The Medway Creek was high and flowing fast.  The birds I saw or heard were Baltimore Orioles, Catbirds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Red-eyed Vireos, Northern Flicker. Eastern Wood Pewee, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings to name a few.  

Birding at Area Ponds

Last week, I went to some local areas. At Uplands Wetland, there were lots of birds moving this morning under overcast skies.  Along with the Canada Geese and Mallards, there were 3 Green-winged Teals.  Lots of American Robins, American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, a couple of Red-tailed Hawks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadees.  

Red-tailed Hawk

This Cooper's Hawk stopped by for a few seconds.  I managed to get a couple of photos before it took off.  

Cooper's Hawk

Green-winged Teal
 with a female Mallard to the right.

At Canterbury Park (November 4), a large migration of American Crows were flying over this morning.  I counted 360 Crows streaming westward.  They were quite high.  I stopped counting to continue birding as they were still flying overhead.  There were lots of Starlings in the trees mixed with American Robins and Blue Jays.  I also saw a flyover Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Canada Geese, Mallards, American Goldfinches and a American Tree Sparrow.

On November 6, I went to the Coves.  It was a cool start -2c but warmed up nicely to 9c.  Again, this morning. American Crows were streaming West which I counted up to 106.  As I was birding, the Crows were flying overhead in smaller groups.  I saw my first of the season 3 Hooded Mergansers which was nice. 

A large flock of Cedar Waxwings (35) were in the trees flying down to bushes to eat berries.     

The Hooded Mergansers (not a good photo) were at the opposite side under over-hanging branches. 

Mallards

November Birding

I have been doing some birding around the area this week.

November 18, 2019 - Westminster Ponds

It was an overcast day, high of 3c.  There were a few Canada Geese in the pond plus about 16 Hooded Mergansers.  They were in the distance.  I also saw a Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves (12), a Red-winged Blackbird and a Ring-billed Gull.  My photos are not so great as I'm having camera problems.  

Canada Geese

Hooded Mergansers

November 19, 2019 - The Coves

It was another overcast day, high of 6c.  The Coves were ice covered.  I saw a Great Blue Heron in the trees.  Below the heron was a little open water going into a stream.  That is where I saw the Wood Ducks and Mallards.  I walked over to the other Cove and saw some action in bushes along the side.  Black-capped Chickadees flew in and along came a Downy Woodpecker.  Also two Carolina Wrens were singing.  

Great Blue Heron

Wood Ducks

Carolina Wren

November 20, 2019 - Hyde Park

Not too much in the water as most of it was frozen but there was a little opening where I saw the Common Goldeneye.  There were Mallards and Canada Geese in the water and on the ice.  I went to the area where there are a lot of bushes with berries.  I saw Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinch, Tree Sparrows, a Song Sparrow and a Robin.  

Common Goldeneye top middle

Northern Cardinal

House Finch

November 23, 2019 - The Coves

It was quiet at first when I was walking along the path.  On the way back, I spotted two Northern Flickers, a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos with some American Goldfinch.  A Carolina Wren was singing and then saw some Black-capped Chickadees and Downy Woodpeckers.  

Mallards

Northern Flicker

Last Week of October Birding

I haven't seen any unusual birds lately.  I've been watching birds in their activity migrating.  Here is what I saw the last week of October.  I will list some birds I saw.  I hope this is not too boring to read.

Hyde Park - Saturday, October 26, 2019

Today was a cool day and sunny.  I went to the Hyde Park area to see what was around.  There were a couple of Great Blue Herons, Mallards, Canada Geese, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, American Robins and a couple of Turkey Vultures flew over.

Great Blue Heron

Ring-necked Duck

Pied-billed Grebe

American Robins and some young

The Coves - Monday, October 28, 2919

The day started off cool 2c but warmed up by noon and sunny, There was a flurry of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings along with Ruby-crowned Kinglets, American Goldfinch, and a Carolina Wren.
I went over the Greenway Park and saw Turkey Vultures, American Goldfinch, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, American Robins and Northern Cardinals.  As I was walking a White-tailed Deer came out of the bush followed by two more right in front of me.  

Hyde Park - Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Today was a beautiful day warming up to 13c but cloudy.  There was a movement of American Robins going through - flybys or landing in the trees.  There were for sure over 75...I lost count.  With the Robins there were also some Cedar Waxwings and Red-winged Blackbirds.  There was a big flock of Starlings in one tree.  At the pond, Canada Geese, Mallards, Great Blue Heron, Double-crested Cormorants, Ring-billed Gulls and a Pied-billed Grebe.  

There were some Blue Jays flying over, American Goldfinches and saw a White-breasted Nuthatch.

Hyde Park Pond

Hyde Park Drainage Pond and Trail

-3c, feels like -9c, NW wind 26 km, sunny.....cold

I went for a walk in Hyde Park this morning....with the wind, it was cold as the pond is out in the open.  The first bird I saw was one Bufflehead. 

There were 17 Mallards and a few Canada Geese.  One of the geese a possible Cackling Goose.  I also saw Common Crows and a Ring-billed Gull....did not see the Great Blue Heron.

Cackling Goose

Canada Goose and Cackling Goose

I took this photo below last week, November 8, 2018.