Aylmer Wildlife Management Area - March 18, 2025

It is always nice to visit Aylmer for the Tundra Swan migration in March. I figured there were around 650 Tundra Swans resting and flying in.  There were some Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Mergansers, and Hooded Mergansers.  

I walked the path in the area.  Lots of birds around and singing, Black-capped Chickadees, Song Sparrows, American Robins, American Tree Sparrows. Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, Red winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Mourning Doves, Downy Woodpecker, Killdeers and American Goldfinches. 

American Tree Sparrow

Today, a very nice warm day.  I saw my FOY Midland Painted Turtle.

Aylmer Wildlife Management Area - March 22, 2023

It was an overcast day with a temperature about 7c.  I figured there was about 1,500 Tundra Swans at the ponds (adults and immatures), and lots of Canada Geese.  At the back of the ponds, there were Mallards, Hooded Mergansers and a Great Blue Heron. There were other duck species but too far away to ID.  

The Ross's Goose is similar to the Snow Goose but has a more rounded head and a stubby bill.  They breed in Arctic Canada, Baffin Island and west of Hudson Bay.  Ross's Geese migrate central North America to south USA and Mexico.  They are rare in Ontario.

Ross's Goose

I saw some other birds while I was at Aylmer - Great Blue Heron, Killdeers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, Downy Woodpecker, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, Common Grackles, American Robins and House Sparrow.  I saw one House Sparrow carrying nesting material.

Aylmer Wildlife Management Area - 2022

March 21, 2022 - It was a beautiful sunny day to go see the migrating Tundra Swans today.  The rest of the week calls for rain/snow.  The count for the day was 852.  There were also Canada Geese, Mallards, Ring-necked ducks, and Ruddy ducks.  Other birds I saw White-throated Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, American Robins and Mourning Doves.  It's always so nice to see the Swans and I love hearing them.

Birding at Kains Wood's ESA Area

March 9, 2021

Today was a beautiful day.  This morning it was 5c and sunny.  I decided to go to Kains Woods ESA.  I have not been there for awhile.

I didn't go into the woods area.  I stayed at the edge with lots of sky, to see what was flying around.  Some walkways and paths are still icy and snow packed.

It was so nice to see some Tundra Swans.  I also saw a Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, Cooper's Hawk and Bald Eagles (1 adult and 3 immatures).

The Bald Eagles were flying together circling around.

Other birds I saw were Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Tree Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Cardinals, Downy Woodpeckers, Mourning Doves, American Crows and a flyover Killdeer.  There was a nice variety of birds around the edge of the woods.

Tree Sparrow

Tundra Swan Migration - 2019

Aylmer Wildlife Management Area          0c, sunny, NW winds..35km gust 

I went to the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area today to view the Tundra Swans on their journey to the high Arctic.  The count was approx. 750 swans and Canada Geese mixed in too.  There was some open water and also ice.  Here are some of the photos I took.

I also saw Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Juncos, Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, a Ring-billed Gull and a Tree Sparrow.

Tundra Swan Migration - 2018

Aylmer Wildlife Management Area     -4c, cold, strong NW winds, cloudy

I went to the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area today to view the Tundra Swans.  It's NE of the town of Aylmer in Elgin County.  There were approx. 1,100 swans.  I also saw Canada Geese and Mallards.  The swans fly in to refuel on their migration to the high Arctic.

Feeding on corn

I'm wondering if this is a Cackling Goose.  I've never seen one. 

I also saw Blue Jays, Tree Sparrow, Killdeers, Common Grackles, 
Mourning Dove, and Robins.