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.

Thames River and The Coves

I have been out and about.  I haven't seen too much.  Here are some places I went to through the week.

October 12, 2019 - The Coves, London, Ontario

Saturday, October 12, 2019 was a very windy day.  Strong SW winds, high of 10c.  It was a quiet day for birds but enjoying the Fall colours.

Double-crested Cormorant

Great Blue Heron

Eastern Phoebe

I saw a couple of Clouded Sulphurs low in the grass because of the strong wind.

October 15, 2019  Springbank Park, London, Ontario

I haven't been to Springbank Park for awhile.  I wanted to see the tree colours along Thames River. 

October 18, 2019 - The Coves, London, Ontario

After a couple of days of rain, I went to the Coves.  It was cool but sunny.  I saw a flurry of sparrows, robins and cedar waxwings. I also saw Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadees, Mallards and Canada Geese.  

Song Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow-rumped Warbler

White-throated Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow

This chipmunk has its cheeks full.

Some Fall birding

London - The Coves - Tuesday, October 8, 2019

I decided to go to the Coves this morning.  It started off cool but warmed up later.  There were lots of robins flying back and forth and chasing each other. Then I started to see more birds around and there was a nice flurry of birds amongst the robins.  I was standing on the path and the birds were everywhere.  There were Ruby-crowned Kinglets, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings (immatures), Downy Woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers (3), and Northern Cardinals.  I managed to see an Eastern Phoebe and Swainson's Thrush.

The trees are really nice in the coves right now.  

White-throated Sparrow

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Phoebe

Song Sparrow

Cedar Waxwing

Swainson's Thrush

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I also saw Turkey Vultures, Ring-billed Gulls, Blue Jays, Northern Flickers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Mallards and Canada Geese.  In the flurry of birds I probably missed some as they were very active in the trees.

Thursday, October 10, 2019 - Westminster Ponds, London

Today was a different story.  I had a hard time finding birds.  It was quiet.

American Robin

Red-winged Blackbird

Downy Woodpecker

I'm not sure if this thrush is a Swainson's or Gray-cheeked. 

Walker's Pond

Marveling the Bog

Sifton Bog ESA

Tuesday, May 14, I decided to go to the bog...haven't been there for awhile.  The first warbler I saw was my favourite - Black-throated Blue Warbler.  It was working on a downed tree. 

The first small pond had some Mallards and Canada Geese with goslings.  There were some turtles sunning. 

White-breasted Nuthatch

At the bog pond there were a nice group of warblers bouncing around. I also saw Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Red-bellied Woodpecker,  Catbirds, Wood Duck, Song Sparrows, Northern Flicker, and heard a Warbling Vireo.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Black-and-White Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

The other warblers I saw were American Redstart, Yellow Warblers, and Palm Warbler.

The deciduous swamp has a lot of water. This is the most water I've seen for awhile.  It usually dries up in the summer months.

More turtles!

Painted Turtles