New Year's Day Bird Walk 2019

New Year's Day Bird Walk (Nature London) - Greenway Park

It was -1 feeling like -7.  There was a NW wind so it was cold.  With the rain yesterday, we have no snow.  My first bird for 2019 is the Mallard.

We walked along the Thames River to see what we can find.  The river is very high and fast moving.  

What I saw: Muscovy Ducks (Domestic Type), Mallards, Mallards (Domestic Type), Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Blue Heron, Ring-billed Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinches, and Dark-eyed Juncos.

Great Blue Heron

Muscovy Duck (Domestic Type)

Muscovy Duck (Domestic Type)

Mallards

My Bird of the Year 2018

Today December 31, 2018 is around zero degrees and overcast with significant rainfall later in the day.  Last year at this time was really frigid cold.

I didn't see any rare birds this year.  I love owls.  So I think the Great Horned Owl will be my bird.  I don't see many owls.  For as long as I have been birding, there are lots of owls I have not seen.  Eastern Screech Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl, and the Northern Hawk Owl.  I've seen the Snowy Owl a few times through the years.  When I was in Florida in the '80s, I saw the Burrowing Owl and Barred Owl.

Here are photos of the Great Horned Owl I saw in March and April 2018.

I also want to mention the first time I have ever seen this insect - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.  I read about them and seen pictures of them but never seen one.  I just didn't see one but two this summer!

These photos were taken July 26, 2018 - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.

These photos were taken August 15, 2018 - Snowberry Hummingbird Clearwing.

Happy New Year!

The Coves ESA

The Coves, ESA, London, Ontario

I went for a walk in the Coves this morning.  It was -1c, feeling like -8c, and cloudy.  I saw Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers and White-breasted Nuthatches.  

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

It was really nice to see the Belted Kingfisher.  It was on a branch right beside the water.  After I took the second photo, it plunged head first right into the water.  Then it flew to the other side of the water and I lost sight of it.

Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Further down the water were Canada Geese and some Mallards.  This is the only open water I found.  Most of the cove sections are frozen.

Not too far from there, this Red-tailed Hawk was in the tree looking around.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

There were a few Cardinals around plus American Goldfinches.  I also saw a Bald Eagle flyover.

Northern Cardinal