Birding in the Spring - Migration is Fun

This year I am enjoying spring migration in a very different way from last year.  This year I can enjoy the warblers without the stress of missing one for my Big Year.  I can also concentrate on getting photos of birds I didn't get last year, such as the Golden-winged Warbler,(which I heard only), and the Canada Warbler, which I saw on three occasions, but didn't get even an out of focus photo of.

Since my New York trip for the Ruff I have birded around Toronto, at Colonel Sam Smith Park, James Gardens and the Leslie Street Spit, where I found an Eared Grebe.  I have also been up before sunset twice this week, going to Rondeau Provincial Park and Longpoint Provincial Park.   In Rondeau I got my first look at a Golden-winged Warbler, but no photo, and  added a Hooded Warbler to my Ontario Life List.  Out at Long Point I was able to get photos of a rare for Ontario Harris's Sparrow, and enjoyed rounding up other birders in the area to come see him.

Locally I have even got photos of a Swamp Sparrow, Chimney Swifts and a Blackburnian Warbler, none of which I had a good photograph of last year.  And in our own backyard pond, a Mallard.  

Hooded Warbler in Rondeau PP - Species 240 for my Ontario Life List

 Harris's Sparrow in Long Point PP

 Mallard in my "duck" pond

 Swamp Sparrow at Tommy Thompson Park Wet Woods

 Blue-headed Vireo, seen near the Hooded Warbler in Rondeau PP

 Yellow-throated Warbler at the cottage on Lakeshore Drive in Rondeau PP

My first look at a baby Killdeer in Long Point

Chimney Swift at the Plant World Chimney

 Blackburnian Warbler at James Gardens - 211 for my "small" year, not that I'm counting