My continuing adventure to see all the birds. Check out my 2012 Big Year at my2012bigyear.blogspot.com
Saturday, 27 December 2014
American Three-toed Woodpecker
I took the day, yesterday, to drive to Ottawa, then across the river into Gatineau, Quebec on the news that a close cousin of the Black-backed Woodpecker had been seen in the wooded areas of a residential neighbourhood, that borders on a Golf Course. I had missed this bird previously in Alaska and north of Timmins, Ontario. Of course, I had to hope for better luck, as last week I had crossed the border into the US looking for Barnacle and Pink-footed Goose, and had come up with the preverbial Goose Egg. This time, however, after an hour or so of searching, with the help of local birders Ken and Richard, I did find the target bird and notched my 555th bird of the year and species #633 for my ABA Life List, in just a week shy of three obsessive years of being a Birder.
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Another Rare Bunting
I returned home from California to discover another misplaced Bunting, in this case, a Painted Bunting that seems to be taking the long way around to its wintering grounds in Florida. # 292 on my Ontario Life List over my 3 years of birding
Painted Bunting visiting a backyard feeder in Oakville, Ontario
Some of the Other California Birds
I had hoped to finally see a California Condor on this, my second attempt. First was in Pinnacles National Monument in 2012 and this time at Big Sur. However, over the course of four days I did count 103 species, including the Rustic Bunting and 4 other ABA Lifers: Tricolored Blackbird, Cassin's Auklet, Black-vented Shearwater and the Island Scrub Jay on Santa Cruz Island.
Black Turnstone
The deliciously named Cinnamon Teal
Bathing Common Loon
Brandt's Cormorant and Frined
Winter Whimbrel
Snow Geese at the Salton Sea, just a handfull of the thousands present
Anna's Hummingbird, California Towhee and Western Scrub Jay
at the Orcott Ranch Horticultural Park
Common Raven and Island Scrub Jay on Santa Cruz Island
Nuttle's Woodpecker at the Orcott Ranch
Winter Pacific Loon vs Western Gull
Sandhill Cranes at Dusk at the Sulton Sea
Say's Phoebe greeting visitors
Townsend's Warbler
White-faced Ibis at the Salton Sea
Thursday, 18 December 2014
A Rustic Bunting in California
It was fortuitous that we were heading to San Diego for the Winter Meetings this year, as way up the coast, a Rustic Bunting appeared in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Rustic Buntings are usually only seen in the furthest northern regions of Alaska, so until I can book a trip to Attu, this was the next best thing.
My original view of the Rustic Bunting:
Cropped Closeup of the Rustic Bunting:
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
A Rambling Brambling in North Bay and Other Wayward Birds
Here are some photos of my recent rare bird chases...
The Brambling in North Bay
Spruce Grouse in Algonquin Park
Eurasian Tree Sparrow in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Adult Male King Eider at Port Weller, returning for the third straight year
Female and Male Purple Finches at my back yard feeder; first time they've come my home
Some of my other fall photos:
Ontario:
Florida:
Friday, 26 September 2014
Cape May Wrap-up
After Seeing the Whiskered Tern, you'd think the rest of the trip would be anti-climactic. Anything but. We ventured down to Virginia to see not only the wild ponies,(and dolphins), of Chincoteague, but also found a bunch of new birds for the year list as well. Prior to leaving Cape May, we went to Stone Harbor for Red Knots, including a few still in breeding plumage, and the Meadows, where we saw a Clapper Rail, on two very well organised bird walks with exceptional leaders.
In Virginia we found Brown-headed Nuthatches right outside our hotel room and at a local Wildlife Refuge, and on the way home stopped at Bombay Hook NWR where we saw Snow Goose, Avocets and Saltmarsh Sparrows. I had been hoping for Seaside Sparrows as well, but that will have to wait for another time. Our final stop was at the Iroquois Shore Line NWR where a lovely juvenile Broadwing Hawk soared just low enough for us to identify.
In Virginia we found Brown-headed Nuthatches right outside our hotel room and at a local Wildlife Refuge, and on the way home stopped at Bombay Hook NWR where we saw Snow Goose, Avocets and Saltmarsh Sparrows. I had been hoping for Seaside Sparrows as well, but that will have to wait for another time. Our final stop was at the Iroquois Shore Line NWR where a lovely juvenile Broadwing Hawk soared just low enough for us to identify.
A Lovely grouping of Red Knots
View from the Cape May Ferry
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Bottle-nose Dolphins
Chincoteague Ponies
Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squrrel
Carolina Chickadee
Snow Geese
American Avocet
Saltmarsh Sparrow
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