Back to Birding, After Extensive Back Surgery

For the past six weeks my birding has been limited to looking out windows, either while in the Toronto Western Hospital, where I spent three weeks recovery from two surgeries on my back, or my kitchen window, which looks out on my back yard feeders.  Near the end of February I began to realize there was something very wrong with my back and while in Florida saw a specialist who recommended I fly directly home and have it taken care of as soon as possible.  I was fortunate that the doctor in Florida was able to talk to my doctor in Toronto and get me in for surgery within 10 days of my initial diagnosis.  Up until then, as of February 28 I had birded and submitted an e-Bird List on 424 consecutive days.  I had really wanted to submit a list every day of the year in back to back years, but it was not to be.

I just wasn't up to e-Birding pigeons from my hospital window, though occasionally a gull, crow or starling would fly by.  But once I arrived home, after the monotony of the hospital, I set up my swivel bar stool by my back window, facing the feeders and have back yard birded every day since April 5.  Even got out the other day for some birding in James Gardens, just down the road from home.  I am hoping to be cleared for driving next week, even though I am not 100% fit for doing but else than sitting, standing and walking a couple of hundred yards or so at at time, but after six weeks of recovery, I am ready for some variety in my birding spots.

Photos from the back yard:

A Fox Sparrow was one of the early highlights:

 

This pair of Mallards have returned to our ponds for the fourth consecutive year:

 

 

One rainy day the only bird present was a Mourning Dove that looked cold and miserable: