Last BARRYtheBIRDER blog....

 

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Swainson's Hawk

(most recent bird added to my life list - #426)

Save the birds and we Save ourselves

Pungent pun

Scientifically, a raven has 17 primary wing feathers, the big ones 

at the end of the wing are called pinion feathers.

A crow has only 16.   Therefore the difference between a raven 

and a crow is only a matter of a pinion.

 "...hope you enjoyed birdwatching with me 

over the last 17 years."  

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

Ducks christen new pool early...

Bailey Family photo

My daughter Allison sent me the above photo which she took this week, of the pool under construction in her backyard in Aurora.   No sooner had things got underway, than a pair of Mallard ducks decided to check it out.  There's still quite a bit of construction to be completed but these ducks may make a repeat visit in a few weeks time.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Delmanor Retirement Residence ~ in flight

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Library Sculpture

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Dave Kemp's West coast shots...

 

Photo by Dave Kemp

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

2024 Backyard Bird Count results...

Photo by Bill Klouw 

7,920 SPECIES IDENTIFIED

201 countries or sub-regions

384,416 ebird checklists

164,740 photos, videos and sounds recorded

642,000 estimated global participants

The 2024 Backyard Bird Count was conducted by the

Cornell Lab, Audubon and Birds Canada.

Go to 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count  for more results

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Time to think of Pont Pelee...

 

Common Yellowthroat

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Spring migration of Warbler species at Point Pelee, Ontario, is a must-see for most birders in this part of the world.   I believe 42 species have been seen there and the one-day record is 34 species, set in 1979, but which may have been surpassed last year.   The Point Pelee Checklist has 42 species on it of which 36 species are seen in most years.    

 

However it is felt that only four regularly breeding warblers are found at Pelee: Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, and Red-breasted Chat.

 

Point Pelee is a 'rite of passage' for birders in Ontario.  Best wishes if it is on your spring schedule this year

          Please comment if you wish.

        BarrytheBirder

Another Turkey Vulture spotted...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

It's been two weeks since I saw my first Turkey Vulture of 2024, but a second one has now appeared over the forest of the Oak Ridges Moraine, in south Aurora.   This bird species has expanded both its winter and summer ranges northward.   It feeds mostly on carrion and refuse.   It is 25" (69cm) long and has a wingspan of 69" (175cm) and is noticeably smaller the a Bald Eagle.  The sighting was on the west side of Yonge Street, opposite the Aurora Cemetery, over Delmanor Retirement Residence.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

King Township declares its official bird...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Meet King Township's official bird

The Black-capped Chickadee

The Black-capped Chickadee has been chosen as King Township's official bird after five months of voting last year and over 230 entries, beating out the American Robin, the Cooper's Hawk, the Northern Cardinal and the Pine Warbler.   King  was named a certified Bird Friendly City, the 19th in Canada, in March of last year by Nature Canada.   2024 will feature some exciting bird initiatives and contests this year featuring the Black-capped Chickadee.   The naming contest  was launched on World Migratory Bird Day on May 13 of last year and closed on October 6.

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comment

if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

INSTANT URBAN LEGEND!

Photos by BarrytheBirder

SWAINSON'S HAWK

Buteo swainsoni

The Swainson's Hawk, pictured here, has been spotted by many people in Aurora for several days recently, in the neighbourhood of the Delmanor Retirement Residence, on Yonge Street opposite the Aurora Cemetery.   This hawk normally nests on plains and prairies in western Canada and the United States and is a very rare spring, and primarily, fall migrant in eastern North America.   It winters chiefly in South America and rarely in southern Florida and south Texas.     

It is distinguished from most other buteo hawks by long narrow, pointed wings.   All but the darkest of these birds show contrast between paler wing linings and dark flight feathers (quite notable in these photos).   It is 21" long with a wingspan of 52" and is quite close in size to local Red-tailed Hawks.    

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

New photos from Dave Kemp on Vancouver Island...

CLAPPER RAIL

CINNAMON TEAL

BRANT GEESE

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbirds are back...

Photo by BarrytheBirder

Red-winged Blackbirds have suddenly arrived throughout the King Township and Town of Aurora areas.   What a welcome sight and sound.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Early spring birds...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Turkey Vulture

American Robin

My lady friend Pat and I spotted two early spring species this past Thursday.

One was a Turkey Vulture soaring high above Delmanor Retirement Residence in Aurora.   We also spotted two robins on the ground around Delmanor.   Robin sightings are being reported all over southern Ontario these days..  Winter has almost disappeared and we are expecting temperatures next week between 10 and 15C.   Winter seems to have been almost non-existent temperature-wise with scant snow in the upper part of the greater Toronto area.   What else will an early spring bring?

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder   

 

Some Great Blue Herons winter on B.C.'s west coast....

 

                                                                Photo by Dave Kemp

Great Blue Herons are found across Canada in summer but a few thousand stay on British Columbia's west coast in winter.  The one pictured above was seen recently on southern Vancouver Island.   It was photographed by B.C. photographer and naturalist Dave Kemp whose photos I regularly share in this blog space.   The number of Great Blues that winter in lower B.C. and thought to number in the low thousands.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

 

King City ...

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Feeders full of Redpolls

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Perfect photo...

 Photographer Unknown

Hooded Merganser (female)

I don't remember how or where I came across this wonderful photograph of a landing female Common Merganser, but I think its one of the best duck photos I have ever seen of a waterfowl making a  perfect landing. 

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

Spring just around the corner on lower Vancouver Island...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Black Turnstone

 

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Female Mallard Ducks

 

Photos by BarrytheBirder

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comment

if you wish.

Barry the Birder

So far, It's a short winter in southern Ontario

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Mourning Doves getting early spring start in Southern Ontario

Please comment if you wish. 

BarrytheBirder

Photos by Dave Kemp - Vancouver Island

Trumpeter Swans

Common Mergansers

Common Goldeneye

Long-tailed Duck

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Blue Jay watching its back

Photo by BarrytheBirder

'...wise are the wary'

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder