Birding during the harsh winter months can be difficult. Songbirds are not as active in the cold weather, and will stay hunkered down in cover during extreme weather. Birds of prey are less likely to be flying about during snowy or windy conditions, and spotting Snowy Owls is nearly impossible not to mention dangerous on county roads in adverse weather. The easiest birds to find during the toughest winter conditions are waterfowl. Find open water, and you will find waterfowl. A flowing current prevents water from freezing, so the best place to search for ducks, geese and other types of fowl is at your local river. As lakes and ponds freeze waterfowl species will congregate by the hundreds in small areas of open water. Many species that spend the summer months further north will migrate south to areas of open water as a food source. This makes winter the only time of year to view such species.

Mallards are a very common species of duck, but I have watched their numbers increase on the local river as the temperatures drop. You can tell the majority of these birds are migrants from the north by their wariness of humans. In the summer months local mallards swim over to the bank hoping to be fed when walking by, but in winter the migrant birds fly out into the middle of the river, a sure sign they are not accustomed to humans. Notable species that winter on my local river are: hooded merganser, common merganser, common goldeneye, and bufflehead. I observed an American coot on the coldest day of the year, and other highlights have been a female northern pintail and male redhead.

As the temperatures plummet in January finding waterfowl becomes easier. Slower moving sections of rivers will freeze, or become jammed up with ice. This makes the areas of open water smaller and the concentration of waterfowl greater. Sections of my local river have frozen about 3/4 of the way across during this extreme cold snap and therefore has presented some very close looks of these beautiful birds. Search areas of your local river for open water and you too will find large quantities of waterfowl.

Remember that rivers can be extremely dangerous anytime of year, but especially in winter. Stay away from the edges as the snow and ice there are not always as firm as they appear. Keep children and pets away too, and under no circumstance walk out onto the ice. No look of a bird is worth jeopardizing your safety over.

Bundle up and head out to your local river this winter in search of waterfowl. It is a great way to get out and find large quantities of birds during the winter months. Chances are, you may just cross a new species or two off your life list.

Good birding,
Paul

With Christmas now over, many of us will soon be taking down our fresh cut trees and either placing them at the curb for collection, or returning them to one of the local tree depots. Christmas trees can be put to great use after the holidays as they provide excellent cover for your backyard birds.

Placing your tree outside after the holidays will provide your feathered friends with the perfect spot to get out of January’s squalls, cold winds, and a safe hiding spot from raptors and other backyard predators. By laying your tree down on its side, or standing it up in the snow, birds including: Blue Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, Black-capped Chickadees, and Northern Cardinals will quickly use it as a source of shelter. I like to place mine near the feeder so that the birds can quickly dive into it if one of the local Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned Hawks takes a swipe at them. Just be sure that it is positioned far enough away that the squirrels can’t use it to gain access to your feeder.

If you put up an artificial tree rather than a fresh cut one but you wish to provide cover in your backyard, you have several options. Ask a family member for their tree, watch for neighbours to place theirs out on garbage day, or drive to your local tree depot and pick one up. I love the added cover Christmas trees provide in my yard and often collect trees from family, neighbours, and the depot, as well as placing mine outside.

After the snow melts and the new growth starts to reappear in your yard, your reused Christmas trees can then be placed to the curb with your other yard materials when collection resumes in the spring. This will save you the hassle of taking it to one of the local Christmas tree depots and having to vacuum all those fallen needles out of your car. By placing it out with yard materials and not your regular garbage it will keep it out of the landfill and your tree will be mulched up and reused as compost at a later time. Not only will you be helping the birds, you will be helping the environment.

Good birding,
Paul

Blue Jays are another common and easily recognizable bird in our area. With their large crests and blue, white and black markings they definitely stand out. Another give away that Blue Jays are in the area is by their distinct call. Blue jays can be found almost anywhere from forest edges to urban parks and backyards. One of their favorite native foods is acorns so they can always be found where oak trees are present.

If your backyard is lacking Blue Jays make sure you are offering peanuts at your feeders. Whether it is a specific feeder just for peanuts or as part of a mix, Blue Jays will always go for the peanuts first. Peanuts in the shell or peanut halves will attract Jays, and various feeders are available to present these seeds to them. Blue Jays tend to prefer a tray or hopper style feeder mounted on a pole rather than a hanging feeder, but my hanging cylinder feeder filled with peanut halves gets it’s fair share of Jays to it.

Blue Jays are known to mate for life and remain with their partner throughout the year, so it is likely you will have at least two visit your feeder. Families of Jays can be quite large with clutch sizes ranging from 2-7 eggs. I am fortunate to have a pair nest in a row of large spruce trees behind my house every year. On average I have 3-4 young along with both parents visiting my feeders each summer and into the winter months. Their beautiful plumage and loud calls are a delight to any yard.

Good birding,
Paul

Photographing birds in flight is a fun challenge and can make for some great photos. A flight shot captures the action and in some cases is more interesting than a static shot. When set against a great background the photos really come to life. Songbirds are incredibly difficult to capture in flight because they move quickly and erratically. It is virtually impossible to predict where they will go next, unless it is to a food source. Waterfowl and birds of prey are much easier to capture in flight because they fly much slower and generally in a straight line.

Capturing birds in flight requires a few basic camera adjustments. I always shoot birds in flight in manual mode with a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 in order to freeze the action. Using this high shutter speed requires a decent amount of light, so flight shots are more difficult early and late in the day and when under overcast skies. Slower shutter speeds can be used but you may still get a little blur. A slight blur can be nice as it adds the element of motion to a photo. On a clear sunny day higher shutter speeds can be used, just make sure your aperture and ISO are set accordingly for proper exposure.

Most cameras have incredibly high ISO settings, but the photos become very noisy above a certain level. Get to know what maximum ISO your camera will shoot at and still produce a clear image. Don’t just crank up your shutter speed and ISO and expect to get a print quality shot. Practice your birds in flight photography during the best weather conditions to familiarize yourself with the best settings for your camera. You can then adjust your settings depending on the weather in the future. Gulls are excellent birds to practice on because they are easy to find and fly relatively slow. Most times you can get quite close to these birds and they will fly around you in circles hoping to be fed.

I hope these tips help you out if capturing birds in flight is something you are trying to achieve.

Good birding,
Paul

One of my favourite places to go birding is along the Thames River in London, Ontario. I find myself walking the river several times a week with good results for birds. I woke up to clear blue skies and decided to grab my camera and head down to Greenway Park. As I entered the park I could see two Bald Eagles perched in the poplar trees on the far side of the river. Once parked, I walked up river in the direction of the eagles, keeping an eye to the sky in case they flew down river. As I got further up river I could see the two eagles hadn’t moved from their perch. I was able to get right across the river from where they were sitting and fortunately found a small opening in the branches where I was able to get some clear shots.

After several minutes and many photos, I decided to carry on with my walk, when the first eagle took off and then so too did the second. They only flew about sixty yards down river where they landed again. This resting spot didn’t present the same kind of view as the first as the eagles were a little deeper in the trees off the river bank. It wasn’t long before the first eagle took off again down river before gaining altitude and slowly disappearing to the west over Wonderland Rd. I knew it wouldn’t be long before the second eagle followed so I moved down river to a clearing on the bank where I could still see the resting eagle. After making sure my camera settings were just right I waited patiently for the eagle to fly. Only a few minutes passed and I watched as the eagle took flight. My location was perfect as the second eagle quickly came towards me and eventually flew right past where I was able to snap off several shots.

Bald Eagles are regulars up and down the Thames River and winter months present excellent opportunities to view these majestic raptors. Next time you are out walking the river pay close attention to the tops of trees as eagles prefer a tall perch. Keep your eyes to the sky as these birds continually fly up and down the river in search of food. By scanning the area where you are walking, you are bound to come across one of these amazing birds.

Good birding,
Paul

Snowy Owls breed on the Arctic tundra, but many birds overwinter in Southwestern Ontario and the Great Lakes area. They are our largest owl by weight and reported sightings in our area have increased in the last week, with birds being observed near Belmont, Strathroy, and Kettle Point. Snowy Owls like wide open spaces so look for them across farmland, beach dunes, or airport fields. Snowy Owls spend a lot of time sitting on the ground. Adult males are almost completely white, while females are marked with black bars so spotting them can be a bit tricky in a snow covered field. When trying to locate them look for their stocky bodies sticking up from the ground or a flock of smaller birds harassing them. These owls prefer having a good vantage of their surroundings for hunting, so a slightly high spot in a field is a perfect place for them to sit. Hay bales, grain elevators, fence posts, telephone poles, and the rooftops of farm buildings also provide great views not only for the owl but for birders to spot them. Snowy Owls are diurnal hunters so unlike most owls they are quite active during the day. They feed primarily on small rodents such as lemmings, mice or voles, but will also consume larger prey such as rabbits, squirrels and birds.

If you happen to come across one of these amazing owls remember to keep your distance. They have travelled many miles, are under incredible stress and hungry. If you see one while driving the county roads stay in your car. Stop, roll down your window, take pictures and enjoy it’s beauty but don’t try to approach it. I know from experience you can get much longer looks from a car than on foot. I have seen too many people try to walk up to the bird for a better look only to see it fly away. Snowy Owls will stay in the same area all winter and will return to the same area year after year if not disturbed. If you can’t get a good enough look or picture return to the area another day. Snowy Owls will be here throughout the winter months so be patient, and a good look will present itself.

Good birding,
Paul