Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City

Returning to London this fall left me with mixed emotions. Having spent so much time up north, I didn’t want to return to the city but tried to see the silver lining. Being back in town means I’m close to my Dad and can resume more frequent visits with him. After all, it was my dad who got me interested in birds. Also, it allows me to return to some of the areas I love birding at and see several bird species I haven’t seen for months.

IMG 3935 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **My favourite bird is the Red-bellied Woodpecker.**

London is known as the cardinal capital of Canada, and I have to admit having lived here my whole life, I have taken these birds for granted. Spending the summer outside the cardinal’s range, I go six months without seeing one. Also, absent each summer for me is my favourite bird, the Red-bellied Woodpecker.

One of the most productive areas in London for birding at this time of year is the Westminster Ponds ESA. It also happens to be a great place to enjoy the fall colours. With temperatures still feeling like summer, I waited for a cooler day to head over to the ponds. After all, if I was doing some fall birding, I wanted it to feel like fall.

IMG 2836 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow.**

The open meadow south of Commissioners Road was where I started. There is an abundance of goldenrod here and with it having gone to seed I knew there would be lots of small songbirds drawn to this food. Sure enough, not long after entering the field, I could hear a variety of bird calls coming from the dried stalks.

IMG 3995 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **Small songbirds like the American Goldfinch can be found feeding on goldenrod seed during the fall.**

Goldfinches, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and several sparrows were present including White-throated, White-crowned, and Song. Some White-throated Sparrows were trying to break out into their signature Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada song but stopped after only a few notes. The goldenrod here was almost as tall as me keeping me well hidden; however, made picture-taking a real challenge. Juncos typically return to London for the winter around Thanksgiving each year and were also present enjoying the bounty of seeds.

IMG 4092 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **This Great Blue Heron was perched overlooking Saunders Pond.**

Happy with my sightings, I headed through the woods to Saunders Pond. The loud shriek of a Great Blue Heron could be heard from the pond. On the far side of the pond, I heard a strange call and saw a large bird which I presumed was a raptor up in a tree. As I did not recognize the call as a raptor I was confused by what I was seeing. It was a large bird with its wings spread wide appearing to be falling out of the tree. As it flapped its wings to keep its perch, it made a sound I had never heard. I still had no idea what I was seeing and was torn between making my way down to where I could still hear the heron or trying to figure out what this was.

My curiosity got the best of me and I got into a position where I could see better through the trees and identify this bird. I raised my binoculars and as the bird came into focus I could see it was a Wild Turkey. It had regained balance and was perched high in a tree adjacent to the pond. The sound it was making was no gobble, cluck, yelp, or cackle I’ve ever heard from a turkey but I guess when about to fall 60 feet into water Turkeys make whatever sound they want.

IMG 4061 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **This male Wood Duck gave the leaves a run for their money for best fall colours.**

I quietly snuck down to the pond and saw the heron that was making a ruckus earlier. I raised my camera and snapped a few pics. Swimming on the surface just in front of the heron was a stunning male Wood Duck.

IMG 4220 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **In my opinion, the west side of Saunders Pond is the best place to find Rusty Blackbirds in the Forest City during fall migration.**

I made my way around the north side of Saunders Pond to the boardwalk and lookout behind Tourist Information on Wellington Road. My hope here was to see some Rusty Blackbirds. These are one of my favourite birds to see in the fall because as their name suggests their fall plumage is a beautiful rusty colour. This location is the best place to see Rusty Blackbirds in the fall. These birds are listed as special concern on Ontario’s Species at Risk list. The water level was low so I scanned the low shrubs and mudflats for movement as I’ve seen Rusty Blackbirds foraging here in previous years.

IMG 4318 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **White-crowned Sparrows are migrating through London in good numbers. These birds will frequent backyards and can be seen on the ground under feeders.**

Movement caught my attention. Sure enough, a Rusty Blackbird appeared from the thick brush. Achieving focus I fired off a series of images. Several other Rusty Blackbirds could be seen down low and higher up in the trees as well as flying overhead mixed in with grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. I couldn’t help but get a little emotional as this is where I saw my first Rusty Blackbird so many years ago with my dad. Unfortunately, my dad can’t get out with me anymore and I find myself cherishing memories like this one more and more.

IMG 4342 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **Northern Cardinal**

Next, I heard the churr, churr, churr call of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. As I looked up a stunning male flew in and landed right in front of me. A broken snag on a dead tree made a perfect perch. A male cardinal landed in the tree next to where I was standing. There certainly was a lot of bird activity in this spot. Out on the pond were a pair of Pied-billed Grebes and the fall colours along the north side of Saunders Pond looked good with the beech and maple trees showing off some nice reds and yellows.

IMG 3806 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **Cedar Waxwings were observed on the west side of Saunders Pond.**

For anyone wanting to see these birds or the leaves, this area is fully accessible. There is plenty of parking behind Tourist Information and the wide, asphalt path takes you down to the recently resurfaced wood lookout.

IMG 4196 - Fall Birding At One Of My Favourite Locations In The Forest City — **Many Robins overwinter at Westminster Ponds due to the abundance of berry-producing trees and shrubs but their numbers increase during migration.**

Returning to Westminster Ponds after such a long hiatus certainly made for a great day of birding. We are so fortunate as Londoners to have this gem and I look forward to spending more time there this fall and winter. If you are looking for a great place to enjoy nature and forget you’re in a city of over 400,000 people, I highly recommend visiting Westminster Ponds.

Good birding,
Paul

*My new book Backyard Birds: A Beginner’s Guide to Backyard Birds in Southwestern Ontario is available now. Together with my niece Megan, we’ve written a book to help identify and attract 24 species of birds living in Southwestern Ontario. This book is geared towards beginners young and old making the perfect gift for anyone introducing a child to birding, a new homeowner unfamiliar with the birds in their yard, or someone new to Southwestern Ontario. Find out more and order here*

Orioles Are On The Move: How To Attract These Beauties To Your Yard

The next big wave of migrants is set to descend on Southwestern Ontario. Included in this group will be the Baltimore Oriole. Orioles overwinter in the southern United States, Central, and South America returning each spring in late April or early May. Reports of these birds in our area are beginning to come in, so it is time to think about attracting them to your yard.

bo2 - Orioles Are On The Move: How To Attract These Beauties To Your Yard — **The striking plumage of the male Baltimore Oriole is a welcome sight in any yard.**

Feeding on insects, fruit, and nectar the Baltimore Oriole doesn’t visit your typical backyard feeder filled with seed; however, they will visit a feeder designed specifically for orioles. A nectar feeder, similar to those used for hummingbirds, is one of the more popular feeders used by homeowners to attract orioles to their yards. Since orioles have larger bills than hummingbirds, these feeders have larger ports for the birds to access the nectar.

Nectar can be made easily at home by mixing four parts water with one part sugar. In a pot, bring one cup of water to a boil on your stove. Add 1/4 cup of white sugar and stir as the sugar dissolves. Remove the mixture from the stove and allow it to cool before filling your feeder. Be sure to replace the nectar in your feeder regularly, especially in warmer weather.

Watermark 1 8 - Orioles Are On The Move: How To Attract These Beauties To Your Yard — **As is the case with most birds, female Baltimore Orioles are not as colorful as their male counterparts**.

Oranges are another great option to offer orioles that visit your backyard. By placing either orange slices or halves around your yard, orioles will quickly move in to consume the fruit. Orange halves and slices can be stuck on tree branches, shepherd’s hooks, or anywhere the birds can access them. It has been my experience that squirrels too will eat oranges, so it is a good idea to place them in a location where these small mammals cannot access them. Commercial feeders designed specifically for offering oranges are also available at your local seed retailer.

Watermark 1 6 - Orioles Are On The Move: How To Attract These Beauties To Your Yard — **Regardless of which food you decide to offer orioles, make sure it is fresh. Nectar, oranges, and jelly all spoil faster than traditional bird foods, especially in warmer temperatures**.

Grape jelly is another excellent food for attracting orioles to your yard. Be careful though, as not all jellies are created equal. Many grape jellies available at your local grocery store are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and contain other artificial sweeteners and colours that offer no nutritional value and could potentially be harmful to the birds. Check the ingredients on the label and ensure that the grape jelly you buy is either unsweetened or sweetened with sugar only. If you are unsure, commercial jelly designed specifically for birds is available at your local seed retailer.

Grape jelly can be placed outside in a shallow dish, or again commercial feeders are available specifically for jelly. Some of these feeders are combination feeders, meaning they will accommodate oranges and jelly, or oranges, jelly, and nectar. Visit your local seed retailer to see the wide variety of commercial oriole feeders available. As is the case with nectar and oranges, replace the jelly regularly, especially in warmer weather. When replacing the food, whether it’s nectar, oranges, or jelly, clean the feeder at the same time. This too will ensure the health of the birds.

bo1 - Orioles Are On The Move: How To Attract These Beauties To Your Yard — **Oriole sightings are being reported from around our area. If you haven’t already, add an oriole feeder to your yard and attract this stunning beauty**.

Orioles are one of the more vibrant birds that will visit a backyard and are easy to attract. If you haven’t put your oriole feeder out yet, now is the time. If you don’t own an oriole feeder, I highly recommend adding one to your yard. These feeders are inexpensive to purchase and well worth the investment once you see that first flash of black and orange in your backyard.

Good birding,
Paul

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Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions

Unexpectedly, I ended up with the Family Day long weekend off work. Having just returned a few days prior from my winter getaway, I intended to work the three days to make up the lost hours. While my wallet will undoubtedly feel the pain, I can’t say I was overly disappointed as having just spent several days in nature I was still feeling the benefits and my desire to immerse myself in nature again was quite strong.

IMG 8539 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Over the Family Day long weekend, cardinals began singing their signature song.**

I wavered quite a bit about where to go and had several locations in mind. I was leaning heavily toward Greenway Park as I have not been there much lately and this is my favourite park in the city for birding. After receiving a heads-up from a Facebook follower of a male Redhead present near the platform overlooking the river my mind was made up.

IMG 0518 Edit - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Cedar Waxwing reaching for a buckthorn berry.**

On Saturday morning I made my way to the park shortly after first light. With the sun rising just over the trees I made the short walk from the parking lot to the platform overlooking the Thames River. Sure enough, just like I was told through Facebook, the male Redhead was swimming among all the Mallards only a few feet from shore. The morning sun illuminated the duck’s colourful plumage perfectly as I fired off several images.

IMG 0510 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Interestingly, a flock of robins was found in the same patch of buckthorn as this time last year.**

Here’s where things started to get emotional. I was excited to have such close views of this beautiful duck and very appreciative of the woman who notified me through Facebook of the bird’s location. A sense of sadness came over me as the Redhead is my dad’s favourite duck and I wished he was there with me to experience it. I considered taking my dad with me but as he ages, he really feels the cold and this morning was rather chilly with a strong wind. Knowing Dad doesn’t do cold and windy anymore, sadly I made the decision not to bring him along. Dad and I have done a lot of birding, canoeing, and fishing on the Thames River over the years so lots of incredible memories came up on this day.

P1040501 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Whether on foot or in the canoe, Molly joined me on most of my birding outings. In this picture, she was fixated on a cow moose and its young calf.**

Also heavily impacting my emotions was the fact it was Family Day weekend last year after enjoying the day outdoors with Molly I noticed a large lump on her front leg. The lump was diagnosed as osteosarcoma and she was given 6 to 8 weeks to live. Like the trooper she was, Molly stayed with me another 10 weeks before the difficult but necessary decision was made to have her euthanized.

IMG 6357 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Molly was my best friend and companion so naturally, she got special treatment. When spending time by the campfire this included her own tent, therapeutic dog bed, sherpa blanket, and nightlight.**

For those of you not aware, Molly was my dog, best friend, and number one birding companion. In fact, for most of the images I’ve shared, Molly’s leash was attached to my Cotton Carrier and she was right by my side.

IMG 7723 Edit 10 Edit 2 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **This photo was taken on Molly’s final visit to Greenway Park.**

I can’t tell you the number of days Molly and I spent at Greenway Park birding over the 12 years she was in my life. Greenway Park is where I got started in nature photography after a trip to the dog park with Molly when she was quite young revealed so many birds present highlighted by a Bald Eagle flyover. From that day on I spent as much of my free time as possible with Molly enjoying the great outdoors while practicing photography.

IMG 2499 Edit Edit - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Before Molly I hated winter. Her love of snow taught me how much fun winter is and now I love winter. After spring migration winter is my favourite season for birding.**

Molly was my biggest motivator for getting outside with my camera. On days when I didn’t feel like going out, I couldn’t say no to her beautiful brown eyes so off we would go to Greenway. We had some amazing times there over the years and observed over 100 bird species in this park only a few blocks from downtown. Not too bad in a city with a population of over 400,000. I’ve found it challenging to motivate myself to get out over the last year without Molly and this is the reason I’ve been MIA from blogging over this time.

IMG 9462 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **This male Downy Woodpecker presented a unique view. It’s not often they perch horizontally.**

After enjoying the sighting of the Redhead, I followed the path upstream and was treated to more great sightings. My favourite bird, the Red-bellied Woodpecker was seen high up in a willow tree and I managed to capture an image of a Downy Woodpecker as it paused briefly on an eye-level limb. This was one of several Downy Woodpeckers aggressively chasing each other presumably defending their territory

IMG 6916 Edit 2 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **Robins were observed drinking and bathing in the Thames River.**

As I came to a patch of buckthorn, I could hear the soft calls of robins and high-pitched whistles of Cedar Waxwings. Scanning the trees, a mixed flock of these birds was feeding on the berries. Looking down at the river, more robins were seen drinking the water that was magnificently reflecting the blue sky. Despite barely passing art class in high school and only taking it as it was a required credit, I did learn orange and blue are complementary colours and love how robins look against a blue sky or water. I guess this answers the age-old question so often asked in school “when am I ever going to use this again”?

IMG 9955 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **I’ve always been fortunate to have Carolina Wrens in my backyard. These birds are very fond of peanut halves and peanut suet offered at my feeders.**

Torn between staying at my favorite park and heading back home, I opted for the latter. The appeal of heading home was greatly influenced by some new feeders and seed I received from Urban Nature Store. I recently became a brand ambassador for Urban Nature Store and am excited to share my experiences with and promote their high-quality birding-related products and seed, some of which is made right here in Ontario!

IMG 9220 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — **White-breasted Nuthatch.**

Still bundled up from my park outing, I carried my camera to the backyard. Under beautiful sunshine, the feeders and surrounding trees were filled with birds. I enjoyed the show put on by my feathered friends and captured several images. The warm sunshine felt great and I ended up spending the remainder of the day in the yard which no doubt helped me deal with my mixed emotions. John Denver nailed it when he sang sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.

Me and Molly 2 - Family Day Birding Brings A Whirlwind Of Emotions — This picture of Molly and me was taken on our final walk. The lifejacket was so I could take the weight off her front leg if necessary. Whenever I crouched down to her level for a picture, she always saw it as an opportunity for a public display of affection.

Despite Family Day weekend bringing a whirlwind of emotions, one thing is certain, surrounding myself in nature made everything better. Enjoying the birds while reflecting on both amazing and sad memories set everything at ease. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, nature is the best medicine.

Good birding,
Paul

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This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park

I can’t believe I’ve been at my trailer for a month already. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun. I’ve settled in nicely and developed a balance between work and play that is working out well as I have had time to do lots of both.

IMG 4577 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **Bald Eagle photographed from my canoe while paddling the Madawaska River.**

Choosing to start work at 4 a.m. allows me to take time later in the day for hiking or paddling and having the flexibility to make my own schedule is what I love most about my day job. People often question how I can spend so much time enjoying the outdoors and simply put I make time. Whether it’s starting early, working evenings, or even on weekends I do what is required so I can spend time in nature. This is what I love and keeps me healthy both physically and mentally, so making time for it is a priority.

IMG 3378 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **This Hairy Woodpecker and his mate excavated a tree cavity about forty yards from my trailer and are now nesting. I’m looking forward to watching them raise their brood this season.**

During the recent warm spell, I’ve spent more time paddling than hiking. The breeze off the lakes keeps me cooler and photographing nature along the water’s edge is easier than shooting through a dense forest. My paddles have been rather strategic thus far as with Algonquin Park closed to campers the area is a ghost town. I’m using this to my advantage to find wildlife and am visiting areas where plenty of park-goers will be once the province opens up to campers.

IMG 4246 Edit 2 2 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **With fourteen moose observed already, I’ve surpassed my total from last season.**

My moose count this year sits at fourteen, which far surpasses my total from all of last season. In fact, it was later in the year before I saw my first moose last season. My best moose sighting was a cow and two calves at the edge of a lake. They were pretty far away, too far for photos, but I enjoyed the view with my binoculars and captured a short video which I posted to Facebook with my Panasonic Lumix camera with a 60x zoom.

IMG 4211 Edit - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — I’m no biologist and my hypothesis would still need to be proven, but I’m willing to wager road mortality in wildlife would decrease if said wildlife would not stop for a dump in the middle of a busy highway.

Also seen in good numbers, have been Red Fox. Some mornings I’ve seen one not too far from camp and on several trips into Algonquin I’ve observed them beside the highway. One morning while on my way into the park I saw a fox running at the side of the road. I pulled over and captured a few images as it retreated into the vegetation adjacent to the gravel shoulder. After passing by it then darted back out on the highway and proceeded to cross. To my surprise, the fox stopped in the middle of the highway and pooped on the freshly laid asphalt before continuing across.

IMG 3554 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **Common Loon covered in black flies.**

Loons are one of my favourite birds to photograph and like last year I’ve come across them on most of the lakes I’ve paddled. One pair I found had a nest at the edge of the lake with a single egg that I could see with binoculars. People are curious to know how the black flies are up here and personally I don’t find them bad. That being said, I typically don’t get bit by black flies or mosquitos so I might not be the best person to ask. I’ve heard several theories as to why this is, but all I know is I am grateful for this. On one of my paddles, I came to within a boat length of a loon that was covered in black flies and I never had a single bite or even any swarming around me.

IMG 4093 Edit - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies feeding on a pile of dung.**

Last week, Canadian Tiger Swallowtail butterflies appeared in huge numbers. These yellow and black beauties are everywhere. On a day trip up the Oxtongue River, a large group of these butterflies was feeding on a pile of dung. Why do butterflies eat dung you ask? From what I’ve read, dung is rich in sodium and nitrogen two elements required for reproductions that flower nectar lacks.

IMG 6121 Edit - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **Paddling up a narrow creek to a tiny set of rapids is something I really enjoy. The sound of the flowing water is so serene.**

Since I last published a blog, I’ve continued to do more fishing than I did last season. With bass season still closed and having caught my fair share of pike, I’ve switched my attention to trout. Even back when I fished all the time I was never much of a trout fisherman. So far this year, my success trout fishing has been quite good. Armed with a few small Mepps and some Len Thompson lures I’ve managed to catch several Brook Trout in various rivers and Lake Trout on the larger lakes. I do enjoy eating the occasional fish, but find it hard to kill these amazing creatures so everything has been catch and release thus far.

IMG 6225 Edit 2 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **I caught this small Brook Trout while fishing on the Oxtongue River. To see my latest YouTube video featuring this catch, see the link in the paragraph below.**

Speaking of Brook Trout, I uploaded a new video to my YouTube channel called Exploring The Oxtongue River where I paddle this beautiful waterbody and find a variety of birds, run a small set of rapids with my dog Molly, and catch a small Brook trout.

IMG 3550 - This Season Is Shaping Up To Be A Beauty Exploring Algonquin Park — **Loon shaking off the black flies.**

I’m looking forward to many more weeks this season at the trailer enjoying nature and exploring new areas of Algonquin Park while returning to some old favourites. Based on my time so far, it’s shaping up to be another amazing season for sure. I look forward to sharing more stories from my adventures and the images I capture and appreciate all of you following along with me.

Good birding,
Paul

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Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was

Late last week, I migrated north to spend another season living from my small travel trailer in the vicinity of Algonquin Provincial Park. This is the same move I did last year and loved every minute so was excited to get back up here again. With so many miles of hiking, paddling, and nature to explore I’m completely in my element here and would describe this as my happy place. Fortunately, my day job allows me to work from anywhere I can connect to the internet and my 20′ trailer provides me all the luxuries of home including a queen bed, kitchen with dinette, and a full bathroom. Amazingly, this small trailer has more storage than my first house.

IMG 2157 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — White-throated Sparrow singing its *Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada song.*

Arriving early Friday morning I was happy to see everything survived the winter. Setup was quick and easy and merely a matter of connecting the water and sewer hose, and plugging into the hydro. Following this, I put together my 12′ x12′ screen room which increases my space and gives me a place to sit outside to escape the bugs. Once again this year the black flies are almost nonexistent.

IMG 6109 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **Many of the shallow bays I chose to fish were full of big pike. Unfortunately, I only managed to catch the small ones. Fun to catch nonetheless!**

I didn’t have a real plan for the first week other than to get into a work routine and try to find a balance between work and seeking adventure. With pike season having opened a week earlier I did want to get out and do some fishing. Catching these large fish when they are still in shallow bays after spawning has always been something I have loved. Before getting so into birding and photography I was an avid fisherman in fact even more fanatical about fishing than I am birding. When I wasn’t working I was fishing or thinking about fishing, reading a fishing magazine, or watching a fishing show on TV. However, several years ago I lost the fishing bug, partly due to burnout, I spent a minimum of 55 hours in a five day work week driving a truck for a living so when the weekend rolled around the last thing I wanted to do was spend more time driving to the lake, and partly due to a back injury. This season I want to do more fishing and have already been out several times this week.

IMG 2588 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **Northern Parula**

While making my way down a small river to the bay I chose to fish, I could hear the sound of several warblers singing from tree-lined banks. I always take my camera with me in my pack boat so was ready for any opportunities that presented themselves. For anyone who has tried photographing warblers, you know how challenging it is. Trying to photograph them while drifting down a river with the current is even more challenging. With my camera set to a fast shutter speed, I managed a few images. Along this stretch of river, I observed Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Redstart, Magnolia Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Northern Parula. Not bad for a morning of fishing!

IMG 3235 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **This Wild Turkey has been a regular behind my trailer and has provided me with great views.**

Around my trailer, the woods are filled with the sounds of birds. If you like to sleep in and don’t like the “noise” birds make in the mornings you’d hate it here. The loud shriek-like call of the raven can be heard most mornings along with the constant drumming and calls of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Northern Flickers. The teacher, teacher, teacher call of the Ovenbird has echoed from the forest from sunup to sundown all week. Magnolia Warblers have been quite vocal too. Another bird that is quite abundant here is the White-throated Sparrow. Starting my day hearing their Oh Sweet Canada, Canada, Canada song makes me feel incredibly patriotic and fortunate to live in such an amazing country filled with beautiful wildlife. A Wild Turkey is a regular behind my trailer and I’ve had great views of this bird both while having my morning coffee and while eating dinner.

IMG 2062 - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **Red Squirrel**

Mammal activity around the trailer includes Red Squirrels, chipmunks and on two mornings a fox has passed by. One morning while out for a short walk, I came across a fresh pile of wolf scat. Algonquin wolves are present in the woods where I am and I was fortunate to see them on several occasions last year, but I would love to photograph this species. Knowing there is one so close to my trailer makes me think my chances might be good this year.

IMG 2902 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **Having this moose come to within twenty feet of me is an experience I’ll never forget.**

Having success birding and fishing this first week it was hard to decide where to focus my attention when I wasn’t working. Keeping in mind the spot that had so many warblers present along the small river I decided to check out a few other similar areas on foot. These areas weren’t as productive but I had my best sighting of the week on the drive back to camp. Passing a boggy area my eyes were equally focused on the road and the bog. As I was about to exit the bog a large brown object caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I quickly turned my head and to my delight, it was a moose. After looking in all my mirrors and checking over my shoulder I safely made a U-turn and parked on the side of the road. I exited my vehicle with my camera in hand and began taking images of this bull moose.

IMG 2936 2 - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **Unsure if this was his friendly face, I decided to step behind my car for safety.**

After watching for several minutes, the moose began making its way out of the bog and towards me. I have to admit I was more than a little nervous as this animal was huge. I stepped slowly back in the direction of my car to use it as a buffer between me and the moose. The moose turned paralleling the road walking back towards the cedars. I thought this creature was going to retreat into the dense foliage but then it turned and came even closer. The moose seemed to want to cross the road but every time it was almost on the road I could hear traffic coming. Not wanting to see a moose/car collision I made noise and the moose would stop. I did this on three occasions. When there was no sound of traffic I kept quiet and the moose crossed the road about half a car length away as I stood behind my driver’s door ready to dive in and slam it shut if necessary. This encounter was awesome and one I’ll never forget. To be this close to such a massive wild animal was truly amazing.

IMG 2550 Edit - Week One Is In The Books And What A Week It Was — **American Redstart**

As you can see it was an amazing first week back at my trailer. I sure hope this is a sign of things to come this season. I’m here until Thanksgiving and am looking forward to many more adventures and sharing my images and stories with you along the way. I hope to blog more from here than I did last year and am trying to leave time each week to do so. If you don’t already, follow me on Facebook or Instagram for daily posts from my adventures.

Good birding,
Paul

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Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario

Early spring is certainly an exciting time to get out birding. After all, now is when we start to see evidence of migration getting underway here in Southwestern Ontario with many first-of-year species observed. I look for my first Red-winged Blackbird, Tundra Swan, or Killdeer to signify migration has begun. For others, it might be the robin, grackle, or some other species of waterfowl. Fortunately, these familiar faces can all be found once again in our area.

IMG 9556 - Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario — **Northern Pintails in a flooded field.**

Throughout March I visited many of my favourite birding locations. The results of these jaunts were rewarding regardless of where I went. When searching for spring migrants in March wetlands are where I often first focus my attention. These habitats attract most of the early migrants and therefore should not be overlooked. Waterfowl, Killdeer, and Red-winged Blackbirds can all be found around wetlands.

IMG 8048 3 - Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario — **Tundra Swans at the Thedford Bog.**

A flooded field is often all that is required to attract Tundra Swans and other waterfowl to stop for a rest on their migration north. The shallow water provides a familiar setting while the remnants of last year’s crop replenishes spent calories. Once again this year I made my way to the Thedford Bog to see the thousands of Tundra Swans that stop here each year. To see some of the action from the Thedford Bog check out my YouTube video.

IMG 9926 Edit 3 - Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario — **This lone Snow Goose was observed with a group of Canada Geese while driving to an area wetland.**

When driving to places I am going to bird, I always keep my camera at the ready on the passenger seat as I never know what I might come across. A white bird mixed in with some Canada Geese next to a farm pond caught my eye as I drove to a wetland. To my delight, it was a Snow Goose. After slowing down and making a safe U-turn I stopped at the side of the road and snapped a few photos before carrying on.

IMG 0547 - Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario — **Seeing a chipmunk on a sunny spring day always leaves a smile on my face.**

Some wildlife that remains in the area year-round but has been nonvisible for several months have once again emerged. Chipmunks and several butterfly species have come out of hibernation and can be readily seen. Mourning Cloak Butterflies overwinter in our area as adults spending the cold months in woodpiles or behind tree bark and are quick to take flight on a warm spring day. Sunny forests are where I often find my first Mourning Cloak of the year.

IMG 0317 Edit - Familiar Faces Return To Southwestern Ontario — **The Mourning Cloak is the first butterfly to appear each spring.**

As you can see it’s a great time to get out birding. With migrants trickling in and an abundance of resident birds around being outdoors surrounded by nature soaking up the sun is a great way to shake the winter blues. With so much uncertainty in our lives these days, many are turning to nature and the great outdoors to get through these difficult times. Personally, I haven’t felt the impacts of the pandemic as much as others have. I worked from home before and always spent time in nature to keep my head in a good place. If you are finding these times of isolation and closures tough, try spending time in nature. The fresh air and calming effects nature has are immeasurable. For me, seeing these familiar faces while enjoying the spring sunshine always leaves a smile on mine.

Good birding,
Paul

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Waxwings At My Local Patch

Cedar Waxwings are named for their appetite for cedar berries as well as their waxy red wingtips. Finding waxwings can be easy if conditions are right. In the winter months, waxwings feed predominately on the fruit of many trees including the aforementioned cedar. Find fruit trees and you will typically find waxwings. Once the food is gone so too are the waxwings.

IMG 4476 - Waxwings At My Local Patch — **Cedar Waxwings in a honeysuckle bush.**

I’ve been following a huge flock of Cedar Waxwings at my local patch since late November. If you are wondering what I mean by patch, you can learn more in my blog post: Patch Birding: A Splendid Solution During Difficult Times or watch my episode of Explore The Wild on YouTube Patch Birding.

IMG 0160 - Waxwings At My Local Patch — **The waxy red wingtips are not always visible but can be clearly seen on this bird.**

At my local patch, there are acres of honeysuckle bushes covered in ripe red berries. Honeysuckle fruit happens to be a favourite fruit of the Cedar Waxwing and consequently, a huge flock of waxwings has descended on my patch. It’s actually quite impressive to see how much fruit these birds consume in a week and even a day. Having watched this flock for a few months now the birds move around the patch as they devour the food from certain areas. Each day the waxwings can be in a different location within the patch depending on food or wind. I hate to sound like a broken record, but those of you who have followed me for a while will know what I’m talking about when I mentioned the wind. The waxwings are always on the leeward side of the patch feeding on Honeysuckle. A can visit the patch on a Monday with a north wind and find the birds feeding on the north side out of the wind. The very next day, I can return on a south wind and guess which side the waxwings are on? You got it, the south side!

IMG 5278 Edit - Waxwings At My Local Patch — **Having a large flock of Cedar Waxwings so close to home is something I’ve enjoyed very much this winter**.

Using my ears and listening for their high-pitched whistles also helps me locate the waxwings. Often after feeding heavily the birds will roost high up in the surrounding deciduous trees. Hearing their calls I look up and see the birds. Usually, after waiting only a few minutes the birds will begin dropping down to eye level in the honeysuckle and resume feeding. This not only presents great views but also the best perspective for photos.

IMG 4509 - Waxwings At My Local Patch — **The ripe red berries of this honeysuckle bush are the food of choice at my local patch.**

Cedar Waxwings eat a wide variety of fruit and are not limited to honeysuckle and cedar berries. Mountain Ash, hawthorn, serviceberry, crabapple, and even holly berries are readily consumed by waxwings. Here in London, we have an abundance of invasive buckthorn trees and it’s not uncommon to find waxwings feeding on their berries. If you have invasive buckthorn on your property and are leaving it because it attracts birds, it’s a good idea to remove it and plant a native fruit-producing tree instead. Buckthorn is considered a starvation food for birds as it causes diarrhea and makes them weak. Buckthorn is typically consumed in late winter when other food sources become low.

IMG 0060 - Waxwings At My Local Patch — **Finding their food and listening for their call will help you locate Cedar Waxwings.**

Next time you are out at your local patch, keep an eye out for fruit-bearing trees and an ear out for high-pitched whistles. If these are present Cedar Waxwings may be too. Remember to follow the food to keep up with the birds and you too will enjoy great views of these masked bandits.

Good birding,
Paul

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How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home

Last week, the Ontario government issued a stay-at-home order to get skyrocketing COVID-19 numbers under control. What this means is we are only to leave home for essential reasons such as food, healthcare, exercise, and work. For me, not much will change as most of my purchases of food and other goods have been online having the item either delivered or using curbside pickup. I can count on one hand the number of stores I’ve entered in almost a year, and I worked from home before the pandemic and will continue to after.

Fortunately, there are plenty of things we can do at home to get our fix of birds while keeping ourselves and others safe. In this post, I’m going to share several bird-related ideas to do from the comfort of your own home.

15424601438 438f1e6e2f o - How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home — **Adding a feeder to your yard is the perfect way to bring the birds to you.**

1. Put Up A Birdfeeder

Bringing the birds to your yard is a great way to enjoy them anytime but especially when we are encouraged to stay home. Birdfeeders come in all shapes and sizes and can either purchased online or from your local feed supply store. Most local feed stores remain open for curbside pickup as this is considered an essential service. A feeder and a bag of food can be ordered by phone and picked up. I really like the Squirrel Buster line of birdfeeders with the Squirrel Buster Plus being one of my favourites. This feeder’s seed ports close off under the weight of a squirrel preventing them from accessing the seed. The large perch ring is perfect for all birds including cardinals. This feeder also comes with a lifetime guarantee.

IMG 2097 Edit - How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home — **Warblers, especially females like this Cape May are particularly challenging to identify.**

2. Hone Your Identifications Skills

Now is the perfect time to learn how to properly identify some of those hard to identify birds like warblers so you are ready when spring migration hits. In my post, The 4 Best Field Guides To Help Hone Your Bird Identificatins Skills I share which field guides I use and what I like about each one. If you are wanting to learn bird calls you can listen to the various songs and calls of birds for free at All About Birds.

IMG 5570 Edit Edit - How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home — **An Eastern Screech Owl peeking out of a birdhouse.**

3. Build A Birdhouse

Birdhouses are easy to build with minimal woodworking skills or tools required. In my opinion, there are few things more rewarding than watching birds raise a brood in a house I built myself. Check out 70 Birds for free plans on how to build birdhouses for you guessed it 70 different birds!

IMG 1318 Edit - How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home — **A Birder’s Guide To Everything is a movie about a group of young birders in search of a rare duck.**

4. Watch A Birding Related Movie

It’s not a popular theme for movies and there are not many to choose from but A Birder’s Guide To Everything and The Big Year are my two favourites. The former stars Ben Kingsley and is about a group of young friends, one a birding fanatic, who set out in search of a rare duck. The latter stars Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black, and as I’m sure you can tell by the cast is quite funny. I watch this movie every year before heading to Pelee for spring migration.

IMG 3364 - How To Get Your Fix Of Birds While Staying At Home — **Planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers in your yard will attract more birds.**

5. Create A Garden Design To Attract More Birds

Attracting more birds to your yard is easily done by adding native trees, shrubs, and flowers. By doing so it will provide food, shelter, and areas to nest setting your yard apart from your neighbour’s. I was amazed at the variety of birds that visited my yard after doing a little research and carefully choosing some native species to plant. I found the book Gardening For The Birds: Ho To Create A Bird-Friendly Backyard very helpful in helping me choose what to plant based on the birds I wished to attract.

As you can see there are plenty of ways to get our fix of birds while staying at home. If you find yourself needing your fix, I recommend giving one or all of these ideas a try. Be sure to let me know which ones you try and which ones you like best. Keeping ourselves immersed in what we love and our minds occupied are great ways to stay positive, stay safe, and get us through these difficult times.

Good birding,
Paul

* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*

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Nikon Travelite Binoculars Review: Why Every Birder Should Own A Pair

Binoculars are something every serious birder owns and shopping for a pair can be confusing. What do all the features and numbers mean, how do you know which ones to buy, and how much do you have to spend to get a good pair? Over the years, I have used several binoculars both good and bad and have found an affordable pair whose performance far exceeds their price tag.

50791796463 13a0fe9b8a o - Nikon Travelite Binoculars Review: Why Every Birder Should Own A Pair — **The waterproof design of the Nikon Travelite is perfect for birding by water in my pack boat.**

The Nikon Traveilite binoculars have impressed me in so many ways where do I begin. The fact they are waterproof is probably my favourite feature. Some of my best days birding during spring migration have been when rain grounds the birds and not having to worry about keeping my binoculars dry means I only have to focus on the birds. Not only are they waterproof the lenses are fog proof too.

IMG 9993 Edit - Nikon Travelite Binoculars Review: Why Every Birder Should Own A Pair — **Subtle differences in field marks like those of the White-throated Sparrow are more readily seen with a good pair of binoculars.**

Birds appear close with the 8x magnification and a field of view of 330 feet at 1000 yards. I don’t like using binoculars that offer too much magnification as I have a hard time holding them steady and higher magnification magnifies not only the subject but any shake as well. For me, this renders high-powered binoculars useless as trying to identify a bird that appears to be moving up and down is virtually impossible. For this reason, 8x magnification for me is right on the money. The multi-coated lenses deliver clear bright images and I’ve always found multi-coated lenses easier to clean with less streaking.

IMG 0595 - Nikon Travelite Binoculars Review: Why Every Birder Should Own A Pair — **Quality optics don’t have to cost a fortune, these Nikon’s are budget-friendly.**

The adjustable eyecups are great especially if you wear glasses. With a simple twist of the eyecup, you can look through binoculars while leaving your glasses on. The rubber body is soft and comfortable on the hands and at only 12.5 ounces I barely notice them around my neck. These binoculars are incredibly compact and easily fit into a backpack, purse or even a coat pocket. Perhaps the best part is the price, these binoculars are incredibly affordable. The only bad thing I can say about these binoculars is the strap is a bit thin but with their lightweight, a more robust strap is not necessary.

PROS

Waterproof
Fog-proof
8x magnification brings the subject close while easy to hold steady
Multi-coated lenses for brighter images
Twist eyecups are great for eyeglass wearers
Comfortable rubber body
Compact design
Lightweight
Price

CONS

Strap is a bit thin (not really an issue)

IMG 5155 Edit 1 - Nikon Travelite Binoculars Review: Why Every Birder Should Own A Pair — **Up your birding game with a pair of Nikon Travelite Binoculars.**

Whether you are an avid birder or a beginner, these Nikon Travelite binoculars pack in more features than their price would suggest. If you are looking for your first pair of binoculars, a new pair of binoculars, or a lighter more compact pair of binoculars I suggest looking at the Nikon Travelite.

Good birding,
Paul

* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*

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Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding

Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time or has come out to an event I’ve spoken at knows how I use the weather conditions to my advantage when birding. This approach always results in great days birding and pinpoints where the birds are. Reading the conditions helps me eliminate areas where fewer birds will be concentrated and makes my time in the field more efficient.

IMG 4394 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **A large flock of robins was present feeding on the ripe berries.**

For subscribers new to my blog, photography is not my main source of income and I do have a full-time job. I work from home and have since long before the pandemic and most of my birding/photography is done while taking a short break in the morning to stretch, get some fresh air, and walk my dog. As a result, I’m pressed for time so focus my efforts where I know the birds will be based on the weather conditions that day.

IMG 8272 Edit - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **A male Northern Cardinal enjoying a reprieve from the cold north wind.**

In terms of weather conditions, the main thing I focus on is wind the second is the sun. Wind will tell you where the birds will be during the colder months as birds will concentrate in areas protected from the wind. For example, if the wind is out of the west, a forest edge on the west side of a meadow or the west bank of a river is going to hold more birds than the east because this is the protected or leeward side. During the warmer months, the wind pushes insects into areas, and in return, birds will be there feeding. I use the morning sun to my advantage as this warms areas first and birds will associate with these warm areas in cold weather and in the warmer weather, this is where insects, a main food source for many birds, will become active first. Paying attention to the wind and sun helps me find birds fast maximizing my time outdoors before heading back to work.

IMG 7630 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **This photogenic American Goldfinch dropped from high in the alders and landed only a few feet in front of me.**

Let me give you a specific example of an incredible morning of birding I had last week by paying attention to and using the conditions in my favour. Following a few hours of work, the sun was finally up. I ate breakfast, bundled up, and stepped out the front door with my camera secured in my Cotton Carrier. I planned to bird at a city park only a short walk from home. Checking the weather before I left I noticed the wind was strong out of the north. As I walked to the park, I already had a plan in my head where I was going to focus my efforts based on the wind direction and morning sun.

IMG 5542 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **Male Hairy Woodpecker**

The park I birded at consists of a large open meadow surrounded by forest. On the north side of the park, the land slopes upward slightly into the subdivision. This is where I spent the morning birding as this subtle change in elevation provided the perfect windbreak from the cold north wind. At the bottom of this hill is a small gulley where water from the neighbourhood and meadow drains. The forest here is a mix of deciduous trees and shrubs including honeysuckle which were covered in bright red berries. The taller alder trees present growing from the water-filled trench were loaded with catkins. Where the honeysuckle ends goldenrod and teasels begin which have now gone to seed. The morning sun beaming from the south was warming this side of the park and providing great light for photos. It was the perfect mix of food, water, and shelter and birds were present in large numbers.

IMG 5054 2 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **Teasels at the edge of the meadow provided food for American Goldfinches and other small songbirds.**

Hearing the soft calls of robins and high-pitched whistles of Cedar Waxwings I scanned the honeysuckle at eye level. These bushes were loaded with the aforementioned birds gorging themselves on the ripe fruit. Raising my camera I fired off several images with my Canon 7D. From overhead, I could hear American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins that were feeding on the alder seeds.

IMG 7133 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **Male Red-bellied Woodpecker heading up a tree with a walnut.**

Dark-eyed Juncos foraged on goldenrod seeds from within the tangled maze of stalks that had bent over under the weight of the snow. American Tree and a Song Sparrow were also observed. Mourning Doves could be seen on the forest floor soaking up the morning sun. Higher up, both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches were heard and seen moving down the tree trunks. Loud drumming could be heard coming from the forest and after scanning the trees I was treated to great views of Red-bellied, Hairy, and downy Woodpeckers. In total, I identified 21 different bird species in this small section of the park.

IMG 4828 2 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **Birds aren’t the only wildlife whose location can be predicted by weather conditions, these White-tailed Deer were also found in the same forest seeking shelter from the cold north wind.**

Now I’m sure I could have wandered through the park willy-nilly and seen some birds, but not in this variety or quantity. By paying attention to the conditions and using them to my advantage I focused my attention on the area that held the highest concentration of birds. Using the warm morning sun and hill that provided protection from the cold north wind as a map guided me right to where the birds were. After enjoying great views of a variety of birds, some fresh air, and exercise I headed back home to complete my workday.

IMG 4254 - Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding — **Cedar Waxwing**

Paying close attention to the conditions and using them to give me the upper hand is something I’ve done while birding for many years and will continue to do so for many more because it simply works. If you are hoping to see more birds on your next outing keep the conditions in mind and use them to increase the number of species you tally. This simple practice is something anyone young or old, beginner or expert can do to stack the deck in their favour maximizing time in the field.

Good birding,
Paul

*My 2021 calendars have arrived and are selling fast! A great gift idea for the bird lover on your list.*