Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly

By now most are aware of the decline in Monarch Butterfly numbers and that Milkweed is necessary for their survival. So far in 2014, governments, environmental groups, and citizens have all been taking measures to ensure the survival of this beautiful butterfly. For the most part, this has been in the form of planting various types of milkweed and protecting existing patches.

On my many outings throughout the city this year I have been paying close attention to milkweed patches, checking for any signs of monarchs. Early June produced a single monarch fluttering over a meadow containing various wildflowers, milkweed included, in the west end of Greenway Park. I was optimistic for future sightings and hoped that this area would potentially be a breeding ground for the monarchs.

IMG 4858 1 - Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly — Several Monarch Butterflies in a large meadow containing Milkweed and other wildflowers has me hopeful their numbers will rebound.

As weeks went by, I continually checked this area hoping to see more monarchs or evidence that they had been reproducing. Several insects, including bees and other butterfly species could be seen feeding on nectar and gathering pollen from the milkweed and various wildflowers, but unfortunately no more monarchs were seen, nor were any eggs or caterpillars. My optimism faded, but I continued to observe the area whenever I found myself walking there.

My faded optimism quickly turned into excitement this past week when another monarch sighting took place. I was photographing some of the various birds and wildlife in the area, which on this day included: Yellow Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, an Eastern Kingbird, and White-tailed Deer, when I caught a hint of back and orange flutter past. To my delight it was a Monarch Butterfly. I watched as it flew back and forth over the meadow eventually settling on a Milkweed flower. I quickly snapped several photos then watched as it flew off over the field. Satisfied with my sighting and photos my attention returned to the deer and bird species.

As I watched a doe grazing on the variety of plants, once again a monarch passed by. As I carried on a little further, another Milkweed plant revealed a Monarch Butterfly feeding on it’s nectar. Curious as to whether it was the same butterfly covering a lot of ground or multiple Monarch Butterflies in the area, I scanned the tops of the flowers. I quickly observed several Monarch Butterflies fluttering low over the meadow and clinging to the Milkweed and various wildflowers within it.

IMG 4885 1 - Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly — Monarch Butterfly on a Milkweed leaf.

Having only seen one Monarch Butterfly in all of 2013, and not within the city, this was a welcome sighting. Whether or not it is a sign of their numbers rebounding, or just one small group in a dwindling population, only time will tell. Hopefully another generation of monarchs will get their start here in one of London’s beautiful parks. To access Greenway Park, turn onto Greenside Avenue from Springbank Drive and follow the road into the park. Be sure to make the quick right hand turn before the pollution control center. I recommend parking in the large lot directly across from the off leash dog area. From there the large patch of Milkweed is on the far side of the soccer pitch. Remember to keep a close eye and ear for all the great wildlife that call Greenway Park home.

Good birding,
Paul

Mammals

White-tailed Deer

Coyote

Eastern Chipmunk

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Raccoon

White-tailed Deer

Groundhog

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Raccoons

Eastern Grey Squirrel

White-tailed Deer

Eastern Chipmunk

Raccoon

Eastern Chipmunk

White-tailed Deer

Northern Cardinals

Northern Cardinal male

Northern Cardinal female

Northern Cardinal male

Northern Cardinal

Northern cardinal male

Northern Cardinal male

Good Birding Report: London, ON April 13-19 2014

This past week saw more consistency to the daytime highs and consequently more migrating bird species arriving in our area. Several first of year species were seen and with the weather looking to remain stable for the upcoming week, more will follow.

I finally saw my first Yellow-rumped Warblers of the year this past week after mentioning them as early returnees in previous posts. The number of sparrow species that have returned continues to grow with Field Sparrows now being added to the list. Chipping Sparrows have been regular morning visitors to my feeders this past week and White-throated Sparrows are more abundant. Northern Rough-winged Swallows can now be seen, along with increased numbers of Tree Swallows flying overhead in search of insects in areas close to water.

Many of the local ponds in the area are turning up several waterfowl species. Saunders Pond located in the Westminster Ponds ESA is a perfect example of this. Wood Ducks, Horned Grebes, American Coots, Common Mergansers, and Pied-billed Grebes were all present. A Great Egret was also observed on the north side of the pond, visible from the lookout behind Tourist Information on Wellington Road. In fact, the entire Westminster Ponds ESA provided great looks at many birds. The forest floor was alive with activity, with Hermit Thrushes and Brown Thrashers sifting though the leaf matter in search of insects. Eastern Meadowlarks could be seen and heard in the open field areas within the ESA. Five woodpecker species, the highlight being a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, were also found deep in the forests. A rather early Blue-headed Vireo was seen on the edge of the forest capturing insects. Vireos typically arrive later in April or early May, so this was a nice surprise.

IMG 1795 1 2 - Good Birding Report: London, ON April 13-19 2014 — This Blue-headed Vireo was seen at Westminster Ponds ESA.

A complete list of birds observed this week is as follows:

IMG 1985 1 - Good Birding Report: London, ON April 13-19 2014 — Brown Thrashers could be seen sifting through leaves on forest floors in search of insects.

American Coot
American Crow
American Goldfinch
American Robin
American Wigeon
Bald Eagle
Black-capped Chickadee
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
Brown Headed Cowbird
Brown Thrasher
Canada Goose
Carolina Wren
Chipping Sparrow
Common Grackle
Common Merganser
Dark-eyed Junco
Double-crested Cormorant
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Phoebe
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Great Egret
Hairy Woodpecker

Hermit Thrush
Horned Grebe
House Finch
House Sparrow
Killdeer
Mallard
Mourning Dove

IMG 1825 1 2 - Good Birding Report: London, ON April 13-19 2014 — Hermit Thrushes are another species that can be found on or near the forest floor searching for insects.

Merlin
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Osprey
Pied-billed Grebe
Pileated Woodpecker
Song Sparrow
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-winged Blackbird
Ring-billed Gull
Tree Swallow
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-throated Sparrow
Wood Duck
Yellow-rumped Warbler

IMG 2003 1 - Good Birding Report: London, ON April 13-19 2014 — Several Butterfly species emerged this past week including this Milbert’s Tortoiseshell.

It wasn’t just bird activity that increased this past week. Reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies were all more prevalent. The calls of Spring Peepers and Chorus Frogs echoed from within flooded wooded areas. Painted Turtles could be seen basking on logs in the warm sun, and several butterfly species including Mourning Cloaks and Milbert’s Tortoiseshells emerged.

Spring Migration is really starting to pick up now that spring-like weather is finally here. The numbers of species previously reported will increase and new arrivals will be appearing over the next couple of weeks. If you get the chance over this period, head out to your local park, ESA, or Conservation Area and see what incredible nature we have right here in our own backyard.

Good birding,
Paul

Look For Subtle Differences When Identifying Birds

Identification is something that all birders struggle with at some point. Whether you are new to the hobby or have been at it for years, proper identification can be a challenge. This is an aspect of birding I am always trying to improve on, especially when it comes to warblers, sparrows, and shorebirds. Fortunately there are a few things to focus on when trying to properly identify a bird by sight.

IMG 8322 1 - Look For Subtle Differences When Identifying Birds — Note the yellow eye and bluish bill of the male Redhead pictured above on the left versus the red eye and solid black bill of the male Canvasback below.

IMG 8390 1 - Look For Subtle Differences When Identifying Birds — Eye and bill colour are overlooked field marks that help us tell the difference between a Redhead and a Canvasback.

A few subtle differences within every species will leads to proper identification. In the front of your field guide there is a section devoted to bird identification which describes the various field marks, also referred to as topography of a bird. Many of these distinguishing field marks can be found on the bird’s head. Eye lines, eye rings, and eye brows, are markings to pay attention to when unsure what you have observed. Other areas of the head to pay attention to are the crown, throat, and beak colour. As you move down the bird, markings on the breast, belly, wings, and tail all become important in identification.

IMG 1482 1 - Look For Subtle Differences When Identifying Birds — Differentiating between the Field Sparrow above and the American Tree Sparrow below comes down to a few subtle field marks.

American Tree Sparrow 5445 1 - Look For Subtle Differences When Identifying Birds — Both birds display rusty crowns and white wing bars, but there are a few key marks that separate these two sparrows. The American Tree Sparrow has a chest spot, eye stripe, and it’s beak has a dark upper with yellow lower mandible. The Field Sparrow lacks the chest spot and eye stripe, has a solid pink beak, and bold white eye ring.

I recommend studying the front of your field guide and familiarizing yourself with the field marks of a bird. Not always is the entire bird visible when birding, so focussing on the part of the bird you can see, and running through a check list in your head will help. Make a mental note of all the distinguishing field marks to reference with your guide later. If you carry a camera with you when you bird, snap a photo. Regardless of the quality of the photo you get, most times they can be used for identification.

As you become more familiar with the various field marks on a bird and what to look for, identification will become easier. As with anything, practice makes perfect, so the more you bird the better you will become.

Good birding,
Paul

Plenty Of Colour Around To Help Us Put Winter Behind Us

If you have had enough of winter and the slow start to spring this year, heading out for a little birding will definitely put colour into your day. For the last several months it seems everything around us has been shades of white or grey. With plenty of snow and ice this past winter, I think we are all ready for the colours of spring.

IMG 9680 1 - Plenty Of Colour Around To Help Us Put Winter Behind Us — The orange breast of the American Robin adds plenty of colour and contrasts nicely against most backgrounds.

With the snow taking it’s time to melt, it may be a few weeks yet before we start to see colour in the form of daffodils, tulips, and crocuses emerging from the ground. Luckily there is plenty of colour in the birds around us to help forget about winter.

IMG 9695 1 - Plenty Of Colour Around To Help Us Put Winter Behind Us — The female Cardinal is not always considered a colourful bird, but their beautiful red and orange accents show otherwise.

On recent walks around some of my favourite birding hotspots, there has been a wide range of beautiful colours. Bright red male Northern Cardinals can be seen in the tree tops singing; establishing their territories and bringing in their mates. Speaking of mates, the red and orange accents of the female cardinal are quite stunning and can be easily forgotten when thinking of colourful birds. Robins are now more active and can be seen hopping across newly exposed grass searching for food in wet areas as the snow melts. Their bright orange breasts contrast against their dark backs as well as the remaining snow; painting a beautiful picture. Good numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds are around showing their red and yellow wing bars, and the beautiful plumage of Blue Jays really stands out this time of year against a leafless backdrop.

IMG 9774 1 - Plenty Of Colour Around To Help Us Put Winter Behind Us — The brilliantly coloured male Wood Duck is perhaps the most colourful bird we have in our area.

The return of some waterfowl to the Thames River this spring is adding some incredible colour. American Wigeons can be seen, the males showing a wonderful green stripe on their heads, with a baby blue bill and rusty patch on their sides. Perhaps the most colourful of all birds is the male Wood Duck. This gorgeous bird is a fantastic combination of green, red, orange, yellow, blue, maroon, purple, and white; impressing birders and non birders alike with it’s beauty.

IMG 9842 1 - Plenty Of Colour Around To Help Us Put Winter Behind Us — This male American Wigeon shows off a variety of colour.

If you feel your days are lacking some colour and you want to put the drab winter behind you, then I recommend taking a walk and enjoying the beauty our local birds present.

Good birding,
Paul

Spring Cleanup Will Ensure The Health Of Your Backyard Birds

Now that warmer daytime temperatures have melted away much of the snow from around our yards, there is some spring maintenance that needs to be done to ensure the health of your backyard birds. Feeders should be cleaned regularly throughout the year, but spring is when they can be the dirtiest. Each of your feeders should be cleaned inside and out, with all parts being washed including perches, seed ports, seed reservoirs, lids, and platforms. Poles, baffles and hooks should be cleaned of any feces that has collected over winter too.

Dirty feeders contain bacteria that not only is unattractive to birds can also be deadly. Mold and diseases can be found in spoiled seed and feces; which can quickly spread throughout your backyard birds, destroying the population. Future generations of birds are also affected, by the potential loss of one or both members of a nesting pair.

IMG 3664 1 - Spring Cleanup Will Ensure The Health Of Your Backyard Birds — Feeders should be cleaned periodically throughout the year with a mild bleach solution.

Old seed and feces should be scraped or brushed off of feeders. Specialty brushes are available from your local seed retailer or an old putty knife and toothbrush can be used. Eco-friendly dish detergent and water can be used to wash the entire feeder after brushing to kill any bacteria. Rinse the feeder thoroughly with fresh water, then the feeder air dry completely before filling and rehanging. Any moisture left in the feeder will just cause the fresh seed to go moldy.

Clean the area underneath your feeders also. Spoiled seed, shells and feces should all be raked up, again to remove any disease and bacteria from negatively affecting the health of your birds. Rotting seeds and shells can produce a foul odor which can attract unwanted visitors such as rats and raccoons to your feeder.

If nest boxes were not cleaned last fall, now is the time. Remove all old nesting material and dispose of it in a garbage bag. This material can attract rodents, fungus, mites and other diseases, so reusing it is not healthy or attractive for the birds. Visually check the condition of each box. If any nails, screws or other parts are loose or damaged, now is the time to fix them. Make sure the entrance and all vents holes are clear. If any of your roost boxes have reversible fronts that convert them into nest boxes, now is the time to switch those too.

These few simple tasks this spring will ensure that your backyard continues to attract and maintain a healthy population of birds.

Good birding,
Paul

The Early Days Of Spring Can Produce Great Counts For Birders

The change in seasons can be an excellent time for birders to see an incredible number of species, with winter to spring being no exception. As the days warm and get longer, migration is triggered and new arrivals start to appear in our area. This combined with the species that have wintered here still lingering, and the resident species, makes the variety and number of birds for birders to view optimal.

This past week, saw a few warmer days and some south winds, which brought with them good numbers of blackbirds. Red-winged, grackles and cowbirds were all reported. Walks along the river produced the sight and sound of Killdeer, and Tundra Swans started to show up in Aylmer and the Thedford bog. Along with the swans, migrating dabbling ducks started to appear, including Wood Ducks and American Wigeons which are now both present on the Thames River. Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots were also observed. Many Sparrow species will soon follow, with Chipping and Savannah possible any day now.

IMG 9582 11 - The Early Days Of Spring Can Produce Great Counts For Birders — The American Wigeon is a dabbling duck that has returned from it’s wintering grounds in the southern United States.

Several wintering species can still be viewed in the area, including many waterfowl. The Thames River still has a nice variety, with most of the species reported this past winter still present, albeit the numbers and concentrations are much lower. Sparrows, including White-throated, White-crowned and American Tree, can still be found around thickets and field edges and Dark-eyed Juncos are still present at most backyard feeders. A walk at my local park turned up a Northern Shrike that has not begun it’s migration north to the Taiga, where it breeds.

IMG 9423 1 2 - The Early Days Of Spring Can Produce Great Counts For Birders — Species such as this Northern Shrike that overwinter in our area are still present.

Many of the resident species are extremely active these days. Northern Cardinals are aggressively singing, marking their territory in preparation for the upcoming breeding season. Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and Brown Creepers can all be seen foraging on tree trunks for the recently emerging insects.

The weather for our area is not supposed to stabilize for a while yet, so great birding opportunities for viewing these overlapping species should exist for a while. Any day is a great day to bird, but if numbers are what you seek, look for the warmest day with a south wind. If such a day arises, grab your binoculars and head for your favourite birding spot and you may just have one of your best days birding.

Good birding,
Paul

Tundra Swan Migration About To Reach Full Height

Another bird that lets us know spring is knocking on our door is the Tundra Swan. These swans, as the name suggests, breed on the Arctic tundra of both Canada and Alaska; they migrate through the London area every year, often stopping over to rest and feed. These birds have been delayed this year due to the extreme winter and lack of open water, but several sightings in our area are starting to come in. Flocks of Tundra Swans can be seen flying overhead in the typical V formation, their white bodies contrasting against the blue sky. If you hear a goose-like call, only higher pitched, look to the sky as there is likely a flock of swans overhead. Swans can also be found in farm fields feeding on the remains of last fall’s harvest.

IMG 8082 1 - Tundra Swan Migration About To Reach Full Height — **This large flock of Tundra Swans touched down to feed and rest just north of Lake Erie. In areas such as Aylmer Wildlife Management Area or Thedford bog, 1000’s of swans can make up these flocks.**

S2 1 - Tundra Swan Migration About To Reach Full Height — **Flooded farmland is an excellent place to find Tundra Swans in our area as they migrate through**.

The majority of Tundra Swans that migrate through our area spend their winters along the Atlantic coast, with Chesapeake Bay being their desired winter location. This estuary surrounded by Maryland and Virginia is the perfect habitat for thousands of overwintering swans. As the swans migrate in a northwest direction to their Arctic breeding grounds, it puts the Great Lakes and Southwestern Ontario right in their flyway. March and April are the spring months for viewing these beautiful birds in our area. These birds can be readily found along the Lake Erie shoreline resting in the lake or feeding inland in corn and soybean fields. A couple of famous stopover locations in our area for Tundra Swans are the Aylmer Wildlife Management Area, and the Thedford Bog just south of Grand Bend. The Aylmer Wildlife Management Area has several viewing towers overlooking the ponds as well as a Swan hotline you can call with a daily swan count. For more information, including directions and the swan hotline number click here. Daily updates for swan numbers at the Thedford Bog can be found here. Calling ahead to the hotline is a good idea before making the drive to optimize viewing success. Closer views are usually achieved in Aylmer, but I have experienced hundreds of swans right next to the road in Thedford. Either way, the sight of these birds won’t disappoint.

IMG 8642 1 - Tundra Swan Migration About To Reach Full Height — **Tundra Swans flying overhead.**

Tundra Swans can be found feeding and resting in these areas by the hundreds and many times the thousands. The sight and sound of this is simply amazing and is something every birder and non-birder should experience a least once in their lives. Planning a road trip to one of these swan destinations is something the whole family will enjoy. Check out the daily reports of whichever location is closest to you and make it a destination when Tundra Swan numbers increase. I think you will be glad you did.

Good birding,
Paul

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Red-necked Grebe Provides Interesting Views

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of birding along the Thames River. The series of paths and trails are easily navigated and the birds and wildlife along the river are remarkable. The Red-necked Grebe is a bird that I just added to my life list this year, thanks to the extremely cold temperatures we have experienced. These birds usually winter on the Great Lakes, but with so much ice coverage many have moved inland in search of open water.

On recent walks along the river I have viewed as many as four Red-necked Grebes in the section of river between Greenway and Springbank Parks. These birds don’t seem to be too shy around humans as many times I’ve had some pretty good views from close range. On one particular day I got quite lucky as one of these grebes was feeding in the shallow water right next to the bank. I managed to get in a position where there was a clearing in the shrubs and watched as the grebe hunted for food. Red-necked Grebes feed on small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans and must dive underwater in order to catch it. For whatever reason this grebe liked this small section between a sheet of ice and the river bank. I watched as it dove repeatedly in search of food, but unfortunately for the grebe it came up short every time. It was interesting to watch the grebe swim with its face in the water searching before every dive and as it cruised along the bottom in the shallow water.

IMG 9000 1 - Red-necked Grebe Provides Interesting Views — Grebe’s bodies are designed for diving and swimming underwater. The rear placement of their legs makes walking on land quite difficult.

Grebe’s legs are set back far on their bodies which helps them dive and swim underwater but makes walking on dry land extremely difficult for them. It puts their balance off and they tend to fall on their breast as they try to walk. This particular grebe saw an open section of water in the middle of the sheet of ice and decided to try it’s luck there. Reluctant to dive and try to resurface in the hole further out in the ice, the grebe decided to walk. The grebe popped up on the ice and tried walking. Between it’s front-heavy body and the slippery ice it wasn’t making much progress. It reminded me of watching a child on skates for the first time. It tried using it’s wings for balance, but still continued to fall forward. The grebe eventually gave up and got back into the river alongside the sheet of ice. it was clearly hungry and was trying anything to find something to eat. I carried on with my walk and hoped that the grebe would soon find something to appease it’s hunger. These birds have travelled many kilometers this winter in search of food and mortality rates among all waterfowl are up due to starvation in many areas.

IMG 9014 11 - Red-necked Grebe Provides Interesting Views — Struggling to walk across the slippery ice, this Red-necked Grebe tried using it’s wings to help balance.

If you have yet to see a Red-necked Grebe or some of the other waterfowl species that have overwintered on the Thames River, time is running out. As the Great Lakes thaw these birds will be making their way northwest back to their breeding grounds. Try to get out next week and experience some of the wonderful birding we have close to home.

Good birding,
Paul