Art Prints

Sunday, June 12, 2011

End of Spring...


Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum

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 Northern Parula (Parula americana)

The season has ended with a flurry of bird activity.
It’s been a most fantastic spring, and we have high hopes that this continues into the summer, both with birding and photography.

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Male Scarlet Tanager in sight @ Chaffey's Lock, Ontario.

Chaffeys-Locks-May-26,-2011-012---Janet-Wall
Dragonfly,  Four-spotted Skimmer, Libellula quadrimaculata Photo credit Janet Wall

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Chaffey's Lock, Ontario. Photo credit Janet Wall 

Thursday: Full Day Excursion: Chaffey's Lock, Ontario, Canada, 26 May 2011
Our full day excursion to Chaffey’s Locks revealed several life-birds for the group of 18 eager participants. Chaffey’s Locks, is one of Eastern Ontario’s best example of Carolinian habitats.
We had Cerulean Warbler, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Golden-winged Warbler and Yellow-throated Vireo, just  to mention a few highlights.
Day-list:
  1. American Bittern
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Redstart
  5. American Robin
  6. American Kestrel
  7. Baltimore Oriole
  8. Barn Swallow
  9. Belted Kingfisher
  10. Black & White Warbler
  11. Blackburnian Warbler
  12. Black-capped Chickadee
  13. Blackpoll Warbler
  14. Black-throated Green Warbler
  15. Blue Jay
  16. Broad-winged Hawk
  17. Canada Goose        
  18. Cedar Waxwing
  19. Cerulean Warbler
  20. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  21. Chimney Swift
  22. Chipping Sparrow
  23. Common Grackle
  24. Common Loon
  25. Common Raven
  26. Common Yellowthroat
  27. Downy Woodpecker
  28. Eastern Bluebird
  29. Eastern Kingbird
  30. Eastern Meadowlark
  31. Eastern Phoebe
  32. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  33. European Starling
  34. Golden-winged Warbler
  35. Great Blue Heron
  36. Great-crested Flycatcher
  37. Hairy Woodpecker
  38. Hooded Merganser
  39. House Sparrow
  40. House Wren
  41. Indigo Bunting
  42. Mallard
  43. Mourning Dove
  44. Northern Cardinal
  45. Northern Flicker
  46. Osprey
  47. Ovenbird
  48. Pileated Woodpecker
  49. Pine Warbler
  50. Red-eyed Vireo
  51. Red-shouldered Hawk
  52. Red-tailed Hawk
  53. Red-winged Blackbird
  54. Ring-billed Gull
  55. Rock Pigeon
  56. Rose-breasted Grosbeak
  57. Rough-winged Swallow
  58. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  59. Scarlet Tanager
  60. Song Sparrow
  61. Swainson's Thrush
  62. Swamp Sparrow
  63. Tree Swallow
  64. Turkey Vulture
  65. Veery
  66. Warbling Vireo
  67. White-breasted Nuthatch
  68. Wild Turkey
  69. Wilson's Snipe
  70. Wood Duck
  71. Yellow Warbler
  72. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  73. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
  74. Yellow-throated Vireo
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Chaffey's Lock, Ontario

Saturday 4th June – Britannia Conservation Area, Ottawa, ON, Canada
With spring migration waning we still encountered 44 species of birds in one location - Britannia Conservation Area.
With much evidence of breeding activity, Great-crested Flycatcher, Cedar Waxwing, American Redstart, Pine Warbler and many others, put on a great musical and visual performance.

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Britannia Conservation Area

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Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Day-list:
  1. American Black Duck
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Redstart
  5. American Robin
  6. Baltimore Oriole
  7. Black-capped Chickadee
  8. Black-crowned Night Heron
  9. Blue Jay
  10. Brown Thrasher
  11. Brown-headed Cowbird
  12. Canada Goose        
  13. Chimney Swift
  14. Common Grackle
  15. Common Merganser
  16. Common Raven
  17. Common Tern
  18. Double-crested Cormorant
  19. Downy Woodpecker
  20. Eastern Kingbird
  21. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  22. European Starling
  23. Great Blue Heron
  24. Great-crested Flycatcher
  25. Grey Catbird
  26. Hairy Woodpecker
  27. House Finch
  28. House Sparrow
  29. Mallard
  30. Mourning Dove
  31. Nashville Warbler
  32. Northern Cardinal
  33. Pine Warbler
  34. Red-eyed Vireo
  35. Red-winged Blackbird
  36. Rock Pigeon
  37. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  38. Song Sparrow
  39. Tree Swallow
  40. Turkey Vulture
  41. Warbling Vireo
  42. White-breasted Nuthatch
  43. Wood Duck
  44. Yellow Warbler
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Dragonfly, © Nina Stavlund

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Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus

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Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

Sunday 5th June – The big Sparrow hunt
I think Sparrows are adorable creatures, and some of them make the strangest sounds, like the Grasshopper Sparrow and the Clay-colored Sparrow. Meanwhile, others have the most beautiful song like the Vesper Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow and the ever-familiar Song Sparrow.
We met our target of 10 different species of Sparrow, and were extremely pleased with their performance in front of the camera.
We were also happy to see two Great Egrets flying overhead near the Mer Bleue.

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Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
Day-list:
  1. American Bittern
  2. Alder Flycatcher
  3. American Crow
  4. American Goldfinch
  5. American Robin
  6. Barn Swallow
  7. Black & White Warbler
  8. Black-capped Chickadee
  9. Black-crowned Night Heron
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Bobolink
  12. Brown Thrasher
  13. Brown-headed Cowbird
  14. Canada Goose        
  15. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  16. Chipping Sparrow
  17. Clay-colored Sparrow
  18. Common Grackle
  19. Common Raven
  20. Common Yellowthroat
  21. Double-crested Cormorant
  22. Eastern Bluebird
  23. Eastern Kingbird
  24. Eastern Meadowlark
  25. Eastern Phoebe
  26. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  27. European Starling
  28. Field Sparrow
  29. Grasshopper Saprrow
  30. Great Blue Heron
  31. Great Eagret
  32. Great-crested Flycatcher
  33. Green Heron
  34. Grey Catbird
  35. Hairy Woodpecker
  36. House Sparrow
  37. House Wren
  38. Indigo Bunting
  39. Least Flycatcher
  40. Lincoln's Sparrow
  41. Mallard
  42. Mourning Dove
  43. Nashville Warbler
  44. Northern Cardinal
  45. Northern Flicker
  46. Ovenbird
  47. Palm Warbler
  48. Pileated Woodpecker
  49. Purple Finch
  50. Red-eyed Vireo
  51. Red-tailed Hawk
  52. Red-winged Blackbird
  53. Ring-billed Gull
  54. Rock Pigeon
  55. Savanna Sparrow
  56. Song Sparrow
  57. Swamp Sparrow
  58. Tree Swallow
  59. Turkey Vulture
  60. Veery
  61. Vesper Sparrow
  62. Virginia Rail
  63. White-throated Sparrow
  64. Wild Turkey
  65. Yellow Warbler
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Mer Bleue

Tuesday 7 June – Mer Bleue
It was a wonderful day at the Mer Bleue with magnificent bog scenery that included Pink Lady Slippers and abundant Cotton Grass. We also had the great pleasure of seeing Lincoln’s Sparrow and Palm Warbler. Dragonflies and Damselflies were ruling the bog and flying around us everywhere.
Another highlight of the day came in the form of 2 Sandhill Cranes flying over the boardwalk.

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Moccasin Flower/Pink Lady's Slipper  (Cypripedium acaule)

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Palm warbler in sight @ Mer Bleue
Day-list:
  1. American Bittern
  2. Alder Flycatcher
  3. American Crow
  4. American Goldfinch
  5. American Redstart
  6. American Robin
  7. Baltimore Oriole
  8. Black & White Warbler
  9. Black-capped Chickadee
  10. Blue Jay
  11. Canada Goose        
  12. Cedar Waxwing
  13. Chestnut-sided Warbler
  14. Chipping Sparrow
  15. Common Raven
  16. Common Yellowthroat
  17. Downy Woodpecker
  18. Eastern Kingbird
  19. Eastern Phoebe
  20. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  21. European Starling
  22. Great-crested Flycatcher
  23. Grey Catbird
  24. Hairy Woodpecker
  25. Hermit Thrush
  26. House Sparrow
  27. Indigo Bunting
  28. Lincoln's Sparrow
  29. Mallard
  30. Mourning Dove
  31. Nashville Warbler
  32. Northern Flicker
  33. Ovenbird
  34. Palm Warbler
  35. Pileated Woodpecker
  36. Purple Finch
  37. Red-eyed Vireo
  38. Red-tailed Hawk
  39. Red-winged Blackbird
  40. Ring-billed Gull
  41. Sandhill Crane
  42. Song Sparrow
  43. Swamp Sparrow
  44. Turkey Vulture
  45. Veery
  46. Virginia Rail
  47. White-throated Sparrow
  48. Yellow Warbler
  49. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
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Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

Thursday 9th June – Photography Day @ Jack Pine Trail
We ended the season with a focused photography excursion at Jack Pine Trail.
Surprisingly, a Virginia Rail came out into the open, relaxed, and away from all cover of vegetation.
At the same time, a highly vocal Swamp Sparrow proclaimed his territory from an exposed perch beside the boardwalk.  The 10 members of our group could not ask for more cooperative subjects to  photograph.
Day-list:
  1. Alder Flycatcher
  2. American Crow
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. American Robin
  5. Baltimore Oriole
  6. Black & White Warbler
  7. Black-capped Chickadee
  8. Black-crowned Night Heron
  9. Blue Jay
  10. Broad-winged Hawk
  11. Brown Creeper
  12. Canada Goose        
  13. Cedar Waxwing
  14. Common Grackle
  15. Common Raven
  16. Common Yellowthroat
  17. Downy Woodpecker
  18. Eastern Kingbird
  19. Eastern Towhee
  20. Eastern Wood-Pewee
  21. European Starling
  22. Field Sparrow
  23. Great Blue Heron
  24. Great-crested Flycatcher
  25. Grey Catbird
  26. Hairy Woodpecker
  27. Hermit Thrush
  28. House Sparrow
  29. Killdeer
  30. Mallard
  31. Mourning Dove
  32. Nashville Warbler
  33. Northern Cardinal
  34. Northern Flicker
  35. Ovenbird
  36. Pileated Woodpecker
  37. Pine Warbler
  38. Purple Finch
  39. Red-eyed Vireo
  40. Red-winged Blackbird
  41. Ring-billed Gull
  42. Rock Pigeon
  43. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  44. Song Sparrow
  45. Swamp Sparrow
  46. Tree Swallow
  47. Veery
  48. Virginia Rail
  49. White-breasted Nuthatch
  50. White-throated Sparrow
  51. Yellow Warbler
  52. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

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Mallard Shoot @ Jack Pine Trail

IMG_4724edited---RAllen
Drake Mallard, Photo credit Ron Allen

Virginia-Rail-1[2]----Lorraine-Elworthy
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), Photo credit Lorraine Elsworthy

The summer session will start in the end of June.
The Summer Program can be found by clicking the link!
Stay tuned for more BLOGs! :o)

All excursions organized by Always An Adventure ~ Tony Beck

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Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

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Magnolia warbler (Dendroica magnolia)

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Northern Parula (Parula americana)


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2 comments:

  1. Oh ~ Will you please friend me on Facebook??? I don't want to miss these pictures ever! I live in Southern California, and I see several of these birds coming to my backyard.. The red breasted sap sucking woodpecker, and the one with the yellow breast, and a few others...I put birdfeed out for them, and they come around all the time! Just love to watch them!...All kinds of birds of course the little Vesper Sparrows!!!....Never knew that was their name! Why are are called "Vesper???" "Vespers" is sung in the late afternoon, and these little guys don't wait for the evening to come and beg for food....So many of them!!! Just love your posts....Thanks so much! "Sunny"

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  2. Hi Sunny and thank you for your comment.
    I am happy that you find my BLOG interesting and also like my pictures.
    The best way to keep track of the BLOG entries is to follow the BLOG or to join our Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Always-An-Adventure/189237974431755
    I don't post pictures to my own wall anymore, only to the Page. It also where we post everything about birds, nature and wildlife.
    Join us there! :o) Hope to see you!

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