Spring Birding Mania!

Yellow Warbler - Dendroica petechia

Jack Pine Trail

Tuesday 3rd May –
Jack Pine Trail never fails to entertain.

It was a great morning with several highlights. Including Virginia Rail, Ovenbird and a very accommodating Swamp Sparrow.

Day list:

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Tree Sparrow
5. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
6. Barn Swallow
7. Belted Kingfisher
8. Black & White Warbler
9. Black-capped Chickadee
10. Blue Jay
11. Blue-headed Vireo
12. Brown-headed Cowbird
13. Bufflehead
14. Canada Goose        
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Cliff Swallow
17. Common Grackle
18. Common Merganser
19. Common Raven
20. Dark-eyed Junco
21. Downy Woodpecker
22. Dunlin
23. European Starling
24. Evening Grosbeak
25. Field Sparrow
26. Great-crested Flycatcher
27. Greater Yellowlegs
28. Hairy Woodpecker
29. House Sparrow
30. Lesser Scaup
31. Lesser Yellowlegs
32. Mallard
33. Mourning Dove
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Northern Flicker
36. Osprey
37. Ovenbird
38. Pine Warbler
39. Purple Finch
40. Purple Martin
41. Red-breasted Nuthatch
42. Red-tailed Hawk
43. Red-winged Blackbird
44. Ring-billed Gull
45. Ring-necked Duck
46. Rock Pigeon
47. Rough-winged Swallow
48. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
49. Ruddy Duck
50. Rusty Blackbird
51. Savanna Sparrow
52. Song Sparrow
53. Sora Rail
54. Swamp Sparrow
55. Tree Swallow
56. Virginia Rail
57. Warbling Vireo
58. White-breasted Nuthatch
59. White-throated Sparrow
60. White-winged Scoter
61. Wood Duck
62. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
63. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Virginia Rail - Rallus limicola

Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana, Photo courtesy Helena G.

Female Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus

Thursday 5th May –
Spring-like weather returns with warm sunshine. Yet only a few migrants made appearances today.

Among them included Yellow-rumped and Yellow Warblers.

The highlight of the day, was a long photo session with a very cooperative Eastern Towhee.

Day list:

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Robin
4. American Kestrel
5. Belted Kingfisher
6. Black-capped Chickadee
7. Blue Jay
8. Blue-winged teal
9. Broad-winged Hawk
10. Brown Thrasher
11. Brown-headed Cowbird
12. Canada Goose        
13. Chipping Sparrow
14. Common Grackle
15. Common Raven
16. Dark-eyed Junco
17. Downy Woodpecker
18. Eastern Bluebird
19. Eastern Meadowlark
20. Eastern Phoebe
21. Eastern Towhee
22. European Starling
23. Field Sparrow
24. Gadwall
25. Great Blue Heron
26. Greater Scaup
27. Grey Catbird
28. Herring Gull
29. Hooded Merganser
30. House Sparrow
31. Killdeer
32. Lesser Scaup
33. Mallard
34. Mourning Dove
35. Northern Cardinal
36. Northern Flicker
37. Northern Harrier
38. Northern Showler
39. Osprey
40. Ovenbird
41. Palm Warbler
42. Peregrine Falcon
43. Purple Martin
44. Red-tailed Hawk
45. Red-winged Blackbird
46. Ring-billed Gull
47. Ring-necked Duck
48. Rock Pigeon
49. Rough-winged Swallow
50. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
51. Ruffed Grouse
52. Rusty Blackbird
53. Savanna Sparrow
54. Sharp-shinned Hawk
55. Song Sparrow
56. Spotted Sandpiper
57. Swamp Sparrow
58. Tree Swallow
59. Turkey Vulture
60. Virginia Rail
61. White-breasted Nuthatch
62. White-throated Sparrow
63. Wild Turkey
64. Wood Duck
65. Yellow Warbler
66. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
67. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Female Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata - Myrtle

Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus

American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus, Photo courtesy Bill Bowman

Saturday 7^th May –
What an awesome day! Birds were everywhere.  And, they just seemed to keep on coming.

The morning at Petrie Island was a warbler paradise including a spectacular male Blackburnian Warbler - A real crowd-pleaser.

Day list:

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. Bald Eagle
6. Baltimore Oriole
7. Bank Swallow (Sand Martin)
8. Barn Swallow
9. Belted Kingfisher
10. Black & White Warbler
11. Blackburnian Warbler
12. Black-capped Chickadee
13. Black-throated Green Warbler
14. Blue Jay
15. Bobolink
16. Brant
17. Broad-winged Hawk
18. Brown Creeper
19. Brown Thrasher
20. Brown-headed Cowbird
21. Bufflehead
22. Canada Goose        
23. Chipping Sparrow
24. Common Grackle
25. Common Raven
26. Double-crested Cormorant
27. Downy Woodpecker
28. Eastern Kingbird
29. Eastern Meadowlark
30. Eastern Phoebe
31. European Starling
32. Great Blue Heron
33. Great-crested Flycatcher
34. Green-winged Teal
35. Grey Catbird
36. Hairy Woodpecker
37. House Sparrow
38. House Wren
39. Killdeer
40. Least Flycatcher
41. Mallard
42. Mourning Dove
43. Northern Flicker
44. Northern Parula
45. Osprey
46. Palm Warbler
47. Pied-billed Grebe
48. Purple Finch
49. Red-tailed Hawk
50. Red-winged Blackbird
51. Ring-billed Gull
52. Rock Pigeon
53. Rough-winged Swallow
54. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
55. Rusty Blackbird
56. Savanna Sparrow
57. Sharp-shinned Hawk
58. Snow Goose
59. Song Sparrow
60. Spotted Sandpiper
61. Swamp Sparrow
62. Tennessee Warbler
63. Tree Swallow
64. Turkey Vulture
65. Warbling Vireo
66. White-breasted Nuthatch
67. White-crowned Sparrow
68. White-throated Sparrow
69. Wilson's Snipe
70. Wood Duck
71. Yellow Warbler
72. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
73. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Osprey - Pandion haliaetus

Gray Catbird - Dumetella carolinensis

Sunday May 8^th – 

Happy Mother’s Day!

17 participants gathered at Andrew Haydon Park, to enjoy the wonders of spring on this special day. A lone Brant joined the Canada Geese, on one of the small ponds.

We later went for a relaxing hike around Mud Lake, Britannia.

Some of the highlights included Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Heron, White-crowned Sparrow and Rusty Blackbirds.

Day list:

1. American Black Duck
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Barn Swallow
7. Blackburnian Warbler
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Black-crowned Night Heron
10. Black-throated Green Warbler
11. Blue Jay
12. Brant
13. Brown-headed Cowbird
14. Canada Goose 
15. Chipping Sparrow
16. Common Grackle
17. Common Raven
18. Common Tern
19. Dark-eyed Junco
20. Double-crested Cormorant
21. Downy Woodpecker
22. European Starling
23. Great Black-backed Gull
24. Great Blue Heron
25. Green Heron
26. Grey Catbird
27. Hairy Woodpecker
28. Herring Gull
29. House Finch
30. House Sparrow
31. Killdeer
32. Mallard
33. Mourning Dove
34. Northern Cardinal
35. Northern Flicker
36. Northern Mockingbird
37. Palm Warbler
38. Pine Warbler
39. Red-winged Blackbird
40. Ring-billed Gull
41. Rock Pigeon
42. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
43. Rusty Blackbird
44. Song Sparrow
45. Spotted Sandpiper
46. Tree Swallow
47. Warbling Vireo
48. White-breasted Nuthatch
49. White-crowned Sparrow
50. White-throated Sparrow
51. Wood Duck
52. Yellow Warbler
53. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Brant - Branta bernicla

Rusty Blackbird - Euphagus carolinus, Photo courtesy Heather Pickard 

Red Trillium - Trillium erectum

Monday 9^th May –
What a fantastic spring day!

Warm temperatures, bright sunshine, and no wind – ideal conditions for comfortable birdwatching.

The Brant was still at Andrew Haydon Park, along with a small family of Canada Geese with 4 tiny Goslings.

At Grand View Trail, Field Sparrows and Brown Thrashers were playing hide and seek.

Day list

1. American Crow
2. American Goldfinch
3. American Redstart
4. American Robin
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Barn Swallow
7. Black & White Warbler
8. Black-capped Chickadee
9. Black-throated Blue Warbler
10. Blue Jay
11. Brant
12. Brown Thrasher
13. Brown-headed Cowbird
14. Bufflehead
15. Canada Goose 
16. Chipping Sparrow
17. Common Goldeneye
18. Common Grackle
19. Common Loon
20. Common Redpoll
21. Coopers Hawk
22. Double-crested Cormorant
23. Downy Woodpecker
24. Eastern Kingbird
25. European Starling
26. Field Sparrow
27. Great Blue Heron
28. Greater Scaup
29. Grey Catbird
30. Hairy Woodpecker
31. House Sparrow
32. House Wren
33. Killdeer
34. Lesser Scaup
35. Mallard
36. Merlin
37. Mourning Dove
38. Nashville Warbler
39. Northern Cardinal
40. Northern Flicker
41. Northern Mockingbird
42. Osprey
43. Pileated Woodpecker
44. Purple Finch
45. Purple Martin
46. Red-breasted Merganser
47. Red-necked Grebe
48. Red-winged Blackbird
49. Ring-billed Gull
50. Ring-necked Duck
51. Rock Pigeon
52. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
53. Rusty Blackbird
54. Song Sparrow
55. Spotted Sandpiper
56. Tree Swallow
57. Turkey Vulture
58. Warbling Vireo
59. White-breasted Nuthatch
60. White-crowned Sparrow
61. White-throated Sparrow
62. Wood Duck
63. Yellow-rumped Warbler

Gosling - Canada Goose

Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum

Warbling Vireo - Vireo gilvus

All excursions organized by Tony Beck - Always an Adventure