Tuesday Rambles with David - Riverside Park, Cambridge, ON

11 September 2018

     It was only last winter that Francine and Jim, having driven past Riverside Park many times, decided to drop in and check it out. Since then we have made several outings there and have enjoyed it very much.

     We had often mused about the potential for warblers migrating through in the fall, so it was with this in mind that we organized our Tuesday ramble. Everyone was there except for Mary who is dealing with health issues.

     To no one's surprise American Robin (Turdus migratorius) was ubiquitous, and while it might seem to some that another picture of a robin is superfluous, I think that this image of a young bird is particularly appealing.

     The boardwalk in the winter is a magnet for birds who have quickly clued in to the fact that humans bring bird seed. Obviously, this behaviour is not confined to the winter months, because a little sunflower seed strewn along the rail by Carol and Judy quickly brought in a crowd. Unusual, and especially rewarding, was the arrival of this Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) displaying little trepidation about coming in close to take advantage of the bounty on offer.

     When we first spotted a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) it was just starting to feed on the large, juicy caterpillar of a Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia).

     I suspect we disturbed him because he flew off - but not far.

     It was not long before both male and female cardinals joined the other species to take advantage of the sunflower seeds on the rail. As you may see, moult is fairly advanced in these birds.

     When we checked on the caterpillar a while later it was missing - we concluded that the cardinal had returned to finish off its succulent meal.

     A male Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) was also showing evidence of moult.

     This female, however, was impeccable and quite resplendent in fresh fall attire.

     I am quite sure that wherever there are birds and people who observe them there are also species that are often overlooked due to their familiarity. Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscala) surely falls into this category. 

     It is by any reckoning a stunning species.

     Perhaps we might say the same thing about Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), a dazzling vision of electric blue, with crest and jaunty mien.

     There are resident Blue Jays and a migratory component from farther north. Recently summer inhabitants of the boreal forests have been leaving and passing through in the hundreds. Today Miriam and I sat on the patio and were enthralled as a steady stream of Blue Jays passed over our heads, the sun glinting off their plumage, their calls resonating through the unusually warm air.

     One does not always have to travel to remote areas to witness the wonders of nature.

     An American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) made sure that not all the seeds were taken by the birds.

     A few were eaten, but most were sequestered away for winter storage. We did not begrudge the squirrel its share.

     One of our most widely known, and best loved, birds is the Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) and they certainly look dapper at this time of year.

     A bit of a love/hate relationship exists between people and Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) but I am an unabashed admirer of this species. A flyby is enough to set my heart aflutter. 

         We were all very delighted indeed to see an Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) high atop a snag. This is a species that has become decidedly scarce in recent years.

      Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus) are still here to enliven the woodlands, but soon will be departing with the onset of fall.

     You will remember that our original quest was for fall warblers and we spotted about a half dozen species, mostly high in the treetops, however, and with the foliage still intact almost impossible to photograph. 

     An exception was this Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) which was in the open briefly.

     Several Bay-breasted Warblers (Setophaga canstanea) were a little lower down and Franc did well to get this picture.

     We walked down a trail that radiates off the parking area, where we had seen Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in the spring, to search for them again. We were not disappointed and it appears as though this largest of all North American woodpeckers had a successful breeding season.

     It was close to lunch time when we parted company, well satisfied with a very pleasant walk and a great assortment of birds. What better way to spend a Tuesday morning? I can't think of one!