A Roundup of Recent Walks

     Of late we have had one snowfall after another, so our outings have been sandwiched into lulls in the precipitation, and confined to nearby favourite destinations. Here are a few highlights from recent forays.

Riverside Park, Cambridge, ON

     This location is always a reliable spot to see birds, and sometimes an interesting variety, and even on "slow" days it is still a pleasant walk. Many people bring bird seed in their pockets and distribute it liberally; in consequence birds have become a little less wary of humans than is usually the case.
      White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta canadensis) are not especially timid, but seem to have been emboldened by the behaviour of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), and sometimes will feed from the hand. They are in any event not reluctant to approach within a metre or two.

     Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens) are sometimes almost as confiding, and I have had them almost land on my hand, only to pull away at the last minute. I suspect that with a little more patience and the willingness to invest an hour or two, it could be done.

     Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) display no such intent, but are nevertheless drawn to sunflower seeds and do not hesitate to feed at close range.

     Due to its rapid flow, sections of the Grand River remain open during the winter, and Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser) are frequently seen in small groups, generally of both sexes.  These three males were part of a larger flotilla, but quite distant.

     Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) always seem especially placid and spend hours perched in one spot. Quite often in my backyard they are hunkered down in the snow.

     House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) are drawn to the food distributed by humans and as might be expected from these aggressive little birds they manage to get their fair share.

Three Bridges Road, St. Jacobs, ON

     This location is very reliable for bird watching, and there is a great variety to be seen, with the number of species only expected to increase as spring draws ever closer.
     You will pardon the inclusion of another picture of a Northern Cardinal, but this female will show how beautiful she is, muted in comparison with the male, but very attractive indeed.

     At one location along Three Bridges Road Downy Woodpecker verges on a guaranteed species, if there is such a thing.

     I could not even imagine how many times I have seen Downy Woodpecker, but it would be in the thousands probably, yet I never tire of seeing them even for a minute. I would also be unable to count the hours I have spent observing their behaviour at different times of the year; every minute worthwhile, a repository of precious memories.
     Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is a species whose numbers have increased exponentially over the last twenty-five years or so, and it has gone from being rare to common. It is to my eyes the most handsome of our woodpeckers.

Hillside Park, Waterloo, ON

      Our most recent outing was just yesterday, and there were signs aplenty that spring is approaching. This pair of Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) was celebrating in their own special way.

     After their tryst they sat together quite contentedly on the branch.

     A male Belted Kingfisher (Megacryle alcyon) had elected to spend the harsh winter here, rather than migrate to a more hospital clime; presumably the advantage of already having a territory when the females return in the spring, outweighs the benefits of moving south.

     I will not subject you to another picture of a Northern Cardinal, but males were singing from the tops of trees, and the feebee song of Black-capped Chickadees resonated throughout the woodland. In our backyard a pair of chickadees is already checking out a nest box.
     I mentioned earlier that Red-bellied Woodpeckers have become quite common and we heard their churr call before finally locating a couple.

     We were able to show one of the birds to a lady who was visiting from Saskatchewan and was walking in the park. She had never seen one before and was quite thrilled to have her first encounter with this lovely bird.
     There were lots of American Crows (Corvus brachyrynchos) to keep us company throughout our entire walk, and they seemed to enjoy frolicking in the snow. A black bird on a stark white background does not make picture taking easy.

     There was a group of about twenty-five or thirty Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) and it looked as though some kind person had been scattering a little corn for them In any event they have come to associate humans with food for they approached us as we rounded the bend on them. I was especially drawn to this pair, happily resting on the snow, like an old married couple on a comfortable sofa.

       Today was not a day to do much of anything outdoors. We have had a very substantial snowfall. I am not sure of the depth but fifteen to twenty centimetres would seem like a reasonable guess. I know that I shovelled the sidewalk and the driveway this morning, and less than two hours later you could not even tell I had touched it.
      You can guess what I'll be doing in the morning!