Tuesday, March 05, 2019

Tuesday Ramble with David, The Mill Race, St. Jacobs, ON

05 March 2019

     For the first time in I can't remember all eight members of our group were together for a walk along the Mill Race. It was cold, crisp, wintry and delightful, and we all knew that hot coffee at the Eco Café would be our reward at the end of the trail, before heading back in the reverse direction to our vehicles.
     Miriam, as usual, acted as photographer and took this picture of our entourage sidling ahead.


     From the moment you start out on this trail, Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are constant companions, and it is rarely that several cheerful, vocal little sprites are not within a metre or two. It is one of the signal delights of walking this trail. Many children I am sure get their first insight into nature from such encounters.



     Francine captured this whimsical picture of a Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) looking as though it had reached the top of an obstacle after a long struggle, relief showing clearly on its face!


     The following image of a Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubsescens) is not the best picture ever of the bird, but I find the colour and arrangement of the lichens on the bark very appealing. Doubtless tasty morsels were concealed - and the woodpecker was bent on finding her share!


     White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) are not as common as chickadees, but they are almost equally as bold and certainly no less delightful.


     The same might be said of their Red-breasted cousins (Sitta canadensis).



     Regular readers may remember that we found a Barred Owl (Strix varia) on this walk in December and we were thrilled to rediscover it, roosting quietly in a tree, seeming unconcerned by the gang of gobsmacked humans below it.



     A quick survey of our group confirmed that it had been a while since anyone had seen a Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) so it was with unalloyed pleasure that we came across a small party of them feeding on berry-laden bushes. It is a staggering burst of beauty to encounter these birds in the dead of winter, going about their business, having come though another cold and challenging period, to breed again and perpetuate their kind.



     If your dopamine levels have not by now become elevated better check your pulse for signs of life!


     Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) were abundant; at times we had three males in view at the same time, and many of these hormone-charged birds were singing lustily from the tops of trees.


       For the most part the females seemed to ignore them; every young human swain is familiar with that reaction! Soon that will change, however, when the urge to breed overtakes everything else.
     This male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) seemed pretty serious about its nest cavity, no doubt hoping that an ardent female would find it the perfect home in which to raise a family.


  
     North American sparrows present a minefield of identification problems for the inexperienced birder, but all are well satisfied when they are able to appreciate the subtle beauty of American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) and identify it with confidence.


     The Conestogo River meandered by, largely frozen, but with the odd patch of open water where the currents flowed rapidly.


     Often in the winter, the river is host to Common Mergansers (Mergus merganser) but none were to be found today.
     A Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) was perched quietly in a tree alongside the path. I doubt that most people even noticed it was there.


     The picture of the Downy Woodpecker above is intended to display the backdrop of lichens. This one is to depict the beauty of the bird.


     Having had the benefit of hot coffee and a tea biscuit at the Eco Café we funneled back onto the trail and walked towards the parking lot at the other end.
     But how could we resist one last look at our friend, the Barred Owl.


     Here is a true celebrity if ever you saw one. We all had a brief encounter with greatness today!
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

71 comments:

  1. Hi David,
    A very successful walk! Fantastic birds along the way. The highlight is of course the OWL!!! Breathtakingly beautiful! But also the Cedar Waxwing is gourgeous!
    Regards,
    Maria

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  2. The Creeper is brilliant, and the male Red-bellied Woodpecker is quite favourite, David.

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  3. love the photos excellent job a great bird walk for sure...

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  4. What a haul! That barred owl is drop-dead gorgeous, especially the tight shot at the end. Kudos to Miriam. And I adore chickadees. What a nice batch of birds you all saw!

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  5. What a beautiful bird walk. They are excellent photos. Owl is great, and the Creeper in the snow falling is my favorite.Your explanation of the bird is heart warming to read. Thank you.
    Have a good day.

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  6. WoW!!!! some serious treats here!! i would love to see the owls and to see the waxwings, so beautiful!!! i never see the waxwings in my yard!!

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  7. You are still in winter, there is a lot of snow. The birds are wonderful! The Downy Woodpecker is so far my favorite. I saw a few days ago this bird and tried to take its picture but it moves so quickly, I ended up with no pictures at all. The Owl is fabulous!!! It's half asleep, half awake.

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  8. That owl is a "true celebrity" indeed, but lots of other fine birds along the trail, too.

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  9. David - OK, my dopamine levels are certainly elevated! I see many chickadees, nuthatches and downy woodpeckers, but owls and cedar waxwings are elusive. I would be ecstatic to see either one! Thanks for sharing this delightful winter collection with all of us!

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  10. Fortfarande vinter ser jag men er fågelpromenad ger utdelning, det finns mycket att betrakta trots det kalla vädret. Bilderna på ugglan är riktigt fina, nu hör jag ugglan här varje morgon om jag går ut strax innan det blir ljust.

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  11. Hi David,
    It looks cold outside. The winther is coming back here with more snow again. The owl is very pretty. Here we can hear a catowl at night, Strix aluco.

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  12. Hari om
    As ever, am in awe of your spottings... but have yo specially shot out to Miriam today for that third shot of the cedarwing undercarriage. Fantabulosa!!!!!!! YAM xx

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  13. Hermoso paseo David, todas las aves son preciosas y una suerte encontrar el Búho. Las fotos excelentes, enhorabuena a todos/as. Un fuerte abrazo.

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  14. Hi David.

    I see beautiful birds.
    The Owl is really beautiful.

    Groettie from Patricia.

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  15. Very beautiful. Many birds seem curled up to protect themselves against the cold. Such visions are a nice reward to the difficult conditions of the walk.

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  16. Buenos días amigo David, qué gran paseo tan gratificante y cuantas especies avistadas, aparte de ser un gran premio esos avistamientos al final del camino os espera otro premio gratificante de un buen café, no se le puede pedir más a esa mañana nevada.
    Precioso reportaje como siempre. Realmente el pájaro Bombycilla cedrorum es una maravilla, tiene una combinación de colores espectaculares.
    Un fuerte abrazo querido amigo.

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  17. I misread that first line as "sliding along". At the moment we are sailing along in the wind and paddling along in the rain, stuck in the "one-day-a-week" scenario for ringing or birding. Once again I am in awe of your team's persistence and commitment to the task in hand. Worth it all for those pictures of the owl.

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  18. Apart from the cold and the snow it looks like it is raining as well in the photo of the Brown Creeper!!! I would have stayed at home and sadly missed the Barred Owl. I wish I saw as many birds on my walks, but it is rare I return with any bird photos at all!!
    Keep warm Diane

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    1. Hi Diane: The rain is probably snow being shaken from the trees by squirrels. As far as not getting bird pictures on your walks, forget about Africa and come over here and we will show you many magical creatures.

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  19. You certainly took us on an amazing walk. What a delight to see such a variety of species, some great photos. I particularly loved to see the barred owl.

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  20. Hi David - wonderful selection of photos from your expert photographers and the delightful notes. The barred owl is just wonderful, while the cedar waxwing has amazing colouration, but particularly their tail feathers. Loved being with you on your walk!! Cheers Hilary

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  21. Great those Waxwings, they look the same as the ones here in Europe but seem to have moor Yellow on their bellies. The Cardinals Always surprise me with their warm red colour. But the Owl is my favorite. I see Winter is still in full swing with snow and cold tempertures. In our part of the world it is raining with lots of wind. But all the water is welcome and in demand after the drought we had last summer.
    Warm regards for you and Miriam,
    Roos

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  22. The photos are so beautiful and it looks such an interesting walk. I particularly liked the Barred Owl and the Cedar Waxwing - both lovely birds.

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  23. The owl is a wonderful sight to see as is all the other birds. Thanks for sharing your walk with us, I enjoyed it.

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  24. Our barred owls have been serenading us at almost the exact same time most nights for the last couple weeks. We just sit and listen when they’re talking as we love the “music” so much! Nice photos of your winter walk.

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  25. I never thought I'd be envious of someone having snow, but we've seen very little this year and, as Miriam's great images show, it can make for some interesting photography.

    A super crop of species seen on your walk, but oh to see a Barred Owl in its natural habitat! - I wish!!!

    My love to you and Miriam - - - Richard

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    1. That Cedar Waxwing is not too bad either, huh?

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    2. Meant to mention the Cedar Waxwing too. Until now, I'd thought of the Cedar as a slightly less colourful cousin of the Bohemian, but that beautiful yellow underside, excellently shown in Miriam's photos, dispells that thought!

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    3. They are both spectacular birds, Richard, and we have no need to rank them. The possible advantage we have with Cedar Waxwing is that it is a resident bird observed throughout the year.

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  26. The Owl seems to be having a good look at you too!

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  27. Hello, looks like an awesome bird walk and great sightings. My favorites are the Brown Creeper and the Barred Owl. Awesome photos. Wishing you a happy day!

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  28. How wonderful to walk together and what have you seen and photographed beautiful birds.
    Nicely, David.
    Greetings Tinie

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  29. Hi Both,
    Another wonderful outing with your group, but also a cold looking post, we over here are still waiting for Winter to arrive.
    Some superb images, the Brown Creeper looks a delightful little bird, but love the Barred Owl, it appears a very stern looking bird.
    Your Cedar Waxwing is a beautiful bird, totally different colouration to our Winter visitor.
    All the best, John

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  30. aww... lovely Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubsescens)…
    beautiful views...
    have a great day

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  31. A beautiful selection here David, very enjoyable and a great walk you all went on.

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  32. Maravilloso paseo, me ha encantado. Besitos.

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  33. Just love Miriam's first image. I would love to join on the tail end of this group.
    Lovely, lovely birds, especially the barred owl.

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  34. Excellent photos, once more. One would like to caress the soft feathers of the little birds.
    Oh, I wish I would manage to photograph owls...

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  35. Oh wow! Wonderful! Excellent photos!
    Have a great weekend!

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  36. Hello! What a wonderful serie of birds! Fantastic photos!
    It looks that you have a really cold weather.

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    1. We do but signs of spring are starting to appear.

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  37. Hello David, wonderful birds and sightings. The Barred Owl is a treat to see. I love the Cedar Waxwings, they are beauties. But, then I love all the birds. Do you see the Bohemian Waxwings there too? Hello, what a lovely view and the ducks made me smile. Wonderful photos. Thanks so much for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend. PS, I appreciate your visit and comment on my blog.

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    1. Hello Eileeen: We do see Bohemian Waxwings here but rarely, when I lived farther north I saw them every year, but that is no longer true.

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  38. Hi David,
    It is always a pleasure when you can see a lot of wildlife when are making a walk through such a winter landscape like you did. The bright colours of a number of birds lighten even more up with such a background. Seeing an owl is always a pleasure. For many people they have got a kind of mysterious aura around them.
    Greetings, Kees

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  39. Great collection of birds David. The owl looks fabulous.

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  40. Hi David,
    Wonderful photos, I especially loved those of Barred Owl, is a spectacular bird, really who can resist.
    Have a nice weekend
    Maria
    Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco

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  41. Those bird photos are truly amazing! I seldom get such good images.
    I envy you so much for having Northern Cardinals around. We don't have them here, and no other bird as red as this one. The House Finches are petty colorful, but not such a fire engine red as the Northern Cardinal. I understand the difficulty of identifying sparrows, it's a tough one for me as well especially now that my "bird friend" has moved away. I have also missed the Cedar Waxwings this year. Usually they come in February and munch on my privet tree, but they didn't come this year. The tree is still full with berries.
    The owl is just precious.

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  42. Your Chickadee is very similar to our Coal Tit. Love the owl shots.

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  43. Another great snowy adventure! I love the Barred Owl, how lucky you got to see it again!

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  44. The Barred Owl is amazing, David. It's so calm and wise. I remember the story for children where an owl was very wise and gave advice to everyone.
    I also liked a very colorful Cedar Waxwing, I've seen it here as well but it was grayish-brown.

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  45. Hello Nadezda: It is a Bohemian Waxwing you are seeing there. Cedar Waxwing is only found in the Americas.

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  46. Always nice to see these beautiful birds !
    Fantastic observations of nature!
    Greetings

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  47. Beautiful report to enjoy these birds, which have incredible colors, such as the yellow tail or the red head. See the owl I liked, it should not be easy.
    A hug!

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  48. What a great collection of birds! I really do need to come on one of your Tuesday Rambles.

    My niece in Canada saw her first Pileated Woodpecker this week - she was very excited and I was very jealous!

    Hope all is well.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. If you ever came on one of our rambles, Stewart, that would really make my day!

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  49. Your rambles are so good. ! And I’d say many encounters with greatness, because I love every one of those birds. Although admittedly it is above and beyond to spot the barred owl ! It would be above and beyond for me to spot that many birds on one subtle walk actually. Let alone get such beautiful photographs (thank you to Miriam). Nice also to have your whole rambling group together after all your far flung adventures.

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    1. Then you will have to buy some thermal underwear, forsake Florida for a few days, and come and bird with us, Sallie!

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  50. Hi David, you had a great ramble again. I love the Brown creeper photo and the photo's of the barred owl, lovely. Still snow... I'm glad we had a week of springweather down here. Now it's stormy and rainy again. Hope you'll have spring soon and see singing birds around you.

    Kind regards,
    Marianne

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    1. Maybe one day you will join us, Marianne. Never say never!

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  51. All such wonderful sightings. My favorite photos are of the Barred Owl, all cuddled into the tree.

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  52. Beautiful series of photos in snowy environment and with the birds among the branches, I like that situation too much, especially when the birds are in a wooded area and perched between the twisted branches of the trees.

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  53. Ohhhhhh .... this is another beautiful post !!!!
    I think the tit and the tree crawler are absolutely amazing and also the beautiful woodpecker with its red crest is a wonderful beautiful woodpecker but ............. I immediately fell in love again with the beautiful Striped owl (Strix varia ) 💖 💖 what an amazing beautiful owl! The plague birds and the cardinals are again very jealous photos! Great blog David!
    Dear greetings, from your girlfriend from the Netherlands xo

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  54. It's not hot outside! All these beautiful birds delight me.

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  55. Perhaps you mentioned this in the comments and I missed it, but I'm wondering whether you've ever seen a cedar waxwing with orange-tipped tail feathers. I have, just once. I learned that it's diet that causes the color change from yellow to orange; an introduced honeysuckle is the culprit.

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    1. There was in fact one individual with orange tail tips in the flock we saw, but the picture was a little blurred so we did not include it.

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  56. Dashing through the Snow! (Well, probably not dashing!)

    That snow gives me a bit of a start! You can tell I am very late in catching up on visits! But what finds. The waxwing and owl especially. Please tell Miriam I am in awe of her photography -- sharp as a tack!

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