Monday, May 22, 2023

Recent Highlights

     Life seems to have been busy of late, in the most pleasurable way of course, so let me present just a few recent highlights.

05 May, 2023
Lakeside Park, Kitchener, On

     If there has been a year over the entire span of my sentient memory when I have not seen goslings in the spring, I don't remember it.
     Nothing, it seems to me, quite says "Spring" like Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) with their young.


     If a broad smile has not yet stretched the limits of your mouth, better check your pulse.



06 May, 2023
RIM Park, Waterloo, ON

     There is nothing exceptional about a pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater), but this picture of a male and female together seemed particularly pleasing to me.


     As many of you will already know cowbirds are obligate brood parasites and their eggs will be laid in the nests of other species. Not for them the rigours of raising a family!
     This White-tailed Deer (Ocodoileus virginianus) doe was resting quietly by herself and led us to wonder whether she was preparing to give birth.


     We quickly moved along and left her in peace.

09 May, 2023
Hillside Park, Waterloo, ON

     Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is a great favourite spring migrant - and it's not hard to see why.


12 May, 2023
Benjamin Park, Waterloo, ON

     This small park lies directly behind our house, and at times produces a surprising variety of birds for a small urban oasis.
     Today was the turn of several Magnolia Warblers (Setophaga magnolia) to provide neotropical enchantment.


13 May, 2023
Wilmot - Region of Waterloo, ON

     The old adage about being in the right place at the right name is always true when it comes to finding birds.
     There is a snag at the corner of Wilmot Line and Conservation Drive which for years seemed to be greatly favoured by an ardent male Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea). Doubtless the original male has long since died, and for the past two years there appears to have been no successor, but we check every time we pass by, more out of habit than anything else.
     Today we hit the jackpot!
     Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) is right at the northern limit of its range, and very seldom seen in our area. In fact neither Miriam nor I had ever seen it here, so I leave it to you to imagine our elation at discovering this bird.


     It is a strikingly handsome species, it stayed with us for several minutes and even put on a flycatching display from time to time.
     Such a fabulous sequence for a couple of birders!

19/20 May, 2023
Waterloo, ON

     A friend called to let us know of the existence of a family of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in the embankment adjacent to a shopping plaza in Waterloo.


     On the first evening we went to see these beautiful creatures, we saw only one kit, with no sign of its mother or its siblings.


     Seemingly, lacking playmates, it spend most of its time lying at one of the entrances to the den.
     When we returned the next night we had much better success.
     All four kits were outside, cavorting and tussling, filled with the exuberance of childhood.




     The mother seemed a little scruffy, no doubt the result of caring for four very demanding offspring.


     I suspect that it will not be long before the den will be empty and the young foxes will begin life on their own, feeding on the bounty that an urban environment offers to a resourceful canid.


     We wish them well.
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

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

58 comments:

  1. Hari Oh
    Oh, I agree, the delight of the young at this time of year surely lifts the spirits! I too wish them all well... YAM xx

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  2. you certainly have a wealth of photos to show us today, love love the foxes and that gosling did indeed make my face hurt from smiling. what a precious baby. I saw 5 really large Canadian Geese in the parking lot of my doctors office today. they hang out in the retention pond and beg food off all the shoppers. while i stood outside waiting for the LATE running person who opens the door, I heard what sounded like a large wood pecker but never saw it. enjoyed all your photos today. keep hunting those birds. did i tell you my dad had to give up hunting because when he brought home quail and mother cooked them i burst into tears and had a melt down... also his cousins got mad because I petter their hunting dogs. they said you can't pet hunters, the will stop hunting. little did they know that just made me pet them more

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  3. Love the Fox pictures..Great post!!

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  4. Always a treat to drop on on you. Daughter has a family of foxes living in a den on the cliff in front of her house by the ocean. The kits are so playful.
    Birds are exquisite.
    XO
    WWW

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  5. Spring always welcomes a new group of young wildlife and you got some beautiful photos of them. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. All Photos are amazing.
    A tenderness the first photos with the Canada Geese with their young.
    Beautiful and colorful birds, the contrast between the orange and black colors of the Baltimore Oriole is impressive.
    The sequence of photos of the foxes is extraordinary.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Sin duda me parece un precioso reportaje, tenéis suerte de ver esos pájaros tan preciosos y cerca de casa, los zorritos son una preciosidad, se parecen a mí perrito. Abrazos para Miriam y para ti amigo David.

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  8. Hi David, lovely to see the foxes, the cubs are so pretty. We have quite a few here, too, but in the past couple of years the garbage bins have been placed in containers made of stone and steel, so neither the foxes nor the wild pigs can get into them. These past couple of days there are 2 yellow wagtails flitting aroznd, I've never seen them here before. Have a great day, hugs, Valerie xxxxx

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    1. We don't have wild pigs to contend with but a garbage can needs to be secure against foxes and raccoons.

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  9. The goslings made me smile very much David, and who can resist them? They are very cute, and so are the young foxes. Beautiful Red-Headed woodpecker too! Hugs and kisses, Marit

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  10. I know the feeling of busy, I never seem to get a chance to go through all my photos. Impossible to pick a favourite photo here but if I try hard enough I guess it has to be the kits playing, they are adorable. No, I did not have to check my pulse in that second photo. Bisous, Diane

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    1. I agree, Diane. Those young foxes are especially endearing.

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  11. My face hurts I am smiling so broadly at your highlights.

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  12. Lovely stuff David and wonderful pics of the foxes, the kind of shot I'm after
    Mike

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    Replies
    1. It was a magical encounter, Mike, but I have no doubt that your regular group of friends in your garden is even more satisfying.

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  13. Love the pictures of the fox kits!

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  14. The goslings and the fox kits are my favorites but they are all beautiful captures. :)

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  15. You caught some lucky sightings. what sound do the fox make? Yip yip?

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  16. That redheaded woodpecker seems to be an ultimate specimen.

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  17. Wow- you were lucky to see those foxes. And they're having lots of puppy fun. The goslings are adorable, and you are right. The cowbird photo is a great shot. I like how they're looking at each other. I had a scarlet tanager in the yard this afternoon. It was quite the pleasant surprise. Happy new week. hugs-Erika

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  18. Relaxation time. You can see how the goose chick and the deer are sleeping. The foxes seem arty.

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  19. Wonderful pictures. We have a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers nesting in our neighborhood. It's interesting to read that some of their relatives have made it as far north as Ontario.

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  20. Hello David,
    Watching the little foxes is always a highlight for me, too, how uninhibited they frolic around... animal lovers get soft...;-)
    Regarding your question about raps, unfortunately I couldn't reply to your comment on my blog, only Goggle knows why. Here's the answer for you
    Farmers primarily grow rapeseed as an oil crop, because the seeds contain around 45 percent oil. Many households use the high-quality and versatile rapeseed oil in the kitchen. It is also found in margarine and is processed into biodegradable lubricants, hydraulic oil and biodiesel.
    Greetings Frank

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  21. Love to see the young ones, all young ones are cute.
    The birds are looking good, all of them.
    Foxes, nice captures of them in their playful mood.

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  22. What a great series of photos of the different birds this is David.
    I think the pair of brown-headed cowbirds, the Baltimore Oriole, the red-headed woodpecker are great, these species cannot be found in the Netherlands.
    The foxes are really so cute, they are quite common here in the Netherlands.
    I enjoyed your photos.
    Greetings Irma

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  23. Hi David - I love the Oriole ... but all your photos are just delightful to see, especially with the notations - and that gosling - youngsters need their motherly comfort. Cheers Hilary

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  24. Le pic à tête rouge est vraiment très joli!
    Les petits renards sont mignons, j'espère qu'ils auront un belle vie et trouveront de quoi se nourrir.
    Bonne journée

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  25. Hello,
    Another great outing. The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of my favorite. Beautiful Oriole. Love the series on the fox. Take care, enjoy your day!

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  26. La vida de los animales en unas bonitas escenas. Me han encantado en particular, las fotografías nº 2 y nº 3

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  27. Hi David.

    Beautiful series.

    Nice little geese.
    The deer is very beautiful
    Beautiful birds pass by.
    The foxes are super, playing so much fun. Top.

    Greetings from Patricia.

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  28. Hello David, every encounter you show us here is stunning. But this time I go for the woodpecker and the foxes. Great encounters not to be forgotten easily.
    I am sure this was not the last vissit to the den.
    Regards,
    Roos

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    1. We actually visited the site again yesterday, Roos, but there was no activity. Perhaps the foxes were in their den; perhaps they have left. We'll probably go back down there this evening.

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  29. Dear David,
    the baby Canada geese are absolutely adorable!!! And you had some other wonderful and colorful bird sightings. I hope the White-tailed Deer gave birth to a beautiful baby - and the photos of the young red foxes frolicking are a very special surprise! I have never seen young foxes in the wild.
    All the best 🌱🌿🌱, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2023/05/costa-rica-11-kapitel-monteverde.html

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  30. The Red-headed woodpecker is a beauty and quite a surprise! The goslings are precious and a pleasure to see, as always. We recently watched a fox and her four kits from a distance along the boardwalk. She caught something and fed them, then the four young ones played together. I couldn’t get good photos. Miriam’s are wonderful.

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  31. The little foxes are playing like puppies! Love the pretty gosling.

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  32. David! your pictures are perfect. I can watch them all the time!
    Spring is great. A new life appears. Young foxes are adorable. They stole my heart.
    Hugs and greetings:)

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  33. Some delightful sightings and super photos too, David. I was captivated by the stunning beauty of the Magnolia Warbler, and then came to the fabulous Red-headed Woodpecker. And then you finish up with that wonderful fox family. I could happily sit all day and watch those fox cubs playing!

    My best wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard

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    1. And Miriam and I would be happy to join you, Richard.

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  34. Hello David.
    Indeed when we see this little chick we have a smile. It is adorable.
    For someone like me, to see this couple of Vacher is a joy, yes the photo is beautiful but these birds too!
    What a joy to see this family of foxes. In my forests, we cross the adults in search of food but the burrows are well hidden ....
    Big kisses David. I continue my way.

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  35. The goslings really do bring a smile to your face. So sweet :)

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  36. I hope the Canada geese have returned to Lake Bolsena: I haven't seen them in a long time.
    I am sad and angry because fox hunting is allowed in Italy.

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  37. Me encantan todas las imágenes, querido amigo, pero me quedo con las primeras que son tan tiernas, la de los zorros también son preciosas. Qué buenas capturas. ¡Felicidades, amigo David!!
    Un gran abrazo de tu siempre amigo y compadre Juan.

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  38. Hello David :=)
    Your post gave me so much pleasure. The goslings are so endearing, and the beautiful Magnolia Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, and Red-headed Woodpecker are a treat to see.. Shame you did not find the Indigo Bunting, another stunning bird, but you were well compensated by seeing the Red-headed Woodpecker. The fox cubs are delightful images, and they are well photographed at play, but then Miriam' always takes beautiful photographs.I'm sure you will go back there, now you have experienced the joy of seeing the cubs.
    All the best dear friend David.
    Hugs.
    Sonjia.

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  39. I have no problem at all understanding your delight at seeing that Red-headed Woodpecker - what a very handsome fellow he is.
    The female fox looks as if she might be suffering from a touch of mange, but you were so fortunate to be able see and enjoy the four kits having fun and playing around. How did you manage to get so close to them?

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    1. We stay in the car and use the car as a blind, Rosemary, and in short order the foxes ignore it,

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  40. Oh dear David, spring and then with your camera... the glory. Many many thanks.
    I don't even want to start enumerating :-))) I'm thrilled... Oriole, Bunting, Red-headed Woodpecker and yes, the cute little Canada goslings or Fox... and the Cowbird pair - here it's the cuckoo that distributes its eggs.
    Happy spring greetings from Viola.

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  41. Spring is a great season of the year, where life proliferates and expands. The birds are beautiful, like the warbler and without a doubt I imagine your excitement with the red-headed woodpecker, for me it would be great since I love woodpeckers. The foxes are also amazing. A big hug

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  42. What a delight to see those young foxes! That would make my day repeatedly. We do have foxes in our neighborhood, but it is rare that I see them during the day. Most of the time I hear them in the night, and sometimes I find scat that tells me they visited my garden. So the cowbird behaves like a cuckoo? This might sound completely ignorant, but I had no idea that other birds beside cuckoos do leave their eggs in "strangers'" nests as well. Do those cowbird babies consequently throw out the other babies as well as I've heard the cuckoos do? (as you can see, my ignorance is on full display here)

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    1. Cowbirds do not eject host eggs or babies in the manner of cuckoos, but they usually out-compete the smaller nestlings and ensure their own survival. Miriam and I have several pictures of tiny host species feeding huge cowbird young.

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  43. Such a wonderful post, David. My heart melted at the sight of the gosling with its mother and the cavorting kits. Your bird pictures are always excellent! Enjoy your weekend!

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  44. I am blown away by the red-headed woodpecker!!! What a beauty! Congratulations on the species and fantastic photo.The young foxes are gorgeous.
    Regards,
    Maria

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  45. what fun to see the foxes! we have some here though I've only spied them once crossing the yard at the very back of the property which is how I know they are there somewhere in the wild space. I don't explore back there because it is thick with poison ivy.

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  46. Cudowny fotoreportaż z lisich zabaw! Gratuluję obserwacji!

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