An Outing for Waterloo Region Nature with COVID at bay!

      It is with a great deal of pleasure that we are finally able to offer outings to our members again, now that we are permitted to have gatherings of people outdoors, with limits that will never be exceeded by our groups. The Delta variant is cause for concern, but we can only hope that more people will get vaccinated and its threat fades into the background.

     I always consider 1 September as the first day of fall, so an outing was a great way to get right into migration.

     Here are the details of our field trip.

Leader: David Gascoigne

Participants: Carol Anderson, Ross Getsinger, Denise Leschak, Karl Malhotra, Sandye Moores, Angélique Mori, Colleen Reilly, Adrienne Zoe

Angélique, Colleen, Denise, Sandye, Karl, Adrienne, Carol, Ross

     It was a picture perfect day for an outing, with modest temperatures, bright sunshine and light breezes.

     Usually on these outings Miriam accompanies me and she takes photographs while I am busy trying to find birds, identify them and provide some background information to the participants. On this day she had other plans and I am indebted to Adrienne and Colleen for permitting me to use their high quality images. Not only are they fine photographers they are very gracious people.

     Before getting into the details of the day's activities let me say a few words about Colleen and her group, The Pipits.

     This group is made up of in excess of a hundred keen naturalists with a variety of skill levels.

     They do field trips based on a range of organisms from birds to plants, amphibians, mammals, insects - anything related to natural history in fact.

     Recently, on one of their outings, Colleen crossed paths with our president, Janet Ozaruk, and we are going to explore opportunities for joint cooperation.

     Based on the few hours I spent in the field with Colleen I can only say that it will be a pleasure to be involved together.

DesJardins Canal, Dundas, ON

     This location is a remarkable spot for birding, with significant attractions at different times of the year.

     I have been coming here for at least thirty years, and in September have never failed to locate Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). Moreover, adults and juveniles are always present and it is instructive to see them together. For some of the enthusiastic naturalists on this trip, it was a first sighting of this species.

Black-crowned Night Heron (adult)

Black-crowned Night Heron (juvenile)

     Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) were also present, mainly keeping to cover at the edge of the water, but occasionally venturing forth to display their unrivalled beauty.

     The males are just emerging from eclipse plumage and are regaining their finery.

     It is always a pleasure to see Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps).

Urquhart Butterfly Garden, Dundas, ON

     At the end of the DesJardins Canal one finds the Urquhart Butterfly Garden (https://urquhartbutterfly.com/about/frederick-urquhart-a-short-biography/) where a riot of colours awaits the visitor at this time of the year. Some of the many plants found there, planted with pollinators in mind are:

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

Tithonia

Wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia)

Zinnia

     House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) found both food and cover. 

Grindstone Creek, Hamilton, ON

     The absolute stars of the show at this location were a couple of Green Herons (Butorides virescens) located close to shore and seemingly indifferent to to the cameras pointed at them.

     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) was stalking for food on the opposite side of the water.

     Several Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) demonstrated why they are considered by many to be the aristocracy of the avian world.

     Western Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) will soon be moving south, but an individual still here put on a great display for us.

LaSalle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     By the time we arrived at LaSalle it was time for lunch, which we were able to enjoy en plain air, entertained by a Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) swimming and diving in front of us, joined by a couple of Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) and a Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) or two.

     Cormorants were perched at several locations throughout the marina.

     Their number does not begin to approach the large flocks present just a couple of years ago as Ontario goes about the unrestricted slaughter of this gentle species, based on prejudice and hearsay, conspiracy theory and lack of science, stupidity and bloodlust, and fisherfolks' greed.  We continue to display an amazing proclivity to elect idiots as leaders so we can probably anticipate more of the same.

     Adrienne caught this dramatic flight of one of the lucky ones, who escaped the guns of those brave and noble folks who fire away at them, leaving injured birds to die a lingering, painful death, and young birds to starve in the nest waiting for parents who will never return with food.

     There was a movement of migratory warblers and other passerines that was the stuff of birders' dreams. 

Here are just some of the species that were passing through; these are the ones we managed to capture on camera.

Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens)

Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)

Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)

Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)

     Adrienne had told me that she was very keen to get a shot of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilocus colubris) feeding on Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) and you will no doubt agree that she succeeded spectacularly.

     A female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) wanted in on the act.

     Adrienne captured a male American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla).....

     ..... and Colleen was able to contribute a female.

     A couple of Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus) joined the throng of migrants forging their way south.

     LaSalle provided all the excitement one could wish for. Colleen and Angélique opted to go to Paletta park in the hope of another warbler movement. The rest of us decided to move on to Bronte Harbour in Oakville.

Burlington, ON

     Along the way, through Burlington, at Joseph Brant Hospital our passage was slowed considerably, and we were witness to a disgusting display by anti-vaccination fanatics, bent on disrupting traffic, impeding the flow of ambulances carrying sick patients, screaming obscenities, deriding the doctors and nurses who dedicate their lives to helping others, and spouting nonsense, and carrying signs promoting every conspiracy theory in circulation.

Picture from the internet

     It is sad that legitimate protest has descended to this.

Bronte Harbour, Oakville, ON

     We had a very pleasant stroll around the harbour but bird life was sparse. 

     Red-necked Grebes (Podiceps grisegena) have for several years been the main attraction for birders, spring through fall, and breeding has taken place consistently. This year we saw only two birds, quite far out, and no sign of young.

     We were unable to get a picture of the birds present, so I am adding a couple from my files, taken at the same location in years past.

     When we parted company to return home we all agreed that it had been a fine day's birding, enhanced by the pleasure of each other's company.

     I plan to run this same excursion again on 25 September and look forward to another fine outing.

Bird Banding at SpruceHaven 18 and 19 May 2019

18 May 2019

     May has been unseasonably cold this year, and today was no exception. It was a mere 4 degrees when I left home to meet Kevin at the nets. As it turned out he was there a little ahead of me (as he often is) and was just returning with the first captures of the day.
     It seemed appropriate that at the peak of migration the first bird caught was a Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica).

     The second bird was also a warbler, a Myrtle Warbler (Setophaga coronata), a species sometimes referred to as a Yellow-rumped Warbler and shown as such in many field guides. Birds in the east have a yellow throat and birds in the west a white throat. Previously lumped together as Yellow-rumped Warbler, each form is now considered a distinct species, with the western bird called Audubon's Warbler (Setophaga auduboni).

     Flycatchers in the genus Empidonax are notoriously difficult to identify in the field (some species virtually impossible) but when the bird is subjected to the measurements normally taken at a bird banding station, the identification can be clinched based on biometrics, as was the case with this Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus).

     Baltimore Orioles (Icterus galbula) seem to be especially abundant this year and we captured this female.

     It was bent on letting Kevin know that it was not happy!

     The female of a Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) is quite drab as compared with the more colourful male.

     There is nothing dull about a Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia), however.

     I would be remiss if I did not mention that we were joined by Laura Lawlor and her daughter, Aberdeen, who thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were able to explore the wonders of SpruceHaven. Jonathan Wilhelm also visited for the first time and expressed a desire to return. 
     Unfortunately, I neglected to take a picture of these guests but I will rectify that omission when they visit for a second time.

All species banded 18 May: Traill's Flycatcher (1), Least Flycatcher (1), Baltimore Oriole (2), Common Yellowthroat (2), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), American Redstart (2), Magnolia Warbler (1), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Myrtle Warbler (1). Total: 12 individuals of 9 species.

19 May 2019

     The forecast was for considerably warmer weather than we have been experiencing; early morning was still cool but it did start to warm up through the day. We were all glad to feel a little warmth in the sun's rays.
     An Alder Flycatcher (Empindonax alnorum) was one of our early catches, probably just passing through here on its way north.

     We do not encounter many Orchard Orioles (Icterus spurius) in our area, so to find three individuals, two males and a female, in the same net, along with a male and female Baltimore Oriole was quite remarkable.

Orchard Oriole male

Orchard Oriole female and male

     Kevin and Heather were sharing the banding duties so in each instance we were able to hold the female and male of the species together.

Baltimore Oriole male and female

     A Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) is an exceptionally handsome species. Caught in the sunlight flitting around in a tree it can look as though its throat is aglow.

        Several visitors came to enjoy the morning's activities, including our old friend Vashti Latchman, with her children Roddy and Raya. 

     Roddy is a tremendously keen young bird enthusiast, with knowledge far beyond his years. We have been spotting a pair of Green Herons (Butorides virescens) on the pond and this morning Roddy located their nest. Well done, Roddy!

     Judy Wyatt made her first visit of the spring to observe the banding and displayed her usual keen interest, in addition to helping out whenever possible.

     As often happens, we need to consult "Pyle," the bander's bible, for finer points of sexing and aging.

     Questions about this Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) occupied Heather's attention......

     .....until she found the answers she was looking for.

     We were fortunate in catching a couple of very nicely marked Magnolia Warblers.

          As has already been noted we have been catching several flycatchers, and this Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) was our final member of this family, retrieved from the nets just before furling them for the day.

     If my memory serves me correctly, we have only ever caught one Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) so to trap this female was especially pleasing.

     This species breeds locally so it may be an indication that it is breeding at SpruceHaven.

     Next weekend will be our final session of the spring. I hope we will have exciting birds for you to see then.

All species banded 19 May: Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Alder Flycatcher (2), Least Flycatcher (2), Common Yellowthroat (3), American Redstart (2), Magnolia Warbler (3), Blackburnian Warbler (2), Black-throated Blue Warbler (1), Black-throated Green Warbler (1), Baltimore Oriole (2), Orchard Oriole (3), Indigo Bunting (1). Total: 23 individuals of 12 species.