Tree Swallow

Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

City View Park, Burlington, ON

23 June 2013

    There were many Tree Swallows with recently fledged young swooping over the meadows and catching the rich supply of aerial insects. Many of the young would simply perch in a tree or on a fence row and wait for the adults to deliver food. It is quite amazing to watch the skill of the adults as they zoom in and deliver an insect to their offspring barely slowing down in the process. Based on my observation these young birds will be well provisioned for their first migration to be undertaken in a couple of months.

                             Adult and young on a fence

                                                                            Juvenile

Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum

City View Park, Burlington, ON

15 June 2013

    We watched this singing male Grasshopper Sparrow for about fifteen minutes, during which time he sang almost nonstop, and was still doing so when we left. 

Field Sparrow

Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

City View Park

Burlington, ON 

15 July 2013

    City View Park in Burlington is somewhat of a magnet for grassland sparrows given the relatively large area of undisturbed pasture land present there. This Field Sparrow was but one of several species we located there yesterday.