Lockdown Rules Eased and a Day Out!

17 February 2021

     Having been confined close to home for so long, Miriam and I were like two excited children, going on an outing to the beach! It seemed so long since we had packed a lunch for a day in the field, and made a thermos of coffee for elevenses, (accompanied naturally by blueberry muffins), that there was an air of palpable excitement as we made preparations to leave home.

DesJardins Canal, Dundas, ON

     Our ultimate destination was the north shore of Lake Ontario, and as has been our practice for many years, we detoured first to the DesJardins Canal in Dundas.

     The target bird there in the winter is Hooded Merganser (Lophotdytes cucullatus) and this female presented herself almost right away.

     Sedate and beautiful though she is we held out for a male too.

     Two Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) sailed towards us like elegant barques on a glassy sea.

      There was deep snow all around, but a recent dusting, or perhaps fine snow blown from the trees that line the bank, gave the impression of icing sugar on the backs of these Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), hunkered down against the cold, heads tucked under their wings for warmth.

     It did not take us long to spot a male Hooded Merganser, a matinée idol of a bird if ever there was one.

     A single female Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) was the only member of her kind that we saw.

     A walk west along the canal leads to the Urquhart Butterfly Garden.

     Obviously there are no butterflies flitting hither and yon in the dead of winter, but it has a beauty all its own, and provides cover for small birds.

     House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) were chattering to each other and sheltering in the bushes; other than that we neither saw nor heard another songbird.

     Several times, as we walked around, a dozen or two Canada Geese lifted up off the canal, and with resounding protestations took to the air, flying directly over our heads and out of view.

     What caused some to leave and others to remain is a question to which we have no answer.

     When we arrived  back at our car, we sat inside to enjoy our coffee and muffin, and a male Hooded Merganser arrived to swim among the Canada Geese directly in front of us. Doubtless, he had come for a final portrait and Miriam hopped out of the car to ensure that he received suitable attention.

     I could say that he showed us his best side - but he only has best sides!

     As I am sure you will understand, it was a very agreeable way to end our visit.

Woodland Cemetery, Burlington, ON

     For many years, Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) have resided in the cemetery, and we are familiar with a tree where a couple have made their home for years.

     On a sunny day, they sometimes delight birders by sitting at the edge of their hole, oblivious to the goings on beneath them, and are greeted with elation by all who see them.

     Today was our lucky day; a red morph individual was snoozing at the entrance.

     We were the only people present. The regular flow of activity at the cemetery has been very much reduced of late, as COVID has imposed restrictions on the number of participants at a funeral, only two graveside visitors are permitted, and others who might have business with the departed are urged to exercise restraint.

Grindstone Creek, Hamilton, ON

     We were quite sure that the water would be frozen, but headed over to Grindstone Creek, where numerous passerines find shelter and food in the bushes and trees that line the shore.

     The undoubted highlight was a wonderfully obliging Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus).

     This species, formerly rare here, has dramatically expanded its range over the past thirty years or so, and at this time of the year is the most familiar wren. It is not common, but in the right place, with a little effort, it can be found. It is non migratory and has evidently adapted to our winters.

     In the last Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario covering the years 2001-2005, it is stated: "Between atlases (the previous atlas dealt with 1981-1985), the species expanded considerably, with a significant, more than five-fold increase in its probability of observation......"

     Atlassing begins again this year so we will soon know whether populations have increased even more.

Hendrie Valley Sanctuary, Burlington, ON

     Grindstone Creek and Hendrie Valley Sanctuary come together at the county line demarcating Hamilton and Halton, so it is a given that when we visit one we visit the other.

     We did not walk too far along the trails which were deep with snow, and it was hard slogging.

     Predictable winter species were easy to find, however, and what a cheery air they lent to bright sunlight and immaculate snow.

     A Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) was one of the first birds we saw.

     A Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is blessed with prodigious beauty, but it is never more gob-smacking than in winter.

     It is an immutable part of the annual rhythm of nature, that when the days are lengthening in the second half of February, males will begin to sing. And so they did, which filled us with profound joy. The first cardinal heard in late winter is very special.

     I can assure you that a cardinal of Rome, not even were he to try for a thousand years, could thrill me as much.

     A Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) was finding morsels to eat on the snow.

      American Tree Sparrows (Spizelloides arborea) who only favour us with their company during the winter, were in their element.

      Opportunistic House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) furnished evidence of the tough, enterprising birds they are.

     And what would a winter stroll be without a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)?

La Salle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     The premier attraction is without doubt the large number of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) that spend the winter at the park.

     What glorious birds they are!

     For a couple of weeks now we have all become familiar with the term Polar Vortex as a period of intense cold has gripped much of the continent.

The bay was frozen from shore to shore so the anticipated concentrations of a variety of waterfowl were absent.

     The Trumpeter Swans are able to survive without having access to inshore feeding by supplemental rations of corn.

     A Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) surveyed his domain, concluding perhaps that continuous ice might be an advantage in capturing an unwary or injured Mallard (Anas platyrynchos).

     I am always fascinated by the huge, webbed feet of Trumpeter Swans, resembling fine leather it seems to me.

     Many young birds furnished evidence that it had been a successful year for breeding pairs.

     The wind was cold coming across the ice on the bay, and a head tucked into a wing was a plan adopted by many.

Lake Ontario at Stoney Creek, ON

     I knew that there would be open water on the wide body of Lake Ontario (in effect an inland sea) so we travelled down to Stoney Creek.

     Even here, as you may see, there was considerable ice buildup along the shore, stretching out for quite a distance into the lake.

     Usually the water here is teeming with huge numbers of bay ducks of several species, but we found few birds, with only two species approaching good numbers, and others totally absent. Where they might have gone, I have no idea.

     Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) is always a joy to see, but they were all quite far out, obviously beyond the ice.

Long-tailed Duck ♂

Long-tailed Duck ♀

     Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) was present in small rafts; some already engaged in courtship behaviour, posturing and head-tossing with verve and enthusiasm.

Common Goldeneye ♂

Common Goldeneye ♀

     Our drive home was uneventful and we were both well-satisfied with a wonderful day. It felt good to be exploring along the lake again.   

 

 

A Day Out With Tracey and Jenny

Let's treat this planet as if we plan to stay here and not as if it is a disposable item. Mars is not ready yet and never will be.

Monte Hummel

      05 December 2020

     Two of the participants on one of my recent COVID walks were Tracey and Jenny, both of whom are very enthusiastic about nature, and were quite thrilled with the birds they saw on that walk. I promised them I would take them to the north shore of Lake Ontario for "Waterfowl 101" and I was delighted to meet up with them to spend a day's birding, and hopefully to help them to expand their knowledge of the various species that would greet us out on the lake.

DesJardins Canal, Dundas, ON

     Our usual starting point is at the DesJardins Canal, and we headed directly there.

     Sadly, the first experience of the location was marred for Tracey and Jenny by the activities of Homo ignoramus and that noteworthy subspecies Homo ignoramus deformius. Taxonomy usually has this species ranked as Homo sapiens but it hardly seems to fit the bill.

     Why would you dispose of your unwanted Christmas frippery correctly when you could just throw it out in the parking area at the canal? That's in the spirit of the season, isn't it?

     And as for those old tyres, why pay a small fee to have them disposed of in an environmentally responsible way when you can toss them on the ground?

     After all, having just bought four new tyres who can afford a couple of bucks to get rid of the old ones? They're just junk don't you know?

     And so is this.

     And this.

     And this.

     And so were the plastic lids with plastic straws Tracey was picking up. And all the other crap.

     I tell you, we humans are a sorry species.

     We moved away from the area sullied by trash to take a picture of Tracey and Jenny to memorialize the day.

     There was still an abundance of the detritus of humanity present, not quite as visible and buried in the vegetation, but there nonetheless.

     I wonder if this Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) looked down on us with disdain.

     Let me confess at this point, that I am not nearly as diligent as Miriam when it comes to taking pictures, and I have little else to offer from this stop. Later in the post, to illustrate some of the waterfowl, I have delved into the archives, but the pictures are drawn from that location, so they are not lacking in integrity.

All species: Canada Goose, Mallard, Rock Dove, Mourning Dove, Ring-billed Gull, Red-tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, House Sparrow, Common Redpoll, American Goldfinch, American Tree Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal  Total: 15

Urquart Butterfly Garden, Dundas, ON

     It is an easy walk from the canal to the butterfly garden, with a great view looking back over the canal.

     It will be evident to all that there are no butterflies present in December, but the area is often quite birdy, especially for sparrows and other seed-eating species, but not today unfortunately.

     It was a good chance to get another picture of Tracey and Jenny at the information board.

     The walk back along the shore of the canal was characterized by excellent views of several Downy Woodpeckers (Dryobates pubescens), a familiar species, but always an exquisite encounter.

All species: Ring-billed Gull, American Crow  Total: 2

Grindstone Creek, Burlington, ON

     As we pulled into the parking area, a couple of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) were feeding on berries, but they left and did not return to say hello.

     We saw our first Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) of the day, gloriously handsome birds, and a thrill to see.

     It was a very agreeable sighting for Tracey and Jenny, for they had seen Trumpeter Swans earlier in the year at Wye Marsh, near Midland, ON, where many of them breed.

     This duo actually came over to greet us, and that pleased us greatly.

     Perhaps they even wished to have a chat.

     It was at this location that Jenny saw her first Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) and was quite taken with the name! We may give it to her as a nickname, so tickled with it was she!

     The birds were too far out across the bay to get a picture, so I am including a picture of a male from our folder.

 All species: Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Ring-billed Gull, Cedar Waxwing.  Total: 6

Hendrie Valley Sanctuary, Burlington, ON

     This trail leads right off from Grindstone Creek and we walked a couple of hundred metres along it before turning back.

     It was characterized by many birds of several species, with lots of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) feeding from people's hands, with White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) and even the odd Downy Woodpecker being brave enough to give it a try.

     One group ahead of us, having had enough of hand-feeding, dumped their seed on the ground, and a group of birds immediately took advantage of this bonanza.

     As you can see in the picture above, at one point there were six Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) enjoying the feast, and they were joined at times by Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus). 

     Cardinals do have a way of stealing the show.

     Just as we were leaving I spotted a very distinctive species, a rare migrant in fact, Pulchra rufus, which arrived at our latitude from the British Isles via a circuitous route, having made landfall here after transiting through Mexico.

     Until quite recently, I had never seen this enigmatic species, but I suspect that it may not be difficult to spot again.

All species: Mallard, Ring-billed Gull, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Common Redpoll, Northern Cardinal. Total: 12

LaSalle Park and Marina, Burlington, ON

     It was lunch time when we arrived at LaSalle and it was pleasant enough, with the temperature right around zero, to sit on a bench and eat outside. 

      In no time at all, we were joined by a couple of Ring-billed Gulls (Larus delawarensis), hoping to glean a few scraps from careless or beneficent humans, but they were sorely disappointed, I am afraid.

     Tracey and Jenny both commented on the beauty of the bird, proving without a doubt what smart ladies they are!

     A male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) swam by at a leisurely pace in the bay right in front of us.

     These are pretty special lunchtime companions.

     After lunch we took my telescope and went over to the west side of the harbour to scan the water. We could see with the naked eye that there were large numbers of ducks, most of which were new for my eager companions. A large raft of Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) was especially attractive, as are all stifftails (highly recommended: Ruddy Ducks & Other Stifftails, Paul A. Johnsgard and Montserrat Carbonell [1996]).

     It is here that we saw a lone American Coot (Fulica americana); doubtless there were others somewhere hidden among the thousands of ducks bobbing up and down on the gentle swell.

     The same could be said of the only Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) of the day.

     There were many White-winged Scoters (Melanitta fusca) and I thought I saw a few Surf Scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) but they were too far out to be sure.

      As might be expected Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) were quite common, some fairly close to enable excellent viewing.

Greater Scaup ♂

Greater Scaup ♀

     We saw but one Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) in contrast to the many Trumpeter Swans present.

     As we meandered around the lake, and along the woodland trail abutting the water, we spotted Canvasback (Aythya valsineria) several times. It is a handsome, sleek duck, always quite regal to my eye.

      Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) as expected seemed to be keeping company with every other species, the males looking especially jaunty with their curly tail feathers.

     I recall seeing only one male Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) but females were quite common.

     This one seemed to be trying its hand at snorkelling!

     A single drake Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) has been present for some weeks now and seems destined to spend the winter at LaSalle. It is indeed among the very handsomest of ducks.

     The treed area of the park slopes down quite steeply to the water and erosion can seriously undermine some of the root structures of shallowly anchored trees.

     On the way back along the boardwalk, where Tracey was delighted to be able to hand-feed a White-breasted Nuthatch, we met Franc and Carol who had been to Niagara Falls and had called in at LaSalle on the way home. We all decided to go to Woodland Cemetery together to see if the Eastern Screech Owls (Megascops asio) were in an obliging mood today.

All species: Canada Goose. Mute Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Mourning Dove, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.  Total: 26

Woodland Cemetery, Burlington, ON

     The owls decided that they were not going to put themselves on display for gawking humans, and we left with out success. Maybe next time.....

All species: Canada Goose, Bald Eagle, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee. Total: 4

Sioux Lookout Park, Burlington, ON

     Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis), normally a reliable species in winter on Lake Ontario had eluded us all day, so we decided to give it one last try at Sioux Lookout Park. There were huge rafts of ducks at this location, but other than for small numbers of Common Goldeneye close inshore, all were very far out. In fact, at the horizon, thousands upon thousands

of ducks were staging a fly past, but it was impossible to determine the species given the waning light and the sheer distance.

     We did, however, pick up one pair of Long-tailed Ducks in the scope. Success right at the end of the day!

Long-tailed Duck ♂

Long-tailed Duck ♀

All species: Mallard, White-winged Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Ring-billed Gull. Total: 5

General Comment

     A day spent away from one's immediate environs is a welcome change during this period of COVID-restricted movement, and I was fortunate to spend it birding with two charming companions, whose company I enjoyed greatly. I certainly hope we can do again!