A Rarity, Some Shorebirds and Other Treats

      We are starting to see the first chink of light in the tunnel of COVID darkness, and a little more freedom is now possible. I hope we are not plunged back into lockdown, having endured three such periods, for I fear the good citizens of the province will go mad!

21 May 2021

Wilmot Township, Waterloo, ON

     I was surprised, when driving along Berlett's Road en route to SpruceHaven to see a lone Wild Turkey (Melagris gollopavo) strutting across a field as only turkeys can, appearing to capture invertebrate prey as it did so.

Our backyard, Waterloo, ON

     The perennials in our garden are putting on quite a show now, and it is quite intoxicating to sit outside and enjoy bloom all around us.

     Snowdrop Anemones (Anemone sylvestris) are both prolific and beautiful.

     It is now warm enough to enjoy our morning coffee on the patio, and anemones make fine companions.

     Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) is no less delightful.

22 May 2021

Lakeside Park, Kitchener, ON

     Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) is one of several neotropical warblers in trouble, due principally to habitat loss in its home in South America, and here in North America where it breeds.

     It is seldom seen and ranks very high on the roster of species a birder wishes to add to her life list. A single male, at Lakeside Park, therefore, was cause for great excitement in the birding community, and as news of its presence spread, the pilgrimage of birders and photographers increased by the minute! It was staggering to contemplate the total value of expensive optical equipment and telephoto lenses in that one small clearing in an urban park.

     The bird stayed high in the canopy, at the very top of the trees, and for the most part this is what one saw.

     We do not have sophisticated cameras and $10,000 lenses, and Miriam did really well to capture what she did.

       I did not hear anyone exclaim in joy that they had a good picture, so we were not alone, and the best of equipment is no more able to bore through leaves than the camera on a cell phone.

     Happiness was seeing the bird; the picture was secondary.

     It was quite a bit easier to do somewhat better with a Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus).

     And to be in the park was enchanting.

     Our first Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens) was perhaps as pleased to see us as we were to see it, because it perched and sang for a while.

     It darted from its perch a few times to capture a passing insect, and moved a metre or so, but stayed in the same area, in full view.

     It was a stark contrast to the neck-straining exercise with the Cerulean Warbler, and we viewed it alone, far from the chatter of excited humans.

     It started to rain (badly needed) and we made our way back to our car, happy to have visited the park, with so many treasures on display.

23 May 2021

Columbia Lake, Waterloo, ON

     We are so fortunate that Columbia Lake is very close to home. In less than ten minutes from our front door we can set our feet down on the trail.

     It is not so bad to be greeted by a profusion of Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) mere moments from beginning a walk.

     A Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) is both common and dramatic.

     Tiger beetle males keep a grip on their mates long after mating to ensure paternity. 

     Soon after watching the beautiful tiger beetles for a while we spotted our first Northern Crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) of the spring.

     The number and variety of butterflies will only keep growing throughout the summer.

     A field of corn stubble is not a place where we expect to find Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) but this bird seemed to be exploiting the insect flush, along with American Robins (Turdus migratorius).

     A Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) was perched nearby, quite far from the water, and it made me wonder if it too was benefitting from an insect boom.

     A pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) seemed not to be doing much of anything.

     Columbia Lake provides habitat for a variety of birds.....

     ..... and Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) have taken great advantage of secluded breeding areas. 

     The results are there for all to see.

     As anyone who has ever tried to take a picture of a swallow in flight knows, it is an almost impossible task. It was a stroke of luck, therefore to come across these Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) resting on the road.

     Often there are several Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) and today was no exception.

     Our main purpose in choosing Columbia Lake for our walk was to check on shorebirds at the tail end of northward migration.

     The water level was ideal in one corner of the lake.

     A Spotted Sandpiper cut a fine figure perched on stones that form a conduit from one bank to the other.

     Several individuals of this species were present and they put on quite a show for us.

     It is a common bird, but it breeds locally and in consequence may be studied at will.

     Spotted Sandpiper is a polyandrous species where the female is dominant and squabbles between rival females is not uncommon.

     What a pleasure to see Spotted Sandpiper in breeding plumage when it is obvious how it came by its name.

     Killdeer (Chadrius vociferus) is the common breeding plover of the area. It is an uncommonly handsome bird.

          The much smaller Semipalmated Sandpiper (Charadrius semipalmatus) is the epitome of cuteness.

     In the picture below the plover looks quite quizzical, as though asking the Least Sandpipers (Calidris minutilla) what they are doing there.

     Were I into making fuzzy toys I think Semipalmated Plover might be my inspiration!

     Least Sandpiper is the world's smallest sandpiper, and it was a pleasure to see them in breeding plumage.

     This tiny bird weighing as little as a dozen grams will wing its way to its Arctic breeding grounds before returning south again. 

     The journeys made by shorebirds are prodigious!

     Usually we see Dunlin (Calidris alpina) in the fall when they have moulted out of their breeding finery, so it was an exceptional treat to see this species with its distinctive black belly patch.

     There is so much enjoyment to be derived from studying shorebirds that we were mesmerized for an hour or so.

     A group of breeding-plumaged Dunlin was the proverbial icing on the cake!

     I mentioned above that the number of butterflies will increase throughout the summer. As if to reinforce the point, just as we were leaving an Eastern Tailed Blue (Cupido comyntas) flitted in front of us, and alighted for a picture.

     Life is good!

Tuesday Rambles with David - The Linear Trail the second time around.

11 June 2017

     Last week we had a very productive outing to the Linear Trail in Cambridge, ON and covered about half its length. This week we decided to begin at the opposite end and work our way towards the point where we turned around last week. The weather was a little foggy, and the light far from ideal for photography, but we enjoyed a great walk filled with wildlife of different taxa.

     In the parking lot, before even embarking on the trail, we saw this Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus), a stunning species. We initially thought that a woman parking her car had inadvertently run over it, but it was fluttering, and the driver of the vehicle, filled with remorse, carried it over to a tree. Without further ado it flew back towards us, so no harm seemed to have been done.

     In high spirits, we set out along the trail.

     We had not gone far, no more than four or five hundred metres, when our walk was abruptly brought to a halt.

        Quite what happened to the bridge is open to speculation, but it appears that someone attempted to drive over it with equipment exceeding the load-bearing capacity of the structure.

     Had we been children, we would have taken our shoes and socks off and waded across, but being a conservative bunch, and no doubt older and wiser (or is that less adventuresome?) we headed back to the parking lot.

     Common Whitetails (Plathemis lydia) were common. Here is an adult male...

     ...........and here is a juvenile male with its characteristic brown abdomen and pale diagonal dashes along each side.

     On the way back to our vehicles, Franc and I ventured off into a bushy area, filled with tangles and saplings of various heights, and plagued with mosquitoes unfortunately. In any event, we made our way down to the river and were rewarded with a great range of species.

     Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) is rare around here, but this year I have seen as many as three individuals at the Hespeler Mill Pond, and today Franc and I were treated to the delightful spectacle of seeing a delicate Common Tern, in superbly choreographed flight, alongside the bruiser of this family, Caspian Tern (Hydroproge caspia).

     The scientific name of Common Tern translates to Swallow Tern, and you can judge for yourself from the pictures below that it is aptly named.

     Franc had never seen a Common Tern before and was thrilled to be presented with such great opportunities for photographs.

     The powerhouse Caspian Tern was a study in contrast.

     A male Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) was perched just over the water, a little farther away than we might have liked, but photogenic nonetheless.

     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stalked its prey, patiently waiting for every opportunity to make a lightening strike.

     Kildeer (Chardrius vociferus) is our most common shorebird and is frequently observed in large numbers, especially as we approach migration time. 

     As we picked our way back through the tangles, Grey Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) were frequently seen and heard, gurgling their delightful, cheery song, with a little mimicry thrown in for good measure, and ending on the miaow exclamation point from which the bird derives its name.

     Having donated our share of blood to the ravenous female mosquitoes we rejoined Miriam, Judy, Mary and Carol in the parking lot, and set off to park adjacent to the trail around its midpoint, so that we could traverse it back to the defunct bridge which had stopped us in our tracks.

     The birding was terrific. Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), no longer subjected to idiotic and obscene levels of persecution, have made a resounding comeback across the continent and are now fairly common in the Grand River watershed. It was with enormous satisfaction that we saw two adults perched at the river's edge, quite far away, but close enough for a record shot.

     One of the birds flew a little closer and perched at mid height in the trees along the riverbank. It is indeed a majestic species.

     Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) is a skillful and opportunistic feeder and this individual had caught a catfish, a fine meal indeed. It is amazing what a bird can swallow!

     After all that exertion, and with a full belly, perhaps it needed to rest for a while.

    We have a watermelon in the fridge and I think that to match the feat of the gull I would have to swallow it whole!

     American Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus) is less common at this time of year and this is the only individual we saw.

     American Robin (Turdus migratorius)is a prolific breeder and often has three broods in a single season.  Juveniles are seemingly everywhere. 

.    

     Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) is common along suitable watercourses and we saw several of them.

     It is always interesting to watch them zoom across the water with their typical rapid wing beats.

     There were several small flocks of Northern Rough-winged Swallows (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) and we were fortunate to have one perch for a picture.

     This male American Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva) has lost his tail somehow. Perhaps sacrificing it saved him from a predator bent on making a meal out of him.

    House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) were spotted several times, often announcing their presence by their rollicking song.

     Birds need to keep their plumage in prime condition and bathing is an important part of feather maintenance. This male American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is drying off after immersing at the river's edge.

     Japanese Beetle (Popilla japonica) is a serious invasive species, with adults damaging leaf tissues and ripening fruit of more than two hundred plants. This pair seems intent on making sure that we have more of them.

     Maybe Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) will eat a few!

     Warbling Vireos (Vireo gilvus) have a robust population along the Linear Trail.

     Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) is a very common species, of course, but this is an interesting shot.

     I always think that Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is like an old friend that you never tire of seeing, no matter how often it happens. 

     Another great Tuesday ramble. Now we have to think about next week's destination.

All birds species: Canada Goose, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Western Osprey, Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Caspian Tern, Common Tern, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Phoebe, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Tree Swallow, House Wren, American Robin, Grey Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow.   Total:  39 species.