House Sparrows (Moineaux domestiques) Fledge in Our Yard

     These days I spend at least a couple of hours each day watching the four young Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus at the CTV tower, in anticipation of their first flight, and during my stint this morning I started to think about the family of House Sparrows Passer domesticus that recently fledged in our backyard.
     That day (23 May) I took Will and Eddie, the two youngest grandchildren, to the Young Naturalists Club, but Miriam placed a chair in front of the nest box and took a series of pictures as the young left the nest. Here is one about to emerge.

     Despite the fact that it was fledge day the parents were still very attentive and bringing food.

     One would think this behaviour would be counter-productive in terms of coaxing the young out of the nest, but feed them they did.

     At ever shorter intervals, however, the young birds were coming to the hole, and finally they all left to find their own way in the world. Needless to say they will still receive food from their parents as they gradually improve their efficiency at foraging on their own.

     Already we see the adults going back into the nest box with bits of nesting material in their bills, so we assume that they are "tidying up" in there and getting ready for a second brood. Since we just erected this nest box in early spring it's really gratifying to see these results.

Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

Snyder's Flats, Bloomingdale, On

30 April 2013

    The Caspian Tern is the largest tern in the world, and is commonly found in southern Ontario from spring through fall. This evening we were fortunate to see six of them, four loafing on a rock together. The other two were at some distance standing in shallow water. Before we left all but two took to the air and we were treated to a display of aerial elegance and perfection. The powerful neck and head, as well as the huge red bill, are clearly evident in the pictures below.

A Woodlot in Winter

A Woodlot in Winter

Heidelberg, Ontario

30 December 2012

    Part of the territory assigned to us for the Christmas Bird Count included this woodlot in Heidelberg. Hardwood stands are not especially productive from a birding standpoint at this time of year, but it was a great pleasure to immerse ourselves in it nonetheless. One could not help but be reminded of Robert Frost's iconic poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Despite the inconveniences snow sometimes brings I for one would not like to live without it. Winter brings its own array of charms as does every other season of the year.