A Snowy Owl, a Rough-Legged Buzzard and American Crows

      We are experiencing the strangest of winters. As I glance outside to my backyard there is not a speck of snow - and this is January in Ontario. Precipitation comes in the form of rain, and fog and mist are our constant companions it seems.

     Miriam and I have been on our annual quest to find Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus), finally having success.

14 January, 2023

Wellington County, ON

     We made coffee, grabbed two delicious homemade chocolate chip/oatmeal cookies and headed out with visions of Snowy Owls dancing in our heads. This search has taken on the trappings of an annual rite of passage, and we look forward to reconnecting with these most magnificent of birds with an intensity reserved by others for such trival events as the Super Bowl or the Oscars. There is no doubt that there is some form of spiritual connection that exists between us and them.

     We have been patrolling all the reliable places where we have found this aristocrat of the north in years past, but have come up empty. 

     Finally - success!

     It was quite far off, in a field with barely a trace of snow (bad news for farmers) and sat quietly, resting and conserving its energy.

     Despite entreaties every year unscrupulous photographers will trespass on private property and disturb the owls in the eternal quest for the perfect shot, sacrificing the welfare of the bird to their own selfish ends.

     Our good friends, Victoria and Selwyn have never had the pleasure of an encounter with a Snowy Owl, but when we took them to see it the following day, it was nowhere to be found, having moved far away from over-zealous idiots I suspect.

Benjamin Road, Region of Waterloo, ON

     We were mere minutes from home when we noticed a raptor perched close to the road. A quick glance told us that it was not a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), our most likely Buteo, and we turned the car around to position ourselves to get a better look and take some pictures.

     It was a magnificent, dark morph Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus). No sooner had we started to watch it, it dropped down and seemed to be mantling prey. If so, it consumed it on the ground, because when it flew off there was no evidence of a captured vole or other prey in its talons.

     It is a spectacular bird and we were delighted to have seen it.

American Crow (Corvus brachyrynchos) in our backyard

     American Crows, a member of the family Corvidae, are among the most intelligent and engaging of birds, and we have been doing our best to forge a relationship with them in our yard.

     We put out food for them every day, but they are naturally wary, and approach with caution. 

     They have every reason to mistrust humans who have persecuted them for centuries in every way possible. Slowly they are developing confidence in us, and when Miriam calls to them when she opens the window to toss out food, they appear almost instantly and perch in the trees in our yard and the neighbour's.

     We hope over time to have them trust us completely and engage with us daily. 

     What a rare privilege that will be.

A Shout-out for Linda Primmer, My Fairy Blogmother

     A couple of years ago I had Linda redesign my blog and I have been delighted with the results.

     Recently, I decided that it was time for a change of header, and went about doing it. Big mistake! I screwed it up royally!

     As I have several times since I first met Linda, I turned to her, and patiently and skillfully she set everything right and you can see the results above. She really is the epitome of professionalism and a joy to deal with. 

     It is ironic that I could explain the cell structure of a flower to you, converse on avian anatomy, fill you with wonder about bird migration, chat about a string quartet, but I am a total moron when it comes to a computer, and irrationally intimidated by it I might add.

     Linda has always come to my rescue, and I appreciate it immensely.

     Thank you, Linda.

Let's Go and Find a Bald Eagle's Nest, Miriam.....

 20 March, 2022

World Sparrow Day

     I had no idea that a day had been set aside to honour House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and in fact 20 March, 2022 was the tenth anniversary of this auspicious marker.

     In commemoration, I give you a handsome male from our backyard.

A Raptor-ous Day

     Our goal in setting out was to find a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nest reported to Miriam by her niece, Julie. As it turned out the day turned into a raptor bonanza.

     It was not long before we detected a very cooperative Merlin(Falco columbarius) perched at the  top of a tree.

     Rarely does one have the opportunity to enjoy this spectacular little falcon for ten minutes, but this was one of those days.

     Miriam moved stealthily towards it without causing it concern, and was at one point almost underneath the bird.

     We still had the Bald Eagle in mind, but we were already filled with elation.

     We are familiar with the general location of the eagle's nest as described by Julie, and had little trouble finding it. In fact a couple of old birding friends were already there when we arrived. 

     We were advised that the eggs have now been incubated for twenty-one days. Normal incubation period for a Bald Eagle is 34 - 35 days so hatching is not too far off.

     The recovery of the Bald Eagle across the continent is a sign of hope for raptorial species that are no longer persecuted by humans. Left to their own devices they have the ability to thrive. In the process they provide incredible joy to gob-smacked humans. A Bald Eagle's nest may no longer be rare; it is no less special though.

     Rough-legged Buzzards (Buteo lagopus) have for the most part left our area by now, but this individual patrolled the sky above us.

     There were of course other birds to be enjoyed. American Robins (Turdus migratorius) seem to be everywhere, feeding together and starting to pair off in anticipation of breeding.

     Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris) were not hard to find either.

     Areas that mere days ago were still snow-covered are now bare, soon to green up as the magical transformation to spring occurs.

     Rapidly flowing streams and rivers, swollen by snow melt, carried Common Mergansers (Mergus mergansers) on the current.

Common Merganser ♂

Common Merganser ♀

     And there were more Horned Larks.

     We circled back to take another look at the eagle's nest and this shot will give you an idea of how distant the nest is from the only convenient vantage point to see it.

     The bird on the nest had turned to face the other way. 

      Both sexes share incubation duties but the female does most of the daytime shift.

      Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus), that most delightful of plovers, scurried around sodden fields and ploughed land.

     In continuation of our good fortune with raptors we thought ourselves exalted when this handsome Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) did not immediately fly off, not exhibiting the usual healthy caution hawks have for humans who throughout history have signalled death from the barrel of a gun.

     Our final raptor of the day was an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) in an area where we have seen a pair in the past. I suspect they breed there, but I can't confirm it. This is one species that is very difficult to photograph. Almost as soon as you stop the car they fly off. 

Fairy Blogmother

     As you know, I recently had a makeover on my blog, and I am delighted with its new, clean look and greatly improved functionality. I was ably assisted in this endeavour by Linda Primmer, the Fairy Blogmother.

     Linda is kind, considerate, patient, competent, unflappable, charming, friendly and reasonable in every way. I have no hesitation in saying that if you too need a new look, don't hesitate to contact Linda with complete confidence.

www.myfairyblogmother.com

www.lifeandlinda.com

A Great Way to End the Day

     A little while after arriving home, right after dinner in fact, we watched a You Tube video of a Berlin Philharmonic performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto with Daniel Barenboim conducting and  Yitzhak Perlman as the featured soloist. Surely this kind of music is one of the hallmarks of western civilization; a civilization one had reason to question  not so many years ago, and given what is happening in Ukraine, one cannot help but think that the veneer of civilization is precariously thin.

     There is clear irony that two unbelievably talented Jewish musicians were performing with Germany's finest orchestra, one of the greatest orchestras in the word in fact, when mere years ago they would have been dispatched to the gas chambers, or perhaps have fallen victim to the Einzatzgruppen. 

     And now, we have another Jew, desperate to save his country from the aggression of another psychopath, calling on the world for help, and watching as his cities are destroyed and people are being slaughtered or forced to flee. We have been here before. We never learn, do we?

     Better I focus on the birds and the music, on the joy they bring. It's hard not to despair for the future of humanity, however.

Snowy Owls and a Day to Remember

     It was a cold day when we set out, classic in its wintriness. The sun was piercingly bright, there was enough of a breeze to sting your face gently, and the world was white.

      Buoyed in spirit and fortified with a mug of hot coffee, we set out to roam the countryside from the safety of our car, without a COVID care in the world.

     Our quest was for Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) and other raptorial birds and we succeeded admirably. There were several Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), more Rough-legged Buzzards (Buteo lagopus) than some people see in a lifetime, and a lone Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) well camouflaged in a dense tangle of bushes, waiting for an unsuspecting passerine to come by and sate its hunger.

     Our first encounter with a Snowy Owl, one of three exquisite males we would see that day, was the stuff of dreams. We were witnesses, participants almost,  into nature's vitality played out before our eyes. Ironically we have no pictures to share of this drama; we could hardly take our eyes off it, let alone worry about fiddling with a camera.

     The Snowy Owl had captured prey, and two Common Ravens (Corvus corax) were determined to steal it from him. By acting in unison and tormenting the owl they finally drove it off, leaving its hard-won meal behind. One raven pursued the owl, croaking its victory call, as it drove it far from sight, while the second had already pounced on the spoils of battle. As this was taking place, an adult Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) cruised overhead, contemplating displacing the ravens perhaps, but thought better of it, and carried on its way. Past tussles with ravens might have influenced its decision!

     As if to cap the sequence with a grand finale, a beautifully patterned dark morph Rough-legged Buzzard arrived on the scene, no doubt wishing to filch a little food for itself, but the ravens were having none of it, and the rough-leg moved on.

     Outclassed in bulk, strength and fighting equipment, the Common Ravens won the day with intelligence and cooperation. Surely that lesson still needs to be learned by humans.

     A Snowy Owl of either sex, young or old, is magnificent, but is anything quite as sublime as an adult male?

     By using the car as a blind, and advancing very, very slowly, we parked within fifteen metres, perhaps less, of this individual, without ever disturbing it.

     It spent a good deal of its time preening, and you can see its feathered feet (an adaptation against the cold) in the following picture.

     Here it is getting ready to stretch.

     It stretched quite frequently, extending wing and leg on each side of its body. We were unsure whether this was part of the preening process, or a means of maintaining flexibility. Whichever was the case, it was a wonderful sight to see.

     After about forty-five minutes we got ready to depart and bade our friend farewell.

     We drove away slowly, reluctant to leave, and glanced back several times as the owl faded into the distance.

     Mere minutes later we saw two male Snowy Owls flying together, one having come in from the direction we had travelled, so we assumed that it was "our" owl.

How amazing it was to see two of these archetypal birds of the north hunting in unison, scouring the fields for rodents. Territoriality it appears, is suspended outside the breeding season, and when food is plentiful.

     And - as a final reward we concluded - we spotted a large female perched in a tree near to a farm house.

     In life there are days to remember. This was certainly one of them. 

    

Winter Walks

 Friday 11 December 2020

Bechtel Park, Waterloo, ON

     Friday is our day to walk with Heather and Lily and we decided to try Bechtel Park for the first time together.

     

     It was a beautiful winter day, not too cold with little wind and bright sunshine. Lily is already an accomplished winter warrior and enjoys her time outdoors.

     No doubt being strapped on to Mom with all the extra warmth that position provides has something to do with it.

     Lily is becoming ever more alert and aware of her surroundings, and laughs and chuckles if you play peek-a-boo with her. It will not be long before we will be seeing little white teeth when she opens her mouth wide.

     There were birds in the woods, but they were encountered in highly mobile groups of mixed species, very active and extremely difficult to photograph.

     Often we were alerted to their presence by their chattering high in the tree tops. This Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) will give you an idea of the angle we were dealing with.

     Common Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) on the ground was much easier to photograph and presented a welcome burst of green against the dun uniformity of the forest floor.

     Laurel Creek meanders through Bechtel Woods, and after periods of heavy rain becomes swollen and flows with great rapidity. The velocity of the surging torrent causes a good deal of erosion on the banks and tree roots become exposed.

     There is ample evidence of trees downed by high winds, now returning nutrients to the soil and playing their role in the eternal cycle of forest renewal. Fungi have a substrate on which to grow, salamanders seek  shelter under logs, and arthropods of countless species find refuge, hidden from view.

     We walked along and chatted, we postulated and opined, cooed to Lily, laughed and reflected, enjoyed each other's company to the fullest.

     All too soon it was time to say goodbye, but even as I compose this post it is Friday again tomorrow, and we will have Heather and Lily all to ourselves once again. There is no greater Friday morning enjoyment.

Friday 11 December 2020

Riverside Park, Cambridge, ON

     As soon as we had finished lunch we decided that we wanted to go back outside and headed off for Riverside Park in Cambridge.

     One could be forgiven for concluding that all the House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in the area had decided to congregate there.

     No doubt the continuous supply of seed distributed by human well-wishers fueled the attendance!

     Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are not shy about sharing in this feast, and are not reluctant to approach at close quarters either, an opportunity welcomed by photographers.

     The male is handsome.....

     ..... and the female is beautiful.

     One of the first birds that visitors from overseas wish to see is Northern Cardinal and it is not hard to see why. Fortunately, is is quite common, and readily comes to backyard feeders so it is easy to find.

     Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) is one of the most endearing of all our birds, beloved by everyone.

     When my daughter, Caroline, was in primary school her floor hockey team was called The Black-capped Chickadees, and they were as tough and aggressive as their namesake tiny bundle of power and determination. It takes all that winter throws at it, and does so with a cheery song.

       It always takes its seed and flies off to a nearby branch where it grasps the seed in its claws and hammers it open.

      When I was filling my bird feeders this morning I was reminded of the confiding nature of our most common woodpecker, the diminutive Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens), as one perched on a branch no more that 45cm away from me, waiting for the feeder to be replaced on its hook.

     It is a common species at Riverside Park and very approachable. The male is distinguished by his jaunty red cap.

     A couple of drake Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) puttered around on the Grand River, upturning to yank submerged vegetation from the bottom.

     By this time of the year I would have expected species such as Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) and Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) to be present, but the river flowed on devoid of ducks.

     American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) is a pugnacious and fearless little character, who will tackle adversaries twice its size.

     Free food along the top rail of the boardwalk is an opportunity not to be missed.

     American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea) is a species whose number seem to have declined in recent years; fortunately Riverside Park remains a fairly reliable spot to find this charming winter resident.

     Having seen a couple of male Downy Woodpeckers earlier we were delighted when this female paid us a visit.

     As we made our way back along the trail it suddenly was very quiet, and not a bird moved.

A quick scan revealed the reason; this Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) had flown in, but it appeared not to be in hunting mode and left soon after arriving.

     On the way out of Riverside Park we decided to visit the nearby confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers, an excellent location to find a wide variety of species, with great variability from spring through winter.

     There were many ducks of several species, but mostly far out, and the light was beginning to wane.

Of late there have been a couple of periods of heavy rain, and branches have been washed down the river, to strand themselves in shallow areas.

     Some unsuspecting boat owner lost his dock to swollen flows; no doubt it will make a fine perch for gulls and terns.

     The setting sun provided a fitting backdrop to end a wonderful day.

     It was time to head for home.

Tuesday 15 December 2020

A drive through the hinterland

     We decided that a drive around some of the rural roads of the region was just what the bird doctor ordered.

     The light was far from perfect, but it turned out to be a day for raptors, with four species being spotted.

None of our photographs are about to be entered into competition, but they do provide a record of the day.

     Our first Buteo of the day was a magnificent Rough-legged Buzzard (Buteo lagopus) and by leaning out of the car window Miriam was able to catch its beautiful underwing pattern as it took flight.

     Almost across the road a couple of Mennonites were working on their silo - dangerous work if you ask me!

     Not for them safety straps, tie-offs and harnesses. Bravado does the trick!

     Our next raptor, far and away the most common Buteo in the area was a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), looking back at us.

     Our third raptor of the day was a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), two of them in fact, in Conestogo, near to the nest where they have raised young successfully for four years at least.

     In the picture below you can see the two eagles (if you look very carefully) perched at either end of the row of trees.

     As was the case when we left Cambridge earlier in the week night was falling and a warm home and a glass of wine seemed inviting.

     Along the way, on Northfield Drive, a busy city street, we saw a male American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) perched on a wire, for our fourth raptor in a couple of hours.

     Not a bad way to end the day if you ask me!