Recent Activity in the Backyard - Mostly Hummingbirds

     We like to think of our backyard as a little urban oasis, and we feel that our claim has been validated of late.

     The excessive heat of summer is unkind to man and beast alike and Eastern Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) find ways to stay cool.

     A fur coat is perhaps a disadvantage at times!

     Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) are fixtures in our yard, and their numbers build up into the winter when it is not unusual to see twenty or more, attracted by the food we provide, of course.

     They seek shade in the foliage and drink regularly from the bird bath.

     It would be wise for this Common Carpet Moth (Epirrhoe alternata) to seek a little more cover, lest it become a quick snack for an opportunistic bird.

     Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are deep into their moult cycle, and some can look pretty ragged at this time of year.

     For most of the year Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilocus colubris) has been an irregular visitor at best, but that has all changed recently.

     Whenever we sit out on the patio it is mere minutes before a hummingbird appears and recently there have been two individuals that arrive together, with a minimum of squabbling, rare for a species that seems to have pugnacity and aggression built into its DNA.

     We have been wondering whether these are two fledglings from the same nest who are still learning to face the world together and have not yet parted ways.

There is no way we can prove this, and the literature seems to contain nothing to corroborate our supposition, but for whatever reason they seem to get along.

     I am guessing that the bird above, with distinct streaking on the neck with a hint of suffuse red, is a young male.

     The bird below may well be his sister.

     These young birds are probably already entering a hyperphagic state and are laying down extra fat to fuel their imminent migration.

     The perils that these tiny birds, weighing barely more than the dime in your pocket, will face on this peril-laded hegira, defy comprehension. They will need all the skills that are hard-wired in their brain and more than a little luck to make it to their wintering quarters in Mexico and Central America.

     The adult female shown below is resting after drinking her fill from our sugar water feeder.

     If you too have hummingbird feeders in your garden to attract these little gems, please be sure to keep them clean and regularly replace the syrup so that it does not become rancid or get filled with ants seeking the sugary prize and drowning for their efforts.

     There is something about a hummingbird that appeals to everyone. Perhaps it is their size that conveys vulnerability, but gram for gram they are amongst the toughest competitors in the world.

     I could not begin to put a price on the pleasure they have given us and we wish them well on their journey.

     May they return to see us next spring and stay to raise their own young. 

     And let us do all we can to help them. We owe them no less.

More Local Highlights

16 May 2021

Lakeside Park, Kitchener, ON

     We heard a tremendous racket from a group of American Crows (Corvus brachyrynchos) and searched to see whether they were perhaps routing a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). 

     At one point there were about twenty individuals occupying two or three trees, but we never did ascertain the reason for their noisy performance. They departed as quickly as they had arrived, shrieking and yelling all the while.

     A Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) was far more restrained and serenaded us delightfully.

     It was interesting to see the channels created by a kind of wood-boring insect in this log.

     It is both sobering and distressing to contemplate the varieties of trees that are now endangered by invasive pests, often introduced from outside North America in shipments of fruit, or via wooden pallets that are already heavily infested.

     One is never out of earshot of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) at Lakeside Park, and we spotted a female busily constructing a nest.

     An American Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) seems to have found a meal sufficient for lunch and dinner!

Benjamin Park Trail, Waterloo, ON

     May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum) is carpeting woodlands everywhere, and there was much of it to be seen on the Benjamin Park Trail.

     Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) is a widespread invasive, often originating in gardens; quite beautiful, but quickly swamping native species.

     Bristly Buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus) is appearing everywhere.

     There is no shortage of yellow flowers!

     Taxonomy is ever fluid it seems, and the genus Celastrina is the subject of much discussion and review. At least for now, the following species is Northern Spring Azure, also known as Lucia Azure (Celastrina lucia).

     Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) is probably no more abundant than in previous years, but I have been running into them frequently.

     It is an impressive species and it is always a great pleasure to share a few moments with them.

19 May 2021

Our Backyard, Waterloo, ON

     Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilocus colubris) has been a regular visitor to our backyard for as long as we have lived here, but this year visits have been few and far between.

     We were happy, therefore, when we looked out the window and saw a female at the feeder.

     The pictures are not fantastic but they were taken through the glass and are the best we could do. Perhaps even from these less-than-perfect images you will sense our joy at seeing the bird. 

RIM Park, Waterloo, ON

     There is a field opposite the parking area that has harboured Eastern Meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) over the past few years, and it didn't take us long to find one singing from the grass.

     Shortly a second bird was spotted on a cable and the two joined forces and flew off together.

     I suspect that starting a family was top of mind for them.

     The spruces (Genus Picea) seem to universally sport a good cone crop already this year. No doubt squirrels are gleeful!

     There are numerous little wet channels at RIM Park, all looking especially bucolic and tranquil in spring.

     A male Baltimore Oriole is very handsome, especially when highlighted by bright sunshine.

     A good part of the day is spent capturing food and soon there will be additional mouths to feed.

     This is a species that adds a bright splash of colour to a spring landscape, and unlike warblers and other tiny birds is quite easily seen.

     It so delights the average walker in the park that it is the single most pointed-out species, by people who see our binoculars. 

      "Did you see the oriole?" is a commonly posed question.

     For part of the trail the Grey Silo Golf course runs alongside it, and I am sure that the owners are anxiously awaiting the lifting of COVID restrictions, so that greens can reverberate with the cheerful chatters of golfers and the thwacking of balls.

      We are quite happy that we don't have to keep a watchful eye for the golf carts occupying their half of the trail.

      Wild Geraniums (Geranium maculatum) are starting to bloom, a delightful addition to any walk.

     Ground Ivy (Glechoma hereracea) is probably considered a pest in the wrong location, but for a peripatetic naturalist it gives great pleasure.

     One of the dominant features of RIM Park, the most dominant in fact, is the Grand River.

     It meanders alongside for a good part of the way, and supports a variety of birds - ospreys, eagles, terns, gulls, swallows, shorebirds - and not a few mammals. American Beavers (Castor canadensis) make their presence known and White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) come down to river to drink.

     We enjoyed great views of a male American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) and when it remained still for a few seconds, Miriam obtained a couple of pictures.

     We watched transfixed as it sang to us!

     Having had several terrific looks at a male Baltimore Oriole, additional pleasure was gained by observing a female in the early stages of nest construction.

     We see more American Yellow Warblers (Setophaga aestiva) at RIM Park than at any other location where we bird regularly.

     A Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) was a very agreeable addition to our birds for the day, but it played hide-and-seek with us.

     We spotted a Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) and heard its distinctive call.

     And within moments we watched a flurry of activity and discovered out first ever nest under construction for this species.

     For many I am sure this would not be a big deal, but for anyone involved with birds, it is a moment of high excitement.

     For a moment we thought we had come across a mixed species flock, until we realized that a Grey Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) was mimicking the songs of several other birds.

     A pair of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) is an ominous sight for many small songbirds whose nests are targets for brood parasitism.

     Cheery Song Sparrows (Melopspiza melodia) never fail to delight us.

     In several spots we heard the familiar wichety-wichety call of Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) but seldom saw the chorister, and managed but one picture of indifferent quality.

     There is one small, swampy area that we pass each time we visit RIM Park that we always think should harbour birds, amphibians and who knows what else. But it never does.

     It is perfect habitat for a pair of Northern Waterthrushes (Parkesia noveboracensis) and I remain hopeful that one day they will be there.

     There are glimmers of hope that the Province of Ontario may be on the road to loosening some of the COVID restrictions that have dominated our lives for so long. It can't come soon enough for us and perhaps before too long we can bring you reports of visits farther afield.