tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13643807685426389882024-03-19T03:51:08.221-07:00Ontario Birds and WildlifeTracking my Outdoor Explorations.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-39205491775089347932021-11-01T16:04:00.002-07:002021-11-03T17:22:56.156-07:00Not Just 'Ani' Old Bird.<p> The last week has certainly been an interesting one here in Perth county. I never intended for this blog to totally die, but after this long I expected it would take something significant to upload again. </p><p>That's what happened last Monday on a drizzly afternoon when I got a text from my sister wondering if I had heard about the rare bird visiting the home of a friend of hers. This was the first I had heard of it and she sent me further details about the Groove-billed Ani. To say I was intrigued would be an understatement. Through my sister I obtained landowner permission to visit that afternoon and ten minutes later I was squinting at a dark mass hunkered down deep in a spruce tree to keep out of the rain.</p><p>From the right angle through binoculars, I was able to get a decent look at this lost little fellow, but my photos leave a lot to be desired.</p><p>A bunch looked like this.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhjEz5os-sn5vpknuuzimxaZ5FsLnH38hs1zP6z4zQVcxwAjWxuqi9gOUXwOg3KQFZfvHEykry19lv7urTvMPHmDayT4X7jQCrYKXBr74Sb4-YyvQRqi-R5C0V6GK_-WN_w8eGf8lFtoh/s5184/DSC04915.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhjEz5os-sn5vpknuuzimxaZ5FsLnH38hs1zP6z4zQVcxwAjWxuqi9gOUXwOg3KQFZfvHEykry19lv7urTvMPHmDayT4X7jQCrYKXBr74Sb4-YyvQRqi-R5C0V6GK_-WN_w8eGf8lFtoh/w400-h300/DSC04915.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Or this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgrrwDq3g16nHtZBAXBsvU7lZCijVQOFG3vx5_-HNBazyT0_ecJUSODyH0qkMGosOlVa1kv6jZQNIhrQzbd02S645bWp1y8Xy1Oo3wSqig8SxV9yjEmiCDHGMljIbeuwzAbYcSpCWM9HT/s5184/DSC04917.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgrrwDq3g16nHtZBAXBsvU7lZCijVQOFG3vx5_-HNBazyT0_ecJUSODyH0qkMGosOlVa1kv6jZQNIhrQzbd02S645bWp1y8Xy1Oo3wSqig8SxV9yjEmiCDHGMljIbeuwzAbYcSpCWM9HT/w400-h300/DSC04917.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>This was the clearest that I ended up with.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbG_t5j3Qf2zLGExbwHAmMvh-9zKPWn-jV2M8PE3HLFEIsmU02z9BfRZwOrepQFv15sRxDDlTY47MwfuoyobrOcAnq1I8Ez6IrgdNFx14nuyzc5SSThhpViWnwhNaCO4msupHHS5vuAza/s5184/DSC04913.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbG_t5j3Qf2zLGExbwHAmMvh-9zKPWn-jV2M8PE3HLFEIsmU02z9BfRZwOrepQFv15sRxDDlTY47MwfuoyobrOcAnq1I8Ez6IrgdNFx14nuyzc5SSThhpViWnwhNaCO4msupHHS5vuAza/w400-h300/DSC04913.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>None of my shots are going to be in demand by National Geographic, but I made this posting more to share the excitement in a find like this minutes from home. Over the two days of visitor access it seems that the Ani was often quite cooperative and much better photos can be seen on various online platforms. It was apparently last seen the previous Tuesday so who knows where it could potentially end up.</p>Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-78242011872351863932020-09-13T17:11:00.000-07:002020-09-13T17:11:33.839-07:00Perth County Goodies<p>Kind of a general summary post here. I'll probably find it easier to do this kind of thing once in a while instead of regular posting.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Mitchell Lagoons provided an interesting find this week with the discovery of a Barnacle Goose a few days ago. I managed to get a couple hours free yesterday and got some great scope views and record shots of this rarity as it fed out in the nearby soccer field with a large flock of Canada Geese.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSihPpTU1TOHqTQZvFqT7mpDao63ppc8IER09qb1SFvLi3Rwj2Vlv8xgBnvmvMsqY4TCSgZiurcTbF3m_Erod0-Sx_JsPzEbUFE5gu9aKNQDJN46Biv6OqbFed3vPKcpAHdjGObGWFz7O/s5184/DSC04676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSihPpTU1TOHqTQZvFqT7mpDao63ppc8IER09qb1SFvLi3Rwj2Vlv8xgBnvmvMsqY4TCSgZiurcTbF3m_Erod0-Sx_JsPzEbUFE5gu9aKNQDJN46Biv6OqbFed3vPKcpAHdjGObGWFz7O/w500-h375/DSC04676.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotLuhd35v3AH9RhmPmdroJxiZoQHJSWJulh6IYcVgGVNBGMP9AnDYuM797LLq91Xw_mbxm1Ej_VYbMUEOrjwtp_lp_9n6g6jTBmT0qvQk136L0GwFRErEsJzNO4FVRm8OjaPDBcjLlOBM/s5184/DSC04667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotLuhd35v3AH9RhmPmdroJxiZoQHJSWJulh6IYcVgGVNBGMP9AnDYuM797LLq91Xw_mbxm1Ej_VYbMUEOrjwtp_lp_9n6g6jTBmT0qvQk136L0GwFRErEsJzNO4FVRm8OjaPDBcjLlOBM/w500-h375/DSC04667.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>According to other folks, the bird was (and still is as of this writing) present at the lagoons dividing time between the ponds and the sports field. One of the great things about checking out a rarity like this is it is a great opportunity to meet like minded individuals and attach faces to names.</p><p>I didn't spend a lot of time picking through the other wildlife present, but was alerted to the presence of the continuing Red-Necked Phalarope feeding in the back south cell. Again a record shot only.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtnCHUG8Hna_ppJlGcUpxyrzuR55i8TqIxTIEW2_8B9CTolzEyOe0emgZZs36esTXKptudSjhQvwdHYDjHyoDjGor1tKINfiZjMK4R7rV_isIPuO4N2gR0-4w_DS8suc62DyJo1-FdzMp/s1887/DSC04672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1887" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtnCHUG8Hna_ppJlGcUpxyrzuR55i8TqIxTIEW2_8B9CTolzEyOe0emgZZs36esTXKptudSjhQvwdHYDjHyoDjGor1tKINfiZjMK4R7rV_isIPuO4N2gR0-4w_DS8suc62DyJo1-FdzMp/w500-h375/DSC04672.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>There have been some other decent finds in the county this year although none quite as rare as the Barnacle. I've discussed the potential of the Ellice Swamp in past postings and the rail trail off line 52 has proven a good site to check out. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DyVXjhhEwOnLAJ0XM-IB73pEUrcDCJwE5_1p5leLHby6bRqZ2DphVsRUqcBDBbcgQR_4Ep-_LYg6QVmVn1W6J_0Q7_MQTLs9r56-E58QB48JHLElGwypLEBUR9rhUWPpKo_s62mmcx19/s5184/DSC04506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0DyVXjhhEwOnLAJ0XM-IB73pEUrcDCJwE5_1p5leLHby6bRqZ2DphVsRUqcBDBbcgQR_4Ep-_LYg6QVmVn1W6J_0Q7_MQTLs9r56-E58QB48JHLElGwypLEBUR9rhUWPpKo_s62mmcx19/w500-h375/DSC04506.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Species rare elsewhere in the county were reliably found here this year including Blue-winged, Golden-winged and numerous Brewster's Warblers. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEs5hyphenhyphenL4tAAn-cyHmzY4NXeEG9fm6HAto8L2PYQZwKwfe5OrP2y3HMleqBFtFLqI6kux2dB_KAXBoD0FU-cz91BO6F_nqrxnkpjRNYiHBX7MwO2Rin3-vFS0fCL1jgYQBSTirsXKvvrvp/s4656/DSC04493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3492" data-original-width="4656" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEs5hyphenhyphenL4tAAn-cyHmzY4NXeEG9fm6HAto8L2PYQZwKwfe5OrP2y3HMleqBFtFLqI6kux2dB_KAXBoD0FU-cz91BO6F_nqrxnkpjRNYiHBX7MwO2Rin3-vFS0fCL1jgYQBSTirsXKvvrvp/w500-h375/DSC04493.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VN2zxKlEyHURSJ-LY628Qq5-KXY0t3O6T1Dt3lzeb-lLERYKJ7HO_e7RSCcBL6d4dKWH7_NXZz3rVuOjpbiFVaneEBq00ItUXHqF8GfofxRRLdfzovOSR8ox_hSKfZgE59eIM-wCEORF/s5184/DSC04504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VN2zxKlEyHURSJ-LY628Qq5-KXY0t3O6T1Dt3lzeb-lLERYKJ7HO_e7RSCcBL6d4dKWH7_NXZz3rVuOjpbiFVaneEBq00ItUXHqF8GfofxRRLdfzovOSR8ox_hSKfZgE59eIM-wCEORF/w500-h375/DSC04504.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> Least Bittern and Sandhill Crane were frequently heard along the marsh trail and a pair of Upland Sandpiper spent some time in a nearby hayfield with a probable breeding attempt. Other species although not necessarily rare would often trip the eBird filters in quantity such as Eastern Towhee, Veery or Ruffed Grouse.</p><p>My favorite non-bird sighting from the swamp this year would be this snowshoe hare, a species I had hoped to catch up with here for some time. To my knowledge this is one of the farthest south locations in the province that I can find documentation of this northern species. The habitat is certainly suitable here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KDK5iMXS61-O16Y53cUMDIbJ3cukYvZ3eNflnmSh0yfp5xOLt1cWlW0Qh_0h90zy9IZtuXu6uf-HnfYIYr1518ocUBWC6b4mmYvX7BjRfOzUh8ictrvRe-LTcFQyXIo2hNsCf6RrBB-G/s5184/DSC04503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3888" data-original-width="5184" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KDK5iMXS61-O16Y53cUMDIbJ3cukYvZ3eNflnmSh0yfp5xOLt1cWlW0Qh_0h90zy9IZtuXu6uf-HnfYIYr1518ocUBWC6b4mmYvX7BjRfOzUh8ictrvRe-LTcFQyXIo2hNsCf6RrBB-G/w500-h375/DSC04503.JPG" width="500" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Not a bad year so far for a land-locked county made up of mostly farmland. </p><p><br /></p>Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-32224001848258759022020-05-28T18:56:00.000-07:002020-05-28T18:56:06.739-07:00More Spring BirdsSeems like migration is winding down, at least for those of us in the south of the province. One of my highlights of the year so far was this Blue-winged/ Golden-winged Warbler hybrid known as the Brewster's Warbler. This guy was singing a Blue-winged song along the Ellice Swamp rail trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSZGC07_yc1ffPLYuwanHmkAlHyQjYWFELFULsMZBuzV8IxmiIjK3vrOyoPxhAGd0UTrVfsPjUCIwl1GQsEkB4OYBGrxdo-Hd8eOH_P5v2vTg4KKff-sLZ4SmvTgyWdeP_c7p2a9AR7rP/s1600/DSC04461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxSZGC07_yc1ffPLYuwanHmkAlHyQjYWFELFULsMZBuzV8IxmiIjK3vrOyoPxhAGd0UTrVfsPjUCIwl1GQsEkB4OYBGrxdo-Hd8eOH_P5v2vTg4KKff-sLZ4SmvTgyWdeP_c7p2a9AR7rP/s400/DSC04461.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQwRQdfZlDcrA0DZ9KMbJ9b7I7_n7qsaxXRSNMFj2l0sdLNYUGtJX_eXJ8Qk3R294ONp7b_XV5kTSRw6ZALO9fBa9yx-77H2j1bIgCD1i-l4M1zxnYxWsE3ez2R0Rk7wwCtRn8oFPoJE5/s1600/DSC04465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQwRQdfZlDcrA0DZ9KMbJ9b7I7_n7qsaxXRSNMFj2l0sdLNYUGtJX_eXJ8Qk3R294ONp7b_XV5kTSRw6ZALO9fBa9yx-77H2j1bIgCD1i-l4M1zxnYxWsE3ez2R0Rk7wwCtRn8oFPoJE5/s400/DSC04465.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I didn't make it to any of the bigger birding sites this spring, but it was certainly interesting to spend more time out and about close to home.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLUarHOzj9FbI3bvDqmSOqybjLjGUkT5qfy_jlm1nO8J3fvKcziwdZN1-io0KYu9QITRz0jh88TTfYbzXkUn2BjnjKXvcF7n1ng7QHcdpc4R9Zz-xFHeR6Zo-FJYxKbTc4zmonUmcFGqO/s1600/DSC04455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguLUarHOzj9FbI3bvDqmSOqybjLjGUkT5qfy_jlm1nO8J3fvKcziwdZN1-io0KYu9QITRz0jh88TTfYbzXkUn2BjnjKXvcF7n1ng7QHcdpc4R9Zz-xFHeR6Zo-FJYxKbTc4zmonUmcFGqO/s400/DSC04455.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black-Throated Blue Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WTkBxDMYYAUg7RNoGsupTfeSXb5Gaw6QLVtTWKp50Bs3SOugcOTAl4WqC59LJLDDrHuNmWbDqpdWhuPwSMDZw1uhl537GgTqoiEN2PrA35AgDlExu-bC8NkDJ_1wFCVfUZ53qO7Y4vFK/s1600/DSC04460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WTkBxDMYYAUg7RNoGsupTfeSXb5Gaw6QLVtTWKp50Bs3SOugcOTAl4WqC59LJLDDrHuNmWbDqpdWhuPwSMDZw1uhl537GgTqoiEN2PrA35AgDlExu-bC8NkDJ_1wFCVfUZ53qO7Y4vFK/s400/DSC04460.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-Sided Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98T5mJLWrGDXEeAkjUH9bZ5qTREForf7vVTVavBMBzufM_19E4Y7eIQzhstfjEgy79gfEYTYgqeG-f7xvkCtqQBkGaKw97ym2eIX-Y64DrZtF8zPgCJyVsBI2ouWVDzNpq1E7NAbc5MSp/s1600/DSC04470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98T5mJLWrGDXEeAkjUH9bZ5qTREForf7vVTVavBMBzufM_19E4Y7eIQzhstfjEgy79gfEYTYgqeG-f7xvkCtqQBkGaKw97ym2eIX-Y64DrZtF8zPgCJyVsBI2ouWVDzNpq1E7NAbc5MSp/s400/DSC04470.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackburnian Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtvy6PiUY4fusYbsXROTPem4hIsmxTJoLevW5umKBdFIll9o6qxjD-5DAV0uyZELVAVkQ9AL0NIq6uk0vtLBl-mwEzsaYK8CkpHgIci4_aA-AWQRzKI7o8Yj-gnv-lmu56egq49geF0yJ/s1600/DSC04444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtvy6PiUY4fusYbsXROTPem4hIsmxTJoLevW5umKBdFIll9o6qxjD-5DAV0uyZELVAVkQ9AL0NIq6uk0vtLBl-mwEzsaYK8CkpHgIci4_aA-AWQRzKI7o8Yj-gnv-lmu56egq49geF0yJ/s400/DSC04444.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-bellied Sapsucker</td></tr>
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<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-20930334451406761122020-05-13T18:45:00.001-07:002020-05-13T18:45:30.285-07:00Local Nature Stuff Past and PresentFor obvious reasons, this spring has been much different than what I would have expected. Work on the farm doesn't stop for a pandemic, but I've taken advantage of available free time to check out local locations and exploring the natural areas available on our own property.<br />
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I've had the binoculars out more than the camera, but here's a few shots from some of my outings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWblyTi3cIm5DNA9bUlK55ANx2i4EoZwD7pSscxLa3nb6FfzXDmkdDG7ylpYjtSFqmKnfctVPxRz00EdL2SzN5tHU-o52aC4Cb1fgsbRnJYdUZs88VKkNJvgUuhdocYVKNQwwC_yw7bPZb/s1600/DSC04420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWblyTi3cIm5DNA9bUlK55ANx2i4EoZwD7pSscxLa3nb6FfzXDmkdDG7ylpYjtSFqmKnfctVPxRz00EdL2SzN5tHU-o52aC4Cb1fgsbRnJYdUZs88VKkNJvgUuhdocYVKNQwwC_yw7bPZb/s400/DSC04420.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Swallow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVSUeyLOfjFENtTOnya2KiHrHHTLk20zzBwElv-1Eo_qhyphenhyphenaV5PEp7SlzLO4AE5qc8xFc9hKJoVbzPikV6JxNVPoySE-vVmthn6m2t9HJiOprPNSyB6x7fTJXegvZ_U9vJruHD1PMXaXlR/s1600/DSC04433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVSUeyLOfjFENtTOnya2KiHrHHTLk20zzBwElv-1Eo_qhyphenhyphenaV5PEp7SlzLO4AE5qc8xFc9hKJoVbzPikV6JxNVPoySE-vVmthn6m2t9HJiOprPNSyB6x7fTJXegvZ_U9vJruHD1PMXaXlR/s400/DSC04433.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow-Rumped Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqIvYq0NDvKjZXQz405TLWuYddjlThSZO5jKDT2p52o5OhOZVy3CghC2jTiarX7VdQJ1GQ0jSX5mBQ4DzMhAxDZaYUNaKWzuhkeIMZ1cjnAZEMMvKT1eX-uN6iArUSxFohZeUsV_rCiXn/s1600/piwa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqIvYq0NDvKjZXQz405TLWuYddjlThSZO5jKDT2p52o5OhOZVy3CghC2jTiarX7VdQJ1GQ0jSX5mBQ4DzMhAxDZaYUNaKWzuhkeIMZ1cjnAZEMMvKT1eX-uN6iArUSxFohZeUsV_rCiXn/s400/piwa.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrvaHDxeGgVEa0rAspJR585_RTq1iwohFCJwyuQwX6qd7E1TGWKF6sDuNtO0FTRbeqYRUmGIh8Kei6BSdRa9cXBrHFctd5BgMOhG9NVBVXR-765sr_0oesDY7lx10iX-eP4YeS-lTBORq/s1600/DSC04438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdrvaHDxeGgVEa0rAspJR585_RTq1iwohFCJwyuQwX6qd7E1TGWKF6sDuNtO0FTRbeqYRUmGIh8Kei6BSdRa9cXBrHFctd5BgMOhG9NVBVXR-765sr_0oesDY7lx10iX-eP4YeS-lTBORq/s400/DSC04438.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Pipit</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbCh7698BeXOWXujeuhKhjfBUNSX44t_y0WAXktVjHYvcIJWaULUI_3ta5A7x2hosPUm0C8wVP0DYVqQPxzJz5PoYEG6HZXDrxJOtzMQ7GP8vuQtGF5JAfucXsRNL56mDl0ijpaIFBdK4/s1600/DSC04428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbCh7698BeXOWXujeuhKhjfBUNSX44t_y0WAXktVjHYvcIJWaULUI_3ta5A7x2hosPUm0C8wVP0DYVqQPxzJz5PoYEG6HZXDrxJOtzMQ7GP8vuQtGF5JAfucXsRNL56mDl0ijpaIFBdK4/s400/DSC04428.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vesper Sparrow</td></tr>
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Not bird related, but the recent beaver dammed ditch at the back of the property has proven a good site to check out on my walks and it has been very popular with warblers in particular.</div>
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During this strange time, one tends to think more about times in the past when it was normal to go out and about and associate more freely with other nature oriented folks. I was looking through past photos and found some shots from my visit last May to the Sprucehaven banding centre not far from me in St. Agatha. The banding takes place on private property, but the landowner gave me permission to visit when I contacted him. It was an interesting morning watching the various projects taking place there. Along with banding, there were also programs monitoring salamanders in the nearby woodlot and barn swallows in the shed. I was given a tour of the property and its goings on by local birder David Gascoigne. He also writes a very informative blog on his adventures including updates from Sprucehaven which can be found <a href="https://travelswithbirds.blogspot.com/">here</a> Since there are still numerous warblers and other migrants that I haven't caught up with yet this year, I'll conclude with a few photos from my visit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHiqFfdKVLLxJhoAkypxgGImjBnh-NdKX9FAYZ6-DQTXVaPhWneiUuPX1QHd_hjLzn3TbzvI3WwCk2wSdohqw9Dt-ucyYDXFkri-ksvbWT-ffpI7jGGee1gyz8aXlP3sunaq2fOPhavMO/s1600/DSC04143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHiqFfdKVLLxJhoAkypxgGImjBnh-NdKX9FAYZ6-DQTXVaPhWneiUuPX1QHd_hjLzn3TbzvI3WwCk2wSdohqw9Dt-ucyYDXFkri-ksvbWT-ffpI7jGGee1gyz8aXlP3sunaq2fOPhavMO/s400/DSC04143.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Redstart</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSNZ49Dfg1K3QDfpcasHdElh8AIwCRSxebXlQ2fyibnUgFH_du1MrEazFNMPTxPM87R7obsGMRr7i0PxC3haXWu_Ek3LeeTlZhGR1DHqGidgiyzSm59SBc2wsql5E63DOiQaljWr6Yfh3/s1600/DSC04146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSNZ49Dfg1K3QDfpcasHdElh8AIwCRSxebXlQ2fyibnUgFH_du1MrEazFNMPTxPM87R7obsGMRr7i0PxC3haXWu_Ek3LeeTlZhGR1DHqGidgiyzSm59SBc2wsql5E63DOiQaljWr6Yfh3/s400/DSC04146.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Black-Throated Blue Warbler</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrk3CwzE-crW0DQlwKPANTgIjqM_0rSy-0s1_eoIe93-Nf4U075rNPDH19Qep5SbbJOO0hHcqVJ_0G5NLRbOXfwuSw2BqkIybq3JMHv2wdzTp_iYsUQPHOQZne6TxJpUaekCZi2YRytIhB/s1600/DSC04149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrk3CwzE-crW0DQlwKPANTgIjqM_0rSy-0s1_eoIe93-Nf4U075rNPDH19Qep5SbbJOO0hHcqVJ_0G5NLRbOXfwuSw2BqkIybq3JMHv2wdzTp_iYsUQPHOQZne6TxJpUaekCZi2YRytIhB/s400/DSC04149.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magnolia Warbler</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVFxejMbPc9Wi-i5rkxvWDAdxYGwoe-xfiXjz-7enV_2BKg-G1qPpAc_OsGrLkxxG8Fi1DF_TvufIxp2l1BKWT9HcFE4yh32Xi5FLueJnzUiryvrz6owvLkvsmaM4qGvTtR2uk1QRVgPc/s1600/DSC04142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVFxejMbPc9Wi-i5rkxvWDAdxYGwoe-xfiXjz-7enV_2BKg-G1qPpAc_OsGrLkxxG8Fi1DF_TvufIxp2l1BKWT9HcFE4yh32Xi5FLueJnzUiryvrz6owvLkvsmaM4qGvTtR2uk1QRVgPc/s400/DSC04142.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Redstart</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLMcEhVkVNKME6Xh3fU2fFv8bMhk1vHInsqUmAUvA8wPs2drm9h3BNXWyMG0J5UDjFazUEBCzHQTWmaGYzr01sYC4u1-8oyv8AHCPjZnS7y_4fZkqKDDIGDwVTPTh-9ioR6_J01Ot5vtw/s1600/IMG_2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1379" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLMcEhVkVNKME6Xh3fU2fFv8bMhk1vHInsqUmAUvA8wPs2drm9h3BNXWyMG0J5UDjFazUEBCzHQTWmaGYzr01sYC4u1-8oyv8AHCPjZnS7y_4fZkqKDDIGDwVTPTh-9ioR6_J01Ot5vtw/s400/IMG_2336.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chestnut-Sided Warbler</td></tr>
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Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-75794393318649751152020-02-23T18:55:00.000-08:002020-02-23T18:55:30.745-08:00NorthwardI had been tossing around the idea for a while of taking a brief jaunt north and finally made it happen for a couple days. The plan was to end up at Algonquin park to hopefully catch up with some winter specialties and make some stops on route as well.<br />
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Bark Lake Conference Centre in Haliburton county wasn't much out of the way and it was great to be able to add the long-staying Varied Thrush to my life list. Certainly appreciated the friendliness of the staff here in welcoming birders.<br />
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Onward to Algonquin where most of the usual winter suspects showed themselves. The winter finch numbers in the area are not as good as some years, but almost all expected species were around in small numbers. I didn't end up taking a lot of photos here.</div>
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WW Crossbills were frequently heard singing.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0ouRXiH5vJapx7G0XBsTU13T9NPTGL3xwtDa83dXLIs8wlXuaEkzQPdYiIhic-flJ9iwlDpGMiRoGanTiH4bBvrryfCOjnwlfp8o4e0pDYXMK3q7adxVKr-0qDmBGMklJCoVhNX2Wqdo/s1600/DSC04376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0ouRXiH5vJapx7G0XBsTU13T9NPTGL3xwtDa83dXLIs8wlXuaEkzQPdYiIhic-flJ9iwlDpGMiRoGanTiH4bBvrryfCOjnwlfp8o4e0pDYXMK3q7adxVKr-0qDmBGMklJCoVhNX2Wqdo/s400/DSC04376.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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One of the more targeted Algonquin species, the <strike>Grey</strike> Canada Jays.</div>
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Of course the birds here are accustomed to receiving handouts.</div>
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It made sense on the way home to stop in York county for a peek at the long staying Northern Hawk Owl. I should point out that I am aware of the potential issues of viewing a sensitive species like this, and these photos were taken from some distance away and zoomed in considerably.</div>
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It was a short trip, but a nice break from routine.</div>
Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-62220469363410886612020-01-01T18:20:00.000-08:002020-01-01T18:20:36.382-08:00Stratford CBC 2019The Stratford Christmas Bird Count took place on December 28th in remarkably pleasant conditions compared to some years. Temperatures hovered around two degrees with a pleasant mix of sun and cloud and little wind. This year, I was once again in the Tavistock zone.<br />
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Count day ended with 46 species and 4 more were picked up in count week. The usual birds were out and about, but feeder birds in particular were not found in any quantity. Possibly the mild conditions meant feeders were not such an essential food source.<br />
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Some hightlights from our wrap up meeting included:<br />
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1 Common Raven <br />
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1 Eastern Towhee<br />
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14 Turkey Vulture - Reliably winters in Stratford, now becoming a regular find on the CBC<br />
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70 Red-Tailed Hawk- decent number<br />
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173 Dark-Eyed Junco- low<br />
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1 Great-Horned Owl *<br />
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1 Eastern-Screech Owl *<br />
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* Early morning owling from the Tavistock zone. Significant as we sometimes don't get early morning coverage and miss owls entirely. <br />
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I didn't take many photos, but snapped a few.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rIaxvq7357nqoIBdpNLoG_irdWeyM712OLBgwezGejU9WRH8c7sev5e4FfgyNiGLngSLdb33PC-H-YdaduOJE_XLfWHDXpRPS8szov0cjPb_a9t8O7jg986gSN8MjtJfPZqjgu2cA5Zx/s1600/DSC04329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rIaxvq7357nqoIBdpNLoG_irdWeyM712OLBgwezGejU9WRH8c7sev5e4FfgyNiGLngSLdb33PC-H-YdaduOJE_XLfWHDXpRPS8szov0cjPb_a9t8O7jg986gSN8MjtJfPZqjgu2cA5Zx/s400/DSC04329.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I would have liked to have found this guy for count day, but since my last post it has once again done the vanishing act after showing reliably for several days.</div>
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<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-50801987207840883352019-12-15T18:43:00.000-08:002019-12-16T07:33:33.111-08:00Blenheim CBC 2019A new Christmas Bird Count season has recently begun and this year I tried out a new count, joining <a href="http://kenburrell.blogspot.com/">Ken Burrell</a> in his section of the Blenheim count. We met bright and early in a carpool lot along the 401 and were off to Erieau.<br />
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Starting with a lakewatch at the dock in Erieau pruduced a nice variety of species including a small flock of Sandhill Cranes and a single Red-Throated Loon. Good variety of waterfowl and gulls on the move as well.<br />
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We headed on to Shrewsbury and from there split up to cover more ground. Sparrows were relatively numerous in the swampy habitat, most being Song and Swamp.<br />
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Upon reaching the end of my route, I spotted Ken driving down the road to pick me up having just finished his trail as well. He mentioned finding a Long Eared Owl. As he was telling me this, he casually looked over my shoulder and mentioned that there was another one right there. I thought he was joking at first.<br />
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Apparently not.<br />
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I had walked right by without seeing it. It ended up being in the same place on two separate drives down this road later in the afternoon. A life species for me.<br />
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Headed back towards Erieau we split up again, Ken dropping me off at the rail trail and he continuing on to Mcgeachy Pond Conservation Area.<br />
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The trail was fairly quiet, highlight being a Snowy owl.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snowy Snowy</td></tr>
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This would end up being one of two Snowies in our area.<br />
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As daylight started to fade, we returned to the Erieau dock for one last scan of the lake before heading for home. Because of distance to drive, we had decided not to return to the wrap up. We ended with 59 species in our section of the count. Apparently our 6 Belted Kingfishers were a new high. It was an enjoyable day to take part in a count outside my home territory. My next count is Stratford on the 28th.<br />
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Off topic, but yesterday for the first in over four months, I refound the Eurasian Collared-Dove at our farm. Where it's been and whether it will stay, it would be interesting to know.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-4507577590504846942019-09-13T18:32:00.000-07:002019-09-13T18:32:14.982-07:00Manitoulin Memories.Manitoulin Island certainly didn't disappoint again this year, having just returned from a few days away. It may not be as remote or isolated as other northern destinations, but the island certainly has that laid back small community feel. It's a nice diversion from the hustle and bustle of daily life.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The common Ring-billed Gull posed nicely on the ferry crossing</td></tr>
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Lake Mindemoya has for the last few years been the go-to destination to rent a cabin and this year was no exception.<br />
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Daily scans of the lake frequently produced resident loons and Red-necked Grebes among other things. The island vicinity is a known fall staging area for the grebes and although I didn't see any great number it was still great to find a species I hadn't seen before. They were only visible through the scope so no photos.<br />
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Warblers were passing through the island in small numbers, the most common being the American Redstart.<br />
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Sandhill cranes are congregating.<br />
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Common nighthawk were frequent evening visitors. Unfortunately the only one I managed to look at closely was dead on the road shoulder.</div>
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Providence Bay with waterside boardwak and sandy beach is always a great spot to check out.<br />
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A number of shorebirds were working the water's edge. Although in constant motion, they had little fear of humans and provided great views and photo opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Golden Plover</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baird's Sandpiper </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semipalmated Plover with the Bairds.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanderling</td></tr>
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Bridal veil falls is a popular tourist destination. An advantage of being there this time of year is that it is not quite so busy. </div>
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This Chinook Salmon was fighting it's way up the shallow stream in the direction of the falls. It was really impressive how such a large fish managed to come so far up in such low water level.<br />
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The trip concluded in South Baymouth with a short walk on the nearby Bowerman Trails before boarding the ferry. I met Mr. Bowerman, the creator of the trails, a few years ago here while walking them. It really is incredible the amount of work he put into making this trail system through beautiful northen landscape.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just an old telephone on a tree- one of numerous unique features along here.</td></tr>
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<br /><br />A great few days away! Back to work now.</div>
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Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-10459216484477370112019-09-05T18:51:00.000-07:002019-09-05T18:51:09.935-07:00Some Summer Winged ThingsSince my last post, the collared dove seems to have finally moved on. It stayed around for about a month giving periodic sightings. Some visitors were able to find it and some weren't (sorry Barb Charlton). <br />
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As summer winds down and I start to spend more time watching migrating birds, it seemed appropriate to look back at some highlights of my other winged sightings.<br />
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I've always considered White Admiral to be more of a northern species compared to our common Red Spotted Purple, but this year I found what is now my second for the county.<br />
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Skippers can take some careful studying to be able to ID. This one pictured below has caused some <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31375549">interesting discussion on Inaturalist. </a> The tentative identification so far is a dark Tawny-Edged Skipper</div>
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I managed to bump into the larval form of two of Ontario's more common giant silkmoths.</div>
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I found the camouflage on this Porcelain Gray moth to be exceptional.</div>
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And of course it's the time of year for monarch migration. I'm again participating in the Monarch Watch tagging program. A lot of data on this incredible migration is gained through recoveries of tagged individuals.</div>
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Next week I'm planning to be spending a few days on Manitoulin Island. It will be later in the year than past visits and I'm looking forward to what might be migrating through.</div>
Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-83982732402555907422019-07-17T17:29:00.000-07:002019-07-19T19:33:06.760-07:00A Collared in the CountyLast Sunday evening, a strange cooing alerted me to an unusual visitor in our yard. It was incredibly exciting to walk out and lay eyes on this Eurasian Collared Dove looking down at me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eurasian Collared-Dove July 14, 2019</td></tr>
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While the species does show up occasionally around Ontario, they are by no means common and as far as I can find, this is a first for Perth county. Since their arrival on this continent they have made a remarkable expansion northward. It is rather surprising that they have not yet penetrated Ontario in greater numbers.<br />
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A day later a local birder and photographer visited and managed a variety of shots.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eurasian Collared-Dove July 15, 2019<br />
photo by Darren Dewitt</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Eurasian Collared-Dove July 15, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">photo by Darren Dewitt</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Eurasian Collared-Dove July 15, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">photo by Darren Dewitt</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Eurasian Collared-Dove July 15, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">photo by Darren Dewitt</span></td></tr>
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As of this writing the dove is still in the area. Will be interesting to see how long it stays.</div>
<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-39111429452193939442019-05-17T17:51:00.002-07:002019-05-17T17:51:20.620-07:00Spring Rondeau Rambles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday was certainly a great day to be out and about and as it happened, I had arranged the day off to make the trek to Rondeau park.<br />
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First up was Spicebush trail. Nothing unusual although several Tennessee warblers and a single Chestnut-Sided warbler were nice to see. Also had my first Scarlet Tanager of the year.<br />
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A stop at Tulip Tree trail was in order. Warblers were very active here including nice views of Magnolia and Bay-Breasted. The popular Prothonotary warblers were also present, but views were brief.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peek-a-boo Prothonotary</td></tr>
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A drive down Lakeshore Rd did not produce the resident White-Winged Dove, but I can't really complain since I did see it a couple years ago.</div>
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The Black Oak trail was next and although nothing out of the ordinary was seen, it was nice to travel a trail that I don't think I've walked before.</div>
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I enjoyed checking out Warbler Way aka The Maintenance Trail. Warblers were scattered along, but the most cooperative were a pair of Philadelphia vireos. The camera didn't want to focus so no photos of them.</div>
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The final trail of the day was a short jaunt down South Point Trail. I had my best views of several Scarlet Tanagers along here. A bonus on the way back to the parking lot was a brief view of the earlier reported Golden-Winged Warbler. A great finish for the park. </div>
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I had received an Ontbirds email earlier in the day that there were a couple Black-Necked Stilt being reliably seen outside the park near the Keith Mclean CA. It wasn't long before I was watching them through the scope as they fed in a flooded portion of the field. A life species!</div>
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Walking at Keith Mclean was somewhat difficult as the ponds had expanded their boundaries and my footwear was not adequate to wade over to the viewing tower. Despite this, I enjoyed watching Osprey activity at a nesting platform. A pair was checking the platform out and they were soon joined by a third. Would be interesting if they nest there. </div>
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I've always enjoyed previous visits to the Rondeau area and this trip was certainly no exception.</div>
Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-8053371753123692502019-04-21T18:55:00.003-07:002019-04-21T19:00:18.621-07:00Sunday Swamp TrompThis evening I ended up at a favorite but infrequently visited local location, the Ellice Swamp. I've discussed the swamp in previous posts, but it is well worth discussing again due to it's ecological significance. With a size of about 2115 acres (856 hectares) it is easily the largest chunk of woodlot in Perth county. In an area of mainly farmland, habitat like this an incredibly important resource for lots of wildlife, some of which are hard to easily find elsewhere in the county. The google maps image below shows the size of the swamp in relation to surrounding farm country.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgAIpvfP6-LRqC_shrJKMoY8lMIXT1Tm03NgydfivkCooyV588FMX05-r_uHvUaSMhniSqyO1kEIZ_zqIT2vrIAzg6glvPFweBmbyBCAUASsUeIFcLusdc3PSkONWMS1XmolA2evxfeo_/s1600/ellice.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgAIpvfP6-LRqC_shrJKMoY8lMIXT1Tm03NgydfivkCooyV588FMX05-r_uHvUaSMhniSqyO1kEIZ_zqIT2vrIAzg6glvPFweBmbyBCAUASsUeIFcLusdc3PSkONWMS1XmolA2evxfeo_/s400/ellice.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I headed into the swamp tonight hopeful to find some swamp specialties along the old rail trail. I've never walked any significant distance along here, but tonight went over three kilometers one way and had an enjoyable evening.</div>
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There is an information board near the start of the trail. The swamp has it's own claim to fame for creatures of the past.</div>
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Along the marsh, one of the first birds heard was an American Bittern with it's unique pump-er-lunk calls. </div>
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Further along, the marsh gives way to dense brush on both sides of the trail.</div>
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I heard a raven croak at one point, a species not uncommon at this location and suspected to be breeding here. Further along I heard a Ruffed Grouse drumming. If you've never heard a grouse drum in the wild, it's much different from listening to a recording. It seems as though you feel the beats as much as you hear them. Anxious clucking further down alerted me to another grouse off the side of the trail. It allowed me a couple brief seconds of a view, before disappearing. Grouse populations here seem quite good in comparison to the rest of the county although they are sometimes found in smaller local woodlots.</div>
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This beaver clearly didn't finish what it started.</div>
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Skunk cabbage is popping up.</div>
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A Sandhill Crane flew over as I headed out and the usual chorus of Grackles and Red-Winged Blackbirds was a nice finish.</div>
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I hope to get back to the swamp as migration picks up. The area has a lot of potential and I suspect a lot of interesting species go overlooked. I've even heard of reports of Snowshoe Hare which if true, would be a particularly interesting species for southern Ontario.</div>
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More information on the swamp is available on the UTRCA website<a href="http://thamesriver.on.ca/parks-recreation-natural-areas/natural-areas-wetlands/ellice-swamp/"> here.</a> For anyone interested in visiting the swamp, it is important to note that hiking is permitted on Wednesday and Sunday.</div>
Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-29903284779584685142019-03-17T18:26:00.000-07:002019-03-17T18:38:15.436-07:00Some Shots from Long PointThe title says it all......I couldn't think up anything more creative.<br />
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Every spring, the Stratford Field Naturalists take a day trip down to Long Point to check out returning Tundra Swans and other spring migrants. The lake was still frozen farther out, but there was a fair bit of open water closer to shore and the waterfowl for the most part provided good views. I didn't end up taking a lot of pictures, but have a few to share.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canvasback were numerous.</td></tr>
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We thought we were going to miss out on the big flocks of Tundra Swans, but were fortunate enough to find a field with hundreds of swans flying in.<br />
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It was an incredible experience to watch and listen to a flock of that size.<br />
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I took a brief video clip.<br />
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In the plant realm, I found the remains of what I think is an Eastern Prickly Pear at Old Cut, a new species for me.<br />
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Not photographed, but my first of the year, was an Eastern Phoebe at the Roger's Ave Viewpoint.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-83176947536973980862019-02-22T18:05:00.000-08:002019-02-22T18:05:13.641-08:00Some Winter WondersWith a little less than a month to go before the official start of spring, I know that a lot of naturalists (myself included) are eagerly anticipating the first trickle of spring arrivals that will soon be showing up. <div>
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As much as I enjoy watching for signs of spring, it can also be rewarding to spend time checking out the ordinary winter sights.</div>
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Winter is also the time for my yearly nest box cleanouts. This year seems to be good for Screech Owls as I have found a couple of these cute little guys in residence. My nest box manual says to let the owls fly off and they will return when the box is replaced, but the ones I find barely open their eyes when I peek in. I don't want to disturb their sleep so I'll have to return and clean the boxes later.</div>
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Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-63781404399735806172018-12-29T17:10:00.000-08:002018-12-29T17:10:54.457-08:00Two Counts in Two DaysChristmas Bird Count season is winding down and I have just finished up with my two counts of the year, Linwood on Friday and Stratford today.<br />
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The Linwood count took place in unseasonably mild temperatures with periods of fog and light rain. I was assigned to the same section as last year, covering Millbank and area to the southwest. My morning started around 5 AM in an attempt to get some owls for the count, coming across one Screech. After a brief intermission to do some chores at home, it was back into Millbank to meet up with the three other participants in our zone. Certain species were obviously present in lower numbers than last year, likely weather related. Raptor numbers, usually the main focus on the count and one of the reasons that this count circle was created, were hard to come by. Despite this, the number of species and individuals finished above average.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Redpoll, Linwood CBC Area 3, Photo Courtesy of Jim Bowman</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rough-Legged Hawk, Linwood CBC Area 3, Photo Courtesy of Jim Bowman</td></tr>
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For those of you who may not have seen the recently posted Ontbirds summary, some notable numbers included:<br />
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3119 Rock Pigeon- new high<br />
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1 Pine Grosbeak- 2nd record<br />
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69 Red-tailed Hawk- low<br />
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42 Rough-Legged Hawk- low, average is 95, previous low being 44<br />
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18 Snowy Owl- decent<br />
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0 Horned Lark- ??<br />
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The count organization by Ken Burrell and the evening wrap up and delicious meal by his parents were much appreciated. <br />
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Today's Stratford count was undertaken in much more seasonal weather with some light snow and temperatures in the low negatives. I was in charge of the Tavistock zone and it produced some interesting finds. A large flock of 250 Common Redpoll foraging in a bean field was the only sighting for the count and accompanying them were a couple Hoarys. Crows were well represented in this zone, with well over a thousand observed. We managed three Bald Eagle, a species that seems to be becoming more common in our area than it used to be.<br />
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Hightlights of the count included:<br />
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2 Wood Duck<br />
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96 Common Merganser<br />
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12 Bald Eagle<br />
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1 Iceland Gull<br />
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1 Short-Eared Owl<br />
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250 Common Redpoll<br />
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2 Hoary Redpoll<br />
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45 Species total + 3 Count Week additions so far. <br />
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It was a great way to finish off the year. Will be interesting to see what 2019 brings. <br />
<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-53688574442928845332018-12-02T17:19:00.000-08:002018-12-02T17:19:51.438-08:00A Few PhotosShort post here just to keep this blog somewhat active. I haven't since seen anything in comparison to the rarity of the Rondeau Kiskadee, but that doesn't mean I haven't taken time to get out and explore. I didn't get to the Goderich Calliope Hummingbird, but one can't get them all. <br />
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This Eastern Screech-Owl spent the day in one of our flicker boxes. The flickers have never used it, but the squirrels have been in and enlarged the hole.<br />
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The nomadic Evening Grosbeaks made a brief stop at the feeders. <br />
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A chilly Ovenbird showed up for several days at a friend's feeder.<br />
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A visit across the border to our southern neighbours earlier this fall resulted in a few nature observations as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRDP6hnilwEgewGMC9RIpY-PCqvU9xs_DPYNS5pog_R8vhdOZDLP-VMwa24n7CTJyXBnPxviSynJ2QLyq6r7_bEqdKS2plq4GrwOCmH4yslJ-zlF-1XuvjthhySfRXDJI9I7qigayadca/s1600/DSC03957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRDP6hnilwEgewGMC9RIpY-PCqvU9xs_DPYNS5pog_R8vhdOZDLP-VMwa24n7CTJyXBnPxviSynJ2QLyq6r7_bEqdKS2plq4GrwOCmH4yslJ-zlF-1XuvjthhySfRXDJI9I7qigayadca/s400/DSC03957.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fox Squirrel- Illinois USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American White Pelican- Illinois USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPtp7Jw2NmCXsKRHSHeAy_Vdiw6f9ttLPhoVk_ugQPj5N3Aut3yYQJVaMCW4n5DzN5P-aHKehkl-LDmahFLl7Zq4_WQqnnJ9u5BH9DQMtXNqOiMxgNgA7qTF9TG0ItPxyresHhHylEBrj/s1600/DSC03953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPtp7Jw2NmCXsKRHSHeAy_Vdiw6f9ttLPhoVk_ugQPj5N3Aut3yYQJVaMCW4n5DzN5P-aHKehkl-LDmahFLl7Zq4_WQqnnJ9u5BH9DQMtXNqOiMxgNgA7qTF9TG0ItPxyresHhHylEBrj/s400/DSC03953.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Lotus- Illinois USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Christmas bird counts are on the way again. I'm planning to participate in what has become my usual two counts in Linwood and Stratford. <br />
<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-86371324003327076942018-09-13T16:54:00.000-07:002018-09-13T17:00:42.728-07:00A Great (kiska)-day at RondeauGet it, kiska-day.......kiskadee. 😁 Not a great title, but my fellow bloggers have used up the best titles in reference to this incredible rarity that showed up at Rondeau Provincial Park.<br />
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I was amazed when I first heard about this unique flycatcher that had been reported on iNaturalist. I was eager to see, it but couldn't get away immediately. Fortunately it appears in no rush to move on and on Wednesday got my chance to take a day off to head to Rondeau.<br />
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I didn't get to the park early, but headed straight for the marsh trail. It seemed to be a good day for Stratford area birders to migrate this way as well and I met up with various familiar faces from back home. Among them were birding friends Eric and Liz Jeffery. They are no strangers to Rondeau rarities and actually found a Townsend's Solitaire in the park last spring.<br />
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Everyone present had already seen the bird, but it had apparently moved out of sight some time before I arrived. The Jefferys pointed out where the bird is normally seen and I decided to watch and wait. A few other birders arrived and we all watched partway down the trail where the bird supposedly liked to spend the afternoon. <br />
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After nothing there for a while, I wandered back to the start of the trail to the spot where it had been seen that morning. At first there was nothing. Then within minutes a bright flash flew in. It was unmistakable. I made a mad dash back down the trail to alert the other birders and we all managed brief views of the bird until a Merlin showed up and it dissapeared.<br />
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At this point I left for a while to walk various other trails, but by late afternoon returned for another look. This time the bird was more coopeartive for me and although somewhat distant allowed for some photos and a nice view through the scope.<br />
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In between watching the Kiskadee, this Green Heron was entertaining to watch as it munched a frog.<br />
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I saw these Beech Blight Aphids or Boogie Woogie Aphids along the Tulip Tree trail.<br />
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Northern Leopard Frog relaxing on the trailside.<br />
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Meadowhawk species. I have a long way to go with dragonflies.<br />
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And a hummingbird just because it posed so nicely.<br />
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It's been a great year for birds so far. What's going to be next?Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-75801493104632733622018-09-02T18:46:00.001-07:002018-09-02T18:46:19.957-07:00A Multitude of Migrating Monarchs<br />
It's migration time and not just for the birds. I came across several large groups of migrating monarchs today. It was really impressive to see so many at once. <br />
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I raised a bunch this year and tagged and released them. Also went out and tagged a bunch of wild monarchs. <br />
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Birding isn't super productive here yet, but there has been a trickle of warblers coming through. Highlight for me was close views of a gorgeous Golden-winged Warbler, not common for Perth county.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-57160073808475069772018-08-24T19:14:00.001-07:002018-08-26T10:45:20.709-07:00Exploring the north- plus a bonus Oliphant oddityI just got back from a few days of exploring Manitoulin Island and area. It was an enjoyable trip and was made even better thanks to some sharp-eyed Bruce birders.<br />
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The trip started with a lifer mammal on the way up the Bruce peninsula. Hit on the side of the road is not how I would have liked to see a Fisher.<br />
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The time on the island was spent on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Mindemoya.<br />
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The place where we stayed is very considerate of smaller critters.<br />
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Any type of wild organism was of interest to me when out and about exploring.<br />
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My vacationing brain was quickly perked up when I decided to check in on my emails and found a list of ontbirds updates about a Reddish Egret that had been found near Olliphant on the Bruce peninsula. I can rarely chase these exciting rarities unless they are somewhat close to home, but the location of this bird was hardly out of the way to look for on the way home.<br />
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After a brief detour and carefully scanning the reported area, there it was.<br />
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My photos don't do it justice,but this Ontario first was a great ending to the trip.<br />
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I visited a bit with others enjoying this rarity. It was nice to see the Konzes again and meet <a href="https://canadianbirder.ca/">Gavin McKinnon</a> as well.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-72467541230975444402018-08-12T17:57:00.000-07:002018-08-12T17:57:06.113-07:00Happy to get a little blueLittle Blue Heron that is.<br />
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After unsuccessfully looking for the Wildwood reservoir bird last night, I returned tonight and within minutes was staring at a suspicious white bird off in the distance. As it slowly moved closer there was little doubt what I was seeing. Eventually it came up incredibly close and I had some gorgeous views through the scope.<br />
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It joined up with a Great Egret at one point, providing a great size comparison.<br />
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Several other birders stopped in and enjoyed the heron as well. I enjoy opportunities like this to visit with like-minded nature enthusiasts. <br />
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Also of note, were numerous species of shorebirds.<br />
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And loads of Great Blue Herons. Standing in one spot, I counted 25 individuals.<br />
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A great local bird and a new species for me.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-53863033093124896522018-07-06T19:08:00.002-07:002018-07-06T19:17:05.514-07:00Summer Odds and EndsWhere does time go? We are into July already and fall migration is right around the corner. I haven't posted much lately, but like my fellow nature enthusiasts I have been out enjoying the summer weather.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Duck family</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juvenile Red-Winged Blackbird</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6o54IqzKTjkCJGcbTWSntbaBGtk0zhy4-xwdr__VG9JMuNTxRE29f6BJ_MUNhksG9r0J2o2YSh_0kOPhxzvqMHE55vLr0B26qlc8ECWvyxC_KGvNuc5kaDZSGLTeCXg3VZtpZ4Jlmb_Q/s1600/DSC03675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6o54IqzKTjkCJGcbTWSntbaBGtk0zhy4-xwdr__VG9JMuNTxRE29f6BJ_MUNhksG9r0J2o2YSh_0kOPhxzvqMHE55vLr0B26qlc8ECWvyxC_KGvNuc5kaDZSGLTeCXg3VZtpZ4Jlmb_Q/s400/DSC03675.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viceroy</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpv8L5eO78pup6TQp8Ypl1g1TH8X821a2R69oaXabdoYWvcpD8iBcoaHmOX4gkeEiA8Yi_E_atMebKEOB0_vakY72HxPQPUPos1pPHH5y24BKIBOVqyY23Br-TCOwW1LqImJ3eKaDoyrJ/s1600/DSC03701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpv8L5eO78pup6TQp8Ypl1g1TH8X821a2R69oaXabdoYWvcpD8iBcoaHmOX4gkeEiA8Yi_E_atMebKEOB0_vakY72HxPQPUPos1pPHH5y24BKIBOVqyY23Br-TCOwW1LqImJ3eKaDoyrJ/s400/DSC03701.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unidentified moth.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kV41YWoq5ND-Yvnz03OHRpM5iCYVN1wQATmNLdztK3gP7VX-nfmN0-btBo0jIDlgvjAs_mG2VUg2j7OZSkRy_qU5R2RypYjEntjCsENfjeMFBUZpIq7q0uDl3ZeYSWAkEqHJKm4n9OHo/s1600/DSC03681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kV41YWoq5ND-Yvnz03OHRpM5iCYVN1wQATmNLdztK3gP7VX-nfmN0-btBo0jIDlgvjAs_mG2VUg2j7OZSkRy_qU5R2RypYjEntjCsENfjeMFBUZpIq7q0uDl3ZeYSWAkEqHJKm4n9OHo/s400/DSC03681.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Ringlet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6hUHsl7aDaVE5UtaYICSCgoKgpxGqIhvlnsvekuQI6LJfgKCz0Fhcs-3lgexjJJ3SFASanFpZpILxAIuoiB1GmqiGMq4TiLB_CvYP-HAoD6BHkklnNsL4Ti7wt_tiNXTk790YA4U9u_B/s1600/DSC03708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6hUHsl7aDaVE5UtaYICSCgoKgpxGqIhvlnsvekuQI6LJfgKCz0Fhcs-3lgexjJJ3SFASanFpZpILxAIuoiB1GmqiGMq4TiLB_CvYP-HAoD6BHkklnNsL4Ti7wt_tiNXTk790YA4U9u_B/s400/DSC03708.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Sandpiper</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzEaRzxgyK771YEDEda8Q8pkpZx2qb_s_9VIKv5Ak2h-_VgC3xK92VZLGixOsvdhqWRdZe9ihbsUfxYFEYDZFmx90dTWRHEzcOfFvRmpAgbunMoqZwO_0qZ_hAU3YyxOr288ZK8rj2I-M/s1600/DSC03712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzEaRzxgyK771YEDEda8Q8pkpZx2qb_s_9VIKv5Ak2h-_VgC3xK92VZLGixOsvdhqWRdZe9ihbsUfxYFEYDZFmx90dTWRHEzcOfFvRmpAgbunMoqZwO_0qZ_hAU3YyxOr288ZK8rj2I-M/s400/DSC03712.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vesper Sparrow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt3aw0QOdBDcBM5OB68zirZfsU0bwsEJctg4tGrPgMOXPOSvZUPnh_OWx4yfAQkIDlXJIaIfXAePYrc4uXvpNy79Fcg1bnrbgZwc31_wjO7QXQOPt15p5Z1Iyxh4EFi4iqrlqAIAAGjxd/s1600/DSC03695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt3aw0QOdBDcBM5OB68zirZfsU0bwsEJctg4tGrPgMOXPOSvZUPnh_OWx4yfAQkIDlXJIaIfXAePYrc4uXvpNy79Fcg1bnrbgZwc31_wjO7QXQOPt15p5Z1Iyxh4EFi4iqrlqAIAAGjxd/s400/DSC03695.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pine Siskins seem to be popping up over southern Ontario this summer and this one showed up at our feeders.</td></tr>
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And of course one of my favorite resident species, the Bobolink.<br />
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Although the hay fields where the local Bobolinks nest are cut sooner than recommended (an unfortunate reality when making a living on a farm), we are fortunate to have a good deal of other suitable habitat in the form of pasture fields and scrubby untouched grassy habitat. I was also pleased to note that one family and their almost fully grown brood moved into a scrubby patch near their field which had been cut.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got a good look at this young Bobolink, but my camera was more interested in the grass in front.</td></tr>
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<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-40839664037124584732018-05-08T18:08:00.001-07:002018-05-08T18:08:19.983-07:00Return to RondeauIt was a gorgeous day to be out exploring and fortunately I had arranged time off today to explore Rondeau and area. It's been a year since my last park visit and the park did not disappoint that time. I was hoping for the same results today.<br />
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Arriving in the park a bit before noon, first stop was the visitor centre and Tulip Tree Trail. The main target was Prothonetary Warbler, a species that I've narrowly missed on past visits here. It wasn't hard to figure out where to go as there was a crowd of birders intently scanning a patch of swamp. The birds had been showing, but were not around when we arrived. Fortunately it wasn't long before we heard and then saw a couple individuals. <br />
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They didn't seem at all concerned with all the birders and this guy spent some time foraging quite close to the boardwalk.<br />
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This was a promising start to the day and I hoped the trend would continue on the next stop at the marsh trail. A Yellow-throated Vireo was the first bird encountered there.<br />
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Most likely because of our late arrival at the park, warbler variety wasn't as great as had been reported in the morning. Yellow warblers seemed to ignore that trend and were one of the most numerous birds encountered.<br />
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A Sora was heard calling along the trail. <br />
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I happened upon this struggle of life and death as this toad was preparing to meet its end.<br />
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A couple more trails were walked, but nothing unusual was found. I wanted to head back to Tulip Tree Trail on last time before leaving the park. This time, I was able to observe the Prothonotary Warblers again, but without such a big crowd.<br />
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I attempted a final drive down Lakeshore Road in search of the White-Winged Dove, but it did not show. I did at least manage to see it last year so it wasn't a big loss.<br />
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After leaving the park, I checked into the nearby Keith McLean CA where American Avocets and Willets had been seen. Both appeared to have moved on but just when preparing to leave, another birder pulled in to tell us that a Yellow-Headed Blackbird was being seen on the causeway outside the park. This would be a lifer for me and fortunately within a couple minutes was watching this gorgeous bird sitting on a nest in the marsh.<br />
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It was a great day in Chatham-Kent. Enjoy spring migration while you can, it will be over before we know it.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-10199454957712880802018-05-06T18:06:00.001-07:002018-05-06T18:06:10.286-07:00It's That Time of Year AgainLast week while on my way over to check on things at our rented farm, I noticed this big guy right in the middle of the road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jKvZeQxkM33-c6EaPjDojnQA5t8cHgXxq4njLHtU1oqxmoCH8A056Ue2hg88L66Jo_edkNAz46jyaN0mexPJ5fMHmhBasPuT6z5oSVoXDdIzYZ0lD3amYo_Ex0AzRCfw0l01oK34zPwq/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jKvZeQxkM33-c6EaPjDojnQA5t8cHgXxq4njLHtU1oqxmoCH8A056Ue2hg88L66Jo_edkNAz46jyaN0mexPJ5fMHmhBasPuT6z5oSVoXDdIzYZ0lD3amYo_Ex0AzRCfw0l01oK34zPwq/s400/IMG_1518.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that mossy shell</td></tr>
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This big ol' snapping turtle was mostly likely in search of a suitable place to lay her eggs. Unfortunately slow moving turtles can easily become road casualties. If it is safe to do so, observing which direction the turtle is headed and helping it across can significantly increase its chance of survival. Keep in mind that turtles like this snapper can deliver a nasty bite. I recommend <a href="https://ontarioturtle.ca/get-involved/roads/">this site</a> for tips on how to safely do so. Having read the information provided there, I managed to safely help this turtle to the other side of the road. Considering that snapping turtles can sometimes live to 100 years or more, I feel it important to respect my elders :-)<br />
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Of course it is most important to ensure your safety and that of other drivers. If it is not safe to stop, it's not worth the risk. One can easily navigate around a turtle on the road, providing that you carefully scan the road ahead and that the vehicle is travelling at a safe speed.<br />
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On another note, I'm eagerly looking forward to a trip to Rondeau this Tuesday. Hopefully I will have some sightings of interest to post about when I get back.Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-19924031318646417452018-04-22T15:03:00.001-07:002018-04-22T15:03:44.388-07:00Some Sunny Spring ScenesThe gorgeous weather today was a good excuse to get out exploring and I managed to find many first of year species. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bF6MRRjh7FTX75g31oEX7w3LucEcISfBCCUGlEUEH2UlwnaPyAOF11VWfrXJ-Lw7ETjvTKWSrL880rkB2yYoTgu6Wh701KKI3Mv8lQSGustmpUDRkyVv4GcuiABd2phLBQR56qW6xm5I/s1600/DSC03577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bF6MRRjh7FTX75g31oEX7w3LucEcISfBCCUGlEUEH2UlwnaPyAOF11VWfrXJ-Lw7ETjvTKWSrL880rkB2yYoTgu6Wh701KKI3Mv8lQSGustmpUDRkyVv4GcuiABd2phLBQR56qW6xm5I/s400/DSC03577.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singing Savannah</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This phoebe has returned to the usual nesting area around our back culvert.</td></tr>
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Spring greenery is popping up here and there. Coltsfoot is one of the first to be found.<br />
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Wild leeks are popping up in the woodlots. These wild edibles have a strong flavour reminiscent of onions.<br />
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Waterfowl are more numerous now that our ponds have thawed.<br />
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I don't see a lot of jack rabbits around here so this guy was a nice find.<br />
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<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1364380768542638988.post-37363726587886033622018-03-25T19:10:00.000-07:002018-03-25T19:12:35.454-07:00River Ross's and Other Recent RamblingsAs the title references, I finally managed to catch up with the Ross's Goose which has been regularly showing for some at different locations around Stratford. First stop was the storm water ponds where it had been reported at noon, but it was not to be found here. It made sense to drive along the river where it was also sometimes reported.<br />
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There it was.<br />
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Although it may not be as unusual as the Barnacle Goose in Schomberg, it's still a good bird to find locally.<br />
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Last Wednesday I attempted to find another lifer by heading to the Ellice Swamp to look for the White-Winged Crossbills which had been reported there.<br />
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Although I struck out on the crossbills, it was a nice evening for a walk. <br />
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The swamp usually hosts at least one pair of nesting sandhill cranes and they could be heard trumpeting somewhere in the marsh.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking over the marsh.</td></tr>
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The swamp feels like a piece of the north here in southern Ontario and it is one of the few areas around here where Ruffed Grouse and Common Raven can be found somewhat regularly.<br />
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Last weekend I was down in the Long Point area. A wide variety of waterfowl provided good views at close range. A single snowy owl was also found on the dock in Port Rowan.<br />
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Sounds like some warmer spring weather is on the way.</div>
<br />Jonathan Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05979727611930681169noreply@blogger.com2