Northern Hawk Owl

February 17, 2020

We made a brief unsuccessful stop on Hazeldean Road to look for the Gray Partridges. They have been very elusive this year.  Then it was off to Old Almonte Road for the Northern Hawk Owl.

As we approached the spot where we had seen it before, we noticed four or five cars parked, but they were all unoccupied.  We also noticed a well-worn trail in the snow heading east into the bush. So we followed it for 10 minutes and met a couple coming out who said the owl was indeed out.  We kept going and soon came to a couple of photographers with cameras raised.  Bingo!  Here it was way back in the bush. We wondered how anyone had found it.  Lots of photos.

We left as another photographer arrived.  We had our shots.  We continued on towards Almonte, stopping at Burnt Lands for a short hike.  We spent some time in Almonte spotting a Merlin and some ducks on the river above the falls.

We had lunch at Barley Mow, then went back via Carp and the Carp Ridge.  We decided to stop at Hilda to pad out GBBC list.  Jeff Skevington was there with a noisy group of photographers staked out for something (they said hares, ha!).  We waited a few minutes but got tired of their constant banter back and forth (note, Jeff was not saying anything).  So we photographed some American tree Sparrows, a hare,  and other feeder birds and headed for home.

Winter Wren and East End Birding

February 16, 2020

For the Great Backyard Bird Count, we decided to go to the east end.  But Barbara wanted to check Mud Lake for the Winter Wren first. Bill said not to bother; it wasn't worth it.  Well he was wrong and she was right. The skulker was present, but notoriously hard to photograph.  We finally got a few shots.

In th east end, near Ste-Rose, we failed to see any Snowy Owls.  But we did get a Rough-legged Hawk, a small flock of Horned Larks, and several flocks of Snow Buntings.

At St.-Isidore, we saw four Mourning Doves on a wire.

Back on the concession road, we saw three Bald Eagles, one of them juvenile, on a carcass.  They were being mobbed and harassed by crows.

Our last stop was at the Lafleche Dump.  At first, there appeared to be nothing.  Then a Red-tailed Hawk put up hundreds of gulls which had been out of sight behind the hill.

I guess we have been spending too much time at dumps these days.

Success at the Dump

February 15, 2020

It was another cold day, and we got off to a late start.  We checked Mud Lake again, but no sign of the wren; lots of chickadees, though.

We went to Bruce's to take photos of the bedroom set for Heather, then drove to Eagleson Road area.  For the first time, we did not get a Snowy Owl. We hoped for Snow Buntings and Horned Larks, but they were absent too.

Finally we went to the Trail Road Landfill where the juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk was at his usual spot behind the fence.

We went around the block and returned to find our target perched in the open for us!  Then it took flight.

A slow day with a great finish.

Great Backyard Bird Count

February 14, 2020

This count lasts for 4 days, until Feb 17.  Things were very quiet at our own feeders, so we went to Mud Lake to look for the Winter Wren.  It was very cold, and there was no sign of the wren.

We walked down the trail, but it was very quiet except for a female Northern Cardinal.

Returning home, we went to our local park to check a backyard feeder - more action here for common birds.

We decided to go to Bella's Boys for lunch, knowing that House Sparrows are always around the shopping centre.

At least we had a few birds to report for the Bird Count.

Who's That at our Feeder?

February 13, 2020

We have been checking our feeders lately, both for Project Feeder Watch and for the Great Backyard Bird Count, both projects of Birds Canada.  Goldfinches are always nice to see.

But what is that at our backyard feeder?  It look like a Song Sparrow.  But could it be, in the winter?

Wren Quest

February 12, 2020

We hiked from home to the park to look at feeders in a backyard on Cramer where  Carolina Wren has been reported a few times.  There was quite a bit of action by common birds, but no sign of the wren.

So we decided to go to Mud Lake to look for the one that has been hanging around there.  Well, there was no sign of it, but our Eastern Screech Owl was out enjoying the sunshine.

We carried around the lake, stopping to feed the chickadees.

We decided to all the way around and look for the Winter Wren at the outlet of the lake.  And we spotted it! But what a skulker; it did not want it's photo taken.

We'll have to return and try for a better shot.