Newcastle Harlequin

I was able to visit Bond Head in Newcastle first thing this morning and luckily the Harlequin duck that was seen there earlier this week was still around. This is an area that I make a point of checking for birds quite often as there are many varieties of habitats here right on lake Ontario. It was a beautiful morning to watch this rare duck so close to shore. The duck was diving quite often to avoid waves and to feed but did pose nicely on a rock for me for a little while.

Fading Fall Colours

Fall is my favourite time of year.  The trees are brightly coloured, but the birds (ie the warblers) loose their breeding plumage and become less brightly colour than their springtime counter parts. This adds new ID challenges and are often over looked because they are harder to find. That's what make finding and IDing fall warblers that much more rewarding.

Common Yellow Throat

Blue-Headed Vireo

Pine Warbler

Virginia Rail!

For the past couple of weeks I have hear a Virginia Rail calling in the wetland near my house and I have even flushed it from the cat tails as I walk the trail a few time. These birds are usually very secretive and are often difficult to get a good look at. But today the Virginia Rail I have been hearing finally decided to show off a bit!

Warbler number 1!

Spring migration is well under way! So far I have been able to find some pretty good birds without out having to do to much travelling such as a Blue-Winged Teal, Fox Sparrow and even a Viginia Rail (though I didn't get a photo). But as soon as April comes around  and the weather starts to warm up the count down starts till the warblers decide to make an appearance. Yesterday I found my first of the year... a pine warbler at Hyde Tract in Flamborough Ontario.

Fox Sparrow

Ring-Necked ducks

Red wing blackbird

American Tree Sparrow

Pine Warbler

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

2 Harlequins!

I headed to Colonel Sam Smith Park this afternoon in hopes to see the harlequin duck that has been there all winter. Unfortunately I didn't find it but I did find 2 juvenile together and a surf scoter!

A Fall Day in Algonquin

Even though it has been a crazy summer this year, I was able to squeeze in a trip to Algonquin to see the fall colours. Turns out everyone else had the same idea, the park was packed! I tried to stay off the beaten path and was able to avoid many of the crowds, but highway 60 was a zoo.
It was a beautiful morning and I was one of the first people to the look out on centennial ridges trail that day.

 

 I also hiked the Pinetree Lake portage and took a few photos of the lake at the end

At the mew lake airfield there was a flock of American Pipits. I have seen these birds several times before, but today was the first time one was willing to pose for me!

American Pipit

 

Macro and other stuff

I purchased some extension tubes recently that have enabled me to take closer macro photos then I have ever done before. I haven't had much time to experiment with them yet but here are some of my most recent photos from the summer. Enjoy!

Starlit Barn

100 year old Barn

Timelapse 1st try

final from Tim on Vimeo.

I bought a intervalometer for my camera this week and this is my first attempt at timelapse. It is going to take some more practice but should produce some cool results once I get the hang of it. 

Presqu'ile

Headed to Presqu'ile Provincial Park today in hopes of finding some more warblers. The warblers were not as abundant as I'd hoped but there were many good birds to be found. The day started with an indigo bunting on the Marsh boardwalk trail as well as many American Bitterns, Marsh Wrens and Yellow warblers:

On the Owen Point trail the only bird out of the ordinary was a Willow Flycatcher that I didn't actually see but only heard. From there I headed to the light house, en route I heard a Blue-winged warbler and a Clay Coloured Sparrow in the day use area but again couldn't see either bird. At the lighthouse there was many Baltimore Orioles and a female Magnolia Warbler, along with Nashville, Yellow and Common Yellowthroats .

After looking around the lighthouse for a little while I decide to go an see if I could find the blue winged or clay coloured sparrow in the day use area. I could still hear the clay coloured sparrow but got side tracked by a Scarlet Tanager and a number of warblers.

May 6 - 9: They're Back!

Warblers have returned from there wintering habitats! On May 6 I went to Harold Town conservation area early in the morning to photography some early spring vegetation not expecting to find any birds. Almost right way I a pair of wood ducks were in the trees above me which is always I nice find. On my way back to my car I decided to have a look at a poplar/aspen stand where I have found many warblers before. This spot did not fail me, there were Yellow-Rumped, Nashville, Palm, and Black-Throated Green as well as Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and a Blue Headed Vireo among the other usual birds.

The next morning I decided to return to the same spot but only a couple Nashville and Yellow-Rumped warblers remained

2 days later an early morning thunderstorm passed through the area, this forced all the migrating birds to land an take cover. Once the storm had passed and with high expectations I went and explored a  few spot I though would have many birds. I managed to find many warblers including a Cape May warbler in the Millbrook valley trail system, however they were all high up in the trees and not very good for photos. After about and hour and a half of successful birding but not photography I decided the haroldtown CA would likely have lots of birds at lower level because the trees are smaller. So that is where I headed. When I arrived at my usual spot I couldn't believe how many birds were there, they trees were covered in warblers! and other new migrants. Below are some of the photos and most interesting species click here to see more.

Black-Throated Green Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Chestnut sided Warbler

Northern Parula

Scarlet Tanager