Gilded
March 30th, 2010
Every now and then I like to remind people how beautiful common-as-dirt European Starlings really are.
Foreign Language Skills
March 28th, 2010
Sometimes you just suspect it, but then other times it's undeniable.
I had scattered sunflower seeds on a rock and a chickadee landed there to pick through them. At just that time, a red-winged blackbird some distance away, at the top of a tree, uttered a RWB-style alarm call, i.e., a call used to warn other red-winged blackbirds that a potential predator, such as a raptor, is near. (You've probably heard it before: a high-pitched piercing note, falling in tone, or sometimes three or more such notes in quick succession. The latter is a more urgent call, I suspect, and is the one he used in this case.)
The chickadee made a sort of startled chirrup, left the seeds behind, and immediately dove for cover in the nearest bush.
I was also mildly surprised and thoroughly pleased to run into a Wild Turkey at Mud Lake this morning. He was right at the start of the trail, off Cassels. He slipped away down a side path as I approached. Turkeys tend to be fairly sedentary, so there's a good chance I'll get to photograph him on some future visit before he moves on.
Wood Duck Pair at Riverain Park
March 24th, 2010
Found them again.
They're still skittish, as new arrivals so often are. They only allowed me a few shots before they got fed up and flew to the far shore.
Early Arrivals
March 23rd, 2010
Canada Geese quench their thirst at the ice edge of the Ottawa River.
Welcome back, Wood Ducks!
March 22nd, 2010
One mated pair, Rideau River by the tennis club.
Now it's time to break out the camera again.
Lots of Mallards and Canada Geese at Riverain Park today--and two men feeding them what looked like hunks of sesame bagel. There were geese in the mix who were noticeably smaller and slimmer than the rest. I don't know that they were quite small enough to be Cackling Geese. In fact after years of birding, I still haven't added that species to my list. I've seen a lot of smallish Canada Geese, but I could never be sure. Canada Geese come in many sizes and only the smallest of them has (recently) been classified as a separate species.
Anyway, what was interesting about this was the sheer aggression of the small geese. The big ones--the type you usually see in parks around here--seemed to understand how this worked: everyone would get their share, there was no need to push and shove. The small geese were trying to chase everyone else away and get all the bagel to themselves. And the big geese let themselves be bullied!
South of Hurdman Station and north of Riverside Hospital, the Rideau goes through a wooded area. It's not usually productive for more than very common species. But in late March and early April, it's a spring migration gold mine. It floods. Often it floods so much that the flood engulfs the bike path, and you need waterproof boots to get through. Wood Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Ring-Necked Ducks are attracted to it, as are thrushes and kinglets: the ducks swim amidst the flooded vegetation searching for food, while the songbirds hop around on bushes and logs above the water, picking out insects. In spring 2008 I twice saw a Fox Sparrow there. I've never found that species at any other time or place.
This spring, though, I fear my gold mine will run dry. Literally. There's no flood. There was not enough melting snow, not nearly enough, to create a flood. And throughout Ottawa the story is similar, fields and waterways that flood and attract water-loving migrants will not do so this year. That's the price we pay for our mild winter and early spring.
I almost hope for one more big snowfall to come and fix us up.....almost.
More redwing closeups
March 21st, 2010
More pictures of that beautiful tame redwing.
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Jack Pine Trail, Mud Lake, and spring arrival #5
March 19th, 2010
First off, mallard calisthenics.
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Today I drove myself and my mother-in-law to Jack Pine Trail. This trail is part of the Stony Swamp area and is rather famous with birders. This is only the second time I've been there, and the first time I've driven there--now that I've learned the way I look forward to more such trips in the future. We had a great time, although we didn't see any birds of interest, new migrants or otherwise--just common year-rounders (including a Red-Breasted Nuthatch), plus redwings and Canada Geese. Then we drove a very short distance down the road to Beaver Trail and hiked that too.
Mud Lake yesterday, on my own, also produced no birds of interest. It seems that despite our early spring (there are not only buds now, but some of the buds are opening!), most species of migrants are following their own set timetable. This bodes well for my trip to Point Pelee. I was starting to worry that everything will have passed through already by the time I get there!
I did see several pairs of Canada Geese at ML who seemed to be disputing over who's going to get to nest where. They were out standing and walking on the half-frozen, slushy pond, honking furiously at each other. Any time geese would fly over honking, the ones on the pond would answer vociferously, as if to say, "not here, pal! This spot's taken!"
It occurred to me that, in at least one case, the winner might end up the loser. According to a fellow I ran into last year, there's a goose nest at Mud Lake that loses its eggs every year. Snapping turtles, he figures. It's just not high enough above the water. Of course, several pairs of geese do breed successfully in that area, as evidenced by the large creche of adorable goslings that forms every summer.
Finally, this evening, a brief walk along the Rideau produced spring arrival number five, right on schedule: Song Sparrow! One was foraging on the ground near a feeder.
Promises
March 18th, 2010
Red-Winged Blackbird
March 17th, 2010
Just south of Cummings Bridge, on the Rideau, there's a low shore that flooded during a rainstorm this winter, then promptly froze over. The flood is thawing now, and the resulting swampy area is heaven on earth to certain birds. Mallards and gulls are loving it, grackles are loving it, redwings are loving it. They're all swimming and wading around sharing the space.
One redwing was wading in the flood looking for food, occasionally pausing to sing and flash his epaulets. Even for his species this guy was gutsy. Several times I had to dial back my lens because he was wandering in my direction and 300mm had become too much!
Also, the light on that riverbank is just glorious in the morning. I think I've mentioned this before.
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"MY territory, bub--and don't you forget it!"
Hurdman Hawk
March 16th, 2010
A lone Red-Tailed Hawk is still haunting Hurdman transit station, after some weeks now.
He must be finding an abundant supply of voles in the neighboring fields. I saw him hunt once--he flew over to the hill, hovered, landed in the grass and stood motionless for some time, perhaps listening for the pitter-patter of their little feet.
The crows harass him whenever they find him. Sometimes they seem to be on patrol. I've seen them land on that hill and spread out, not foraging, just looking around and cawing.
Ah well.
With redwings and grackles back in town, it won't be long before the crows are getting a taste of their own medicine.
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