Monday 13 May 2013

Cherry Blossoms and Spring Migration

I've been out birding over the last little while and it's been great.  Here are some photos from the last little while.  Most of these are from Point Pelee and Rondeau.  Both are exceptional places for seeing birds during spring migration. I went with a friend and we managed to dig up 142 species of bird over the weekend. The rest of these photos are from High Park in Toronto when the cherry trees were blooming.







A real highlight at High Park was this coyote.  This is the first I've seen in Ontario (although they are apparently all over the city). I saw my second this past weekend by the highway.


And another common city dweller:


A trip to the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons turned up quite a few shorebirds including this exceptionally cooperative Least Sandpiper.


Here are a few forest birds from Rondeau and Point Pelee starting with a Downy Woodpecker.


An outstanding Summer Tanager.


A Rose-breasted Grosbeak and American Goldfinches at the Rondeau Visitor Centre feeders:


A Willow or Alder Flycatcher (I think). No singing makes it awfully difficult (impossible) to tell.


There are so many Yellow Warblers that they become almost boring but they really are striking birds.


A very well-concealed Eastern Whip-poor-will.


An obliging and incredible looking Magnolia Warbler.




Wilson's Warbler.



Black and White Warbler





Northern Waterthrush

Red-headed Woodpecker. What an incredible bird!


Pelee is just as good for the people watching too.


A Yellow-throated Vireo.


Blackburnian Warbler. One of my favourites in, unfortunately, terrible light.






Chestnut-sided Warbler (in more horrible light).

Warbling Vireo


And, finally for now, an Ovenbird.