"Just popping down the dump..."

Wednesday 28th December 2016

That's what I said, and genuinely intended to do, as I headed out of the door. Living here on Wolfe Island, we have to take all our recyclables (almost everything) and rubbish to the local waste collection centre ourselves. Just a year or so ago it was an actual dump with gulls and vultures in abundance but, for the best, it now focuses on recycling and the dump is long gone.

Anyway, I never just 'go to the dump' - I always have my bins and camera with me, as I inevitably take a circuitous route via all the best birding hotspots. Not too much along the way in terms of rarities but these Tundra Swans in town were particularly cooperative. Notice the difference in the extent of the yellow dot at the base of the bills on these 2 birds. No wonder newbies often claim to have seen the much rarer Trumpeter Swan in error believing that they should be able to see yellow at 200 metres with their 8x40s! Oh, by the way, something like 10% of all Tundras show no yellow at all so beware!

Tundra Swan - Marysville, Wolfe Island, ON - see the yellow?

Tundra Swan - Marysville, Wolfe Island, ON - lots of yellow

After taking a run through the village, I then took the famed 4th Line in the search of Snowy Owls. There are not so many around this year - we've had 3 good years on the run so this is not surprising. However, a small arrival over the last week has seen up to 6 birds along this road. Though this picture was taken a few days back, the very same bird was present day.

Snowy Owl - 4th Line, Wolfe Island, ON

I also picked up a Rough-legged Hawk on my journey - the first for some time as this species is also in short supply this year. However, bigger news was forthcoming when I received a phone call from Kingston-based birding buddy James Barber. He'd just relocated a couple of female Harlequin Ducks seen in Kingston during the annual Christmas Bird Count, directly outside his apartment at Portsmouth Olmpic Harbour. I was just minutes from the ferry, so without winter coat, breakfast, clean teeth, or fresh clothes, I headed over to the mainland and picked up my 245th Frontenac county lifer - Harlequin Duck.

Harlequin Duck - Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, Kingston, ON

These birds were actively diving just metres from the shore unperturbed by birders, dog walkers and joggers - a wonderful sight! Now for a male...

'Til next time.
Mark.

KFN Field Trip - Kingston

Sunday 23rd February 2014

Following an almost identical format to the trip held a couple of weeks earlier, six members and two guests joined me for a fruitful morning visiting a few of Kingston’s birding locations. We met at Marshlands Conservation Area where three of us kicked off the day with a very large immature female Cooper’s Hawk flicking through the trees. She was first seen perched just up the trail with the remains of an American Red Squirrel. Upon the arrival of three more members, the car park area became alive with chickadees, a couple of Northern Cardinals, 3 Downy Woodpeckers and American Robin. The highlight however was a flock of 15 Red-winged Blackbirds, including an immaculate male pronouncing his presence with his characteristic song. The other birds were a mix of age and sex suggesting a wintering flock rather than newly-arrived migrants.

Cooper's Hawk (immature female) - Marshlands CA, Kingston, ON

We then headed to the Wolfe Island Ferry Dock where waterfowl again provided some cracking views on this bright and considerably milder morning. Birds included Greater Scaup, Goldeneye, Mallard and single male Redhead and Long-tailed Duck. The highlight for many though was the opportunity to photograph some of these species so close to shore – favourites being the Common and Red-breasted Mergansers. A scan of the ice however, revealed the second bonus species of the day – an immature Glaucous Gull, way out in the channel. Thoughts of getting everybody on the bird were dashed though when it took off with the 20 or so Herring Gulls also present that day. As fortune would have it, the bird actually flew in towards us and passed right in front of the ferry dock allowing everybody present to see the bird in flight.

Greater Scaup (male) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

Greater Scaup (female) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

Red-breasted Merganser (male and female) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

After an unsuccessful stop in town for the resident Peregrine Falcons, we continued to Invista with 2 guests and another KFN member bringing the party total to 9. Almost immediately, we located the ‘resident’ immature Snowy Owl. As a bonus, a female American Kestrel sat up on a wire allowing us all good views through the ‘scope. Never knowing exactly what we’ll see at the pool, we began to scan the birds and soon located the Red-necked Grebe that had first been located a few days earlier. We also locked onto 2 male American Wigeon, certainly a ‘new’ species for the month. We also saw the usual Mallard, Gadwall and American Black Duck, though numbers of other species were way down. We then moved to the Ball Diamond in order to get better looks at the outfall and quickly located another bonus bird, a male White-winged Scoter – not an easy bird to find in the Kingston area. Also present here were a handful of Greater Scaup, a single Mute Swan, lone female Goldeneye and a couple of Red-breasted Mergansers. As last time (but by no means guaranteed), a Northern Shrike put on bit of a show, allowing us all great views through the ‘scope. Two Red-tailed Hawks were seen on the way out.

At Invista (photo by Gaye Beckwith)

White-winged Scoter (male) - Invista, Kingston, ON

Northern Shrike - Invista, Kingston, ON (photo by Gaye Beckwith)

We then continued to Lemoine Point, exploring the trails at the southern end of this Conservation Area. Almost the first bird encountered was another Northern Shrike, though the ‘ever-present’ American Kestrel could not be located. The woods were busy with birds; chickadees as ever hoping for a free hand-out of sunflower seeds. On the ‘Feeder Trail’, we also saw a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches and their larger, more common, cousins White-breasted Nuthatches. Both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers allowed comparison and a few American Robins added a splash of colour. A Brown Creeper was heard but not seen.

Returning to the car park, we added Northern Cardinal, Eurasian Starling, Red-tailed Hawk and Blue Jay. In total, we saw 38 species, a very respectable count.

'Till next time,

Mark.

KFN Field Trip - Kingston

Sunday 2nd February 2014

Four KFN members joined me for an enjoyable morning visiting a few of Kingston’s birding locations on a day with vastly improved weather compared to the bone-numbing cold experienced during the previous few days. To get the day rolling, we headed up to Princess Towers where I had seen the resident pair of Peregrine Falcons just that morning. Of course, we missed seeing them but at least one member of the group stopped in later during the day and actually observed one of the pair take a Feral Pigeon.

We then went down to the Wolfe Island Ferry Dock where waterfowl, though not numerous, are restricted to the ice-choked channel, there-by allowing for some close looks. Mallard numbered about 40 and in with them was a leucistic female, quite unusual. Of more interest though to those present were the two 1^st winter drake Long-tailed Ducks allowing us very close views right from the dock. Also present were Common Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, a single American Black Duck and both Common and Red-breasted Mergansers – these allowing close comparison of the females.

Long-tailed Duck (1st Winter Male) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

Common Merganser (Female) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

Common Goldeneye (Male) - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

We then decided to call in at the Invista plant to check out the open pool on Cataraqui Bay. Immediately upon our arrival we were greeted by an immature Snowy Owl. Up to 3 have been seen here but it was still nice to see this bird so quickly and easily. Scanning the pool, we logged 15 Mute Swans, 5 American Coot and the usual Canada Geese, Mallard, Gadwall and American Black Duck, albeit in lower numbers than typical. We then continued to the Ball Diamond where we could get better looks at the outfall, often a better area for diving ducks. Here we were rewarded with 9 Greater Scaup, a single Common Goldeneye and just one Common Merganser. However, the highlight for all was a Northern Shrike that first gave itself away with its scratchy yet melodic singing. We all enjoyed great views through the ‘scope; Polly actually seeing the bird regurgitate a pellet as she was watching. With one of the party needing to head off to work, we decided to continue to Lemoine Point but not before seeing a Red-tailed Hawk on the way out.

Black Duck and Mallard - Wolfe Island Ferry Dock, Kingston, ON

We spent just over an hour at Lemoine Point and, although the wind was ‘fresh’ near the car park, enjoyed the birdlife in the shelter of the woods. However, one bird that was enjoying the open grassland was a female American Kestrel sitting on a pole observing us walk by. We soon began seeing numerous Black-capped Chickadees, all hoping for a free hand-out of sunflower seeds. We obliged and quickly attracted both Hairy and Downy Woodpecker to the vicinity but not to the hand. However, a diminutive pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches did come to the hand, allowing those with a fast shutter to snap a few shots. White-breasted Nuthatch, not to be usurped by its miniature cousin joined in the show and later came to the hand as well. This opportunity allowed us to compare the male and female of each species, with males having black crowns and females dark grey crowns.

Red-breasted Nuthatch (male) - Lemoine Point CA, Kingston, ON

Looping back to the car park, we added a few more species to the trip list including Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Cardinal, Dark-eyed Junco and Blue Jay. In total (including Peregrine), we saw 35 species – not too bad for a cold winter morning in Kingston.

Till next time,

Mark.

Some birds of Okhla Bird Sanctuary, New Delhi, India (Pt 2)

Wednesday 24th and Monday 29th October 2012

This is Part 2 of a post dedicated to some photographic birding highlights from Okhla Bird Sanctuary, visited on two dates in October 2012. A full report, with maps and a systematic list will be posted online shortly. In the meantime, you can read the same report on a separate page on my blog - Bird Report for Okhla Bird Sanctuary

Part 1 can be seen here

Till next time...

Mark.



Asian Pied Myna, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Bluethroat, Okhla Bird Sanctuary

Indian Spot-billed Duck, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Lesser Whitethroat, Okhla Bird Sanctuary

Large Grey Babbler, Gandhi Remembrance Museum

Striated Babbler, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Striated Babbler, Okhla Bird Sanctuary




Long-tailed Shrike, Okhla Bird Sanctuary

Greater Coucal, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Green Bee-eater, Okhla Bird Sanctuary

And a couple of mammals...



Northern Palm Squirrel, Gandhi Remembrance Museum



Small Asian Mongoose, Anand Vihar ISBT Bus Station


 

Some birds of Okhla Bird Sanctuary, New Delhi, India (Pt 1)

Wednesday 24th and Monday 29th October 2012

I visited Okhla Bird Sanctuary on two dates in October 2012 based around the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix. The reserve was easy to reach and provides excellent birding for both novice and serious birders alike. From my hotel in the city, I reached the site in just over an hour by making use of the very efficient Metro system. I have written a full report, with maps and a systematic list that is hosted on both Surfbirds and Birdforum. In the meantime, you can read the same report on a separate page on my blog - Bird Report for Okhla Bird Sanctuary

The purpose of this particular blog is to supplement the report with the photos that would have made the file size too large. Of course, it's also about sharing the birds.

This is Part 1. Part 2 can be seen here.

Till next time...

Mark.



Sign at the Southern Checkpoint



Watch Tower, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



An industrial back-drop to the west of main lake, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Black-headed Ibis, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Indian Peafowl, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Common Kingfisher, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



White-throated Kingfisher, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Purple Heron, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Red Avadavat, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Pied Bush Chat, Okhla Bird Sanctuary



Oriental Darter, Okhla Bird Sanctuary