In late April, we had the chance to travel in south central England (Dorset, Somerset and Hampshire). While most of the following birds are considered common in England, it was a pleasure to see these species of a different continent.
Grey heron
Black-headed gull
Mallard
Robin
Chaffinch
Bullfinches (female and male)
Great tit 
Gold finch
Coot
Blue tit 
Great-crested grebe
Wren (winter wren)
Tufted ducks (female and male)
Greater black-backed gull
Great spotted woodpecker
Having been in Europe for the first half of May, I missed much of the warbler migration. Stops at Thickson’s Woods (Whitby), Prince Edward Point Nature Refuge, Long Point and Mc Gregor Point however still proved to be eventful. The following pictures were taken this month from those locations. At long last I managed to see a golden-winged warbler, but unfortunately a photograph proved elusive as she hopped from branch to branch, behind branches in the foreground.
Black-throated green warbler, after banding at Long Point
Magnolia warbler (female)
Magnolia warbler (male)
American redstart (female or juvenile)
Chestnut-sided warbler (female)
Black-throaed green warbler
Northern waterthrush
Black and white warbler
In celebration of Earth Day, sights seen on various trips. So much of what we have today is threatened………………and so few people know……………or care! We live in such a beautiful creation!
It has been a mixed up month with unseasonably cold weather! Spring is coming however. These are just a few signs…………………
Couldn’t resist. From Perth County, ON taken March 3.
The Boundary Bay IBA and Reifel Bird Sanctuary (Ladner) are great places for bird watching, year round. They are particularly good for ducks and raptors, at this time of year. Without exaggeration, I easily saw more than 100 bald eagles a day, and more than 50 great blue herons a day. In addition, there were very large numbers of swans (tundra), back-crowned night herons, harriers, as well as some short-eared owls (Boundary Bay).
Northern harrier
Northern pintail
Wood duck (female) 
Great blue heron
Wood duck (male)
Juvenile bald eagle
Bald eagle 
Ring-necked duck
Northern shoveler
Eurasian wigeon 
Male snowy owl
Snowy owl
Rough-legged hawk
Red-tailed hawk
Snowy owl
After many days of snow, followed by freezing rain, it was nice to drive out in the country today, in the sun! Managed as well to see four snowy owls, including a very white male! Still hoping to manage to photograph them in flight! (Wellington County, Ontario).
January is a great time for birding in Florida. The following pictures were taken at Merritt Island NWR, Ding Darling, NWR, St. Mark’s NWR, the Corkscrew Sanctuary, the Viera Wetlands and Marco Island.
American bittern
Peregrine falcon attacking bald eagle
American white pelicans
White ibis
Turkey vultures
(Little) Blue heron
Loggerhead shrike
Painted buntings 
Florida scrub jay
Snowy egret
Reddish egret
Juvenile red-shouldered hawk
Green heron
Blue-grey gnatcatcher
Great crested flycatcher
Anhinga chicks with mother
Burrowing owl
Juvenile bald eagle
Black-crowned night heron 
Over the last week, I have had the opportunity to watch anhingas, great blue herons and bald eagles build or enhance nests. It has been noteworthy that this is a shared activity, but that the female is apparently the “boss” and “accepts” contributions from the male.
After a snowstorm and two days of unseasonably cold weather, I correctly guessed that the short-eared owls would be hungry, and actively hunting. Today was the best day I have had for photographing these owls!
Winter months are an excellent time to see hawks in both Southern Ontario and Kentucky, where I spend most of the winter. Most of the North American hawks, tend to be short distance migrators (broad-winged travel further), and many species such as the red-tailed can be found year round. The rough-legged, seldom seen in the summer is prevalent in the winter. Today (in Kentucky) was a good day for Cooper’s hawks, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers and red-shouldered hawks.
Cooper’s hawk taken from front door of house
Red-shouldered hawk
