Outdoor Ontario
Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Rob'in'To on May 21, 2012, 08:12:43 PM
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Spent much of last week in the Pelee area. There were all kinds of signs of Spring, in different stages too as you shall see. Not nearly the Warbler sightings this year as last, nor another fave being the Orchard Orioles. But we still had a blast. It's birds, birds and more birds!
We saw mating of many species. Chipping Sparrows here.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest22.jpg)
We saw a lot of defending territories. And anyone who has been down to Pelee Park in the last bit, and parked in the first lot by the visitor centre may have had their vehicle door(s) scratched up by this crazy male Red-winged Blackbird. He was on everybody's car.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest111.jpg)
Nests were seen everywhere. Something we didn't see last Spring there around the same time. This is my fave... a female Yellow Warbler.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest1.jpg)
A Chipping Sparrow was nesting over our picnic table.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest2.jpg)
So many Robins nesting in the park.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest11.jpg)
This was a cool surprise, not in the Pelee area though... but I had to add. A shot from Presquille of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird in her nest.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/_MG_2280.jpg)
And finally the reason all this stuff happens in the Spring. Birth to a new generation. A young Great Horned Owl was causing some traffic jams and crowds near the front gates.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/nest0.jpg)
Baby Red-winged Blackbirds are appearing everywhere all of a sudden.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/babyrw.jpg)
Thanks for viewing!
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Spectacular collection of shots Rob/Angie. Thanks for sharing some of the highlights from your trips.
Walter
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what a great series and journal thanks for posting.
Gary Yankech
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Thanks guys!
Ya, lots of fun but so different than our first trip there in 2011.
2011 we had over 100 species with so many lifers. I think 21 Warbler species we got to view. And the leaves weren't grown in so viewing was far easier. Plus, it was our first time to the "birding capital" of Ontario and we were stoked. So to ever re-capture that kind of glow is not possible.
So, with this year, the leaves grown in, many species already gone through, it was a very different experience. But it's all about the birds, and ALL of the birds... be it a Red-winged Blackbird or a Cerulean Warbler. They all were the stars of the show so to speak. It was birding from sun up to sun down. We thought of nothing else for most of the trip.
It was funny as I found other birders a lot less friendly this year than last. I say "hello" to everyone. But this year, people were just down right cranky. Not everyone but a lot of them. The buzz was a lot of people were upset with the lack of sightings due to the above mention of the leaves or the birds already gone. You cannot predict nature. Just get out there and experience what is there, enjoy it. It makes the less common sightings all the more special. We heard reports of the Blue Grosbeaks, a female Yellow-headed Blackbird and a Summer Tanager. Sure we kept our eyes and ears open but it wasn't our mission to see these birds. We were going to live to see another day if they weren't anywhere to be seen.
It's kinda like this. Last summer I won $1,000 on a $5 scratch ticket. I was happier than a kid at Christmas. Others squawked about what is there to get excited over a thousand bucks. Hell, it made my day. So seeing an Indigo Bunting at Pelee is like a $1,000 winner and I was happy. I didn't get the million dollar winner being a Blue Grosbeak. But like with the lottery, and birding, I keep going.
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beautiful shots
and tks for sharing
Ive not been there in a while
used to go every year
and.. really it is all about just
being blessed to be here
take it as it comes sort of right
such a pretty spot! did u take the car they used to have trolley or whatever it is?
Egret
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very nice nesting series Rob...... at least you saw more than we got around here....as I always say...maybe next year for Pelee.....I was tempted to drive down over the long weekend but it seemed too warm and figured the leaves were too far along this year...
look forward to your new book " Bird Nests of Ontario" series :wink: :D
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Great stuff Rob...love the red winged black bird photo...he was probably looking for Jo-Anne!
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Bwahahahaha! Where is our Bird Brain?
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Sweet shots Rob, very nice owl pic. Haven't been to Pelee since Mike and I got caught in that tornado a few years back. Hope to make it out there next year. Thanks for sharing.
Clemens 8)
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Great stuff Rob...love the red winged black bird photo...he was probably looking for Jo-Anne!
Howieh ... no matter where I go, the male RWBB's are after the back of my head! :shock: :lol: