Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Bluffs Birder on March 24, 2014, 01:18:02 AM

Title: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 24, 2014, 01:18:02 AM

What:  Red-winged Blackbirds, Rusty Blackbirds and Common Grackles
Where:  Norfolk County, Ontario
When:  Saturday March 22, 2014

On the backroads north of Long Point, the woods were alive with sound.  Actually it was noise, the noise of well over 10,000 Blackbirds!!!  When they moved the scene was absolutely breathtaking.  These photos are a very small part of the action that unfolded before us.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Cn0KHPQ-hfs/Uy8XRfTscpI/AAAAAAAAi7U/tVgtbBU_veg/s800/0085.JPG)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WxghpfGNuco/Uy8Xi-zz0yI/AAAAAAAAi7s/WEMrXl6I13Y/s800/0090.JPG)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R71IJ9A8LPg/Uy8XmS4tOrI/AAAAAAAAi70/3qhHLlsI7jA/s800/0091.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GH9dVFMPGIk/Uy8Xuhm1ouI/AAAAAAAAi8E/9fiD7bK1hp0/s800/0096.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-7yLjaxwW8jE/Uy8ZLsn6D8I/AAAAAAAAi9Y/L5msQmdQde8/s800/0074.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DJlgevF9JWw/Uy8ZYjy2QGI/AAAAAAAAi9o/4-tZT9SGxY8/s800/0078.JPG)

Other birds of note seen on this trip were:  5000+ Tundra Swans, 2 Eastern Meadowlarks and a big surprise was 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XrLkQjUGjNU/Uy8Lk9yyJpI/AAAAAAAAi2w/Sps-baaJdIU/s800/0074.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eNE_J3t3TRs/Uy8U0eTaX0I/AAAAAAAAi6g/n-MiI9HcFTE/s800/0032.JPG)

Our thanks to Mike Burrell and his OFO group for allowing us to tag along on their birding tour of the area.  We got to see many new hotspots, several wonderful species of birds, and met some great folks.  After breaking from the group, Phil and I toured the backroads on our own.

Walter Fisher and Phil L. :)

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: Brian Bailey on March 24, 2014, 09:00:13 AM

Wow. It sure makes the 3 grackles at my feeders seem a bit lame! It looks like you were on the set of a "The Birds" remake.  

BB

Sent from my birdroid using Tapatalk.

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: Bluffs Birder on March 24, 2014, 09:57:59 AM

Hey Brian,

Funny you should mention that, I yelled out "I don't think Alfred Hitchcock saw this!"

Walter :)

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: mr.sharp-photo on March 25, 2014, 08:19:23 AM

you bother to mention wednesday's weather to them? :)

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: Rob'in'To on March 26, 2014, 09:52:42 AM

Wow Walter, that's freakin' epic!

I had 15 Grackles and 8 Red-wings on Saturday, which I thought was something.

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: Irene on March 31, 2014, 11:25:41 AM

That is something else, I would have been a little unnerved at the sight of so many, I love the 3rd Photo with the streaks of red. Up in Bobcaygeon we have counted 12 so far, I'm sure more are coming.
LOL @ the Alfred Hitchock comment.

Irene

Title: Re: Blackbirds Have Returned To Ontario!
Post by: MEGHAN on March 31, 2014, 12:53:25 PM

Holy crap Walter...that's a lot of potential poop that could have been  dropped on your car!!