Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Dinusaur on May 28, 2018, 08:58:54 PM

Title: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Dinusaur on May 28, 2018, 08:58:54 PM

It took me a while to get to see and photograph my first Golden-winged Warbler. But I finally did. I woke up early in the morning and drove to Carden Alvar. After arriving there I ignored all other nice birds like Meadowlarks, Wilson's Snipes, Loggerhead Shrike and went straight to the area where the Golden-winged warblers were sighted a day earlier (north of Sedge Wren marsh). A lot of patience and search finally produced a few of them. However, the bigger surprise was a very rare Lawrence's Warbler - sighted just south of the area. With the sighting of Lawrence's I now have seen and photographed both hybrids (the more common and famous is Brewster's). Here are the photos of a Lawrence's, Brewster's, Blue-winged and Golden-winged. Golden-winged warblers are in trouble with their numbers going down alarmingly whereas the Blue-winged warblers are thriving. Efforts are underway to reverse their decline - only time will tell what the final outcome is.

1. Lawrence's Warbler, photographed on May 27 at Carden Alvar.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/894/42420048261_71faabe20c_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/27CvQsr)

2. Brewster's Warbler, photographed on May 8, 2016 in Wet Woods section of Tommy Thompson Park.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7032/26830667492_8e2d6dc2e0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/GSWbFo)

3. Blue-winged Warbler, photographed on June 10, 2017 in Dundas Valley Conservation Area, Hamilton
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4244/34580513283_2b93988a3f_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/UFLaQg)

4. Golden-winged Warbler, photographed on May 27, 2018 at Carden Alvar.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/898/28547040438_6aa4974c33_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KuB3yo)

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Steve Hood on May 28, 2018, 10:48:14 PM

Very nice Dinu.  I have not seen the Lawrence's Hybrid previously but it looks spectacular.

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Ally on May 28, 2018, 10:58:12 PM

they all wear masks like Zorro. cool collection!

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Shortsighted on May 29, 2018, 08:24:45 AM

Fabulous find and beautifully captured. At this rate you are clearly destined
to publish your own bird ID book using your own photographs. This Carden Alvar
must be quite a place. Too bad the TTC doesn't go there. Wouldn't all the land
be private property? Are there trails? How does it all work?

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Dinusaur on May 29, 2018, 06:04:34 PM

Quote from: "Shortsighted"

.......This Carden Alvar
must be quite a place. Too bad the TTC doesn't go there. Wouldn't all the land
be private property? Are there trails? How does it all work?

You got it right. A few years ago when I started bird watching and photographing after the first round of spring migration around GTA I asked good folks on this site where should I go next for birding. A few suggested Carden Alvar and soon afterwards I found this magical place. Some part of this place is now designated provincial park. Here's the web site that gives a lot of details on the site.

http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.cardenalvar (http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/articles.cardenalvar)

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: Shortsighted on May 30, 2018, 08:38:44 PM

Thanks for the tip and link.
I'll certainly peruse it even if I have no means of getting there.
The imagination soars.

Title: Re: Golden-winged, Blue-winged and their hybrids
Post by: annie on June 03, 2018, 08:10:07 PM

Wow, awesome shots you have there.