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Outdoor Ontario

Recent Posts

61
Backyard Birding / Re: Chipping Sparrow, Milton
« Last post by Napper on April 20, 2025, 09:16:23 PM »
My Amazon photo experiment, see Chippy
https://www.amazon.ca/photos/share/wetcbGJlK28n0FLsg33ipoKBq145kMlLb7D3FscZW4a
 :)
It seems to work

BTW,  a Song sparrow showed up today near feeder
62
Ontario Birds / Winter wren ... finally
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 20, 2025, 03:47:58 PM »
On this fine sunny morning I was hoping to see a Fox sparrow, a Winter wren, and maybe a warbler, of some kind, with the outside chance of seeing a Blue-headed vireo (they are here).  Photographically speaking, I was only successful with the Winter wren.






You know that I can see you, right?




Winter wren


Fox sparrow


FOY (male) Common Yellowthroat


Pilot holes


Yellow-bellied sapsucker
63
Toronto Reports / April 20th
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 20, 2025, 02:03:55 PM »
Crisp sunny morning.  Started at about 8 o'clock @ 4-degrees, slight wind.  Warmed up to 11-degrees by noon.  The park was not aggressively peopled for the first 90 minutes, but I knew that the tide would change and come rushing in.  Beyond the usual birds there was not much new despite the south wind that brought the overcast 21-degrees yesterday.  GC kinglets went from everywhere to just a few.  I only saw three Ruby-crowned kinglets.  There was no sign of the towhee.  A Fox sparrow briefly appeared early on but then disappeared for the rest of the morning.  Another birder got a shot of it so close that it was within the lens's minimum focus and was therefore out-of-focus.  Too bad, he,he,he,he.  I got one shot while it was perched on a fallen tree but it then immediately disappeared behind the tree and into uncharted territory.  I saw one Veery but it was too far away to shoot, but someone else got a good shot of it.  Didn't see a single Hermit thrush.  I guess they were all cloistered.  While waiting for a Winter wren to appear (saw three of them) my peripheral vision caught sight of a bright yellow bird with black accent and I immediately thought of Kentucky warbler.  By the second second I figured it out.  A FOY male Common Yellowthroat.  I saw no more Pine warlbers and only two Myrtle warblers way up.  Also:  flicker x2,  phoebe x 1,  YBSS x 4,  Brown creeper x 3,  WT sparrows (few).
64
Toronto Wildlife / Squirrel Tales: Cinnamon Morphs, Firework Tails & Red Rascals!
« Last post by Charline on April 19, 2025, 11:04:33 PM »
https://youtu.be/7ngChI_UtXo


 The squirrels in this video have rare colors and big personalities! Let’s get up close and personal with a few local stars from my Toronto neighborhood:

Firework – An Eastern Grey Squirrel with a red chest and a white-tipped tail that whips around like a firework in motion!

Cinnamon – A rare cinnamon morph (possibly a Fox or Eastern Grey Squirrel) with a striking reddish-brown body, black face, and a mysterious cataract eye. Is Cinnamon the boss of the block?

Cindy & Orange Tail – Likely Cinnamon’s adorable offspring. Full of personality—and still a mystery when it comes to species!

Red Squirrels – Energetic, curious, and surprisingly willing to pose for the camera.

Watch these charming squirrels go about their day in one of Toronto’s most fascinating wildlife communities!
65
Backyard Birding / Chipping Sparrow, Milton
« Last post by Napper on April 19, 2025, 01:42:36 PM »
This afternoon I spotted a Chipping Sparrow along our chain link fence. First of year.
Feeder is extremely busy with the same visitors, Downy Woodpecker has the most visit count next to the Cardinals.
Napper:)
spelling and grammar
66
Ontario Birds / Re: Fox up a tree
« Last post by Dr. John on April 19, 2025, 08:44:50 AM »
Nice portrait.  We had a fox sparrow in our backyard this spring, the first in several years. 
67
Ontario Birds / April 18th - A Case of Thrush
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 18, 2025, 02:48:40 PM »
Yesterday was a creepy day with Brown creepers creeping on every tree.  Today it was a case of thrush.  Hermit thrush may be a misnomer.  These birds were not hermits.  At one point there were four of them hanging around together like a posse.  I counted nine thrushes.  I was worried that I might step on one of them.  Instead, I stepped into the loop of a vine, got caught and fell on the soft dead yellow grass.  Not my best move, but I can roll like a wrestler while protecting my lens and capturing a few pics on the way down.  Have to make it look intentional you know.  I've got a reputation to manage.  BTW, there were still a lot of creeper around this morning.  Also came across the towhee again.  With all the dog walkers and family groups any sighting would be spooked before getting a photo.  Still no further sign of Pine warblers, not even way up on top of conifers.









The next shot would have been a gastrointestinal view but this forum isn't ready for that sort of thing.
68
Ontario Birds / Cooper's hawk
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 17, 2025, 03:36:39 PM »
I stood motionless for a spell in the hopes that the winter wren would reveal itself again.  It didn't oblige.  A hawk appeared as compensation.



69
Ontario Birds / WB nuthatch
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 17, 2025, 03:34:25 PM »

Warbler neck on a nuthatch
70
Ontario Birds / Fox up a tree
« Last post by Shortsighted on April 17, 2025, 03:33:14 PM »
Usually on the ground, or on something near the ground, this Fox sparrow was up a tree.


Fox sparrow