Black-bellied Whistling Duck and Blue Grosbeak

[Dinusaur]

On Saturday morning I drove to Port Dover to see and photograph a flock of 16 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks - a rarity in Ontario. First time I saw a Black-bellied Whistling Duck was in an aviary in Mexico, 2015. Since it wasn't a wild bird, it didn't make my life list then. They are considered vagrant in Ontario, one or two shows up here and there from time to time. However, finding a flock of 16 is quite a sight. From there I drove a little further west to Walshingham to see and photograph a juvenile Blue Grosbeak, another un-common vagrant in Ontario. This is not my first Blue Grosbeak sighting in Ontario. The first time I saw one was in 2017 in High Park, Toronto. The Ducks were easy to find; however, the Grosbeak was not so, had to look for 2 hours before I saw it any close for an acceptable photo. One the way out I saw Stephen, one of the contributors of this site. I hope he got to see the Grosbeak.


1. Black-bellied Whistling Duck




2. Blue Grosbeak - juvenile

[Ally]

Wow and wow some more. Those were great finds indeed. Two hours for two pictures? I will never be a good birder.

[Shortsighted]

 Certainly unusual to see a group of whistling ducks in these parts, although a three-hour drive from the GTA is not exactly ‘these parts’. Excellent photographs of something I will never see to confirm they were not all decoys. A blue grosbeak … how sad, no … how wonderful that you had the time to dedicate to the hunt in order to find it at all. I heard about the one spotted in High Park but I couldn’t investigate, even though that was before care-giving duties were required. I made the trip to the park in search of the White-eyed vireo that Stephen photographed but I couldn’t find it. I just don’t have his chops. Where does one locate a single species in a park that big? You pretty much need to know what you’re doing to pull that off. That leaves me out in the cold. Actually, it wasn’t cold at the time … only my trailing efforts. Thanks for sharing.

[Dinusaur]

.....You pretty much need to know what you’re doing to pull that off. That leaves me out in the cold. Actually, it wasn’t cold at the time … only my trailing efforts. Thanks for sharing.

I compensate my ignorance by associating myself with other experienced birders who could hear them before I could see. For the Grosbeak it was just matter of waiting. I waited (actually walked around the perimeters) two hours before it showed up close enough for the photos. Stephen, on the other hand, appeared at the gate just as the bird showed up singing and flying around.

[Steve Hood]

Great shots Dinu.  I spent most of my time trying to get a good photo of the Blue Grosbeak without any success. I might try again another day.

[Charline]

Fantastic images! Wish


I could find a whistling duck or two one day.