Wednesday at Lake Wabukayne

[Bird Brain]

Hi everyone.

Spent a couple of hours at Lake Wabukayne this morning (9:30-11:30am) and saw the following birds:

Blue Jays x 2
Cedar Waxwings x 9
Downy Woodpecker (male) x 1
Juncos x 6 (5m, 1f)  
Mallards x 20
Mourning Doves x 4
Robins x 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch (female) x 1
White-breasted Nuthatch x 1

Just North of Lake Wabukayne, 18 Mourning Doves sitting on the ground under a pine tree.  
Cat chases squirrel - squirrel wins.  :lol:

Jo-Anne  

Lake Wabukayne:  NE corner of Glen Erin Dr./Windwood Dr., behind condo and school.

[JimmyM]

Hi Jo- Anne ,
Good sightings - surprised that 4 robins are still around in a group. I haven't seen 1 in a few weeks.
Had a coopers hawk visit my backyard for a while yesterday . His hunt was not successful and the birds and squirrels stayed away from the feeders for most of the afternoon.
Best regards ,
Jim

[Bird Brain]

Hi Jo- Anne ,
Good sightings - surprised that 4 robins are still around in a group. I haven't seen 1 in a few weeks.
Had a coopers hawk visit my backyard for a while yesterday . His hunt was not successful and the birds and squirrels stayed away from the feeders for most of the afternoon.
Best regards ,
Jim

Hi Jim.  Thank You for your posting.  

I saw 5 Robins at Rattray Marsh back on Nov. 1st, a couple at Lake Aquitaine over the past week and the 4 this morning at Lake Wabukayne.   Last December, saw literally hundreds at a park in Oakville while participating in a Christmas Bird Count.  They were everywhere - flying right in front of everyone's faces, behind and beside everyone plus in the trees.  Quite a sight to see!    Have never seen so many all in one location before ever.  

I'm ashamed to admit this, but ... didn't even know Robins stuck around here during the Winter until that above event!    :oops:  

Re: hawk and feeder ... have you ever checked out the MacEwan House feeder at Riverwood Park?  Whenever hawks are flying around or perched above it, all the birds go completely still and quiet - except for Mourning Doves.  Cute birds but sadly they are not the sharpest tools in the shed.   :shock:

All the best to you and your family.  

Jo-Anne    

p.s. - Casino Niagara calls my name!  :lol:

[JimmyM]

Jo- Anne ,
I've seen robins during the winter - but don't recall seeing them  groups - maybe with "global warming" - this year .
On the way to Niagara this past Sat. we saw 23 hawks , 13 on the way around 10am and 10 at around 5pm . Most of them were perched on the QEW light standards or in trees along side the road . Most were red tailed hawks, however, saw a pair of red shouldered hawks in flight and 2 smaller perched hawks - maybe coopers . lyla spots most of them - I need to keep my eyes on the road - but do get some good sightings anyway thanks to her watching far ahead .
About the recent " getting close to birds" discussion in the forum - on our way to Niagara we saw for about 6 weeks running, during the early summer - a person in a yellow raincoat standing in the middle of the small island in the bay - just before going over the Burlington bridge,  literally surrounded by 100's of seagulls - sort of eerie ! . The person must have been warned off .
Best regards ,
Jim

[Bird Brain]

on our way to Niagara we saw for about 6 weeks running, during the early summer - a person in a yellow raincoat standing in the middle of the small island in the bay - just before going over the Burlington bridge,  literally surrounded by 100's of seagulls - sort of eerie !

How odd.  I wonder if the person was there for birding or trying to make their way to the edge for some fishing?  They must have needed the raincoat for protection from all the bird poop! I wonder if they were wearing matching yellow boots?  :shock:

[JimmyM]

Couldn't see that far down - the person was knee deep in gulls .
The other odd thing was that there was no boat on the island shore and no docking facility.
Re. Phainopepla. I checked it out in the Sibley Guide to Birds and it indicates that the bird is mostly native to California and further down the coast into Mexico, however, it also shows that previous rare sightings have been made in our area. The bird is grey to black with a head crest similar to that of a cardinal and has white feathers showing on it's wings during flight . It would be a very good sighting to make .
Lyla and I are going to Rama this Sat. Last time there about a month ago we did okay. The buffet there is lousy.
Bye for now,
Jim

[Bird Brain]

Couldn't see that far down - the person was knee deep in gulls .

I'm sure that's not the only thing they were knee deep in!  Cripes. :shock:

The other odd thing was that there was no boat on the island shore and no docking facility.

Dropped off by helicopter?  :lol:

I truly hope they weren't swimming in the water with all the ships that go through there plus Stelco so close by.  

Re. Phainopepla. I checked it out in the Sibley Guide to Birds and it indicates that the bird is mostly native to California and further down the coast into Mexico, however, it also shows that previous rare sightings have been made in our area. The bird is grey to black with a head crest similar to that of a cardinal and has white feathers showing on it's wings during flight . It would be a very good sighting to make .

I looked it up on Google Images.  Neat looking bird!  Have been reading lots of threads about all the recent sightings up in Brampton on the ONTBIRDS site.  

Lyla and I are going to Rama this Sat. Last time there about a month ago we did okay. The buffet there is lousy. Bye for now, Jim

 I've never been to Rama.  The buffet at Casino Niagara is great, have never tried the food at Fallsview, food is really good but a bit pricey at Mohawk (their clubhouse sandwich is definitely worth the price though - Yum!) and have never tried the food at Flamborough either - just a pop break.  

Good Luck tomorrow.  I hope you both win big!

I'm back and forth between Mississauga and Waterloo for the next 4 days - was there all today as well.  Very tiring!  

Jo-Anne