James Gardens/Lambton Woods

[feathered]

In addition to the usuals and a very cooperative White-tailed deer buck, I saw a very late American Woodcock at around 12:45 today in the north part of the woods, on the west side of the black chain link fence and towards the hill. It is incredibly muddy around there and I don't recommend exploring there unless you have waterproof hunting boots/wellingtons. I flushed him by accident and tracked him down to confirm the ID, and definitely a woodcock. It didn't appear to be injured and flew well. Unfortunately I don't have a photo because he bailed as soon as I found him again.

[dawnofthewolf]

It is incredibly muddy around there and I don't recommend exploring there unless you have waterproof hunting boots/wellingtons.

So is the trail going up to Royal York.

[JW Mills]

Dec 22
 
Mallards
Goldeneyes
Mourning Doves
Robins
Cardinals
Hairies
Downies
WB Nuthatches
Chickadees

[JW Mills]

Dec 26
 
Mallards
Mourning Doves
Cardinals
Robins
RWBB
Hairies
Downies
Red-bellied
House Sparrows
Chickadees

[JW Mills]

Dec 28
 
Canada Geese
Mallards
Common Merganser
Goldeneyes
Mourning Doves
Cardinals
Robins
Rusty Blackbird
Hairies
Downies
House Sparrows
House Finches
Juncos
Chickadees

[feathered]

I just birded the river along the woods for about an hour with the intention of checking out the large raft of gulls that was there last week. There was only a single Herring Gull left, but I also found...

1 Northern Harrier (male), working the east bank of the river heading north
1 Great Blue Heron
1 Belted Kingfisher
10 Bufflehead
15 Common Merganser
8 Common Goldeneye
Mallards
Juncos
Downies
Hairies
Chickadees
Robins
Cardinals
House Sparrows

[JW Mills]

Jan 1
 
Mallards
Common Mergansers
Goldeneyes
Buffleheads
GB Heron
Mourning Doves
Cardinals
Hairies
Downies
Juncos
House Sparrow
Chickadees
 
and 1 basketball floating down the river

[Rarepony21]

Hi zed,
I like reading your reports for James Gardens. I go there all the time and like knowing whats out and about before I get there!!
Keeping that in mind, where do you keep seeing the Great Blue? I really like them but haven't seen one in quite a while. Going tomorrow, hopefully I will luck out and see one!

feathered,
  I cant believe you got to see a belted Kingfisher this time a year as well as a Northern Harrier! That is so great!!!!!


Thanks for keeping us up to date!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JW Mills]

Thanks Rarepony, glad to see the reports are appreciated.
 
As for the GBH, he's usually in one of two places.
First place to look;
Lat 43.671422
Long -79.512171
 
2nd;
Lat 43.663851
Long -79.512933
 
Look for him perched in the trees along the bank.

[feathered]

Yup, I usually see the Great Blue Heron at the second set of coordinates zed posted. The Kingfisher was in the same general area, hard to see but quite vocal.

[Rob'in'To]

Always the way with me and that Kingfisher...  hear him loud and clear and very brief views as he flies up and down the river.

[JW Mills]

Jan 6
 
Red-tailed Hawks
Kestrel
Canada Geese
Mallards
Common Mergansers
Goldeneyes
Buffleheads
Mourning Doves
Starlings
Robins
Cardinals
Hairies
Downies
Red-bellied
House Sparrows
House Finch
Juncos
American Goldfinch
WB Nuthatch
Chickadees
 
Highlight of the day was watching the Red-bellied chase starlings off its nest cavity!

[American Redstart]

December 8

canada geese
mallards
american black ducks
r.b gulls
mourning doves
downy and hairy woodpeckers
b.c chickadees
w.b nuthatches
american robin
european starlings
northern cardinals
american goldfinch

[dawnofthewolf]

How muddy are the trails there after the recent thaw?

[JW Mills]

How muddy are the trails there after the recent thaw?

Same as before, the main trails have some muddy patches but are passable, the back trails are mud.