Rob and the Animals

LIfer! White-winged Crossbills

2012-02-01T11:07:00.000-05:00

On Monday January 30th, a short stroll in Lambton Woods, had me standing along a path for a moment trying to take a photo of a White-breasted Nuthatch... which I got as you can see below.

And moments later in flew a flock of 20+ birds very near me. They were incredibly noisy and very active (the ones on the ground anyways). And in a moment I knew they had to be Crossbills.

Angie and I have wanted to see these rare (to us), sporadic winter visitors for a few years now. And a week earlier we ventured to a spot where they were reported 18 hours earlier. Something we tried a few winters back as well but always seemed to be just behind these birds and missing them.

So, with so many "near sightings", I envisioned it in my head how it would be the day I finally see this species. And indeed it played out just like that...

The birds flew in to whatever area I was in and they would pretty much raid it for their food source of seeds within the cones of coniferous trees. Their beak is designed just for that cracking of the cones.

Unfortunately my first sighting had them fly into a spot where many people feed the winter residents of Lambton. Of the say 20 birds, about 12 stayed at the top of the trees (which weren't coniferous) while the other 8 scrounged about the ground kind of like scouts. I had maybe 2 minutes of viewing the birds before they all flew off together north/west in search of food.

If there had been something there for them, I recon all of them would have had at it, and I would have had a much longer viewing of them.

I had my camera with me but didn't even try to take a photo until the last few seconds. For a lifer, I need to see the bird with my own eyes and absorb this into my brain. Trying to get a shot right away would surely kill that "lifer" moment. I have to admit there was a voice in the back of my head saying this a few times "take a picture dumb-dumb". But I just couldn't. And in the final seconds with them, the brush was far too busy for the lens and the lighting was lacking. So no photos for me but the pictures in my head are pretty cool anyways.

Lifers are freaking awesome! I only wish Angie was there with me for this. Hopefully we have another sighting of them before the winter comes to an end, and they are in a spot with a good food supply so we have more than a couple minutes with the birds.

I borrowed the Crossbill image from the internet in a Google search...

Snowy #6

2012-01-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

On Sunday January 21, 2012, Angie and I saw MY 6th Snowy Owl for the season and her 5th. She missed the last one I saw due to construction workers scaring her out of a potential roosting/hunting area.

What a sight this guy was! And it's funny because we were off to check out a female Snowy in the area we heard reports of. Lucky for us, the road exit took us by this guy and as soon as we took the turn... Angie shouts "there's a Snowy!"

We had an amazing brief visit with this guy before a couple off-leash dogs flushed him from the fence post.

We never did find the female reported up the road but still may try again another day before the Snowys all head back up to the tundra. Enjoy the pics!

Crack of dawn and Mr. Snowy is possibly still on the hunt for his next meal.

The warm glow of that morning sun is deceiving on another cold January morning.

We are well away from him as you can see.

A walk to the west of the field got a better view of him before a couple large dogs came running over to get a look at this majestic bird for themselves.

I think it is necessary to post this reminder to everyone after my Owl posts, something to remember when you find yourself in the presence of any Owl...

The Owl Code of Ethics (that can be used with any wildlife sightings really)

Absolutely no dogs are allowed.
Keep a minimum distance of five metres from owls.
Be silent; speak in whispers.
Do not linger in front of an owl more than a couple of minutes.
If you cause an owl to fly, do not pursue it.
Do not bait owls with rodents.
No flash photography allowed.
No sound devices allowed.
Do not remove branches or vegetation.
Stay on the existing trails.
If the bird is on private property, please respect that this is private property and view safely from the side of the road.

Report harassment of owls to 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667).

I ask if you find an Owl in your travels to please keep it as quiet as possible. Call it selfish as some will, but it's a matter of protecting the birds. Word travels fast on these creatures showing up in the GTA. And so many people will go seek out the bird. The bird needs to live it's life... to rest and to hunt. These things cannot be done with constant human presence.

Please be responsible and respectful is what I ask.

I saw my fifth Snowy of the season!

2012-01-19T09:07:00.000-05:00

I saw my fifth Snowy Owl yesterday. A good number for me but pales in comparison to some others who have seen more than 2 dozen in Southern Ontario.

This is THE year to see a Snowy Owl in the wild. As I previously blogged before, there is a Snowy Owl "invasion" or as the proper term is "irruption". Check out this really cool YouTube video about the invasion, it's only 3 mins long and well worth the viewing.

I love birding and I love taking photos. Now I've got my fix for the time being on viewing Snowys, I really hope to capture something great in way of a photograph for personal memories of this amazing winter with them. Too often the birds are far off in fields and other spots where they hope to rest and not be disturbed... and I can respect that, and I WILL RESPECT that. One day I will luck out and get THE shot for me.

Here's the 5 Snowys to date...

Snowy #1 was found just east of Toronto along the lakeshore.

Snowy #2, a beautiful near pure white male, found about 35 mins north of Toronto near Newmarket.

The next two made for a 2 Snowy Owl day about 3 hours east of Toronto. This one is perched way out in a cattle field atop a potential Osprey nest stand.

Despite the distance, this is my personal favorite shot of a Snowy Owl for the winter. The landscaping and sky just make it so nice.

And #5 was found just down the road from me yesterday. There is a man working on a boat in the background (blue helmet) and has no idea that a majestic bird is so very near him resting.

Thanks for looking. I hope to share a few more with you in the coming weeks before they all fly way north again. And apologies for my absence but it's winter, I got birds to see... winter really is a great season for birding, believe it or not, you just gotta bundle up and go!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

Happy new year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, no matter what/how/where and with who you celebrated the last few weeks.

I love the holidays but really am glad it's over and things can go back to normal. You know, routines are back in order, the deadly sin "Gluttony" has left the house and it's time to start saving again, clearing up some Christmas bills, and get back to birding and wildlife watching.

Some people do not fully understand why I enjoy it. I do love to take pictures of what I see out there, it allows me to take home a memory from that outing. And if it's something really nice, I may develop it, frame it, place it in a photo album, or set it aside for next year's calendar that Angie and I put together for ourselves and a few family/friends. Another reason is just to show people what is out there if one opens their eyes/ears and keeps their mouth if they chose to go for a walk in a more natural setting than just around the block. Hey, I am promoting physical activity if one takes an interest in following my steps! And a walk in the woods can be far more interesting if a person begins to take notice of all the different birds, animals, insects and plants around them whether they walk alone or with someone else. I'd like to think that the photos I share may also bring awareness in a positive way to the wild world around us. Some are in disbelief of what I see that is just out our back doors.

Angie called this "our yoga" quite some time ago. And I've always agreed. And I've shared this idea with others who much like me, enjoy the outdoors and always carry a camera with them. Make it about a nice walk away from civilization, being around our wild friends, forgetting work, life's drama and you will come home from it a much more relaxed happier person. And some have listened to this, so they tell me. That's great!

I've gotten to know some great people over the last few years who share these interests with me and have the same idea of just enjoying whatever the dirt path takes us to. While I do enjoy many of my walks alone, the company is great too. I love the adventure of exploring as I walk and having an extra set of eyes at times is even better. Of course Angie is my favorite counter-part on these walks but making new friends through this has been amazing. Being 42, taking care of oneself is even more important now... both physically and mentally.

Anyways, enjoy a few photos of recent sightings below here. More to come.

Happy trails!

A long-eared Owl. Probably the most skittish species of Owl that I know of.

A Raccoon sleeping in a tree cavity that might just be a tad too small for him.

A Red-tailed Hawk along a side road.

A Northern Pintail Duck. He's a beauty!

Always a treat to cross paths with White-tailed Deer.

The same Hawk from above. Big beautiful birds of prey.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

Something to think about...

The Cat Carol

The cat wanted in to the warm warm house, but no one would let the cat in, It was cold outside on Christmas Eve. She meowed and meowed by the door.

The cat was not let in the warm warm house, and her tiny cries were ignored. It was a blizzard out, the worst of the year. There was no place for her to hide.

Just then a poor little mouse crept by, he had lost his way in the snow. He was on his last legs and was almost froze.

The cat lifted him with her paw. She said, "Poor mouse, do not be afraid, because this is Christmas Eve. On this freezing night, we both need a friend. I won't hurt you. Stay by my side."

She dug a small hole in an icy drift. This is where they would spend the night. She curled herself 'round her helpless friend, protecting him from the cold.

When Santa came by at the end of the night, the reindeer started to cry. They found the cat lying there in the snow, and they could see that she had died.

He lifted her up from the frozen ground, and placed her into the sleigh.

It was then he saw the little mouse wrapped up. She kept him warm with her fur.

"Oh thank you Santa for finding us... Dear cat, wake up, we are saved!"

"I'm sorry mouse, but your friend has died. There's nothing more we can do."

"On Christmas Eve she gave you her life, the greatest gift of them all."

Santa lifted the cat up into the night sky and laid her to rest among the stars. "Dear mouse, don't cry, you are not alone, you will see your friend every year. Each Christmas a cat constellation will shine... to remind us that her love's still here.

Yes, it's a children's story but we can really learn something from it, and our animal friends.

Have a wonderful holiday season, whoever you are, wherever you are, however you celebrate it.

See you all soon!

Yet Another Moonie Update

2011-12-15T08:53:00.000-05:00

So, Christmas is less than 2 weeks away and it's go go go around here.

We are quite certain this is Moonie's first Christmas. We cannot nail down his age exactly but do know he's not a year old yet. Does he know what Christmas is? Probably not exactly but I do think they feel the energy about this time of the year. Take Misfit (our other Budgie) as an example. Every Christmas season, she spends about 2 weeks waking up at 4:30am on her own, ringing her bell and wanting to get up. And right after New Years, she goes back to her old routine of sleeping in until 7am. What's up with those 2 weeks?

How will it be with Moonie? I guess we will see.

The past couple weeks he's been getting a feel for it; he's been exploring the decorated living room and placed here and there for my own personal entertainment. Why not? It's good interaction for him and I, and I can take some festive pics with my boy in the meantime. Moonie just might make a personal Christmas card one year. He's one easy going bird and mostly goes with the flow.

Other than that, he's just doing his thing... eating, sleeping, and squawking like Budgies do, and his time with Misfit is an adventure on it's own. You never know how she's going to be with him. One day okay, another day she's back to her aggressive self. I still believe they are good for each other as company, even in separate cages, but side by side. Moonie really wants to be her friend and he mimics her at times. When she eats, he eats. When she plays, he plays. He seldom touches his mineral block unless he sees Misfit pecking at hers'. And if I move Misfit from their area as she likes to sit on the kitchen table, he gets quite antsy and vocal until she comes back to the top of the fridge with him. Moonie doesn't seem to care much about being on the table with the kitchen window to look out of... unless Misfit is on the table with him. It's funny really. I mean, Misfit can be pretty aggressive to him but he still wants to be around her. And while Misfit can be the total b*tch, if I move Moonie out to the living room with me, she too will get quite vocal in his absence. And Moonie hears Misfit's calls, and suddenly he wants little to do with me and to return back to his cage. Silly birds.

Well, here's some photos of late, enjoy...

There is a noticeable size difference with these two and I say Moonie is poking fun at Misfit with his "Who's the fat birdy in the house?" pose.

One of their more peaceful moments.

Moonie exploring the Christmas tree for the very first time. He moved around the inside of the tree and popped his head out here and there. The lights do not get hot in case someone wondered.

A close up of a cute moment.

I do wonder what he thinks of all the different shaped/sized and colored ornaments?

He's our little boy and we love him.

Snowy Owl Invasion

2011-12-09T09:07:00.000-05:00

In recent weeks, Snowy Owls are being reported seemingly everywhere. I recon it's an irruption of the Owls and not certain at the moment why they are on the move and settling in around us here in the GTA and other areas.

A female Snowy Owl Angie and I viewed across from a pier in Whitby this month.

While it's amazing to see these beautiful birds of prey; as always, we must use care and respect with them. They are living beings, and while not human, they have emotions too. And simply put, everybody wants to get a photograph of a Snowy Owl... so, yes, take a photo and take home a visual memory of this majestic bird you have encountered. But please limit your time viewing the bird and also keep your distance.

I've only seen two Snowy Owls in the wild myself. Both were in very well protected spots along the lake shore, being surrounded by water. No sane person would dare swim across the near freezing lake at this time of year. And if covered in ice, same thing about attempting to cross it. And the Owls have been at such a distance that nobody is invading their space/comfort zone.

But I have heard stories of other sightings where the Owls are in reach. And people seem to have no concern for the Owls and attempt to approach them for better viewing and better photographs. Not everybody has a mega thousand dollar camera and lens set-up so the photos will never be clear unless you are pretty much face to face with the subject.

People are walking on private property, not caring who owns the farm land the Owl has stopped in on. And this is infuriating to many property owners. Would you want a stranger walking into your backyard because he felt it was his right to see a bird on your property? Imagine you are having your Sunday morning coffee, you look out your kitchen window and find 3 strangers with cameras walking about your backyard. Wouldn't that just piss you right off?

So, wherever you go this winter, and if you see a Snowy Owl since I assume more sightings will be coming about... please enjoy the Owls but respect them, their space and the land owners (if the Owl is on private property).

Here is the very first wild Snowy Owl we have ever seen, back in February of 2010. These are grainy heavily cropped shots but still a lifetime memory for me.

And lastly, with this irruption of Snowy Owls, I must add that some may come into trouble for one reason or another. It's not uncommon for an Owl to be out on the road with a fresh mouse kill as an example. And these birds aren't too familiar with life here in the big city, not exactly knowing the dangers of sitting down to a meal on a roadway. Some may get hit by cars and may need our help. Once again, as an example, and there are many others which I won't get into.

So, if you or someone you know comes into contact with an injured Owl; please view these links on what to do, how to help, who to call, etc. All courtesy of The Owl Foundation. Here is a webpage to help you locate a wildlife rehab centre near you. The link to general information isn't working for me so here is a list for you to review that deal with any encounter, with any Owl or other bird species at any time of the year.

Happy birding!

If you or someone you know has found an injured or otherwise distressed raptor, it is of utmost importance to get in touch with and transfer the animal to a licensed wildlife rehabiliator as soon as possible. This is in the very best interests of any wildlife you find and can mean the difference between life and death.

Please do not attempt rehabilitation of wildlife on your own. Communication with experienced, licensed rehabilitators is key to providing the best care for sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. Licensed rehabilitators have been specially trained for triage, convalescence and paliative care of wild animals.

Most provinces of Canada allow their citizens to hold onto wildlife for a maximum of 24 hours at which time the wildlife must be released or transferred to an authorized wildlife rehabilitator. It is illegal to maintain wildlife beyond this 24 hour limit without special permitting from the Ministry of Natural Resources. These regulations have been set in place to protect our native wildlife from typically well-meaning, but inexperienced people. Animals, especially those injured, sick or orphaned, require special care and medical needs that most people are unable, unwilling or too niave to provide properly.

If you have found a raptor in distress, please visit the Wildlife International page (my link above) for listings of rehabilitators in your area. You may also contact your local Humane Society or Ministry of Natural Resource office for information.

DO NOT FEED OR GIVE WATER TO ANY RAPTOR WITHOUT INSTRUCTION BY AN EXPERIENCED REHABILITATOR.
You can be doing more harm than good. Raptor throat anatomy is very different from yours.
You can drown a raptor by putting fluids and food into the wrong area.

If the bird you have found is showing signs of sickness or injury such as difficulty breathing, bleeding, stumbling, fractures or other trauma, the animal will require immediate medical attention. If you have trouble finding a local rehabilitator, consider contacting your local veterinarian. Many veterinarians can do simple, cheap procedures such as wing wrapping, pain relief and fluid therapy until a rehabilitator can be contacted.

Temporary Housing for Transport to a Rehabilitator:
You Will Need

Cardboard box with lid
Pen or Boxcutter
Towel or other soft cloth
Work gloves

Find a cardboard box approximately half again as long as the bird and twice as wide. The bird should be able to sit upright in the box without bumping its head against the top. The box should not be so large as to allow the bird to walk around. The idea is to keep the bird contained in one spot, but as comfortable as possible. If the box is too big the bird can hurt itself as it fights to escape. Broken wings can be rotated improperly and blood circulation can be cut off.

Prepare the box by punching holes from the inside out along all walls approximately 2/3 of the way up. This will allow ventilation for the bird to breathe while it remains in the box. You don't have to go overboard. Five - ten holes per side, depending on the size of the box, is enough. If you have access to a boxcutter, you can cut one inch holes 2/3 of the way up from the inside out (two - three per side). Place a towel or blanket in the bottom of the box. This provides cushioning, warmth and gripping substrate for the animal.

In most cases an orphaned, sick or injured raptor will be fairly easy to contain by simply picking it up. It is helpful to throw a towel or blanket over the bird as you approach. Scoop the animal and towel up together. The bird should grab the towel, not you. It is suggested that you have a pair of work gloves with you as well since raptors will often use their last bit of strength to protect themselves. Do not leave the towel over the bird once it is contained in the box.

If the bird is capable of walking just a touch too fast to capture single-handedly, ask a friend to help corral the animal into a corner or directly into the box (put the box on its side on the ground).

If the bird cannot sit up in the box, use a second towel to encircle its body and prop its head onto the higher surface like a pillow. This will also keep the bird from falling over during transport.

Keep the box covered (either with a lid or blanket) as raptors have a tendancy to escape.
Maintain the box/bird in a dark area at room temperature (~22ºC/70ºF). Keep the bird from stressful stimulae such as noise, children, pets and television. A stressed hawk will freeze and stare with mouth gaping and wings out, if capable. Owls can display stress in many ways including playing dead, snapping their beaks, hissing and fluffing up. Raptors can pant if stressed. Many scared raptors will show defense tactics such as lunging with their beaks or grabbing with their feet. Be careful.

During transport, do not play music and keep talking to a minimum. Keep an ambient temperature in the vehicle and try to place the box in an area that will not receive direct sunlight.

The rehabilitator you contact will give you further instructions geared toward the species and injury you are dealing with.

AND LASTLY

Baby owls are very cute balls of fluff and can be very accomodating and fun to have around. Don't get sucked in!

These little guys need their parents, not humans. They should never be coddled, petted or passed around. This is stressful and inappropriate. They are wild animals who need to stay wild for successful release back to nature.

Owls are not pets.

Backyard Terrors... but I love them

2011-11-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

So as the cold weather moves in for another season, I definitely notice some changes in my bird feeder activity. You know, some species fly further south until next Spring and for other species this is their southern region. And another change I see is the increase in Hawk activity as it gets more difficult to find mice with the colder weather. And when the snow hits, it gets even worse for them. So, what's a Hawk to do? Check out some local bird feeders for another natural food source... smaller birds!

We get a pair of Coopers Hawks when the snow stays on the ground. And they enjoy a Pigeon feast under my feeders. And personally this doesn't bother me really. I don't hate the Pigeons but there's more than enough of them around and really their etiquette is quite rude.

But before the Coopers pair arrive, I normally see a Sharp-shinned Hawk. And he/she arrived almost on schedule a couple weeks back. And it's funny that with the smaller the Hawk, the bolder they seem to come. Look at him here, just giving me the stare down...

At this moment all I kept thinking was "please don't poop on me".

The above shots were quite a comical moment actually. I was outside filling some bird feeders and since it was a pleasant morning, my little side-kick Meadow joined me. She just loves to partake in anything her daddy does outside or anywhere else really. Ask Angie how Meadow is when we move furniture, set up the Christmas tree, etc.

So, I am filling the feeders and Meadow is looking off to the yard next door as some House Sparrows are bouncing about. Meadow is on a leash/harness set-up and has about 25 ft of length to go about where she chooses... and she's perfectly fine with that.

Suddenly from out of the pines right behind the house comes this Sharp-shin Hawk! And he's swooping right down at Meadow! It's happening so fast but it's like slow motion too. I am frozen as I watch this. Now Meadow is 15 lbs and this Hawk is maybe 3 lbs after a couple Sparrows for lunch. The Hawk really cannot do too much in way of trying to make Meadow his next meal with lots of leftovers. And as he gets close over Meadow, he veers up and over the fence to the yard next door. And my cat is completely oblivious to what had just happened until now as she notices him perched in front of her and staring her down. I can see the excitement in Meadow's face and it's like "oh boy, look at this big bird!" And seconds later the Hawk is coming at Meadow again. Only this time Meadow is ready and jumps up at the Hawk! I wish I was videoing this whole ordeal. Of course Meadow did not catch the Hawk and thankfully with the first strike, the Hawk did not connect his talons with Meadow's back. Sure he couldn't kill/eat Meadow but he could do a serious number on her back and a costly vet bill to me.

The shots above were right after that bit of action as he sat himself on a branch above me and was rather vocal. At first, I did have some idea that this Hawk was starving and desperate. But watching him for some time I realize this was more about a territorial thing and getting a cat out of his potential feeding grounds.

Another morning and another attitude stare at me.

Many backyard bird enthusiasts get pretty upset when a Hawk comes to visit. It creates havoc out there, the little birdies get upset, occasionally get caught and eaten, and for days after the backyard can become pretty quiet. This last bit happened with me after two weeks of this Sharpie hitting my yard for meals. I saw no birds for nearly a week. Was I upset? No. This is the natural way of things. And really, it's something most of us never get a chance to see.

I find Hawks to be beautiful birds. And they do contribute to some population control of certain bird species. See, I get a pair of Northern Cardinals, a pair of Downy Woodpeckers, a pair of Blue Jays and 30 to 50 House Sparrows and European Starlings. I would bet on a Sparrow or Starling getting nabbed over the "special" birds.

On a cold winter morning, sitting in my kitchen with a nice hot coffee; why turn on the television when I have the best nature channel on in the neighbourhood right outside my back door.

This Red-tail Hawk has made a few appearances recently. And she sends everyone running and flying for their lives. She makes the Squirrels cry as they cling tightly to the tree trunks. And she is the one bird of prey that comes around that would have me putting Meadow inside.

I leave you with that thought... to never leave your pets unattended outside, and really no matter the season, because you never know who is watching.

Stealing an Owl ain't cool... and you suck if you disagree!

2011-11-19T00:08:00.003-05:00

I met an Owl recently, actually met her a few times over the past couple years; but with my last visit, I was reminded on how important it is to keep knowledge of anything to do with Owls pretty much a secret from most people.

You might tell someone you totally trust, and they honestly may have the same care/concern for these mystical creatures; but all it takes is to tell one wrong person somewhere down the line and bad things can happen.

I only have bits of this Owl's actual story and will piece it together how I can imagine it unfolded. And after reading this, perhaps another person will realize the importance of protecting these birds from the yahoos of the world.

A Great-horned Owl pair nested in a wooded area near town. People had heard the Owls with their familiar "hoo h'hoos" from dusk til dawn.

A couple who lived very close to where the nightly calls were made let their curiosity get the better of them and decided to seek out these Owls. And luck have it, after a couple nights, they pin-pointed a location and set out the next morning with daylight over them to find the nest. Success! And what a surprise to find a pair of Owl chicks in the nest!

Not wanting to be selfish and keep this marvelous find to themselves, they brought a couple friends to the nest to see it for themselves. And these couple friends told a couple more friends and before long a lot of people knew and saw this nest.

Somewhere through the lines of communication, the nest was told to a couple younger males who also came to see the nest. It was atop a rotted old tree stump not much more than 10 ft or so above ground. After a couple visits with the Owls over a few days, they got talking about how easy it would be to climb right up to that nest. As the conversation continued, ideas on how cool it would be to have an Owl as a pet were brought up from the depths of one's mind. And before you know it, people coming to see the nest discovered that one Owl chick had gone missing. People figured this is the natural way of things and perhaps this young Owl was sick and fallen prey to something through the night. What else could it be? Sure it's unfortunate but that's nature for you. And people watched the remaining chick grow over the next number of weeks.

Little did they know that not too far off, in a shed at a neighbour's home, there were the two males with the missing Owl chick. The Owl being very young quickly became "human imprinted" and mistaking these lads as it's parents. No more was this a wild Owl. It was a human, so it thought. And it seemed perfectly normal to sit in this enclosure (shed) with it's parents and have food and beverage brought to it. Isn't that what all parents do for their young? All the kids love potato chips, soda pop and McDonalds cheeseburgers! This is awesome!

But after a 10 days or so this idea of keeping an Owl as a pet became stupid, boring and too much work. So the boys confided in another man from town and he thought he could do much better with this Owl in his home, not just a shed. No more potato chips for this Owl, it's a meat eating bird, and it shall have meat everyday! Steak, pork chops, chicken thighs and still them cheeseburgers because even the adults about town love them McDonalds cheeseburgers too! Unfortunately the man had a bit of a drinking problem and as he consumed his daily dozen of his favorite brew, he became quite generous with the suds and began feeding the Owl beer as well.

This of course didn't last too long as word got out in the small town. The local veterinarian got involved and figuring that he took care of sick cats and dogs, that he'd be better suited to care for this Owl, and even perhaps save it's life. Humans cannot live on junk food and beer for as long as they hope. How can one think it would be good for an Owl? Yes, without a doubt this Owl surely would die sooner than later under a non-vet's care.

This non-avian doctor did what he could for the Owl. Uncooked ground beef and chicken livers was a daily dietary source must. And water.

I'd like to believe this vet had the Owl for less than a week before his good judgement, and being a doctor for our animal friends, had him make the right decision to turn this Owl over to people who could care for her properly now. And through some contacts and phone calls, the young Great-horned Owl was soon in the care of a Raptor Centre in our province of Ontario.

The Owl lives in an environment now where her happiness comes above all else. She is fed properly with more natural food that an Owl eats in the wild... mice, young chicks, etc... all humanely destroyed (sorry), frozen and fed later on thawed out.

She can never be freed to fly where she chooses, to hunt for her own survival and feel that sense of freedom and independence. Now don't go feeling bad for her now because really, she doesn't know any better.

We cannot paint everyone with the same brush in that town or anywhere else. But really, do we need to take that chance?

Owls are en extremely rare sighting in the greater Toronto area. And the fact that many of the 11 species in this province only come to the area for the winter months (3 to 4 months tops) make it a special treat for those of us who appreciate and respect them. But some get a little too "goo goo ga ga" over the birds and forget about the Owl's safety, or just do not know, and while it's really cool to see one, we must protect them with a code of silence... unless you REALLY REALLY trust another or perhaps you are twice their size and a tad off balance and will tear them a new one if they did something which could bring harm to the Owl.

Anyways, as I said, most of the facts above are true on the story of this Owl. I pieced it together as a story for whoever reads this to absorb and perhaps remember if they ever luck/chance upon an Owl in the wild. Sad, isn't it?

And now meet Octavius the "stolen" Great-horned Owl 5 years later...

Here she is last December at a private photo shoot Angie and I took part in. All money goes to the birds.

You may visit her at Mountsberg's Raptor Centre in Campbellville, just west of Milton.

Northern Saw-whet Owl... life list went up by one!

2011-11-14T15:36:00.000-05:00

On Saturday Angie and I took part in a road trip out Kingston way and were fortunate enough to see our very first Northern Saw-whet Owl in the wild.

We sponsor Luna, the Telus Owl (you may have seen the ads) from the Muskoka Wildlife Centre. And while we have had many visits with Luna, and the last one had her sitting on my head, on my camera lens and on Angie's shoulder... it still doesn't count to us for our life list. We prefer to see one flying wild and free, sitting in a tree. And we need a good 30 seconds or so of viewing a bird, absorbing it into our memory, before we add such bird to the list.

Anyways, we had a good lengthy look at this guy and let's just say Angie got quite emotional about it. They are the most adorable Owl species to be seen in our area. Size comparison would be to a can of Pepsi, only slightly bigger.

I don't know a whole lot about Saw-whet Owls since I've never seen one before until this day.

Here is what I do know, and some other tid-bits I am picking up from allbirds.com.

Much like other Owls, they prefer coniferous trees (trees that don't shed) which include Pines, Cedars and Spruce trees. They might use cavities bored out by Woodpeckers too.

They are incredibly tiny for an Owl, or so I think. And the cutest things I have ever layed eyes upon!

They seem to roost on the lower parts of the trees which keeps them out of view of larger Raptors like Great-horned Owls as an example who unfortunately don't mind have NSWOs for a meal when available.

If you ever come across one of these little Owls, they will sit very still on the tree branch, right up against the trunk. Do not take this for being tame and unafraid. They are actually quite terrified and hope you really aren't seeing them.

Their preferred diet is mice... Deer mice which are a small species. Larger mice that are caught are often eaten in two meals.

So if you ever chance upon seeing one of these beautiful little Owls, please keep a respectable distance from it. And if the Owl starts to make some movement of any kind, you probably have crossed the line and best back away for the safety of the Owl.

There actually is a code of ethics regarding viewing Owls in the wild. It's a special code made for them because of the thrill with people finding Owls and perhaps not realizing the stress they are creating for the Owl. It includes as I said keeping some distance from it, not viewing the Owl for much longer than 30 seconds, flash photography is not acceptable especially on darker days because their eyes are very sensitive, and if you happen to find one at night, no flashlights in their face as you will temporarily blind them... and if frightened they may fly off blindly, injuring themselves by hitting a tree as they flee. And it is important to not share the Owl's location to the world, perhaps to someone you really trust, who also understands the code; because unfortunately far too many people will do what it takes for them to get "that shot" which may harm the Owl and definitely stress them out.

So, here is one photo I got of the Northern Saw-whet Owl. It wasn't easy getting a photo with the dense brush/branches but I am happy with it because it is the very first NSWO I have seen in the wild.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T17:21:00.000-04:00

Wishing you all a very happy and safe Halloween. We've got some computer desktop issues right now so not doing much with photos at the moment. And without my pics, I'm just not blogging. Working with a laptop right now and have to load my Canon program in and get used to this new toy.

But after Halloween is done, here's an idea for those leftover pumpkins. We find this highly entertaining.

Fill them with the things your backyard friends love and watch the show!

Hope to have some great pics from this year's pumpkins in the coming days.

See you all again soon!

Oh, and if you are on Twitter, just signed up and plan to do my own bird and wildlife reports in my travels. Of course discretion will be used on locations of certain species such as Owls and babies through the Spring.

My name on Twitter is... robantheanimals (no room for the D)

Moonie Update

2011-10-23T21:24:00.000-04:00

We just passed our two month anniversary since Moonie joined our flock. I blogged about him back in August as some of you may recall.

Clipping his wings during the transition phase of being in this house really helped. Also just letting him do his thing for a number of weeks was essential.

And it was funny how a number of people told me Moonie was a girl. I had no clue. Even the guy who clipped his wings said he is a she. All I knew was that Moonie was really young.

Well, two days after his one month anniversary into our home, I noticed a little bit of blue on his nose area (I forget the actual term); and I was quite excited, immediately posting on my Facebook page "is happy to announce it's a boy!"

Why the excitement over a boy than a girl? Well, this house has 9 beating hearts within and I am out numbered with noise making females. So, having another male around evens it up a bit. Ha ha! Seriously though, male Budgies are very different than the females. They are calmer and easier to "tame".

I should have known from the beginning that Moonie was a boy. His personality and temperment were/are completely the opposite of Misfit's. But I let things be as they were, under the impression he was a she according to the more experienced; and I took his calmness as something due to his very young age. But upon noticing the blue on his nostrils, I began "working" with him, one on one. And we progressed quickly...

Here is our first bit of bird on hand training. He wasn't minding the interaction at all.

A few days later and he was enjoying the higher views from atop my head.

He's quite content hanging on my shoulder in the morning after some breakfast.

And he seems to have no problem whatsoever napping wherever he feels like. Here he sleeps on top of his cage while I am cleaning out the bottom.

I am hoping for further progress over time with him. He's quite comfortable with me providing his cage is not in view. When he sees it, he wants to return to it. He's not stressed at all when he's out and about; but sure loves his home I suppose. The other morning I stretched out on the couch and he sat on my chest for quite some time, just chilling out with me. I thought that was pretty cool.

I've introduced him to banana with success. I place small bits in his food dish almost every morning and it gets eaten before noon. There is a whole list of fruits and vegetables to try with him, and I will little by little over time.

A bond with him is my reward, as it's something very specialBBudgie, and eternal.

I Walked A Kilometre With Them

2011-10-13T08:49:00.002-04:00

Feeling a need to key away here and not exactly sure on what until skimming over previous posts, I have noticed I missed out on sharing one of the coolest experiences for this year. And that was walking a kilometer with 6 White-tailed Deer!

This happened back on April 4th when walking a stretch of the Humber River. I happened to spot a couple White-tailed Deer just down a hill from me. I took a couple shots from the distance I was at; and then thought why not just walk down there and see what happens? If they get spooked, they will move along quick, and I won't pursue. But maybe they will be okay with my presence... "hey, it could happen" is what I convinced myself with.

As I began to slowly walk down the hill, the two Deer stopped and looked at me which made me stop. But neither bolted for the nearest quick exit, which would be in any direction away from me. So once again I moved in closer... slowly and quietly. I never got close enough to touch them but I sure didn't need to use any zoom with my camera. Not long after getting to the bottom of the hill and taking a number of steps with them did I then notice more Deer... 6 to be exact! I was floored! And they were all pretty cool with my presence, just doing their thing, sniffing and eating, walking along at a very slow pace. They'd pass me on either side, cross in front of me and continued their daily activities. Here are a few photos from that 45 minute moment with them...

Pretty sure this is one of the adult females.

The most curious of the herd was this fellow. At one point he was almost at my finger tips being very curious of me. I reached out my hand and he moved nearer to me. Unfortunately for him, mommy (I am assuming) noticed his approach to me which made her stand on her hind legs and bring a front hoof down across this guy's neck. I am certain she was telling him to back off from approching me. If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it for myself. He did back away and move towards the rest of the Deer.

I walked behind this pair for a short bit as the others slowed to enjoyed the feast about the ground.

Out in the middle of some deep woods and I find this piece of furniture. I ask if there is a smidgen of land not touched or eff'ed up by man on this planet?

It was at this log that I made my decision to be our cut-off point. As much as I didn't want to leave them, I would have to eventually. And as the last one crossed over, I silently thanked them for the moment, before I turned back the way I came.. I probably could have spent all afternoon with them if I really wanted to.

There is so much to see out there, even in woodlands so close to my home, here in Toronto. All one needs to do is keep their eyes and ears opens and their mouth shut. Show respect to the creatures as you walk through their home and you will be blessed with a memory to take home with you.

Thanks on this Day!

2011-10-11T19:52:00.001-04:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Sorry for my absence but life is pretty busy once again. Between some home projects, home/life stress, but also with some really great things of late too that I will share in due time (my list ever increases).

And today, as they say, is a day for thanks. Who/what do you give thanks to?

Of course there are the obvious being our family and friends, those we choose to share our lives with, the ones who give us strength, the ones who bring a smile to our face and this be it a person or an animal.

I am also thankful for the country we live in, I find the beauty within it each month, as every season has something unique to offer us. Autumn is in full "bloom" right now and those who stop and look around to appreciate the beauty surrounding us would definitely be thankful for such sightings as this...

All I could say was "wow!" as I took notice of this tree along Royal York Road in Etobicoke. I like to think Autumn is Mother Nature's last blow out of the year before the winter sets in. Take in the colors before the slate is wiped clean as the trees become bare and the ground is covered in a blanket of snow.

I am thankful for the many organizations who do everything they can to help our "wild" friends. Be it the Toronto Wildlife Centre, the Muskoka Wildlife Centre, the Owl Foundation, Mountsberg Conservation Area and the Canadian Peregrine Foundation (CPF), to name a few.

I am especially thankful to the CPF, allowing Angie and I to volunteer with them wherever we can offer time. Which isn't easy when working shift work. We have tried with some other organizations, but they have expectations of commitment beyond what we can give them. It's not that we do not want to help but giving up every Saturday is not possible, and some want even more than that.

But CPF appreciate any time we can spare. And we don't mind doing the not so glorious chores like cleaning Hawk and Owl enclosures. It's a dirty job but somebody has to do it. And our return for such things is being close to these majestic creatures. To see Peregrine Falcons, an American Kestrel, a Bald Eagle, a Harris Hawk and a few species of Owl all in one visit is awesome. And with time, trust and learning we move up to such things like a couple events they do in the year where they bring awareness to the people about what CPF does, educating on the birds of prey in our area, the importance of these creatures in the wild, and displaying some of their captive bred, human imprinted, educational birds. It is indescribable the feeling of sitting there with a bird of prey on your hand.

Here I am at the Toronto Sportsman Show with Kyla, an American Kestrel, talking to the curious about her species. Something I thought I would never do as I am not much for being the centre of attention. But Kyla helped me through the day.

Here I am with Alexandra the Great-horned Owl at the Woodbridge Fall Fair this past Sunday. A big beautiful bird she is, and only weighing in at 4.5 lbs; but after a couple hours she may as well have been 45 lbs on my hand/wrist. Ouch!

It is always a good time when working with CPF. They are wonderful people and a few of the greatest story tellers I have ever met are in their flock. Work seldom feels like work with this bunch.

So yes, big thanks go to CPF for taking us in this year and may we have many years together.

A "What the ?" moment...

2011-09-23T11:47:00.000-04:00

Well, today is the first day of Autumn. But the signs of it's coming arrival have been apparent for weeks.

Today I had four Downy Woodpeckers in the Lilac Tree. All looked to be females, or maybe juvis... all lacking the red spot on the back of the head. I haven't seen much of the Downys this summer. So while some squawk at the end of summer; I am happy to see their return here.

But now to the reason for my blog today. It's a "What the ?" moment here in my yard. There really isn't much to tell but it is making me wonder about it. Basically I went outside to fill the bird feeders and clean the baths as I do everyday. And a check on one of the feeders had me find it to be rather covered in blood.

As you can see it's on the perch, and the front of the feeder too. And there is even more on the roof.

So, ya, it's a "What the ?" moment here. Was it a Hawk? Maybe a Kestrel? Snagging a bird off the feeder and perhaps the struggle continued as it carried the bird up to a branch above? Maybe it consumed the bird above the feeder? The Hawks have started hitting the backyard in recent weeks as the colder weather moves in.

Another thought is some mammal trying to get into the opening of the feeder from the top and cutting itself on the metal? But the corners of the lid are folded over to prevent such things. It's a smooth rounded edge. But even if it were the case, how much would this creature put up with to get into the feeder, going to the point of injuring itself, and continuing?

Maybe it is an injured animal? But once again, would a bleeding animal go to the trouble of climbing up to this feeder, which is on a pole about 5 feet up, to eat? Isn't eating the last thing on the mind of an injured animal?

I see no carnage below. No remains of any sort. There are Pigeon feathers about but there are ALWAYS Pigeon feathers about.

Yes, definitely a "What the ?" moment that I will ponder in quieter times today.

My Year in Review

2011-09-14T22:49:00.000-04:00

So, it's September 14th, 2011. I am 41 yrs and 364 days old right now. Yup, it's my birthday tomorrow. It's going to be a "wild" birthday for sure but I can't tell you what/why/how right now. I will save that for after the adventures planned.

I know far too many people who really get down on their special day. Personally, it's just another day, and I've really never been one to go all out and celebrate. Why get depressed? You cannot stop the fact that we are growing older with every breath we take.

I would like to share 12 photos with you. One from each month of the past year. And each one has a story to tell. There is a saying... a birth certificate shows we were born, a death certificate shows we died, and photographs show we lived. Enjoy!

September 2010 found Angie and I doing our first Raptor Encounter at Mountsberg Conservation Area when we visited for my birthday. I was in awe to have a Barred Owl sitting on my hand!

October 2010 had us finding an Albino Squirrel living very close to our home. Who needs the famous Trinity Bellwoods Park Albino Squirrel when we have our own? Ha ha!

November 2010 is a tough month. I could show you my comical use of the pumpkins after Halloween, my first Hooded Merganser sighting, our first encounter with the Gray Jays of Algonquin Park or my first meeting with Boo, a European-Eagle Owl I discovered at the Kortright Centre being housed at the barn of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation... which actually should be a blog on it's own with the chain of events that followed the day I first saw Boo. I have decided to share one of my pumpkin photos as it may give a reader the idea to do the same thing. I found it entertaining and hope someone else might. Yes, there be seeds inside...

December 2010 had me seeing a Coopers Hawk feast on a Pigeon in the backyard. Not the first time but the first for the winter season and many many more kills followed over the next three months.

January 2011 is a no brainer for me. I don't even need to look over the albums to know the moment of the month. It was seeing a pair of Long-eared Owls hanging out in a Spruce Tree near my home.

February 2011 could be a toss up as I went on a trip with Angie and Authentic Canadian Tours to the Nanticoke area where I saw my first ever wild Bald Eagles and Short-eared Owls AND Tufted Titmouse. But I also had the joy of discovering a pair of American Kestrels near home and spent a couple weeks watching them. Then, really, the moment is one I recently blogged about, which was me seeing a Northern Shrike for the very first time.

March 2011 is another stumper. I saw my first Eastern Screech Owls this month, and actually saw 3 different ones. I volunteered with the Canadian Peregrine Foundation at the Toronto Sportsmen Show, assisting in displaying the birds of prey to the public and got another meeting with Boo. And our first visit to an area in Whitby where we met a wild Barred Owl, who was probably the most photographed Owl in Ontario at the time (and didn't give a hoot about the attention); and "Jack" the hand-tamed Blue Jay. Owls are freaking awesome of course! But to have a Blue Jay jump in your hand... now that's beyond awesome!

April 2011 had some great early moments of Spring migration. From Turkey Vultures up close, to a Pine Warbler, to an Eastern Bluebird, more Screech Owl sightings but the moment of this month is when I happened to take a walk with 6 White-tailed Deer for over 45 mins and perhaps a kilometre or so. I am actually blogging about this story on it's own. I just need to sit down and finish it. This one was the most curious of me in the group. I almost had him eating from my hand.

May 2011 surely must be our trip to Point Pelee National Park for Spring migration. It's a magical place for any birder! Warblers, Warblers and more Warblers. I had so many firsts in that trip. But the Raccoon family I found in a tree cavity is another moment I won't soon forget. And then there were those weekends in Cayuga at Ruthven Park, participating in bird banding and actually banding some birds. In the end though, the Warblers win. I always wanted to see a Blackburnian Warbler of all of the species and I did; the other 15+ was about as great with so many added to my life list.

June 2011 had us at Mountsberg for Angie's birthday and we got to take some of our Owl friends for a walk about the grounds. But we also spent time with the Canadian Peregrine Foundation doing Falcon Fledge Watches. Yes, them Owls rock! But the continuing story of us with CPF and them Falcons takes it for this month. Spending hours on the ground watching those young Falcons like we were their parents. One can't help but not grow attached to them even with hundreds of feet in air space separating us. It also gave us some great quality time with some new people who are becoming friends of ours. Here is one of the Falcons at Etobicoke General Hospital, her name is Rain.

July 2011 was a slow month. It's too darn hot hazy and humid. There's nothing going on out there... or is there? We lost one of the Fire-belly Toads to old age (RIP Kermy). I had some amazing moments with Cedar Waxwings near home. I discovered a family of Red-tail Hawks around the corner from home. But the moment of July was discovering a pair of Chipmunks visiting our backyard. Entertaining little creatures and only once before, about 4 years ago, did we have one running around for a week.

August had me seeing so many Indigo Buntings beyond my imagination. I was finding them in every area I visited north of the city. I watched the Red-tail Hawk family for a few more weeks. Had a great sighting of an Osprey parading the sky with a large fish in it's talons. Moonie, our newest Budgie (I recently blogged about her), arrived in our backyard one day and was caught almost immediately. I got carried away in the world of Dragonflies, discovering so many species in our area. But the moment of the month was finding a nest full of baby American Goldfinches. They were maybe 10 days old. I had an amazing view of them in a large bush with a clear opening to the nest. Sure I've seen baby Robins and baby Red-winged Blackbirds before... but nothing like this. They were so tiny! I kept my distance but the parents were still stressed. I took a few photos, watched them for a few minutes and then left feeling grateful for what was shown to me.

Now we are back to September again. What can I say? The month isn't even half over. I've been participating in some Hawk Watches with a few others... just enjoying the high numbers of migrating birds of prey flying over our city and south over the lake. I've found a number of really cool spiders and a Monarch Caterpillar; both of which I haven't seen in decades it seems. And have been enjoying some moments with the Chipmunks before they go into hibernation. But there are two more weeks of September to go. And it's actually the start of a new year, the year in review for my next birthday. I think I will share one of my favorite photos from the month so far. A tranquil moment with one of our resident Chipmunks.

Fall Migration Hawk Watches

2011-09-11T20:49:00.003-04:00

Well, it's not officially fall yet; but sure feeling like it more and more, and definitely looking like it if you stop and take notice to things going on in the wild world around us.

European Starlings are showing their "winter colors" already turning speckled. Some bird types are starting to flock up, like the Black-capped Chickadees who are making their presence more often to the bird feeders. Also seeing the return of Downy Woodpeckers to the backyard.

And if you visit some of the parks along the lake in the GTA such as Rosetta McClain Gardens in Scarborough, Lynde Shores in Whitby, High Park in Toronto and I would like to know if there are some in Etobicoke or further west as well; you will see small groups of people gathered, with binoculars in hand and maybe some big cameras... they are doing "Hawk Watches".

Funny that they are called "Hawk Watches" when all birds of prey species are being observed which also includes Eagles, Falcons and Turkey Vultures.

Angie and I took part for a couple hours in one at Rosetta McClain Gardens on Labor Day weekend. A great bunch of people doing it and while many of the birds do fly high above... you just can't help but get into it. I anxiously waited what raptors would fly over our heads at any given time. All heading south as the weather slowly changes.

You name it, we saw it... Bald Eagles (young ones when I was there), Osprey, and so many Sharp-shinned Hawks along with Coopers, Red-tails, Broad-winged and Northern Harriers. Throw in American Kestrels and Merlins for good measure. It's a wonder we saw any other birds hanging around while these raptors flew over head.

This is a young Bald Eagle... perhaps a 2 or 3 year old. They don't get the white head until the age of 5.

An Osprey I saw with a fish in it's talons... not taken on this day. But there were a number of these flying overhead too.

A few days later I was at Lynde Shores searching other migrants like Warbler species and Hummingbirds; and was pleasantly surprised to find another Hawk Watch on the go. I witnessed Turkey Vultures, an adult Bald Eagle and some Sharp-shins.

I've never been to the High Park one. Word is they act like it's an exclusive thing, members only, and snub any outsiders. As I said, I have never been, but word from many is the same... strangers and non-professional birders not welcomed.

I guess I do my own Hawk Watch all year long. I am always on the look out for these bigger birds in the area. And I do notice certain times when more are around. But it's all a learning for me too. And while watching so many migrate further south than where we are, I do find many more around the GTA in the colder months. Look at my backyard as an example... it's a blood bath for them Pigeons as soon as the snow falls.

I am in awe to see Bald Eagles flying over me at this time of year. A bird I was fascinated with as a kid, learning of their near extinction back in the 70's, and always dreamed of seeing one.

So, if you happen to be around the lakeshore over the next few weeks, look up above, and you just might see something really big, beautiful and cool that is a bird of prey. It's okay if you aren't certain what species it is, you might want to learn more about them after such a sighting. I know I do.

Enjoy!

A Sharp-shin Hawk flying higher up over Rosetta McClain Gardens.

And another of the dozens of Sharpies I saw there. Too far out for a great shot but the more or less silhouette shots are pretty cool. You get the idea of what we are looking at.

Good numbers of American Kestrels were spotted through my time at the watch. Small birds of prey, too hard with my lens, so I am sharing one pic I took near home earlier in the year. The most colorful bird of prey we have!

Even flocks of Canada Geese fly over as they move further south before the weather turns really cold.

And yet other non-raptor species are on the move too. My Baltimore Orioles left almost two weeks ago. But to see such beauties as these is great during migration... a female Scarlet Tanager!

And the Hummingbirds are on the move too! Just females to be seen now as the males left a couple weeks earlier.

More and more Turkey Vultures can be seen over Toronto right now. I really should do a blog on these birds being here... because they really are a tropical bird!

I took dozens of shots but with them so high above, how many silhouettes do you want to see? This one came out pretty good. Debating on the species... Coopers or Sharp-shin?

But with all these migrating species, let's not forget our year round beauties like this male Northern Cardinal.

Bugs Bugs and more Bugs...

2011-09-06T21:41:00.001-04:00

Wow, my second blog in 24 hours! Holy! Anyways, enjoy!

In the summer, as nesting season ends for the birds, and the leaves fill in the trees... it really is difficult to have a great day of "birding". I discovered a couple years ago how cool it is to photograph insects during the warmer months. It's mind blowing to what many of these tiny creatures look like when their images are blown up on a computer screen. Mother Nature is one for detail!

Today I found a Black and Yellow Argiope (Garden Spider) in Whitby. A big beautiful Spider for sure.

It's funny because a friend of mine sent me an image of one over my phone that he photo'd the day before at his in-laws. I had some envy as I am always hoping to see different creatures of the wild in my travels. It's been years since I have seen a Spider as big and interesting looking as this one. How funny is it to have one sent to me over e-mail and then I find one the very next day.

About two weeks ago something similar happened with me and the Praying Mantis. Someone was talking with me about having a number of them in her backyard. I made mention of not seeing a Mantis in probably twenty years or more and how I had hoped to see one again soon (since I love photoing insects). And what happens? Soon after I find myself in the company of one Praying Mantis! I did get the bonus package as this one had in it's clutches a Cicada, and he wasn't letting go, no matter how much the Cicada fought to free itself.

You can see in this close up now that the Mantis had chewed it's way through the exterior of the Cicada to get to the good meaty stuff inside.

The Mantis blends in so well. I only noticed this because the Cicada was flying hard to get out of it's grasp. I heard the loud buzzing of wings. And then I saw the Cicada, which looked like it was stuck to a piece of grass. Of course this really got me interested in what was really going on; because how could a large bug like a Cicada be stuck to a blade of grass? Man was I surprised and delighted! I thought about breaking up the battle at first, but this is nature, and the Mantis has to eat. The Cicada was at the end of it's life cycle anyways so why not feed another over rotting on the ground?

Dragonflies were in abundance this summer. I saw many species. But the White-faced Meadowhawk has to be one of my faves now. The red and black body is stunning! Dragonflies eat Mosquitoes... so let's give a cheer to the Dragonflies!

Not sure of this species.

And yet another insect that started with someone sending me a picture of one they saw around their home. We learned this is called a "Bee Fly". And what a large fly it is! Once again I was envious of their find; but within days I had myself finding one in a field near home. Funny how this has worked out for me with the insects. If only it worked as so with the Red Fox. I have been looking for Fox to photo all year but with no luck. There's even one who walks my street from time to time, in broad daylight, but I have never been ready for it. Ah well...

Japanese Beetles. An introduced pest of a species... so I have been told. Yes, you are seeing double here, actually quadruple! Interesting looking creatures, eh.

A cool accidental shot I got of a Bumble Bee flying into the Bee Balm plant I have out back.

This could be another Meadowhawk if I am not mistaken.

A Red Lily-Leaf Beetle. A new one for me! And one last odd ball story to go with it. The day before I found this guy in my garden, and yes, he was eating my Lillies... I had heard about them on the morning news radio (680 News). I thought "wow, what the heck does this bug look like?" And lo and behold, one day later, I find one feasting on my plants! Mixed emotions about the whole thing really. You know, cool to see, but darn it all to hell for eating my plants!

So, for a lover of nature and photography, there is always something out there to see and photograph. Sure bugs are just that... bugs... and nuisances to say the least. But they are interesting. They are certainly detailed. And they all serve some kind of purpose on Earth.

New Backyard Rescue Budgie

2011-09-05T21:01:00.001-04:00

Meet Moonie... our new Budgie!

On Wednesday August 17th, Angie noticed a little Budgie out in the backyard. And within 45 minutes I had the Budgie in the house with us.

This is the third Budgie we know of to visit the bird feeders out back in four years now. Misfit was the first, who is still with us. A second Budgie was spotted last September for one day and never seen again. Now this one shows up. Boy, for a couple bird nerds like Angie and I who said we'd never own birds to suddenly now have two is a bit of a mind $#@%!

But how can one not help? And yes, a Budgie in the wild, in Toronto does need help. First off, they are captive born, and don't have necessary survival skills needed. Second, they are native to warmer climates and almost certainly would not survive our sometimes lengthy frigid winters.

But Misfit survived four plus warm months out back. And when I brought her in, what a wild bird she was. It took months upon months of working with her to bring her around to some point of trust in us. She sure looked like hell too, very weather beaten, and tired from her continuous struggle for survival amongst the variety of species she had to fight with for food.

And with Moonie, it's easy to tell she hasn't been outside for very long. And that she is a young Budgie, probably in the age range of about 4 to 7 months old. She's just got that really clean baby fluffy look about her. And the simple fact she is very much the opposite of how wild and aggressive Misfit was. Moonie is a gentle, submissive kind of bird.

The day after I caught her, I took her to a pet store in Mississauga for a wing clipping. I thought it be best for us all in case she ever got out of the cage on us. This transition stage can be rough. She needs to adjust to her new surroundings and her new flock. And with good working flying wings, she can be a handful at times when I am tending to her cage, and fly out. It's easier to catch a fluttering bird than a flying one. And our ride to the pet place some 20 minute drive from home was unbelievable! She is so go with the flow, take life as it comes at her, I was in awe. No bump in the road, braking for a light, or anything else bothered her. And when I accelerated she opened her wings slightly more like feeling the force lift her wings. Look at this photo... is she not one UNstressed bird riding in the truck with me (I am sitting at Islington and Dundas with her on a red here though).

So 48 hours later, both birds were very well aware of the others' presence. I thought a little more of an introduction might help

Unfortunately over the last couple weeks, we are realizing that housing the two birds together in the same cage just isn't going to happen. Misfit's mood swings from okay with things to darn right pissed off and ready to kill this bird. I've seen them sit for 90 minutes with no squabbling whatsoever and the next time locking beak to beak, high screeches, Misfit pounding her beak on the perch between them, and seemingly trying to de-feather Moonie by pulling at her chest feathers.

So, we've now decided that it's best to keep them in separate cages. They get along fine this way, cages next to each other, and there are no squabbles... and no fear of any physical harm coming to one of them. They tweet and play, eat, drink and sleep just fine. Misfit gets her fly time while Moonie stays locked up. As Moonie gets more comfortable with everything, she will get her time out as well (while Misfit is locked up).

But this is our limit. Two birds is enough. Having a cat, a newt and three Toads as well. Yes, we are done. The zoo is closed.

But if another Budgie or other pet bird flies into the yard, I will most certainly try to catch it. And if I succeed in doing so, I will do everything to find it a home... if not the actual owner. Sad really that there is always a spare bird cage in the house for such incidents.

People need to educate themselves before buying any pet. The thought of a cute little Budgie sitting in it's cage and singing all day like Tweety from the Looney Tunes is way off. Having one that will sit on your finger, do as you say, and never fly away is wrong. An open window or door to a bird in a house is way too tempting.

The fact there are people breeding birds and animals for money, to be sold to others who have no idea how to care for the creature, and missing the fact that this is a life long commitment (or should be) is just wrong.

I guess if I want this to NOT happen again is to take down all our bird feeders. I recon the noise of the others here singing and feeding draws the lost ones in. And I sit and wonder about Moonie, where she came from, picturing her flying high above the houses, being so young and lost (though she has no idea she is lost) and well pretty much oblivious to the big world she is soaring over, how dangerous it can be. And how lucky she is to have landed here. And yes, how lucky we are to have her with us now too. She's a funny little thing.

Last bit, Angie just pointed something really interesting out to me. Meadow's birthday, so I figured, since I got her so young, is July 17th. I caught Misfit on September 17th. And now Moonie was caught on August 17th. Hmmmmmm....

M6n Moment August 25, 2011

2011-08-25T10:49:00.001-04:00

Working on some stories but for the moment I thought I would share something from today, and in future with such special sightings I will title the blog the same...

Today I spotted at least 7 Baltimore Orioles in the backyard! There might even have been 8. August is coming to an end, and I know the Orioles are preparing for fall migration. It makes me sad to see them go but it also gives me something to look forward to next year as Spring arrives and once again so do they.

Other species visiting today include Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, House Sparrows and American Goldfinches. Oh, and of course, the Rock Dove, more known as Pigeon. Ring-billed Gulls and a Killdeer were seen flying overhead.

I am curious where the Mourning Doves and House Finches are of late? It's been some time since I recall seeing either. Hmmmmmm?

Here are a few pics from the yard this week... thanks for looking, see you again soon!

A male adult Baltimore Oriole. Two for certain have been visiting this summer.

The Black-capped Chickadees have been making more frequent visits as August moves along. The little guys are starting to flock for the coming cold months.

An adult male Northern Cardinal who frequents the feeders daily.

An adult male Hairy Woodpecker who has trained me in giving him shelled peanuts in the same spot whenever he announces his arrival to the backyard. Did you really think I trained him? C'mon!

Another Baltimore Oriole. I am guessing a young male. Four of them were poking their heads out of the cedars this morning. Also know at least two females visit. So yes, we are now up to 8 Orioles this August. Last August our record was 5.

Perhaps not the most exciting blog from me but if not anything else, it lets you all know I am still around.

Red-tail Hawks on my block!

2011-08-07T21:53:00.000-04:00

So, the high humidity has kept me closer to home these days. And with the awful cat slaughter at one of my more frequent areas to visit (see blog). I've ventured into other areas with less people traffic I know of very close to home. No public pools here for the masses to cool themselves with. There is one small playground with some swings, jungle gym and a slide that goes quite un-noticed. A few trails go off towards the Humber River and occasionally I see dog walkers but not many.

I guess it's not a very desirable area to most with the hydro field and north travel is blocked by a rail line which is, of course, fenced off. And lucky for me as it's got a nice selection of birds in the area. An abundance of berry producing shrubs make it a good meal spot for a number of Cedar Waxwings and American Robins. Black-capped Chickadees, Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, American Goldfinches and Eastern Kingbirds all reside in this area. I've even seen Grey Catbirds too! One can watch Chimney Swifts, Tree, Cliff and Barn Swallows constantly fly over as well.

A quite young Catbird I found 2 weeks ago

There are a wide variety of insects in the area like this 12 Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly

And this Bee Fly is pretty awesome too!

But the coolest thing to see and can't help but distinctly hear the screech of are a pair of Red-tail Hawks and their young'un. Big beautiful birds soaring the skies, overlooking the fields below and often sitting atop trees and hydro towers. I've seen them every visit now for a couple weeks. And most of the time they are out of reach of my camera lens but still a sight to see with my own eyes. Please enjoy a few cropped shots I am posting here of this beautiful pair before I return with some words...

I am always looking to the sky for my first sightings of these guys

And from this, I usually find a place or two they are landing in

Here is the second one. Quick looks leave me guessing who is the mother, father or baby.

They sure talk to each other a lot.

And not too often do I get to witness something like this...

And seconds later this which has me thinking I was quite excited to witness and probably shaking as I try to capture the best in flight shot ever and did not succeed (but it was still amazing to watch).

I know without a doubt that the adult pair were visiting my backyard last winter and enjoying the occasional Pigeon meal. I was fortunate to come home from work one afternoon to find them right after a fresh kill and watched them for over half an hour with their meal. Between my house and where I see this pair now is much to close to have a second pair.

One of them outside my kitchen window with a Pigeon wing he tore off and flew to the tree branch with. The other stayed on the ground with the rest of the carcass.

Watching this pair has me reassuring myself on my decision that if Canada were to have a national bird... the Red-tail Hawk must be it. I blogged about that last year. Do you agree?

I can spend lengthy amounts of time watching these birds just going about their day over this park. It's so easy to forget the outside world when in the presence of them despite the sounds of cars down the road and planes overhead. People just don't exist to me in this moment. I hope to have some more pics and maybe a Hawk adventure to share in the coming weeks.

Opossum visitor and article

2011-08-02T08:31:00.000-04:00

I did a phone interview not long ago about Opossums seeing as we had one in the backyard quite often through the winter months. The article finally was published and here it is

Our Opossum was noticed some time back in November of 2010. The first time was in the early morning and it was under one of my bird feeders. I was stunned to see it and so excited too! I rarely see Opossums in my travels minus the ones that didn't make it across a road. So yes, seeing a live one was really cool! It was a morning of freezing rain so I didn't stay out too long with the camera. It stayed out there for some time and then probably went off to sleep some place.

February rolls around and it's a Wednesday afternoon, wind chill temperatures in around -30c and looking out to the backyard after I got home from work I see this 'Possum once again. I am stoked! I have a new camera/lens (much thanks to Angie) so off I go out there. Of course I love to just watch these creatures but to get a couple nice pics is great for memories. That's one thing I have to say about me photoing wildlife, yes I love to get nice pics, but looking back at my photos over the years, I can still be taken back to a certain time and place, and have fond memories of a moment away from the world of humans.

My first good look at her once I got outside.

So as I watched this little critter have it's meal of spilled seed I am once again thinking of how fortunate we are to live in an area of Toronto where there is so much wildlife around us if we just stop for a moment in our busy lives. Look at that nose! What a cutie!

They have a long rat-like tail and very sharp teeth which often leave people thinking they are nasty aggressive creatures. In fact they are quite the opposite. Ever hear of the term "playing 'possum"? They can play dead in some situations. But more often they will dart away to safety than fight anything. Here she is eating the nyjer. Yep, lots of teeth in there.

I saw her a number of times over the remaining weeks of winter and usually in the hours of 3pm to 7pm. She must've been quite cold and hungry to come out during the day time since Opossums are nocturnal creatures (night creatures). I was happy Angie got to see her finally after my first few sightings were right after work and Ang wasn't home yet. Look at those eyes! Don't they just melt you? We named her "Virginia". This species is actually called "Virginia Opossum"... how convenient.

I see an Opossum some nights when I come home from work (being on very different hours than back in the winter). I'd like to think it's her. She's been sitting on my driveway a couple times, and once with a Raccoon. It was kinda funny to see them, no fighting, just sitting there together, probably chatting about what's on the menu in the neighbourhood. But, as my headlights get a fix on her when I am nearing my drive, she darts off into the darkness. "Good night" is what runs through my mind as I turn into the driveway.

A very good reason to be wary of letting your cat outdoors

2011-07-27T11:19:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, this past Sunday morning had Angie and I being reminded of one of the horrible reasons why to be wary of allowing a cat to roam free on it's own outdoors. Never mind the fear of running into traffic or that a larger animal of some sort might harm your kitty. This reason sickens me so... the fact that another human may do some very horrible things to your beloved pet.

That is what we found. I will skip much of the gory details but let's just say this cat had been bound, tortured and quite possibly drowned in the end or disposed of in the water after the person killed it.

The morning was going so well before this! The humidity had broken and we enjoyed two coffees sitting on the back deck calling it a perfect summer morning. Before going to get groceries we decided to visit Smythe Park for a quick check at the ponds in hopes of Angie seeing the Great Blue Heron that I'd seen a number of times in recent weeks. And we did see him! And he was maybe 20 to 30 feet from us. A great viewing of this magnificent creature!

But, on our way in we noticed a dead animal off the side of the road, at the edge of the first pond. On our way out is when we stopped to investigate fearing it was one of the resident Beavers and discovered the horror that lay beneath this pillow case. We agreed this was no way for a cat to left out for the world to see... and there is a public pool in the park which would be opening soon and a child might stumble upon this as well. Angie disposed of the cat in one of our cloth grocery bags and placed in the garbage can nearby. What more could we do?

Well, after getting groceries and dropping Ang off at home, I went up to 12 Division and reported the find to an officer. I wasn't sure how much action would be taken with this seeing as little of a report was taken down other than a scribble on some paper of the park name and where the cat was. That was on Sunday, today is Wednesday and the story has made the local news. It's on the OSPCA website now as well. I called their 800 number this morning and corrected a few details that are showing in the various newspapers and on-line links. I am not sure if this is critical information or not but it does change the story a bit.

See, the cat was left out in the open. A pillow case was over part of the body at the edge of the pond. There were a couple garbage bags as well. The black cloth bag was ours and it was us (well Angie) who put it in the garbage can. The people handling this investigation also have our home number and my name.

So a part of me feels better that this is not going un-noticed. But I still feel awful about what we found. I can't imagine the terror that poor cat went through. Some people think cats are just dumb animals, but it lives, breathes, feels and bleeds like a person... all animals do.

It's going to take me some time to push this to the back of my mind. I enjoy that park very much. It's not a groomed park like another favorite place of mine being James Gardens which leads into Lambton Woods. And I think with the un-manicured grounds, it attracts more wildlife. There are a lot more insects in that park and this brings in a lot more birds.

I visited the park yesterday, saw the Heron again, but my drive in and out of the park had me scoping the grounds on both sides for any more animal horrors. It's not exactly what I want in my mind when out on a nature walk.

I wonder who owned this cat? Was it a feral? Doesn't really matter. But suppose it was someone's cat? And that someone adored that cat as much as I do with Meadow? The difference being is that I won't let Meadow roam outside unsupervised. But that doesn't mean the person who may have owned this cat didn't love it as much.

So, yes, Meadow does go outside, but only under supervision as I mentioned, and she is on a harness with about 25 ft of leash tied near the deck. She has lots of room to roam in the backyard but can't ever stray out of it. She is quite happy with the situation, it's been that way for her for as long as she's ever gone outside. I am happy with knowing she's safe and this won't happen to her. Occasionally someone tells me I am mean for what I do with her, but seriously, look at her outside on her harness here... does she look unhappy?

I just hope that this person is found. The thoughts of someone doing this again makes me ill. To know someone in my neighbourhood is capable of such actions more than upsets me.

I let a few friends of mine know what we found that day as they frequent Smythe. The media is now spreading the word to the public.

Let them be found or perhaps karma will step in soon?

Raccoon Family Portrait also entered in the Green Party Calendar Contest

2011-07-23T14:33:00.007-04:00

I have also entered a second photo in the Green Party of Ontario's calendar contest. Well, actually there are 11 of my photos entered. But this one is doing very well being about 40 votes behind the Long-eared Owl photo (see my blog right below this one) and has 216 votes and just checking the Owl has 251.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Approximately 93 people entered 460 or so photos in total for the calendar contest. I am hoping one of these two are in the final 12 for the 2012 edition.

I waited all Spring for this photo I got of a Raccoon family in a tree cavity and I am very happy with it. It's just not something you see everyday and if you miss them this Spring, you have to wait almost another year for another chance.

So, if you have a moment, please click here and then click on the hearts for your rating. I should add that this contest runs until July 31, 2011 and people can vote daily on any photos they want to win. Hint hint. :) Well, only if you have the time and feel this is calendar worthy.

Thanks again! I will post the results when I know.

Here's a couple others of mine that were entered with a good number of votes but nothing like the Owl and Raccoon family.

A pretty little male Eastern Bluebird I photo'd at Point Pelee National Park who has 120 votes as of today.

A pair of Barn Swallows in a mating moment with 85 votes.

A Great Blue Heron I see often near my home also has 120 votes.

Long-eared Owl and The Green Party

2011-07-21T11:51:00.010-04:00

A short bit here. The Green Party of Ontario is having a calendar contest and a few of my photos have been entered in it. What do I get if I win? A photo published with credentials and the joy of seeing another photo of mine printed elsewhere.

This photo I took of a Long-eared Owl is doing very well and perhaps some of you might help keep it in the final twelve? All you have to do is click here and then click on the hearts at the top left of the photo. Clicking for 5 hearts meaning "awesome photo" would be greatly appreciated. But only click awesome if you feel as such.

Thanks!

Said "Goodbye" to family member and "Hello" to 2 new adoptees

2011-07-20T08:19:00.011-04:00

Sometime in the wee morning hours of Saturday July 16th my little Fire-belly Toad named "Kermy" passed away. He was up in around the age of 13. I can't say for exact but this is pretty close seeing as I rescued him and 5 of his friends from a royal flush 8 years ago and I knew him for a number of years before this. How someone could just walk away from all their animals in hopes of a cooler, more hip lifestyle is beyond me. The person they were left in the care of had enough of them after about a month and called me up to take them or down the toilet they were all going. So, 8 years later Kermy has joined the others down at the back of the yard. He joins Robin and Fatso, both Fire-bellies as well, along with Bitch and Alice who were newts. Ralphie, a newt, is the only surviving member of the "Original Six".

While Kermy had no real emotional attachment with me, I liked the little guy and will miss his antics. From the barking all hours of the night to even feeding him as it becomes a part of your life every two days to do so.

Unfortunately at this moment I can't find a photo of Kermy in my files but I know I have a few. I want to add that my mother, with a little help from my father made this memorial garden stone for us which I love... one for the meaning of it and secondly because of the thought put into it. My parents are animal lovers but probably not to the degree that I am... I just don't see them finding the thrill of having some Toads and Newts living in the kitchen as I do.

The tank became quiet after his passing. It's just Muddy, who is also a Fire-belly; and Ralphie the Newt. Muddy doesn't talk to Ralphie, and well, Ralphie just can't talk.

So on Monday I went and added a couple new members to the tank, both being Toads. Why not another newt? As much as I like newts, the feeding of blood worms is a messier job. If I had to rescue one, there'd be no question though.

First off is "Ash". He is a Fire-belly Toad. A little guy being about half the size of Muddy. Ash spent the first day in his new home exploring everything within the tank. A few hours before lights out for them, I found him already sleeping on one of the rocks. It's not often that I see any of these guys sleeping. My worst fears surface when I do because it's such a rare sighting. I've come to discover he's got a bigger appetite than all the others.

This photo below explains the name "Fire-belly" for sure. And part of the reason I went with Ash, also the main character in the Evil Dead Trilogy that I enjoy so much. I almost went with the name "Cynder" and most of my Facebook friends were voting on this name... but Ash was my initial choice and it stuck with me. Researching a bit on these Fire-bellies and some claim to feed your crickets more carrots and it in turn will enrich the colors on the Toad's underside. I have heard such things with birds and certain berries they eat. But that will make me wonder why my Baltimore Orioles haven't turned purple yet since they love grape jelly more than the naval oranges?

Second up is the next new member, who is a European Yellow-bellied Toad. Angie has claimed this guy to be her's and also named him "Wan-Wan". I think it's a Harry Potter reference but she can correct me if I am wrong.

I don't know much about this kind of Toad but recon he's not a whole lot different than the Fire-bellies in way of care. He seems like a cool little Toad, pretty easy going and with a good appetite.

I hope both these guys are with us for many years to come.

Here's Wan-Wan although I will be calling his just Wan for short.

Yes, that sure is a yellow belly alright.

As you can see, Muddy isn't minding his new friends, as Ash hangs with him.

And of course I cannot go without showing you Ralphie. Did you know I named him and his side-kick of the same species Alice (RIP) as a tribute to my love for The Honeymooners. Ralphie rolls out better for him than just Ralph though.

Summer so far...

2011-07-17T21:48:00.027-04:00

Wow, here we are just passing through mid-July. The summer is moving along quick and the heat sure is on now.

I sit back and ponder what I've done, where I've been, what I've seen and where do I begin?

A couple trips to the Carden Area up in Kirkfield, Ontario started the season off. Once with Angie and again on my own. Wylie Road, as I blogged about before, is a great birding spot of a dusty road being approximately 10kms long. I go there mainly for the Eastern Bluebirds, hope to see a Loggerhead Shrike and enjoy anything and everything else that I cross paths with.

The local swamp being minutes from my home has been another favorite spot for wildlife the past couple months and it's mind blowing what this smelly chunk of land has to offer in wildlife sightings. The few of us who frequent this area call it the neighborhood's best kept secret. It seems as the city has let this park grow wild, and with the swampy waters, insects thrive, which draw in many species of birds and amphibians. One of my favorite summertime residents here is a Great Blue Heron. I actually took this photograph from my truck when driving into the park. He's a bold old bird and doesn't spook easily. I also like to think my gentle and respectful approach to nature helps.

He shares the swamp and ponds with many others including Beavers, Muskrats, Snapping Turtles, Painted Turtles, a Red-eared Slider Turtle, Catfish, Frogs, Toads and so many species of birds. The Red-eared Slider is not native to our region, which means he was someone's pet and for one reason or another, he's been disposed of in the ponds to survive on his own.

I've had some great experiences with Cedar Waxwings in recent weeks. Anyone who may have read a blog I posted not long ago about Raccoons and other masked creatures might remember these birds were mentioned in it. Finding some small flocks and able to spend more than an hour per time with them watching them fly, hunt, hover, feed, etc. was awesome!

A few weeks had me volunteering any spare time I could afford to the Canadian Peregrine Foundation and their Falcon Fledge Watch program. First location I participated in the watch was at Islington and Bloor Street in Etobicoke at the Sunlife Building. A pair of Falcons had a nest with three chicks. And as the chicks grew, and it was nearing time for them to take flight, the CPF and volunteers take to the streets below in order to help any young Falcons who may get into trouble over the first few days of flying. Peregrines are an endangered bird, who much like the Bald Eagle, suffered massive loss in numbers through the 60's with the use of DDT. Often having infertile eggs through nesting time and occasional poisonings too. Their numbers are growing these days but still have a ways to go before they can be removed from the endangered and after the threatened list. Did you know that during World War Two, Peregrines in England were often shot out of the sky because a main source in their diet is Pigeon. The army used carrier Pigeons to help deliver messages to and from base camps and allies. So, when a message was sent out with a Pigeon, only to see a Peregrine come and snag the Pigeon for lunch and the message was lost... it was then man also interfered with the Peregrines by shooting any on sight.

Here is the whole family at the Sunlife Building. Dad is on the lower glass, Mom is on the camera to the right, and the three young'uns are lined along the ledge. This ledge is 19 stories up so pardon the not so close shot.

About a week and a half later I was up at Etobicoke General in Rexdale, Ontario on another Falcon Watch with the CPF. In both watches, I never saw an incident where one of the babies got into any sort of trouble and need of rescue. But there was a couple times the CPF did a save. Hours can go by with nothing happening but it only takes one small step off the ledge or an error in their learning to fly and control those powerful wings for something to happen.

Here is one of the adult Peregrines at the hospital.

Here is one of the young'uns, and her name is "Rain". She spent hours on this window ledge, 9 stories up. A number of hospital patients and visitors were quite fascinated by her presence on the window ledge in a hallway.

Angie and I had another "Raptor Encounter" at Mountsberg in June for her birthday.

Teddy and I, with me learning the art of tethering.

Angie got time with Teddy as well as Echo the Eastern Screech Owl seen here. Amazing how well an ESO can camouflage, eh?

But as the humidity moves in, I find myself at home more. It's nice to know the cold comfort of central air conditioning is only steps away. This time of year is much more challenging for birding and any other wildlife sightings with all the foliage as well. And as some of you already know, there is much to see from my lawn chair.

A pair of Chipmunks have taken up residence somewhere near the back shed. They are an entertaining welcomed addition to the backyard!

And even the least bird admirers I know around my home stop and watch the Baltimore Orioles who come to feed on oranges and grape jelly from the feeder off my clothes line. How can one not notice the fiery orange feathers as they fly in?

Nesting season always seems to bring in hordes of European Starlings to feed their young. They bully many of the other birds from any and all of the feeders, even ones with food they care not to eat. Thankfully a few Red-wing Blackbirds and Common Grackles throw the attitude right back at these buggers and put them in their place or out of the vicinity.

That's one goofy juvenile Starling who is trying to scare off this male Red-wing who is flying right in at him. The Red-wing won.

As much as I hear about the disliking for the Common Grackle, I don't mind them. I see maybe half a dozen through the summer, which is also counting in the young they bring. Fall migration can have me with 60+ some afternoons for a brief stop in to fuel up, have a bath and then gone again. Their babies are squawky little buggers.

And of course just having a relaxing afternoon with Meadow is just one of the things I enjoy so much...

and can't forget her little sister Misfit!

We've got some great wildlife adventures in the coming weeks including a trip to Wye Marsh, The Muskoka Wildlife and Presquille Park.

Come back soon!

The Adventures of Me and My Masked Friends

2011-06-17T10:21:00.007-04:00

The Raccoons in Toronto are making news headlines of late. And unfortunately most of the stories are negative. The worst being one man who decided to take matters (and his anger) into his own hands and release it with force through the use of a shovel on a family of Raccoons.

And with that, a rally followed, with people voicing their unhappiness with the Raccoon population in our fine city.

I get it that we pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for our homes in Toronto and we want to keep them nice. But what human can honestly strike down on any living thing as this man did and still call himself human?

I am not going to go on about the list of complaints I read and hear regarding these interesting creatures.

But, I would like to share a few personal experiences I have had with them in my time. If anything, I hope someone might read these tales and realize that they aren't such menacing destructive little monsters.

First one happening approximately 2 decades ago. I was working for a dumpy little truck rental company. We had a location off Dixie Road and Hwy 401 in Mississauga. It was a large yard to park all the rental trucks, the office was an old house, and in the back where the vehicles were serviced was like an old loading dock with a small warehouse. At one part of the loading dock there was a large dumpster which happened to be level with the dock. In my travels one morning, I walked past the dumpster, and normally I never take notice to what is inside but for some reason today I stopped. From a passing view it looked empty as it was dumped the day before. When actually stopping and looking down, I could see one brown paper bag someone had tossed in being the remnants of their lunch and sitting next to it was one very large Raccoon. He sat there looking up at me and of course I could sense his concern for his current predicament.

Part of me was going to panic as I needed to save this guy, who is about 5 down in this large steel bin, and I had no idea at that moment on how to do it. Sure, I thought I could just jump in with him and lift him out, but would this wild animal in distress allow me to do such a thing? Mind you, he just sat there, looking up at me and showed no distemperment but that could change if I acted upon my initial thought.

The lot had a row of trees to the south and a field. And too often garbage was dumped in the field since it was unoccupied. None of which was done by the people of the company. We'd just come into work for 6am and find piles of crap dumped by people in the middle of the night when nobody was around. The 70+ old tires was a real nice surprise (not!). But back to my story...

I searched and scoured around in hopes of finding something to use to help this guy. But nothing was coming up (even in all the garbage). Finally I decided to try and break off a branch long enough to reach him. Now, I am not Mr. Muscle Guy, so breaking off a large sturdy branch just wasn't in the cards. I did manage to snap one off with a circumference of about 1.5 inches at it's strongest point. Now what happens as the branch nears it's end, yes, it gets thinner. I was unsure of the length as well, it seemed close enough, but how close? Well, I was going to try.

I returned to the bin and lowered the branch down, holding onto the thicker end for more support. The branch clearly wasn't long enough to hit the bottom but that Raccoon jumped up at it and grabbed hold of what he could and from that, he began his climb up. At this point I am frozen. Here I am holding this flimsy branch and a full sized adult Raccoon is climbing up it right towards me. I am kneeling on the dock since the branch wasn't long enough. I bet some people probably would have let go of the branch at this point in fear or just the shock of it; but I held on with one part frozen in shock and another part with my determination to help this animal.

I am wondering how this was going to end? Am I going to lift the branch up as he got near in order to get him back onto the dock? I mean, I am holding this end, my hands are over the dock edge. How is he going get past me? Well, he answered my question seconds later as he made a jump just before my hands and landed next to me. If I wasn't there, I don't know if I would believe what I just saw. He darted off along the dock, but did stop about 10 feet from me, turned and looked at me for a second, and then continued on, disappearing off into the field. I'd like to think that last look was a "thank you".

From that day on, I always checked the bin. And I bugged and bugged the waste company to bring us one with a lid to ensure this would not happen again... and they did change bin for us.

So, twenty years ago, I am still in awe with that moment and I revisit it in my mind from time to time when I see Raccoons in my travels.

Another interesting brief moment I had was when I was in my backyard one day a few years back and I saw a Raccoon climbing down my old tv tower. Here it is 5 in the afternoon and this guy is coming down off my roof. He hits the ground and is coming towards me. What do I do? Stoop down and reach out my hand. What does he do? Walk right up to me, sniffs my fingers, nose touching them, and then he continues his way down to the back of the yard and disappears into the tall cedars. How cool is that? Of course I did a round about over the house making sure he was not coming from within anywhere but all was good. A few of the animals use the roof tops to get about in a sort of safer travel path away from the traffic and unfriendly humans.

In my 41 and a bit years on this planet, I have not had a bad experience with these animals. I am stunned when I see my elder neighbours have freak outs when they discover one sleeping in a tree. Even a guy slightly younger than me lost it when he found one sleeping up in one of his trees as well and he was hellbound on getting it out of his tree. Now of all times to see one of these creatures, sleeping in a tree, is there really a need to get so upset?

I need to study animal totems. I would bet that a Raccoon is on my totem. And as I think about other wildlife, I take notice how I am drawn to the Northern Cardinal. I also really love Cedar Waxwings. And with Angie and myself having this love for the birds, discovering all the species around us, I found myself also drawn to the Shrikes. So, what's the deal with these birds? Well, all of them have a mask. Coincidence? Maybe. But there could be more to this too. I will get back to yas at another time as I read more on this.

Please enjoy a few photos I have recently taken of our Raccoon friends.

See you next time! Be well, be safe and please be kind to our animal friends!

A nice family portrait of a family I know of not far from me. This shot, actually a more cropped version, can be seen thestar.com in their "Wild Toronto" section posted just this week.

A close up of one of the babies. This was a moment I was hoping for all through Spring and am happy to have had it with them.

And lastly a Cedar Waxwing. One very cool looking bird.

The Butcher-bird of Colonel Sam Smith Park

2011-06-17T10:16:00.002-04:00

So, I started this blog a while back, saved it for another month, then completed it. It was posted, but fell back to the original start date. I thought I would re-post this as it might get passed over. To me, it was an important and memorable part of this past winter. Thanks for looking!

Rain rain, go away, come back again another day. Anyone been reciting that poem in their head this month? Environment Canada correctly predicted the cold wet Spring we are experiencing. I once read that a person who would sing the "Rain rain..." poem in whatever culture, of course many years ago, would be frowned upon at the very least, as this is a wish for drought. Now moving on from my half-assed Cliff Claven (CHEERS mailman) moment of an incomplete useless fact...

A rainy Friday morning, May is almost done, and I have been thinking about the many new birds I have seen this year. Spring has been mind blowing with 20+ species to add to the life list in my head. And this past winter brought me a few too.

A long over-due moment I want to share is my sightings of a Northern Shrike.

My first time seeing the Shrike and photographing him at Col. Sam Smith Park in February 2011.

After some time of Angie and I getting into this world of birds/birding, I learned of this killer songbird. I am not using slang here, he is a songbird and yes, he is, a killer. While I love all life forms and have no desire to watch any predator catch his prey; I have had some fascination with this bird. And the fact that he is considered a songbird really threw me for a loop! Imagine that, a songbird, a bird in the mind of most, is a pretty little cheerful bird who can brighten up a person's day with their lovely song is in fact a meat eater, a killer of flesh!

So for over five years I have thought about this bird. I have searched out Northern and Loggerhead Shrikes in various parts of Ontario. This past winter some reports were coming in of a Northern Shrike at a local waterfront park. I thought finally there is a chance to see one. Seven trips over nearly a month finally had me seeing him. I probably had about five minutes of looking at him through my binoculars from a distance and would take a few steps, take a photo, watch him, and repeat the process. I was in awe and unfortunately I was alone. Angie was home unwell and missed this lifer moment for me... a bird I have REALLY wanted to see for so long. Mind you, I am not a jump up and down, and hip hip hooray kinda guy; but I am certain my excitement and joy within beamed out through my smile as I watched this bird.

A week later it was the "Great Backyard Bird Count" and Angie and I were trekking out to a number of spots west of us to participate. Our last stop was to be Col. Sam Smith and sure enough there was the Shrike in full view as soon as we hit the trail. This was Angie's lifer moment with him. So it was great to see him once again. But this time there was an added treat to the viewing. He began to go through some funny motions as he sat in this tree, opening his beak wide every so often, until finally he expelled a pellet. How cool (and gross to some) is that?!?!

A moment in the Shrike's pellet expulsion.

If you don't know what a pellet is. I will brief you. This Shrike will eat smaller birds and mammals. Since Shrikes do not have teeth, they can't chew their food. Therefore, they use their strong and sharp beaks to rip their prey apart and then swallow large chunks whole. The Shrike slowly digests its meal by separating the softer materials (such as meat) from the harder material (such as bones). It then regurgitates the harder material along with indigestible items such as feathers and fur in the form of a pellet.

A more comfortable moment with the Shrike after the pellet is gone.

It's now March, Spring is nearing, and I know this guy is going to be migrating to the north soon. I am also uncertain if he will return next winter or not. So I take advantage of some more pleasant sunny afternoons and seek him out again after a work day. And once again I am blessed with yet another new experience with this bird. Mating season is on the horizon and this guy has suddenly become very vocal. He is singing his rather strange song out to the world in hopes to attract a female. Word around the area is that there in fact were two Shrikes in this park; but I only saw the one. I haven't read up on sexing them and will probably leave that for next winter (if they return).

Here he is enjoying the warmer sunny afternoons of March 2011.

With his singing his song quite often, he was found much of the time in some lower bushes near the marina. I was able to get quite close to him through these days and after some fighting with the camera due to the thick brush and focus problems, I got me a couple decent pics of him right up close. You are able to see the serrated beak which he uses to tear apart his meals. I never saw him eat but these three moments I have described here sure make it feel like I had three firsts with one bird that I really wanted to see in my life.

Next year I hope to have an opportunity to video record him and his song. But seeing him up so close like this, hearing his song, on my final visit with him is a lifelong memory.

Look at this pretty little killer! The Butcher-bird of Colonel Sam Smith Park.

Some of the shots are heavily cropped. I never knew how close I could get with this guy so I would start photo'ing from a distance. And some days with it being in the -20s sure didn't help the trigger finger.

I Assure You Spring is Here, or Almost

2011-04-21T09:25:00.012-04:00

Here we are going into the third week of April and I, much like many others, are wondering... is it Spring or is it Winter? A couple days near +20c and soon after right back into heavy rains, cold temperatures and even some snow flurry activity.

Yes, it's Canada, this is how things are, deal with it. But we all like to talk about the weather, the good days but more so about the bad days. I always wondered why that was?

Anyhoo, I want to assure you that Spring is here... or almost.

First sign for me was the return of the Red-winged Blackbirds back in mid-March. Most Robins don't fly south anymore, so never mind what we were taught as children about them being the sign of Spring in this day and age.

And speaking of Robins. I was feeding a pair last April and May whom have which returned this April and I am feeding these two in the same spot on the ground (near my swing) as I did last year. I am 110% certain it is the same pair. Two weeks ago I went outside and there was a Robin on a branch above my swing making a lot of ruckus. I was hoping they'd return and bought a small container of roasted mealworms the first weekend of April. I went inside, got the worms, set them near the swing post and in seconds he was down on the ground and having himself a good feed.

Here is Mr. Robin having himself a feed.

Here is Mrs. Robin waiting to get a helping herself.

I never really gave Robins much thought in my life. Sure, they are cool birds. But so common. After spending nearly 2 months last Spring watching this pair, I found some new admiration for them. I enjoyed watching them hunt more so than anything. They'd run a couple feet, stop suddenly, remain still, run a bit more, and do the same thing over and over until they found an insect or worm. Now with this pair returning for a second year... they just might make the 2012 backyard calendar.

Other great sightings in recent weeks include Golden-crowned Kinglets, Black-crowned Night Herons, Tree and Barn Swallows. But I suppose the most exciting for the birder people is the word "Warbler". On April 18th, I saw my first Warbler for the year. A Yellow-rumped Warbler! And now I have seen two this week in different areas of Toronto. There are so many Warblers that pass through Toronto at this time of year, it's mind blowing. To see them, one is quite fortunate. They are small birds who seldom sit still.

Here's the first Yellow-rumped I saw.

Here is one of many Golden-crowned Kinglets I have seen lately. They are much like the Warbler in the fact that they are a very small and quick moving bird.

Other signs of Spring I have witnessed are the nests well on their way with our feathered friends.

The most exciting for me is a pair of Eastern Screech Owls who are nesting very close to my home. While I can't see mommy and the eggs; I often see daddy sitting near the nesting cavity resting through the day.

A pair of Red-tailed Hawks are nesting a little north of home too!

Some days there is a lot of activity around that nest!

And right in our own backyard, a pair of House Sparrows are nesting in one of our bird houses. The same house a pair of Chickadees nested in a few years back. While we hoped for Chickadees again, almost anything is acceptable for us.

Before you are convinced... here are some signs of a lingering Winter such as these this week.

I saw four Common Redpolls on April 18th down at Humber Bay East Park. A bird who should be very north of us now yet was seen right along the shores of Lake Ontario.

This female Red-winged Blackbird sure shows some signs of disapproval of the falling snow on that same day (the 18th) in the same park.

So, what do you think? April can be a fickle month, we should expect that. Let's just hope May is much better. What's the saying? April showers bring May flowers? Not sure how it goes when it's April snows...

The Butcher-bird of Colonel Sam Smith Park

2011-03-23T15:42:00.009-04:00

Rain rain, go away, come back again another day. Anyone been reciting that poem in their head this month? Environment Canada correctly predicted the cold wet Spring we are experiencing. I once read that a person who would sing the "Rain rain..." poem in whatever culture, of course many years ago, would be frowned upon at the very least, as this is a wish for drought. Now moving on from my half-assed Cliff Claven (CHEERS mailman) moment of an incomplete useless fact...

A rainy Friday morning, May is almost done, and I have been thinking about the many new birds I have seen this year. Spring has been mind blowing with 20+ species to add to the life list in my head. And this past winter brought me a few too.

A long over-due moment I want to share is my sightings of a Northern Shrike.

My first time seeing the Shrike and photographing him at Col. Sam Smith Park in February 2011.

After some time of Angie and I getting into this world of birds/birding, I learned of this killer songbird. I am not using slang here, he is a songbird and yes, he is, a killer. While I love all life forms and have no desire to watch any predator catch his prey; I have had some fascination with this bird. And the fact that he is considered a songbird really threw me for a loop! Imagine that, a songbird, a bird in the mind of most, is a pretty little cheerful bird who can brighten up a person's day with their lovely song is in fact a meat eater, a killer of flesh!

So for over five years I have thought about this bird. I have searched out Northern and Loggerhead Shrikes in various parts of Ontario. This past winter some reports were coming in of a Northern Shrike at a local waterfront park. I thought finally there is a chance to see one. Seven trips over nearly a month finally had me seeing him. I probably had about five minutes of looking at him through my binoculars from a distance and would take a few steps, take a photo, watch him, and repeat the process. I was in awe and unfortunately I was alone. Angie was home unwell and missed this lifer moment for me... a bird I have REALLY wanted to see for so long. Mind you, I am not a jump up and down, and hip hip hooray kinda guy; but I am certain my excitement and joy within beamed out through my smile as I watched this bird.

A week later it was the "Great Backyard Bird Count" and Angie and I were trekking out to a number of spots west of us to participate. Our last stop was to be Col. Sam Smith and sure enough there was the Shrike in full view as soon as we hit the trail. This was Angie's lifer moment with him. So it was great to see him once again. But this time there was an added treat to the viewing. He began to go through some funny motions as he sat in this tree, opening his beak wide every so often, until finally he expelled a pellet. How cool (and gross to some) is that?!?!

A moment in the Shrike's pellet expulsion.

If you don't know what a pellet is. I will brief you. This Shrike will eat smaller birds and mammals. Since Shrikes do not have teeth, they can't chew their food. Therefore, they use their strong and sharp beaks to rip their prey apart and then swallow large chunks whole. The Shrike slowly digests its meal by separating the softer materials (such as meat) from the harder material (such as bones). It then regurgitates the harder material along with indigestible items such as feathers and fur in the form of a pellet.

A more comfortable moment with the Shrike after the pellet is gone.

It's now March, Spring is nearing, and I know this guy is going to be migrating to the north soon. I am also uncertain if he will return next winter or not. So I take advantage of some more pleasant sunny afternoons and seek him out again after a work day. And once again I am blessed with yet another new experience with this bird. Mating season is on the horizon and this guy has suddenly become very vocal. He is singing his rather strange song out to the world in hopes to attract a female. Word around the area is that there in fact were two Shrikes in this park; but I only saw the one. I haven't read up on sexing them and will probably leave that for next winter (if they return).

Here he is enjoying the warmer sunny afternoons of March 2011.

With his singing his song quite often, he was found much of the time in some lower bushes near the marina. I was able to get quite close to him through these days and after some fighting with the camera due to the thick brush and focus problems, I got me a couple decent pics of him right up close. You are able to see the serrated beak which he uses to tear apart his meals. I never saw him eat but these three moments I have described here sure make it feel like I had three firsts with one bird that I really wanted to see in my life.

Next year I hope to have an opportunity to video record him and his song. But seeing him up so close like this, hearing his song, on my final visit with him is a lifelong memory.

Look at this pretty little killer! The Butcher-bird of Colonel Sam Smith Park.

Some of the shots are heavily cropped. I never knew how close I could get with this guy so I would start photo'ing from a distance. And some days with it being in the -20s sure didn't help the trigger finger.

Walking in the Woods

2011-03-09T19:32:00.007-05:00

I was walking in the woods, and what did I see? A little Eastern Screech Owl trying to have a sleepy. Are you humming along now?

Okay, seriously... a really cool sighting on one of my walks in some woods within the GTA! I don't know much about these little Owls though so here's some tid-bits from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

* The Eastern Screech-Owl eats a variety of small animals. Two captive males ate from one-quarter to one-third of their own body weight in food each night, but sometimes skipped a night and stored food instead.

* The trilling song on one pitch, sometimes known as the Bounce Song, is used by members of a pair or a family to keep in contact. The male will trill to advertise a nest site, court the female, and when arriving at a nest with food. The descending Whinny is used in territory defense. The songs usually are uttered separately, but sometimes are heard together.

* Eastern Screech-Owl pairs usually are monogamous and remain together for life. Some males, however, will mate with two different females. The second female may evict the first female, lay her own eggs in the nest, and incubate both clutches.

* The Eastern Screech-Owl is known to eat a variety of songbirds, including the European Starling. Despite this fact, the starling regularly displaces the owl from nesting sites and takes over the hole to raise its own brood.

As you can tell from my photos, these Owls, like many others blend in very well with their environment. A really tough one to spot out in the wild. He's probably 30 to 40 ft up the tree.

Standing next to a tree, one probably wouldn't even notice this guy above them.

So, if you really would like to see one but don't have the time to search, the patience to search and a bit of luck on your side as well... I suggest visiting Mountsberg Conservation Area and their Raptor Centre. They have 3 Eastern Screech Owls in captivity. All of which are unreleasable for one reason or another.

Meet Echo in these shots...

And if you are willing to pay for a personal Raptor Encounter, and behave yourself, showing respect and kindness, you should be able to hold one of these beautiful little Owls like I am here with my pal Otis. He looks a tad grumpy, him and his one good eye.

Winter Update

2011-02-09T08:35:00.019-05:00

Baby, it's cold outside!

Lame intro, I know, but quite true. We've had many days of some serious wind chill factors lately, eh. I enjoy winter. For a wildlife lover such as myself, there is much to see in the city at this time of year that isn't seen through the other seasons. Like what? Lots of different Ducks. I never took notice until a couple Februarys ago when Angie and I noticed Buffleheads down in Port Credit. I blogged about them a while ago... see here

A new one for me this season, although it was just a few weeks before winter, was a couple pairs of Hooded Mergansers. This one sure stands out in the mix of Gadwalls. I don't know much about these guys other than they are cool looking!

A long list can be made of all the water fowl that show up in the GTA every winter including Hooded, Common and Red Breasted Mergansers, Buffleheads, Long-tailed Ducks, Red-heads and a number more that escape me right now. Capturing shore birds with the camera isn't easy as many stay far out on the water. Enjoying them through binoculars if fine by me, just got to dress for the frigid wind temperatures along the lakeshore. It still amazes me that with many of these Ducks, this is their "summer home" as they move a lot further north in our warmer months.

Here's a few of my better photos of the Ducks this winter...

A male Long-tailed Duck

A pair of Buffleheads

Another first for me this year... a Northern Pintail mixed in with some Mallards.

I think they are around the city more than just the winter, but I have never seen one before. What a beautiful Duck!

Perhaps it's just me but I think I have seen a lot more Swans through the winter too! So far it's just been Mute Swans. I do hope to see some Trumpeter Swans like I did last year. Here's a beautiful Mute Swan.

Another first for us this winter is the American Coot!

At home, I have had more Finches this winter than what I have ever seen. Some days I have counted over thirty American Goldfinches. Along with them, I have had over one dozen Pine Siskins present. It's a good thing I have four nyjer feeders for them to eat from.

Here's eight Pine Siskins at the one tube feeder. I guess it's been 3 winters since I last saw them here. So, this was a treat for me to have them despite the amount of nyjer I am going through this year.

The same feeder with as many, and some, American Goldfinches.

A pair of Blue Jays have stuck it out with us this winter. As well as a pair of Northern Cardinals, and one extra male. I am disappointed to only see this many Cardinals. In previous winters I saw 12 out back, which had 9 males and 3 females. A spectacular sight for sure! A lot of Dark-eyed Juncos arrived again this winter (another wintering bird for us). And, happy to say a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches also returned for the winter. No White-breasted Nuthatches for me this year though... unfortunately (I love those guys). Two pairs of Downy Woodpeckers some days. Half a dozen, maybe more, Black-capped Chickadees. A few Mourning Doves as well. What is surprising is that all the House Sparrows have disappeared. Strange since this is one of the most common birds around. The Pigeon population has taken a huge hit this winter in my backyard as 5 Hawks have been using this spot as their hunting ground once the snow arrived. 2 Red-tails, 1 Sharp-shin, 1 Coopers and the last one being a stumper for me... a toss up between a Sharp-shin and a Coopers Hawk. Both Hawks look almost identical, and size is the biggest difference. But when males are smaller than females, and a Sharpie is smaller than a Coopers; a female Sharpie and a male Coopers could be very close in size. I plan to do a blog about the Raptors that have been around here the last few months soon.

Here are some backyard pics of my feathered friends...

I thought this accidental shot of a Blue Jay and Cardinal was pretty cool.

I love my Cardinals... but the female has been very elusive this year.

The Mourning Doves make life seem so peaceful, even on frigid days, like the day I got this, it was -22c with the winds. But he sleeps the afternoon away.

Funny how the smaller birds are so much bolder than the bigger birds. Like this Red-breasted Nuthatch who often seems fearless.

The Chickadees have been a welcomed addition to the yard, and more come every year since we had that successful nest of them 2 years ago. Downys are great, a pair eat in front of the kitchen window every day.

One of the yard terrors. This is the Sharp-shin. Like I said, the smaller they are, the bolder they are. This guy isn't much bigger than a Blue Jay but he will stand his branch even with me out there. The bigger Hawks take off as soon as they see me.

This Coopers Hawk has been showing up every couple days the last couple months. She'll sit out in the open in the apple trees, hide in my neighbour's cedars, or sit in this really tall tree about 5 doors over from me. Quite a sight to behold yet so many don't even notice this massive bird.

I will be back soon, as I have a few stories to share, that are sitting in my head. I hope everybody has been making the best of this winter.

I found a pair of Long-eared Owls this week!

2011-01-03T20:40:00.004-05:00

2011 is here, a new year, and 4 new seasons of adventure for a bird/nature/wildlife admirer and developing photographer like myself to enjoy.

2010 brought Angie and I seeing our first ever sightings of a Snowy Owl and a Great Horned Owl in the wild.

I now have another Owl species first for this year and hope to manage one more somewhere in my travels over the next couple months. This first being a pair of Long-eared Owls.

So, without getting into the details on where I saw this pair... allow me to share the moment with you here.

Rumors have been floating around about sightings of these birds in the GTA. Most people aren't very specific on locations because unfortunately there are people out there with selfish desires for a great photo to add to their cache or for financial gain and do not care how they get it... which could bring harm to their subject (the Owls).

I have heard this Owl species, like many of the others, are quite skittish and nervous with human presence. When an Owl gets to such a state of panic, it gets the hell away, and occasionally comes into harm to itself as it's not seeing entirely where it is going, but more focus on what they are fleeing from. That is how it's been explained to me. So, I didn't want to get to such a point with this pair. I enjoyed viewing them with the binoculars, taking them in visually, absorbing the sight and the moment, a few photos from a lengthy safe distance, hoping for one decent one to come out as I walked away, silently thanking them for the opportunity and turning around every few steps to be sure they stayed where I had found them (and they did).

How did I find them? An area was disclosed through a message board on the internet, but the words from a friend of mine (not an exact location, just some advice) along with some research on my own brought me to find this pair.

Angie and I were up a day earlier trying to locate them and with no luck in a visual; but we did find evidence of them, or another type of Owl, being in the area. I found Owl pellets under a couple trees. Part of our research was on what certain types of trees house these reported Owls. Angie not being from the city, and perhaps due to her father being a woodsman, knew well enough what we were looking for in way of tree, identifying them among the various tree species that surrounded us.

Did I just hear "What are Owl pellets?" out there? Well, basically it's what is left from the Owl's meal that the it cannot digest. This would include the fur, skin, bones and possibly some internal organs. The leftovers are compacted in the Owl's gizzard, forming them into a ball shape and some hours later, the pellet is expelled (vomited). An Owl cannot eat again until the pellet is gone from the body as it blocks the digestive system's entrance. Amazing how nature works from one species to another really.

Anyways, with the seeing of the pellets, I knew they were around, somewhere. It wasn't just a couple pellets, there were probably twenty of these gray fur balls. I would bet they were all field mice.

The next day I had the opportunity to go once again, and did so on my own, since Angie had to work. I skimmed every tree from a distance with my binoculars and many minutes later, as I was viewing the last 5 trees in the area, I spotted them on a branch, in full open view. Once I knew they were there, it was so easy to see them. They do blend in very well and if they were facing the other way, I probably would have missed them. And, the rest is as I mentioned above.

If you would ever like to find an Owl in the wild, a lot of patience is in order. Along with that, a healthy amount of respect to the birds and everything else (plant and animal) in the area. Stomping into a wooded spot, making noise and being very invasive won't get you anywhere. I mean, this is their home. How far would you get walking into a stranger's house and acting in similar fashion? Researching is also a key. Knowing what species may be in your area, where they would live if they were in the area, and so on. Also, listening to the other birds as you search may point you in the right direction. Chickadees are like little watch dogs in the forest. Listen for them and how they are vocalizing. Frantic calls often mean a predator is near such as an Eastern Screech Owl or small Falcon (sorry, won't always be an Owl). And of course, word of mouth is the obvious, and I hope it comes from a source that is respectful of the birds above all else and is being passed on to a similar person.

Good luck!

Return of the Hawks... Winter 2010

2010-12-22T18:49:00.014-05:00

The cold weather has set in, the snow is on the ground and Hawks are all around. It's true, more and more can be seen through this season as a lot of their food source seemingly disappears in the snow... small mammals. Smaller birds become more of a staple diet through these months.

How do I know? Steady attacks at my bird feeders by these birds of prey.

There definitely is at least one Coopers Hawk who has been taking out some Pigeons lately. I don't mind really because Pigeons are a dime a dozen around here. Heck, I can even handle the mess they leave in the aftermath.

A gross sad sighting to some but this is life in the world of the wild. A Hawk only kills what he needs to eat, to survive. If you take the idea that this was a living creature out of your mind for a moment... look at that picture above, such contrast over the snow, the markings on the feathers are quite nice too.

I see more Hawks in my travels too! Mostly Red Tailed Hawks along the highways. On my 19 km trek from work to home, I see 4 every afternoon. Obviously 2 pairs.

I have seen another Red Tail a number of times on Scarlett Road as I get nearer to home. This one is rather bold and doesn't seem to be bothered too much by people in his vicinity. Too many I try to photograph high-tail from me long before I can get a zoom on them.

Last Saturday I was driving along Hwy 427 and counted 9 Hawks (all Red Tails I think) from Derry Road to Hwy 7 which isn't any more than 10 kms or so. Impressive! The thought of slamming on the brakes, jumping out and getting a photo run through my mind; but not such an easy task when driving 105 km/hr.

I snapped this one that seemed to hover just at the top of this hill. I thought I might get an eye-level in-flight shot but when I reached the top of the hill, he was gone.

A little further up the road I spotted this guy sitting at an intersection. I snapped this from my passenger window.

I've noticed a number of American Kestrels in my travels lately too! Three were in an area at the top of Hwy 427 last week. I took this picture through my front windshield before he flew off.

I must add that it's not just the winter when I see Hawks. They are just more visible at this time, to me anyways. All through the year, at any given time, I can have some bird of prey make or try to make a meal of one of my feathered friends. This Sharp Shin Hawk visited a few months back and caught himself a little House Sparrow.

I know a few who get quite upset over the fact of such birds visiting their properties/feeders and making a meal of the birds they feed. While it's never been my intention when backyard bird feeding, and I do my best to keep the feeders in spots with quick escape routes and hide outs... sometimes it just happens that the Hawk is clever and quick enough or a frightened bird goes the wrong way. Luckily for me it's been commoners that show up here in large numbers like House Sparrows, European Starlings and Pigeons who get nabbed. Catching a Blue Jay or Northern Cardinal would be heart-breaking to me since I see not much more than a pair of each.

But not every bird who gets caught, gets eaten. This Sharp Shin has a European Starling in his clutches and we thought he was done for but after a couple minutes of struggle, the Starling broke free and flew off. We sure don't need the television on, just have to look out the kitchen window for a daily story.

So, in your travels, keep your eye to the sky and around you, and you just might see one or a few of these guys along the way. Enjoy them!

Grey Jays and Algonquin Park... November 2010

2010-12-12T16:17:00.011-05:00

About a month ago I visited Algonquin Park for the very first time ever in my life. Angie and I were taken up there by some friends of ours who are familiar with the area. We had a mission for this trip and that was to find and experience the presence of Grey Jays nicknamed "Whiskey Jacks" or "Camp Robbers".

I heard the stories of these birds, and while I believed them, it is nothing compared to actually seeing them in person. A mid-sized bird with a seemingly fearless attitude who will raid campsites, picnic sites, etc and steal the food of the people on site. Bold enough to fly right into the palm of a person's hand for some grub too!

While they aren't the most vibrant colored bird in the area; they still are quite a fine looking species.

We could have easily spent the whole day in this one spot and playing with the Jays.

The photo below is my favorite shot from the afternoon. I do love the hand shots but this one is just right for what I wanted to capture.

If you notice in the shots, they are all banded (colored bands on the legs). The birds are wild but they are heavily researched. The banding is for tracking and ID'ing the birds.

One of the reasons, or perhaps this has been discovered with the research so far is that the Grey Jays are declining in numbers along the most southern points of their range. The longer summers and autumns are to blame. The Jays are hoarders and rely upon the cold weather to act as a refrigerant and keep their food. So, while the weather stays warmer longer, their stored food rots much faster. It's lead to less successful breeding. It might be a decade or less and Grey Jays will be a rare sighting or perhaps not seen in places like Algonquin Park. Sad for us since this is a 3 hour drive on a good day to get to this spot... and since it's a winter spot for the birds, traveling up there, weather is often an issue.

It was +8c that afternoon. Toronto was really enjoying the spring like temperatures and lots of sun that week. I remember it well as I was on vacation. But, Algonquin had snow already.

We had another first sighting that afternoon... a Black Backed Woodpecker! They look alot like our Downys but the back is a mostly solid black color. We were treated with a good 5 minutes of watching him on this tree. Photography was not easy in the dense woods. I stayed well back because I didn't want to frighten him off. Not a bad shot though.

We picnic'd at this spot. The water was unbelievably calm! The sun felt so nice as it beamed down upon us.

Of course lots of Black-capped Chickadees were present. Always a treat since they are quite comfortable diving in for some grub too.

Deep in the woods we heard the Boreal Chickadees. We sorta saw them way up in the trees, buzzing back and forth. I hope on our next visit we might get a good visual of them... and maybe a photograph or two. With that being said, I did not take this last photo and borrowed it from Google Images.

I wonder who else out there reading this has experienced the fun of hanging out with those Grey Jays?

Pine Siskins are back!

2010-11-29T18:17:00.006-05:00

It hit approximately +7c this afternoon and the sun was shining. A wonderful day for the second last day of November I must say!

I got home from work and right after I got the coffee on, took Meadow outside to enjoy this fantastic afternoon. She's gotten a little fussy when it comes to weather over the past couple years. I remember when she was 2 years old and it could be -30c outside and she'd join me outside at 1am to fill the feeders for the morning visitors and have a blast the whole time out there. Nowadays (she's 7), she just isn't so keen on cooler weather.

There's quite a few birds buzzing around this afternoon. A pair of Cardinals, one Downy Woodpecker, a Blue Jay, four Chickadees, probably a dozen Finches (Gold and House) and those darn Pigeons.

In the mix of all the sounds, I heard a different sound, and one I have not heard in a couple years. Instantly I knew what it was (Pine Siskin) but wanted a visual to be absolutely positively certain. And sure enough, about 10 minutes later of me standing quite still, I had my visual ID of two Pine Siskins buzzing around the back of the yard amongst the Gold and House Finches.

Pine Siskins are a part of the Finch family; but we seldom see them in the Toronto area. I know little of these birds and have only had them one other winter season since doing the backyard bird feeding thing going almost a decade ago. They call it an "irruption" when they spread out this far and even further; flying in from the Boreal Forests. It's something about a mix between a population explosion and a shortage of food (little rain this past spring/summer and high heat to blame) in their more common areas. I also think they know when a bad winter is coming because the last time I saw them, that winter was a doozy, and we had a lot of snow.

So, while I am excited about their return and I do hope they hang around the yard for the season; I have my fears on old man winter getting nasty on us since the past one had so little snow. Really I don't mind the snow but the drive to and from work across that Hwy 401 is a scary one in bad weather. If I could stay home on such days, no problem.

Today I only saw two. My peak the last time this species was here brought 12 to 15 at a time and maybe more. They love nyjer seed much like the other Finches do, so I best be well stocked, and have extra feeders out. I do recall them enjoying the black oil sunflower also.

So, welcome back little Pine Siskins! May you enjoy your stay on Bernice Crescent!

The Pine Siskin is the bird on the top left perch of this feeder. They have some similar markings on their backside much like the American Goldfinch with the yellow wing bars but are very streaky and much more brown with little yellow tints as you can see in this photo (sides and tail).

The National Bird of Canada would be?

2010-11-09T07:01:00.011-05:00

This topic has been floating around a good part of this year... Canada should have a national bird and what should it be?

The Canadian Raptor Conservancy started a petition back in the summer and are trying to collect 200,000 signatures to present to the government on this subject.

Here are our provincial birds along with some other countries national birds...

- Common Loon : provincial bird of Ontario
- Snowy Owl : provincial bird of Quebec
- Great Horned Owl : provincial bird of Alberta
- Great Grey Owl : provincial bird of Manitoba
- Steller’s Jay : provincial bird of British Columbia
- Black-capped Chickadee : provincial bird of New Brunswick
- Atlantic Puffin : provincial bird of Newfoundland and Labrador
- Osprey : provincial bird of Nova Scotia
- Blue Jay : provincial bird of Prince Edward Island
- Sharp-tailed Grouse : provincial bird of Saskatchewan
- Gyr Falcon : territorial bird of the Northwest Territories
- Rock Ptarmigan : territorial bird of Nunavut
- Common Raven : territorial bird of Yukon
- Bald Eagle : national bird of the United States of America
- Golden Eagle : national bird of Russia
- Crested Caracara : national bird of Mexico

So, trying to exclude those choices above; what do you think would be a great choice for Canada as a whole? Suggestions so far include the Red Tailed Hawk, the Canada Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Common Loon, Short Beaked Crow, Rock Dove (common Pigeon), Great Blue Heron, Snow Goose, Snowy Owl, and the Grey Jay (Whiskey Jack).

I would rule out Common Loon and Snowy Owl immediately as they are provincial birds for Ontario and Quebec already. I won't even get into the whole Harry Potter craze and how his Owl is a Snowy Owl bit.

Whoever suggested the Rock Dove (common Pigeon) must have been kidding. I mean seriously. Nothing against Pigeons, they are a source of entertainment in city parks but not much more than that. They are everywhere, and no offence to Pigeon admirers out there... but they are a nuisance overall. I don't categorize Mourning Doves in the same class as a Pigeon; but even a Mourning Dove would not make my list of the possible National Bird of Canada. Gentle and peaceful creatures as they may be, much like Canadians in general; they don't seem like a bird to represent a country.

The Snow Goose would also be cut from my list. It's bad enough how much of our southern friends have this idea about Canada as it is... throwing the Snow Goose as our National Bird would just add to the stereotype of Canada being a snow and ice covered land, and a place not to venture to unless one wishes to freeze to death, stay in an igloo and possibly get eaten by a Polar Bear.

The Short-Beaked Crow could be a possibility. It is a highly intelligent creature. It's brain size to body size is one of the largest in the world of birds. We'd like to think of ourselves as an intelligent bunch. Would the superstitious approve? I don't know how many times in my life I have heard someone tell me they have seen the presence of a Crow and a loved one (family or friend) soon dies.

Now, how about the Great Blue Heron? A majestic creature by all means. A rather prehistoric looking one as well (not that it matters). But, in my personal opinion, the Heron, to me, represents a water bird (Herons live by lakes and ponds). It would be more suited to be a provincial bird for one of our coastal provinces.

I would feel the same going for the Trumpeter Swan. A bird of water should not represent a land mass being Canada.

So, as the list winds down we have the Gray Jay as another possibility. It seems Gray Jays can be found in almost every province across Canada. I have never seen a Gray Jay. My problem with this choice is it's size. It's not a very large bird. Something to represent our country should be on the larger scale of a bird species. An ideal candidate to represent a province but not a country.

How about the Canada Goose? It's a large bird. Everybody knows what a Canada Goose is. Everybody must have seen one. Even our American friends know what a Canada Goose is. That Goose has Canada in it's name... it's perfect! I would agree with that choice, and I did, right up until some conversing with the fellow at the Canadian Raptor Conservancy. He sold me on eliminating this choice. Why? Well, what is the National Bird of the United States of America? The Bald Eagle. Do you know what one of the main choices of diet be for the Bald Eagle? If you said "Canada Goose", you are most certainly correct. Do we really want our National Bird of Canada to be the one that the United States National Bird consumes on a regular basis? I don't think it's a matter of choice/preference for the Bald Eagle to pick on the Canada Goose... it's probably more due to the over abundance of Canada Geese available.

So, this leaves us with my last option that comes to mind. The Red Tailed Hawk. A larger scale of bird. It is a bird that is respected. It is a bird that can be found in every one of our provinces. It is a bird that has no natural enemies.

A graceful flying bird but one not to be messed with.

What do you think? I think this may very well be the perfect choice for our country.

For more information on this, simply Google the topic National Bird of Canada or visit the Canadian Raptor Conservancy's website here

Lastly, please note, I borrowed all images via Google. I do have pics of most of these birds noted that I have taken myself but are either just not clear enough or lost in the 1000's of images within the computer.

The Toronto Wildlife Centre Open House

2010-10-16T07:52:00.011-04:00

This weekend, October 16 and 17, the Toronto Wildlife Centre is holding an Open House. It is from 9am to 6pm.

I've been to the centre a number of times in the past few months. I took Bob the Pigeon in (see my August 2 and 14 blogs). I borrowed a Squirrel cage in hopes to catch my little friend Jigger (see my August 30, 31 and September 8th blogs). And, the latest being that I brought in an unidentified Warbler that had flew into the side of my parents' house.

So, while Bob was kindly put to sleep. Jigger was never seen again and I assume passed on. The story of the Warbler had a much happier ending.

See, my dad had called me this one Sunday afternoon and told me of this pretty little bird who flew into the side of the house. It was so strange because there are no windows on this side of the house. I figure something bigger was chasing him and in a split second the Warbler did a quick turn, but unfortunately collided with the wall and not made it around the house. My dad said he was going to leave the bird because at first he thought it was just a plain House Sparrow. As he picked up the bird, noticing the light shades of blue and green about it, he knew it was special and called me.

I was quite unwell that day, having woke up with a head cold. But, when called upon for such things, I am there. The bird had been sitting on his porch for the past 75 minutes or so. When I got there, he was in a box with an open lid. And, still, just sitting there. I gently picked him up and he sat on my finger for some time. He was a bit wobbly but there was no sign of physical trauma.

Long story short, I took him up to the Toronto Wildlife Centre and turned him in. They are such wonderful people there and you can tell they care so much about the creatures that we share this city with. I had no idea of the Warbler's fate until a phone message a couple days ago. It was a lengthy detailed message explaining how he was examained, kept over night, given some anti-inflamatories as a precautionary measure, and the following day was taken down to the lake with some other releasable migratory birds and sent on his way.

A small bird who needed a small amount of care. Now, one day back in the spring, someone turned in over 90 migrants in one afternoon... all collected off the sidewalks in downtown Toronto... all in need of similar treatment, if not more. There is a group called FLAP who do this quite regularly. Unfortunately, thousands are found dead each year. The urge for the downtown area to turn off the lights at night is so important but so few understand or follow it. So, as hundreds of birds are brought in through a season, this adds up financially. Now throw in litters of baby Squirrels who lost their mother, baby Chipmunks, Raccoons, Skunks, and anything else wild, furry or feathered that needs help... it is important for us citizens of the GTA, who have a love for the wildlife around us, to help one way or another. Donations of money, or perhaps items such from their wishlist http://www.torontowildlifecentre.com/pages/help/donors/wishlist.html; and if willing and able, possibly your time.

I hope to be able to volunteer for the centre in the new year. I work similar hours to the centre which will be a problem. But perhaps the occasional Saturday or Sunday? One simply cannot just walk in and pick up a broom, change a water dish or answer the phone; there is a process. But, if I can help, I hope to do so.

This Open House will bring awareness to the people who come to see the centre and learn about the numbers of wildlife that come through. The latest bit I have read about is a Beaver that I think is still with the centre, brought in from the Muskoka area... it seems someone shot him in the head and his skull is full of buckshot.

I hope some of you out there will read this in time and make the trip. I know my blogs are so spread out now. Too many reasons why. I miss blogging. I have many stories and photos to share.

Here is the address to the Toronto Wildlife Centre... 60 Carl Hall Road, Downsview Airport at the south east corner of Keele and Sheppard. They are the second driveway on the left after the railroad tracks. It is very easy to find with that last bit of information which they gave to me prior to my first visit.

Regarding the Warbler. My first guess was a Pine Warbler. Some experts have told me it is a Blackpoll Warbler. The TWC are identifying it as a Chestnut Sided Warbler. I know my guess was close but not correct. So, it is between the other two species. Warblers, especially in the fall, can look so similar. There are such fine little details. Either way, I am happy to know this little guy is alive and heading to South America.

So, I am adding this next bit as I have just returned from the Open House. It's an Open House to enlighten the curious about what the TWC does. It starts with a 15 minute presentation. You then get a 30 minute tour of the facility; what goes on behind those doors, etc. You get to meet many of the staff. You see the hospital. You see some of the equipment used. I suppose I should add that you do not get to see very many of the visitors there (wildlife). Why? First and most importantly, they are wildlife, they need to remain wildlife. It is in their best interest and safety to not be accustomed to humans. If you have a small child who might get bored with all the talking, it is probably best to leave him/her at home or in the front area with one of it's parents. Screaming babies are stressful to the patients and people like me who want to see and learn about the Toronto Wildlife Centre.

Meet Quincy the Snowy Owl

2010-09-17T19:22:00.005-04:00

The other weekend Angie and I were at one of our favorite conservation areas... Mountsberg. I believe I have blogged about it before and making mention of their Raptor Centre.

I thought on occasion I would talk about one of the Raptors I have gotten to know over there and share their tale.

So, today I have chosen Quincy the Snowy Owl.

Quincy is a female. I have chosen her first to blog about because her story sticks to my mind with some very sad visuals.

She was born in captivity and raised by humans. Where this happened would be the equivalent of a "puppy mill". I couldn't believe that such a place existed! In a small town far out of the GTA, there was a farm, and the people on that farm bred and raised birds of prey to be sold as exotic pets to those willing to pay the price.

Apparently this farm was more like a junk yard. Picture one of those creepy old dilapidated farm houses with nasty inbred looking people within. That is my visual, right out of one of my horror movies. These people had absolutely no regard for the birds they were raising and selling. I honestly feel that anybody who bought a bird from them has no regard either. Eagles, Hawks and Owls chained to the litter about the property (rusted cars, fence posts, etc). They were fed Canada Geese that the people went out and shot themselves. So, this sucked for the Geese of the area as well; but even more so for the birds who ate them. Why? Well, the bullets remained within the Geese, which were then devoured by the raptors, and thus were slowly poisoning them with lead. Many carcasses of the Geese lay rotting about the property as well.

I don't know how many raptors were on site at the time of the arrests. I don't know how many had to be put down due to illness.

Quincy was one of the lucky ones to make it out of there alive. Since she was captive bred and hand raised, she can never be released as she knows nothing on how to fend for herself in the wild. She does have a great home with amazing people who care for her at Mountsberg.

If you ever make it out to Mountsberg, please stop and give a moment to Quincy. She is the only female Snowy Owl at the centre so you can't miss her.

Jigger update and a question some may be asking...

2010-09-08T19:00:00.008-04:00

So, after a few days of seeing Jigger hobbling about the backyard and taking in every bit of food offered to him; we finally went to The Toronto Wildlife Centre and picked up a Squirrel trap. They loaned it to us with a $20 deposit; this was on Sunday September the 5th. When we got home, Jigger was out back. We figured not to even try catching him since it was quite late in the day now. So, Jigger got a good feast of peanuts and away he went.

Now, it is the evening of the 8th and we have not seen him since.

A number of days ago I had hopes of catching him and getting him to the centre in order to be healed to good bouncy health again, with us then picking him up and bringing him home. After my last visit to the centre, I just had hope of getting him there and knowing where he was all the time and that one way or another, he would not be suffering... be it being safe, warm, fed and getting needed medical attention or if it were an injury beyond repair that he would be put out of suffering. I came to these thoughts as I said, after my last visit to the centre.

See, in our visit, with the centre looking up our file. Angie asked if there was any information on Bob. You all remember Bob don't you? And perhaps this is the question you may have asked in the last bit since reading my story about Bob... that being... well, what about Bob? What happened to him? A question that has sat at the back of my mind since the day we took him in. Unfortunately Bob's wound was beyond repair, being an old fracture of sorts, healing wrongly, leaving him forever unable to fly. Bob's return to the wild was never to be. Upon that analysis, Bob was kindly put to sleep. I use the "kindly" word as that is what the centre uses. And it is true. A simple needle putting the being quickly to sleep forever. Actually, I think it is two needles. The first puts one to sleep and the second is what stops the heart and ending it's life. A pain-free quick death.

So, in the end it was the best thing to happen to Bob. Since he had no where to go to live out his days only being able to flutter about and walk the Earth... a very bad thing for a bird in the city.

With this thinking in mind, I was even more ready to turn Jigger into the centre. As I said, my hope would be getting him healthy, but if it weren't to be, at least I know he'd have the same peaceful fate as Bob. Who knows where he is right now? Who knows if he is alive? I keep an eye out for him every afternoon when I get home from work until the sun goes down. I will continue to do so over the next few weeks. Every time I see a black Squirrel out back, I think it's Jiggs and am ready to spring into action. So far every time since this past Monday I have been wrong.

I have to end this with a reminder of why Jigger is getting all this fuss. He's been with us almost every day for about 4 years now. Every day I am outside, Jigger is around for much of it. I can honestly say I am outside just about every single day of the year, no matter the season, no matter the weather. Jigger is like a hyper little puppy. He's running and bouncing about, always around my feet, climbing my leg, my shoulder, the chair I sit on, whatever. He's touched my life, Angie's life, and most who have spent time in the back with him. While I have often called him "a royal pain in the a$$" as he constantly interrupts my garden duties climbing my legs trying to get the treats in my cargo pockets, digs up my freshly planted flowers and vegetables, knocks over my beverages, dirties the kitchen floor on rainy days with his muddy feet, gets me in trouble with the neighbours by burying peanuts in their flower beds, steals my chair when I get up and so on; he really never was that... but I couldn't rightly call him "a good boy" now could I?

An Un-Healthy Jigger Returns...

2010-08-31T19:51:00.004-04:00

So, literally minutes after I posted my blog below... I step outside with Meadow to give her that afternoon walkabout of the yard; when who do I see way at the back? Jigger! This was totally unexpected but such a great surprise. I called for him, and while I don't think he really knows his name, he does know my (and Angie's) voices. He looked up and began to come towards me but I could tell something was not right with him. It seems one of his hind legs is injured, but to what degree I don't know. I handed him a peanut and he devoured it quick. He had trouble staying up on his back leg while he ate. One Pigeon sensing his weakness was waiting for a chance to knock the shelled peanuts from his clutches... of course that wasn't going to happen with us around. Another 7 roasted peanuts later and he was on his way. His walk away was difficult too and every 4 or 5 feet found him stretching out in the grass for a moment of rest.

Angie was with us. We had discussed catching him and taking him to the Toronto Wildlife Centre but it was close to 5pm at this point. The Wildlife Centre closes at 6pm which probably was ample travel time; but they ask that you speak with someone live first at the centre, so they know you are coming. The few times I have called, the machine picks up, I leave a message and within 30 minutes someone calls me back. I should mention, that by this time though, Jigger had climbed way up a tall tree to safety. He disappeared up in the leaves.

So, tomorrow is the mission to find Jigger again (hoping he's down at the back), catching him and taking him to the centre. If they can fix him up, he could come back home in due time. If there is that chance he is not able to be brought back to health, I understand he will be kindly put down. It would be a better death than at the claws of a certain feline in the area or some predator. I will post updates as they occur.

I will write about the Toronto Wildlife Centre one day soon. They took Bob the Pigeon in and promised to do the best they could for him. I never learned of his outcome. We did get a tour of the facility and learned quite a few things in our short visit. We left a small donation after taking Bob in. The Centre works via volunteers and donations.

So, if you have not read about Jigger and his disappearance, please go on to the next blog below and send him your best wishes on his return to good health soon.

Here's another nice pic of him with Angie...

Have You Seen This Squirrel?

2010-08-30T18:15:00.013-04:00

Have you seen this Squirrel?

Many of you through my blog here, or via Facebook, and the few lucky ones to have met him in person know him as Jigger. He is one of the most personable Squirrels to visit my backyard. Why is he named Jigger? He did a little dance as he approached to take a peanut from our fingers back in his early days. No, not a cha-cha-cha or tango but this side to side shift as he moved cautiously towards the peanut in hand. Mind you, after a couple years of being with us, the dance disappeared and it was not uncommon for Jigger to jump into the lap of someone waving a peanut for him. I'd be digging in the garden and often Jigger would be climbing my cargo pants, trying to get into the pockets where I held the tasty treats for him. I never felt alone out back with Jigger around. Sure, there's always action with birds and Squirrels about, but Jigger sure added some excitement/entertainment.

I'd say it's been 2 weeks now since I've last seen him. This was his fourth year with us. How long do Squirrels live? Who really knows? Especially in the city. There are so many dangers for a Squirrel here.

He seemed in good bouncy health when we last met. It was raining heavily and I remember opening the backdoor to see him sitting there soaking wet. He stepped inside onto the mat, shook off the rain, took a couple peanuts from hand and off he went.

As the days passed, of course I began to wonder. A few incidents of late have left me wondering even more. One being that I have seen a Fox casually walking the sidewalk here at 11:30am last Sunday. I always thought Fox were more of a nocturnal creature and not keen on being around people. So to see one on this street is a first for me. I have seen them less than a kilometer from here, in the woods; but not here, around the homes and people. Squirrels can be a meal source for a Fox.

Another incident that I hate discussing is that a neighbour 3 houses over has this beast of a cat that runs free among the backyards and instinct gets the best of her often... we had a young Squirrel fall victim to this cat a couple weeks ago under the birdbath. Many times I have caught this cat hunting through the backyards and my super soaker comes in quite handy... but she still returns.

And lastly, a friend across the street recently informed me that some people over on her side have been poisoning the Squirrels. These people apparently work in this small factory behind the houses across the road. How true this is, I don't know. She was warned since she has a few cats of her own that she lets out. I don't agree with this. I don't understand this. Seriously! Some have talked about a decline in the Squirrels about the neighbourhood. I personally don't see this over on my side other than Jigger right now. It would be such an unfair end to his life. I think I should investigate this and blow the whistle on the individuals if it is true... it's cruel and it's against the law! This would have a large impact on the wildlife of the area! Not only does it harm the Squirrels but anything that happens to feed upon them... like the above mentioned Fox, Crows (since they can be carrion eaters), and Hawks who may choose to catch a slow moving (poisoned) Squirrel.

So, that's the one thing about befriending the wildlife around the 'hood. We get attached to them, they get names, they become our furry friends but in the end they still are wildlife and often we don't know what happens to them when they just don't come around anymore.

I've worried in the past about Jigger's comfortable habits with us and if he ever would be like that with other people in other backyards around here? An unsuspecting person would probably have some kind of freak. But, I'd like to think that he surely must recognize us and the offering of a peanut.

Unlike a human friend with an address and most times a telephone where we could call in to; this is not the case with a furry creature who bounces into the yard through the side gate and disappears to wherever via that same route.

I still hold out hope that perhaps I've just been missing him these days. Maybe he will return one day? Or I will eventually accept that he is truly gone.

A connection with any animal is an amazing thing and to bond with the wild ones is life changing with long lasting memories.

The newbies around lately are keeping me pretty busy. There's Scar, Charlie (who turns out to be Charlene), Nosey, Teddy, Starvin' Marvin and the return of Mr. Half-Tail who now has a full tail once again but his personality sure hasn't changed.

Here is Nosey...

One of the un-named young'uns checking out Meadow...

Another baby, and this photo makes me laugh every time... it's a little boy and I am wondering if he is curious about something down there (if you know what I mean)?

All I can say to finish this blog is that if Jigger is out there, I hope he's okay and comes home soon... we miss him.

Bob the Broken Winged Pigeon

2010-08-02T18:06:00.007-04:00

Last Sunday I noticed a Pigeon, errrrr, I mean "Rock Dove", in the backyard with a broken wing. It's wing just hangs a little to the one side and has made him unable to fly. I have wondered how he got here, how his wing got broken? Along with those thoughts I have wondered what to do with him? I mean, he's a Pigeon. Pigeons aren't high on any rescue list as they are thought of as pests and vermin in the city. I honestly don't care for them myself. They have terrible backyard etiquette especially when I am working on ways to keep them from getting at the bird feeders. Any bird who is still able to feed gets a flying ambush from one of these unhappy Pigeons. They will also cling onto the side of the feeders and swing them about, trying to spill the seed to the ground for the rest of the flock below. But, nonetheless, it is an injured creature that has somehow found it's way here... or may have gotten injured here. So I will do what I can for him; which is try to feed HIM and offer a water source.

I've named him "Bob" because he does just that... bobs along throughout the backyard, back and forth. I've picked him up when he's gotten himself stuck somewhere and that is an experience. A creature that most often care not to be held, and the feeling is quite mutual, is just sitting in my arms. He's not such an ugly bird at this moment nor dirty and mite covered. He's clean quiet and seems a lot smaller in my hands. Bob just sits there, puts up no fight, and I gently pat his head.

Bob and I... ignore my bad hair on a humid day or the "Leatherface" t-shirt I have on with him swinging that chainsaw right at Bob.

When I put him down he runs to the compost maker and hides behind it. It's not the best hiding spot and he can actually corner himself in there. I do know he's got quite the hiding spot somewhere in the yard for the night hours as I have looked for him with no luck on finding him. Unfortunately last night (August 1st) a neighbourhood cat found that hiding spot. Angie and I were sitting on the deck about 8:30pm when we saw Bob running as fast as he could across the lawn with this cat on his tail. Angie was up in a split second and rescued Bob from what could have been certain death.

Bob behind the compost maker...

I made Bob a bed in the shed with a Xerox box and some old t-shirts and there he stayed until I took him out this morning. I don't think this can be a nightly ritual for us since I don't know where his hiding spot is exactly. It was luck for him last night that we were still outside. On a work night, we are preparing for bed by this time.

So, what will become of Bob? I guess I will let him try to live out his days here but he faces much danger with the inability to fly. Perhaps I might find someplace soon that would want to care for him and repair that wing of his?

I watch Bob and I wonder if Pigeons think and feel about things besides food and survival. Like, as the evening comes, Bob's friends all disappear, flying off to wherever it is they sleep. Bob sits and can do nothing but watch them go. Bob then goes off to wherever he has made himself a sleeping spot on the ground, being quite vulnerable to whatever comes lurking around. He spends his night here and waits for the morning sun when his friends return and they feed, drink, bathe and nap throughout the day. It makes me kinda sad and also realize once again that us humans aren't the only ones on this Earth with stories to be told.

A Black Crowned Night Heron... up close.

2010-07-20T19:06:00.010-04:00

On Saturday July 17, 2010, Angie and I were down on the harbourfront of Toronto. We were attending an event called "Rock the Yacht" with a couple of Canadian hard rock bands (Helix and Revolver).

As we trekked along the Queens Quay to our meeting location, we happened to notice an odd sight... a Black Crowned Night Heron, just hanging out on a bench at the Marina. A couple of people were around him, one guy was just about sitting next to him. So, maybe it's not an odd sighting down there? It sure was for us. Our first thought was that this bird was injured, but that was not the case. It seems he is a seasonal resident down at the Marina. Apparently the people (boat owners) feed him so he's not too afraid of humans. I only hope they feed him proper food for his diet

We've seen a couple of Night Herons pretty close to home... at Smythe Park off Scarlett Road. They can be spotted up in the trees circling one large pond. But, never have we seen one this close before! I just wanted to sit next to him, pat him on the head and take in a moment of being next to such a stunning creature.

I took half a dozen photos or so and then we had to get on our way or else we'd miss the boat cruise.

I don't know a whole lot about Black Crowned Night Herons other than, well, they are part of the Heron family, probably are a fish eater, maybe frogs too, and their name is suiting since they have a black crown. I assume the "night" part of their name means they are active in the night. So learn with me here as I pull some facts out from the all about birds website.

- Young Black-crowned Night-Herons often disgorge their stomach contents when disturbed (this habit makes it easy to study its diet).
- The Black-crowned Night-Heron may nest in the same tree with ibises or other herons.
- Adult Black-crowned Night-Herons apparently do not distinguish between their own young and those from other nests, and will brood chicks not their own. The nesting in colonies explains this.
- They live in various wetland habitats, including salt, brackish, and freshwater marshes, swamps, streams, lakes, and agricultural fields.
- They survive on eating aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, lizards, snakes, rodents, eggs, etc.
- They tend to eat in the early morning hours and then in the evening after the other species have gone back to their nests.
- The height of an adult Black Crowned Night Heron is 22" to 26" with a wing span of approximately 46".

Some interesting facts for sure... lets see if I can remember those.

Thanks for stopping in! Oh, and here is a couple pics from the "Rock the Yacht" cruise... I know it's non-animal related but if it weren't for this cruise, there is no way I would have been in this part of the city and seeing this bird. Thanks for hosting this guys!

A shot of Toronto as we cruised around the islands.

A large number of Double Crested Cormorants at the edge of the Toronto Island Airport. I am happy that our city has not participated in a large cull of the Cormorants that has been happening elsewhere.

The skies sure looked menacing throughout the afternoon but the rain held off for us and we all had a great time. I heard it rained a few times inland about the city that afternoon.

Brian Vollmer of Helix.

Nick Walsh (singer) and Laurie Green (bassist) of Revolver.

Nick and Laurie Green once again.

Season of the Cicada

2010-07-14T18:01:00.013-04:00

Man, what a hot summer we are having this year! Those humidity levels making it feel like 40c or more are just too much! Personally I am not a fan but I have to wonder if it's made for some interesting moments in my backyard lately?

I have seen more Cicadas the past 10 days than I have ever in my life. I have seen them at various stages as well.

First, some may be wondering what exactly a Cicada is? Well, it's an insect. What kind of insect? I could run off the big species terms to you but it would probably mean as much to you as it does to me... good luck pronouncing it too. You know on those really hot summer days, you are sitting around the backyard and suddenly you hear a very loud buzzing for 10 seconds or more and then it stops? You know it's a bug but never knew what exactly it was. Well, that is a
Cicada. Some think they are part of the Grasshopper family or Locusts. Apparently not true.

They can be quite damaging to trees and shrubs as the female cuts slits into the branches, deposits her eggs within (up to a couple hundred) and thus scarring the tree. When the eggs hatch, the newborn nymphs drop to the ground, where they burrow. Most cicadas go through a life cycle that lasts from two to five years. The nymphs feed from the tree roots, sucking the juices within. Then, one day, they dig and claw through the soil back to the surface, looking like a large beetle of sorts, where they cling tightly to a tree or other object and begin to molt (shed their skin) and start the final stage of their life... as a breeding adult. The adult stage is very short lived ranging from 4 to 7 weeks.

I found this Cicada just after the molt on the ladas below my deck about a week ago.

I have found the stage before they molt is a very trying time. It seems the Squirrels in my backyard have a taste for the juicy back end of these critters. I've witnessed more than a couple premature deaths of Cicadas due to Squirrel feasting. It is quite a shocking sight when one is not quite sure what is going on. The first time I thought the Squirrel was ill because of all the frothy goo dripping from his mouth. There is a lot of crunching and chomping as he breaks through the hard exterior. I guess the only way I can describe it visually is someone enjoying an over-filled Boston Creme donut... lots and lots of custard within. Sorry, I cannot think of another comparison.

Here you can see what a nice large rear end they have... good for eating according to my Squirrel friends.

Scar the Squirrel enjoying a Cicada as a snack...

Jigger also enjoying one a day earlier...

I have done a bit of research on this insect now as I do try to learn things about what I see in my backyard. The male is the one who makes the loud buzzing. The Cicadas in the GTA are about 2 inches in size. Some regions have them reaching sizes of 15cm (6 inches)! In some parts of the world Cicadas are a delicacy and are skewered or stir fried. In China, the hard shell after the molt has been ground up for medicinal purposes... but I have yet to discover what they believe the ground shell can do for a person.

The other day I found a pre-molt Cicada and placed it up on my picnic table. The insect was quite interested in my camera lens and followed it about the table. I have posted a video on YouTube of it... it's quite comical to say the least... excuse the clarity of the video though. Unfortunately moments after I finished recording, the Cicada was scooped up by one of the Squirrels and quickly devoured (see the Scar the Squirrel photo).

So, maybe Cicadas are more common than I think? I have spent 7 years in this backyard of mine but this year is the first for me really noticing them for so many days now...

*note* all photos were shot by me with my Canon Power Shot SX100 (I do enjoy the macro option so much)

It's Been a Bit...

2010-05-17T15:56:00.009-04:00

So, it's been a bit since I last wrote. I am still feeling like I have some sort of writer's block. This year, we have decided to spend as much time on the weekends through April and May to go "birding" along with the odd weekday afternoon... which also doesn't help the whole blogging.

Also with my blog, I have a preference to use my own photos with the blog. There's nothing wrong with using images borrowed from Google, I give credit where credit is due... never letting anyone think a photo is mine when it is not. So, while seeing lots, the photos just haven't been there. A dull sky doesn't help. A small hopping bird who seldom sits still is another factor. It's something I have to work out in my own mind.

You might be asking what have I seen? Lots! A number of new species including a few Warblers. Who knew there was so many birds in the GTA? It blows my mind! I can see why Warblers are more difficult to spot/identify/watch/admire/photograph... they just don't sit still for very long and are quite small.

I think the highlight for the last few weeks has been the sightings of more than a couple Scarlet Tanagers. This is a bird Angie and I have hoped to see since we started noticing the birds about 5 years ago. So, for 5 years, we never saw one. Mind you, we never truly went out with the purpose to find one, we would just go some place and see what we could while we walked the trails. In the past week I have seen 4 Tanagers (3 males, 1 female) in three different locations. How cool is that? Why all of a sudden? I have no answer to that.

Last year we saw our first Rose Breasted Grosbeak (male) and this year we are finding them in many places much closer than last year's spot. We are finding pairs about Etobicoke.

Last year we saw our first Yellow Warbler. This year we are seeing many in more than one location, once again much closer to home.

Two years ago we had our first pair of Baltimore Orioles and that's pretty much the only Orioles we have ever seen. This year, once again, many have been seen in our travels.

I am sorry for my absence but May is half over now and I plan to slow it right down through the summer... hoping for some great weather to enjoy in the backyard... and to try and share some experiences on here too! I have a few topics rolling around in the back of my mind regarding other things I have seen animal related.

Enjoy the photos below...

A Yellow Warbler I was able to get a photograph of over in Kitchener on May 16th.

A male Baltimore Oriole at Smythe Park... minutes from my house on May 2nd.

A male Rose Breasted Grosbeak from Col. Sam Smith park on May 5th.

A male Scarlet Tanager from High Park on May 15th. The dreary skies sure didn't help me and the camera with this stunning bird.

Another Yellow Warbler from Marie Curtis Park, same dreary day of May 15th.

Thanks for stopping in, apologies again for my absence... see you all again soon!

Rob

Guess What We Saw?

2010-04-26T20:02:00.003-04:00

So, just as my title says... guess what we saw?

Okay, no point in playing a guessing game, it might take us days to finish.

On Saturday April 24, 2010, we saw our first wild, non-captive, Great Horned Owl. Holy schnikes! It was awesome! Talk about a massive bird of prey!

We were out in some woods near Oshawa and a friendly soul, whom we asked what he had seen, shared with us a rough idea on where an Owl had been spotted. We trekked about, enjoying the woods, and eventually found the an area that appeared much like his description... and then we found the landmark he had mentioned (a bench) and seconds later we were looking up at this Great Horned Owl sleeping in the tree. We were in awe! What was really funny is when locals passed us, asked us what we were looking at, we said "that Owl" and they replied with "oh yeah, there it is" with about as much enthusiasm as someone asking another to "please pass the salt"... and then they walked on.

We didn't stay for very long, looking up at this sleeping majestic giant as there seems to be some etiquette with Owl watching... it has been said to not disturb them and this means no flash photography, no hanging around for more than a few minutes, no yelling or phishing to try and get it's attention, no baiting (throwing live rodents out to see it come down for a feed)... stuff like that. Unfortunately these things do happen and in some cases the Owl becomes stressed, hurt or even killed. I have two stories of Owls that were killed by people baiting them for that prized shot. It's just stupid and horrible.

So, we gazed upon it through binoculars, I got the camera out and took 15 pics or so, using different settings but never the flash. I only hoped I got one really decent pic of him; and I think I did succeed.

As we left, we saw another with binoculars wandering about, I guess we payed it forward and showed this man the Owl. He was quite happy with this sighting as well.

Here are some cool facts about the Great Horned Owl... learn along with me as this is very new to me also.

- The Great Horned Owl is the only animal that regularly eats skunks. (I wonder how that is possible or even pleasurable with that scent bag?)

- The Great Horned Owl will take large prey, even other raptorial birds. It regularly kills and eats other owls, and is an important predator on nestling Ospreys. The reintroduction of Peregrine Falcons has been hampered in some areas by owls killing both adult and nestling falcons.

- The Great Horned Owl is a regular victim of harassment from flocks of American Crows. Crows congregate from long distances to mob owls, and may continue yelling at them for hours. The enmity of the crows is well earned, however, as the owl is probably the most important predator on adult crows and nestlings.

Shooting My World of Late (not much to say).

2010-04-14T18:40:00.024-04:00

Hey all... so, I've not been up to much lately for various reasons but thought I would share my best pics of the last couple weeks, with a bit on where, what, who, why, whatever. Enjoy! If you are coming in from the Facebook link, you may have seen some of these on my wall... sorry.

We are well into Spring now and so many Red Winged Blackbirds have returned the last 6 weeks. It's mostly males who arrive first, setting up nesting territories, preparing for the arrival of the females. The males are incredibly vocal right now so this is a very familiar sight (male calling) and it was my challenge this Spring to get some "call shots".

This has to be one of my best Downy woodpecker shots ever! I am so happy with it that it is most likely going to make our 2011 wall calendar. He was hanging around me in Lambton Woods one afternoon.

This Blue Jay was also keeping an eye on me in Lambton. I had a bag full of sunflower seeds and peanuts... and the birds were all very well aware!

A few Saturdays ago, Angie and I took off to check a "Heronry" not too far out of the city in the north/east section. It was a remarkable sight, seeing at least 2 dozen pairs of Herons nesting in the trees together. The next time we decide to check them out, it will be on the other end of the day, near dusk, and the sun well behind us for easier viewing.

At the same location of the "Heronry" I saw my first Killdear in a farm field. Interesting birds. I've heard their calls around the house, since railroad tracks are very near (they hang out by them) and now I've even seen them since I am aware of them now.

I'm sorry, those Red Wings are beautiful birds. I am so happy to see them again... I love Spring! They are my true sign of the season.

Another one I don't get tired of seeing... the Northern Cardinal. The boys get so much recognition so here's to the females!

I'm along one of the paths in Lambton Woods and noticed this female Downy Woodpecker following me, getting nearer, looking at me, almost like making eye contact, to get my attention. I held out my hand full of peanut bits and seeds and in she landed for a feed not once but nine times overall! It probably would have been more if a stupid dog owner with their unleashed rowdy pup hadn't come along and ruined our moment.

Here I am in High Park one afternoon and lucked out by a small flock of very people friendly Black Capped Chickadees buzzing around. I lost count on how many times this happened, over and over, for a good half hour or more. I am bracing the camera on my arm as I snapped the pics, just as above with the Downy. It gives you a good idea on how long they stay on a hand if you don't scare them... enough time to focus and get a great shot. Do you see the 3 Canada Geese way off in the back walking up the hill?

It pays to keep your eyes open. I saw this from the corner of my eye and was quick to re-act. This Sharp Shin was on the hunt in High Park, flew into some low bushes, so I pointed the camera in that direction and started walking, and lucked out to capture this in flight shot.

Another sign of Spring to me is seeing Chipmunks. They are such entertaining little creatures to watch! I can't believe how much they can cram in those cheeks of theirs. I found this guy at High Park as well.

And yet another Red Wing male letting off his call of the wild. If only I could edit this shot better and get some of those plant stems out of the picture. Ah well, it's a one of a kind shot, as is any photo, anybody takes. I am still very happy with this capture and look at it often.

The male American Goldfinches are getting brighter daily (so it seems). I am finding them to be a tad more skittish now than in the winter months. I wonder if they were willing to put up with more of my presence (and camera) in the cold days since food supplies elsewhere were lacking? I am having a difficult time getting close to photograph them lately.

Oh, there's my buddy "Mr. Half-Tail". He runs harder than any other Squirrel in the yard to come get a peanut... actually the run is more like a bounce. His front feet go up together, as do the back feet. He's a funny little guy and is very comfortable with Angie and I. He disappeared most of the winter so I was happy to see him return as the weather started to warm up.

The Northern Mockingbird from up around the corner has made a few appearances to the yard lately. I'm thinking with all the noise half a dozen Red Wing males are making here every afternoon, he's gotten curious about what the fuss is all about. He even got thirsty enough for a drink one day.

Here he is again a couple days later. He's high up in the tree looking over the backyard again. I've thought about bringing in a food he'd like (fruits) but have heard they can be extremely territorial and will terrorize any other bird that comes around. Soon enough there will be a natural food source here for him with a few small berry bushes if the Robins don't beat him to them first.

I found this sighting to be hilarious! A male Hairy Woodpecker was walking along the path in Lambton Woods, the cycle path at that, taking a stroll to get a peanut half I tossed for somebody else. He walked the pavement like he owned the place! Oh them crazy Woodpeckers of Lambton Woods.

More soon...

Maude "may she rest in peace".

2010-04-01T19:08:00.006-04:00

On March 30, 2010... I said "Goodbye to Maude". Some of you may know of her, some of you may have met her and for those of you who do not... Maude was my tarantula.

So, I lost my pet spider; what's the big deal? Maude was turning 23 years old this year. Maude spent 21 of those years with me. She's been around me at home for a very long time. It seems almost as though she has always been there with me. She's been a fascination to me and those who gazed upon her. She taught me so much about having a tarantula in my life. The knowledge I have gained from her I gladly pass on to others who bring a tarantula into their lives.

If you click on the links below, you can check out my blog about Maude from last year and the second link is the short video I made of her and Meadow during her moult (skin shedding).

Maude's Story

Maude and Meadow video blog

Some may not be able to get what I have to say here but I will miss Maude. We've got over two decades of history! I'll never forget her great escapes back in the early days... hence the 1/4" inch plexi-glass tank cover she ended up with. I tell ya there's nothing like waking in the morning and discovering your tarantula has once again lifted the tank cover and gone on a walk about. She stayed at my bedside for a long time, it's no wonder she never crawled out on my side and ended up in bed with me. Maude was good at weeding out the girls through the dating scene... if a girl was too freaked about me having a tarantula, then that pretty much ended everything fast. Maude was a source of entertainment for the cats over the years. The latest being Meadow, who would watch her and her prey (crickets) in such amazement.

This photo was taken in Maude's final hours. Meadow looks on in concern. I moved Maude's coconut shell house over top of her to give her some peace and comfort of the darkness... the opening of the shell is facing Meadow.

Will I ever get another tarantula? I'm doubtful but you never know. It's hard to think me being 40 now and if I lucked out and got one who lived another couple decades... zoiks, I'd be retired or nearing that stage in my life! Well, providing I live another couple decades myself.

I found that first picture on Google. I think it's suiting for what happened this week. I'll see you on the other side Maude, the day that I go into the light... God speed little one!

The Brickworks in Toronto...

2010-03-21T20:12:00.012-04:00

Today, Sunday March 21, 2010... we went birding to a location that is very new to us but is one of the oldest spots in Toronto. It is called "The Brickworks". I am just learning about the property now but I do remember it vividly from my days as a kid in the '70s and passing it often to and from my Grandparents' home in Riverdale or Cabbagetown (depending who you talk to of the area). It was a very large dusty site full of such old buildings and so much machinery, trucks, etc.

The Brickworks was a brick making factory. It first opened in 1889. The factory closed back in 1984 but those buildings still stand today. It is located at 550 Bayview Ave.

Now, as you look at the photo below, you would not think this would be much of anything. Old crumbling buildings... "woo hoo!" says the history buff. Behind those buildings is 16 hectares of land containing forests, trails, marshlands and a number of small ponds.

The main reason we went to The Brickworks is for this bird pictured below. I borrowed the shot from Google images as my shots were nowhere near as good, clear or close. This is a Belted Kingfisher. It kinda looks like a cross between a Blue Jay and a Woodpecker. We had heard about this location and some of these birds on a Toronto Birding message board we learned about from a friendly blog reader who we hope to meet up with this Spring... her name is Jo-Anne... everyone say "Hi Jo-Anne!"

Anyways, here is a couple shots of one of the Kingfishers we saw. Apparently this is the female... ID'd by the brown streaks on her chest. We watched her fly about the grounds, dive into the ponds for food, sit here and there around the ponds, chatter away and then zip off to the cliffs at the back of the area where it seemed her and the male were going into some holes (nest?) on the cliff. This bird is very new to me, as is the area, so there is much to learn.

Not sure which shot is the better. If you click on the image, it will enlarge for a better but grainy view. The cloudy skies and snow flurries didn't help the photos nor the 200 ft between us... good thing for binoculars!

We saw/heard quite a few other species of birds including Northern Cardinals, Black-Capped Chickadees, White Breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays, Song Sparrows, American Gold Finches, Mallard Ducks, Common Grackles and lots of these guys pictured below, the Red Winged Blackbird. I wanted to try and get shots of the males while bellowing out their Spring calls. I thought with puffed feathers, mouth and wings open, it would look cool... better than a pose. I am happy with the few clear shots I got but I will try again on sunnier days wherever I see them.

Here is one of the half dozen or so ponds at the back of the grounds. You can see another Red Wing in the tree and the cliffs in the distance where the Kingfishers might actually nest.

Here is the back of the buildings, another pond to the left. A lot of money is going to be spent on the restoration of these buildings. I will post a link at the end of this blog for you to check out more on the restructuring of The Brickworks. It's all very exciting. Apparently they have a farmers' market here in the summer months!

This is the first pond you'd see upon entering the grounds.

This sign is posted for all to see right before entering the grounds... unfortunately very few dog owners follow the by-law. I've thought about blogging about why dogs should be on leash, and probably will at some point, but it you read the smaller print, you'll get the jist of the importance to control dogs out and about.

There is a leash free zone at The Brickworks. We only saw one woman and her dog in this area. The sign below I saw just before we went back to the car. This sign made me very sad. I just cannot go there in my head, thinking how people can do this... just go to parks and woods and toss their pets out, to fend for themselves and think nothing of it.

So, The Brickworks is full of history and it's full of nature. It holds a very promising *Green* future for all the city. Please copy/paste the link below to learn more about it and if you ever are feeling adventurous... go visit!

http://ebw.evergreen.ca/

The Northern Mockingbird... my neighbour!

2010-03-17T18:57:00.006-04:00

Who all knows about Mockingbirds? Who all has ever seen a Mockingbird? I never did until last year, and it's the only one I have seen. Funny enough is this one is right around the corner from me.

He lives in the area of Scarlett Rd and St. Clair. He can often be seen sitting on the traffic lights or light standards at the intersection watching the world go by while he sings his song... which is confusing, because as his name goes, he mocks other birds. The day I got these shots (March 16, 2010) he was chattering away like a Starling. A Mockingbird may also pick up other interesting noises (and repeat) in his territory such as car alarms, dog barks, creaky gates, etc.

He seems to be a very content bird. He travels back and forth from the east side to the west side of the street. There are a few coniferous trees about both sides that he flies in and out of. Good thing he wasn't in one when I went to take these photos or I'd probably have none to share. I assume he is so used to people passing him by that he had no issues about giving himself a good cleaning in the late afternoon sun.

When Ang and I first noticed him last year, we were in awe, as we never saw one before. So, on our trips to the grocery store or anywhere having us go through that intersection, we'd look out for him. I'm convinced he has made a couple visits to the backyard, as I know I've seen a Mockingbird here twice. Unfortunately I don't offer much in the way of fruits for the critters and most seeds are not his taste. I guess with all the chatter here it got his curiosity. I have planted some Holly bushes so perhaps he may become more of a regular as the berries grow?

Here's some cool facts about Northern Mockingbirds from www.allaboutbirds.org

* It’s not just other mockingbirds that appreciate a good song. In the nineteenth century, people kept so many mockingbirds as cage birds that the birds nearly vanished from parts of the East Coast. People took nestlings out of nests or trapped adults and sold them in cities such as Philadelphia, St. Louis, and New York, where, in 1828, extraordinary singers could fetch as much as $50.

* Northern Mockingbirds continue to add new sounds to their repertoires throughout their lives. A male may learn around 200 songs throughout its life.

* The Northern Mockingbird frequently gives a "wing flash" display, where it half or fully opens its wings in jerky intermediate steps, showing off the big white patches. No one knows why it does this, but it may startle insects, making them easier to catch. On the other hand, it doesn’t often seem to be successful, and different mockingbird species do this same display even though they don’t have white wing patches.

* Northern Mockingbirds sing all through the day, and often into the night. Most nocturnal singers are unmated males, which sing more than mated males during the day, too. Nighttime singing is more common during the full moon.

* Northern Mockingbirds typically sing from February through August, and again from September to early November. A male may have two distinct repertoires of songs: one for spring and another for fall.

* The female Northern Mockingbird sings too, although usually more quietly than the male does. She rarely sings in the summer, and usually only when the male is away from the territory. She sings more in the fall, perhaps to establish a winter territory.

* The oldest Northern Mockingbird on record was 14 years and 10 months old.

Had Enough of a Rainy Weekend or Spring is Springing!

2010-03-14T15:51:00.011-04:00

So, here it is the second weekend in March. We were spoiled greatly last weekend and much of the work week with sun and some double digit temperatures. I pretty much forgot that it is still winter here in Toronto. Along comes this weekend, and it rained and rained and rained some more... much more.

I guess it was one part "cabin fever" and another part of just a need to get out there and see what's going on in the woods near us, especially with migration starting up. I've seen the return of Red Winged Blackbirds a couple times the last week but Ang has not. So off we went! And with this rainy weather there was lots of birds and critters about and very few people. Sweet!

So, enjoy the photos and bits below. We had a few nice surprises in our trek!

First off being more Red Winged Blackbird sightings. We heard them well before we saw them. This guy gave us a backside view of him before finally turning around. As you can see he is a little full looking... he was in midst of making one of their very familiar calls.

He finally turned around to show us his beautiful markings.

Another usual suspect is one of many Northern Cardinals in the woods. The males are all very vocal right now as it's mating season!

This female Cardinal is playing a bit of a game of peek-a-boo with us and maybe with one of the boys trying to woo her.

We heard some really strange bird calls and looked for about 20 minutes before discovering the vocalist way up this tree. It's a Red Bellied Woodpecker! I still find it odd they have given him this name, what with that color on his head.

We went further along, figuring we were already rather wet, and thought we'd try to locate this Owl reported of living in the woods. We never did see the Owl but did spot this guy sleeping way up in the tree... it's a Raccoon. The rain was pouring down and he slept through it. I felt sorry for him but he didn't seem to care. One thing I will give our animal friends is that they certainly endure all seasons and weather better than humans. They just deal with it, the good, the bad and the ugly days.

On our way back to the car we spotted our first Chipmunk of the year. He didn't stay still for very long what with the rain coming down. He was a joy to see! Another sign of winter ending with the hibernation coming to a close as well.

Finally having enough of the rain, we head for home. Wouldn't you know it... within the hour of being home again, the rain stopped. I spent some time out back despite the gloomy skies and was treated to another sign of the changing of the seasons... a branch of Pussy Willows I planted 3 years ago, which now stands about 6 feet in height is blooming!

So, who needs more signs of Spring? The birds are returning. The clocks moved ahead this weekend. Buds are starting to sprout. Do we really need the news people to say so along with the calendar on the 21st?

Spring is here... even if the calendar says otherwise

2010-03-10T19:05:00.007-05:00

Good news friends... Spring is here! Sure the calendar says it arrives on March 21st; but I say it's here now.

On Sunday March 7, 2010 I saw my first returning Red Winged Blackbirds at the Humber Arboretum. I was thrilled at the sounds of two males when I got out of the car.

A short bit later I spotted one to my delight.

On Tuesday March 9, 2010 I saw my first returning Common Grackles at Lambton Woods which is minutes from my home. A lot of people aren't keen on these birds but I enjoy them. I guess since I don't get masses of them until fall migration, I don't mind. I love their piercing yellow eyes, the blue/green colors of their heads and the jet black bodies.

If there is one bird in the area that I can see a resemblance to the dinosaur, it is the Grackle.

Anyways, sorry for the short bit... but I did need to share this bit of great news for those tired of the winter season (even though it wasn't a bad winter).

E76 Gets Around...

2010-03-01T17:51:00.003-05:00

So, some of you might remember a blog from a couple weeks back regarding Port Credit and our Valentine tradition. In it, a photo, exactly as above was posted and a friend contacted me regarding the tagged Trumpeter Swan and how I should report it's sighting.

Well, I did just that about 2 weeks ago. I got a phone call last night from someone who received my report and was quite happy to hear from me. I did not speak with the man but do plan on calling him back this evening to confirm some of the information. In his voice mail, he did leave me reports from others on this exact Swan (E76). They are as follows...

- E76... is a male Trumpeter Swan
- On February 7, 2009, he was caught and tagged in Lasalle Park in Burlington, Ont.
- On August 23, 2009, he was sighted/reported at Macy's Bay which is 4km south of Honey Harbour up in the Midland, Ont. area.
- On February 13, 2010, I reported E76 in the mouth of the Credit River between Saddington Park and Snug Harbour in Port Credit.

So, from one sighting to the next is in the range of a 200 km distance; and from that sighting to my sighting is another 171 km. As I said, "E76 sure gets around".

I've never really given much notice to tagged wildlife before. After this experience, I certainly will. I don't exactly know where to report things but with the help of some friends and google, I will succeed. I ask that perhaps anyone reading this out there might consider it as well... and feel free to ask me for any help.

Lastly, this goes for the chance anyone comes across a deceased one as well. Those reports are just as important.

Snowy Owl at Col. Sam Smith Park and a Kestrel

2010-02-25T19:27:00.008-05:00

So, this blog is not much of a surprise to many who I know through other means besides the blog. I sent these pictures out to anyone and everyone I know who would appreciate this. To those who only know me through here, this blog is for you...

A few weeks ago we were at Col. Sam Smith Park down at the bottom of Kipling Avenue in Etobicoke. It is on the south side of Lakeshore Blvd.

In our walks, if we see someone with a camera and/or binoculars, we ask them what they have seen so far. Well, this day, a woman said "A female Snowy Owl down at the pier". From that, we shortened our search of some water fowl, and made a quick pace over to the pier. The woman was only at the pier about 15 minutes prior so our chances we good to see the Owl... and we totally lucked out!

There she was, out in the middle of the pier, safe from all humans, dogs and anything else that could not fly. The walkways are locked off, granting nobody access. One could only walk around the pier and watch her in the middle of it. She had about 125 ft of water surrounding her. What a sight though! It was brutally cold, with wind chills nearing minus thirty celcius! This seemed to bother her none and she looked quite content just sunning herself. A few other on-lookers were in awe with her presence. One woman was here from Georgia USA and got word of the Owl while in town and had to see her. It was funny to see how many cameras were out and pointed in her (the Owl) direction.

I've gone back a few times since that day and was fortunate enough to find her again. At one point, I decided to see what else was around, and followed an American Kestrel for some time. When I got back to the Owl, she had moved, she was off the pier and sitting on the ice. A week or so later I was talking with a friend of mine, who was down at the pier about one hour before me, on that day, and could not find the Owl. I thought back to the day and recalled wishing I had his cell number because I knew he and his wife had talked of going down that same day I was there. I wanted to know if he did, and if not, to get their butts down ASAP.

Anyways, this definitely is one of the highlights of the winter so far. I do hope to see her at least one more time before the season ends and she flies north again. Enjoy the rest of the photos!

Here she is relaxing on the frozen waters of Lake Ontario...

I've got the zoom stretched as far as it can go for these. She's a beauty!

Part of a skeleton of some large fish I walked over in my attempts to get as close to the pier as humanly possible without trying to step out onto the ice.

Here's the American Kestrel up in the tree. He's not too fond of my photographing him. The sky was so drab and grey, making it very difficult to get a clean picture.

The Kestrel finally had enough of me and flew off... waaaaaaaaaaaay off.

Water Birds

2010-02-20T07:51:00.018-05:00

It's the winter of 2009/10... and this year, especially with the lack of snow, making the natural food still available for extended time (not buried) and many of my winter visitors to be more sporadic; I've taken an even bigger interest in the "winter water birds" of the GTA.

It's a new learning experience for me. In the past, I've only thought of Mallard Ducks, Canada Geese and Sea Gulls to be what is around the lake. Last Valentines Day, Angie and I discovered the Bufflehead Ducks down in Port Credit. They were so fun to watch, being smaller than most of the other species, and being divers for feeding (they disappear right down under the water for food).

A couple Canada Geese could swallow one of these little Buffleheads whole (if they were meat eaters). Just showing size comparison here...

This year, in search of Buffleheads, and with some knowledge that there is more to see in the lake over the winter... we went looking. This is some of what we have found.

The Trumpeter Swan. I didn't know we had two different types of Swans in the area (Mute and Trumpeter). The only difference I know of at this moment is the beak color. Black for the Trumpeter. Orange for the Mute.

The Trumpeter...

The Mute...

Another neat sighting was the Long Tailed Ducks. I'd say I am surprised to have never them before, but then again, I've never really spent any time down at the lake in the winter months. This is the male pictured here...

A pair of Long Tails having an afternoon nap on the lake...

Yet another interesting looking Duck is the Golden Eye. Their eyes are a piercing yellow color. In the sun, the sides of the male look silver, and with such a shiny black head.

There must be a technique to taking photos over the water. The more interesting of the Duck species seem to stay away from shore in the presence of humans (so I have noticed) and it makes it even more difficult to get a great shot with my camera.

Here are some mystery Ducks...

but on the 19th of February I made a discovery on the Humber River near my home, and I am wondering if those mystery Ducks above are the same as these below, Common Mergansers. I found a couple females and possibly one male. In time, with some research I will know for certain.

Lastly, let's not forget the most common of the area, the Mallards. They add color and life to the lake, rivers and ponds of the GTA all year long.

There's more to see, and I hope we do, before the winter ends.

Bronte Creek in Burlington winter 2010

2010-01-24T16:05:00.018-05:00

Another mild January weekend has us out and about, taking in all Mother Nature has to offer.

Ang and I were thinking High Park but I was there just a couple weeks ago and we plan on going there with a friend of our's very soon. So, we chose Bronte Creek in Burlington, Ontario. We had only been there once before, last winter. What a difference weather-wise though... last year there was so much snow and here within a couple weeks of being one full year later there is no snow. I'm not exactly complaining because it's much easier to walk the woods without all the snow.

Bronte Creek is a conservation area. There is camping on one end of the grounds (north east section). We enter the other area off of Burloak Drive. The entrance is about 1.5 kms north of the QEW. It costs $15 for the day pass per vehicle. The conservation area is vast with various types of landscapes from forests, to valleys, to open fields. One section has a leash free zone for dogs. The far east end of the park has Bronte Creek/12 Mile Creek running on the edge. In our walk along this section, you could see Hawks soaring overhead and you could hear their screeches.

With the lack of snow, we got a lot of ground covered. We did three trails... The Trillium Trail (1km) and then the Half Moon Valley Trail (2km)... the third I will mention shortly. Both Trillium and Half Moon are off parking area F, near the Spruce Lane Farmhouse. There is a Peacock Pen here and a lot of Black-Capped Chickadees, White Breasted Nuthatches and House Sparrows buzz around. The Chickadees will easily land in your hand here if you have food they like (no-salt shelled peanuts or black oil sunflower seed).

Pictured here is a White Breasted Nuthatch running down the side of the Peacock Pen.

A Black Capped Chickadee feeding off the rails of the Pen.

Our walks along the trails had us seeing nothing in way of birds or other wildlife. We think the steady flow of Hawk activity had something to do with it. So often you would see them soaring overhead, hunting.

A few times we'd even see one sitting in a tree or on a light standard, keeping watch. I see them all the time as I travel the Hwy 401 and I just want to stop, look at them, try and get a picture... but that's not the safest thing to do on a highway where the speed limit is 100 km/h but we know few travel that slow. I probably took 20 shots of this Red Tailed Hawk before he got tired of me and flew off.

One of my last shots of this Hawk before it disappeared beyond the trees.

Probably the most bizarre thing I have ever seen was this photo'd below. It's an animal fur/skin hung from a tree branch. I went in for a close look and I think it's Raccoon. The tail was gone but the color scheme about the body sure reminded me of a Raccoon. How did it get up there? My cousin in B.C. said her dogs find such things from time to time and bring them to her. She bribes them with a dog cookie to release the carcass, which she then places up on a branch out of reach of the dogs. Maybe someone did that here? Maybe the animal died in the tree? Maybe a predator ate this animal up there? Such a mystery for sure...

We headed back to the car and decided to hit another part of the grounds. We drove over to parking C. There is a Children's Play Barn and a small farm here. A nature centre which was closed for the season. And beyond this all another trail called "Maiden's Blush" which we walked the length of at 1.1km. It's near 1km just to get to this trail. Once again, we saw very little in our travels until we found a pond deep in the woods. A flock of Robins were spotted along with a Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker. There is a lot of brush here so the birds were safe from the Hawks.

The farm was interesting to see as well... a wide variety of animals are kept here in large pens with lots of room to roam, to be inside or travel outside at their own will to even more area for them.

The Goats are in pairs in the pens. One couple recently had a baby. There are machines filled treats and you can get a handful for $0.25 to hand feed these guys. As you can see below, they eagerly wait for a treat. If you visit, please bring some quarters to make them happy. Also the money collected is used for the animals. Sure you get slobbered on the palms but it's fun. They have wash stations outside the barns when you are done.

A Rabbit pen was found in another building. Four of them in a pen that is probably 15ft X 40ft.

Then, another Peacock pen was located here. You want to see color?!?! Holy! I forgot how brilliant the males are.

This male Peacock was out to impress the ladies of the pen. Once I got closer, he brought the mass of feathers in... probably didn't want me to get the wrong idea. :)

This male Rooster was quite protective over his group of girls. Ten girls for one boy!

One of his ladies keeping her eggs warm.

They have a Cow pen as well. This photo was taken from last winter... but this guy is still at the farm. He was along the fence and we got to pat his head, touch his nose and he licked Ang's fingers.

So, while it wasn't the best day for bird watching... it was a great day to be out and about outdoors. A little more sun would have been nice but I will take a mild dry January day anytime.

Bronte Creek seems to be a great place for all seasons. A number of old buildings are on the property. Old farm equipment too!

Also there is camping. There are 3 baseball diamonds. There are many picnic areas with firepits. As I mentioned the leash free zone. They even have an open area for those to play with their remote airplanes and helicopters.

It's worth the trip to Bronte Creek in Burlington!

Mr. Half-Tail

2010-01-13T18:56:00.006-05:00

So, winter is in full swing now. My "Dirty Dozen" as I like to refer to them... is now down to about half. Hibernation? My change in work hours giving me much less day time in the yard to see them? They just don't stray far from their homes? Whatever the case may be... here is one I do miss the last number of weeks since the cold weather set in... meet "Mr. Half-Tail"

We had a "Stumpy" a few years ago... so "Mr. Half-Tail" popped out and has stuck with me although Ang prefers "Pom Pom". As you might notice from his photo, he does have half a tail.

Most of the Squirrels rather blend in together... just a bunch of trouble-making yet comical misfits with no names. A few do get a name for physical appearance or characteristic reasons as you may recall with Smokey and Jigger.

There is more to "Mr. Half Tail" than just the half tail. He is the blackest, shiniest and fastest of the bunch. The back door opens and Squirrels come running from all directions and he passes them all with ease like a champion Stallion in a rush to get a peanut. He works harder than the others when searching them in the grass... you can just see it in him... quickly moving about, back and forth, left to right.

He follows me like a faithful puppy the full length of the yard for that peanut.

It's nearing the middle of January, so I like to think that in about 8 weeks, things will start to go back to normal for yard critter visitors. I do hope he is one of the returning Squirrels (not all have come back) and wonder if "Mr. Half-Tail" will still have just a half tail?