Lambton County Tour: Jan. 29th.

We are still pretty stoked about finding 3 Short-eared Owls in Lambton County today! We typically need to wait until dusk to see them in flight and by that time it is getting too dark for photos. Today was the first time I have seen this species in the afternoon sun! These 3 owl photos were all taken by Deryl (as they were on his side of the car.)

We saw surprisingly few Snow Buntings today. They camouflage very well and are easy to overlook. Sometimes taking a moment to scan the corn stubble can reveal their hiding spots. They tend to feed for only 10 minutes before moving on and are easier to see when in flight.

I find it amazing to to see boats on icy waterways at this time of the year. Ice extended fully from the Canadian shore to the Michigan shore! The Coast Guard was definitely needed to carve a path for the Ivor Bright as it travelled up the St. Clair River!

 Pinery Visit in January:

It was a very chilly day to spend at the beach. Ice extending far into Lake Huron made it difficult to see any diving birds.

More views of Lake Huron.

On the sheltered side of the dunes, we found several Black-capped Chickadees and other songbirds. The chickadee fluffs its soft, thick feathers to trap warm air close to its body. This serves as good insulation against the cold.  (https://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/birds/chickadee.html)

Mitts were definitely necessary when feeding the birds on this visit!

Cedar Waxwings. Try as we might, we couldn't find any Bohemian Waxwings in the small flock.

American Crow feasting on Sumac Berries.

Downy Woodpecker and Tufted Titmouse sharing some space.

 Yard Birds in Snow Storm:

The backyard feeders were very active during the snow storm yesterday. A White-breasted Nuthatch scans for danger as the Cooper's Hawk occasionally patrols our yard.

We put our Christmas Tree in the backyard near the feeders to provide additional shelter for the birds.

The Northern Cardinal is one of the most common bird species to visit our feeders.

A Tufted Titmouse made a brief appearance.

We are lucky to have them in our area!

Dark-eyed Juncos are also regular customers!

While shoveling our driveway, the 3 Wild Turkey hens stopped to supervise. I think they wanted to walk up the drive way to access the backyard feeder, but I was blocking their way.

I am very happy to enjoy today's sunshine along 

with our feeder friends, including this Carolina Wren!

 Winter Things With Wings:

I continue to find live caterpillars this winter. Our recent lack of snow and occasional warmer days have definitely contributed to the finds. This larva is my first Woolly Bear (or Isabella Tiger Moth) of the season.

I watched a White-breasted Nuthatch bounce in and out of a tree cavity. He eventually retrieved a juicy grub for his lunch.

Sarnia Bay has frozen over. Mallard ducks regularly fly between the land and the ice.

Its incredible to see so many gull species in the air when a Bald Eagle passes by!

The Wild Turkeys made a return visit to our street on Saturday. In rural areas we sometimes find a single turkey in a tree acting as "look out" for the rest of the flock. Apparently one of the birds decided to use our neighbour's van for the look out roost while the other 2 fed under the bird feeder!

 More Winter Things!

I have been enjoying short walks along the Lake Huron Shoreline. Watching the rolling waves and "flying ice" is mesmerizing! 

Yesterday, a Bald Eagle flew directly overhead on its way to hunt for ducks. He skimmed about a foot above the water and ice surface in his quest for food but didn't have success before disappearing from my view.

Ducks are distant in Lake Huron, but the relatively open waters along the Suncor Trail have attracted a number of Mallards, including a lone male Wood Duck! (centre of photo)

Several American Goldfinches found a seed source on a Mullein stalk in Canatara Park. The 6th Goldfinch appears to be applying the brakes as he scans for a clear landing spot..

Four of a dozen Northern Cardinals enjoyed the sunshine on a cold day!

"Ice Donuts" near the Yacht Club.

 January 15 &16, 2022

I have now seen a "thing that WILL GET WINGS" in each of the last 3 months! Thanks to our friend Allanah, we found this caterpillar during a walk at the Suncor Trail. I believe this is the larva of one of the Tiger Moths. 

"Rudolph the Red-nosed Chickadee!" A pair of Black-capped Chickadees were busy feeding on Sumac berries on the Suncor Trail. The fuzzy fruit is an important source of food in the cold winter months for many bird species!

Two of 9 White-crowned Sparrows that we found during our walk this afternoon.

A White-breasted Nuthatch struggled with a prized peanut yesterday. He dropped it twice while breaking it down to a manageable size.

A Hermit Thrush popped up in front of me this morning. I think it was startled by some ice skaters who zoomed by on the frozen lake.

During the past week, I have seen as many as 16 American Robins at one time eating berries in Canatara Park!

 Turkey Tales!

The 3 Wild Turkeys that I have encountered many times in the park have become frequent visitors to our backyard.

Our daughter first noticed one standing on the back fence.

When she walked to the window, discovered that 2 were checking out the sunroom!

Below our platform feeder is their feeding place of choice. We have stopped throwing seeds on the ground for sparrows as it attracts too much turkey attention. (Song Birds also knock seeds to the ground to the benefit of the turkeys.) On the day the above photos were taken, they stayed for a full hour!

Our cat is NOT impressed!

They regularly cross Christina Street. I met them recently as I was headed into the park and they were headed down my street.