Friday, May 19, 2023

 Shorebirds in Sombra:

The skies were alive near Sombra with flying shorebirds performing aerial maneuvers. Top picture shows Dunlin. Bottom shows mostly Dunlin and Semi-palmated Plovers.

Occasionally the birds would land close to shore. A Semi-palmated Plover spent time foraging for insects in front of me. They look like miniature Killdeer, but only have one black band across the breast.

Above is a Killdeer for comparison, sporting 2 black bands. They get their name from the shrill "kill-deer" call they regularly project.

Lesser Yellowlegs are commonly found in Ontario during migration. They are known for their steadfast defense of their eggs and chicks. Biologist William Rowan once noted, "they will be perched there as though the safety of the entire universe depended on the amount of noise they made."  
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lesser_Yellowlegs/overview

Chimney Swifts are difficult birds to photograph as they spend almost their entire life airborne. They aren't able to perch, but when they land, they cling to vertical walls inside chimneys or in hollow trees or caves.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview

One of my favourite finds was a Hooded Merganser family - a Mom and her 14 ducklings! Hooded Merganser chicks leave their nest cavity within 24 hours of hatching. Mom calls to them from ground level after ensuring the coast is clear. The little fluffballs scramble out the hole then flutter to the ground, which may be 50 feet or more below them! They may have to walk up to half a mile or more with their mother to the nearest body of water!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Merganser/overview

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