Leap Day Walk in Canatara Park!

The water was trying to "leap out" of Lake Huron in this morning's high winds.

The ever changing Lake Huron shoreline.

Most birds including this male Northern Cardinal stayed inland, sheltered from the wind.

Black-capped Chickadee watching passersby on the trail.

American Robins were busily eating sumac fruit. They were joined by Starlings, Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.

Grey Squirrel nibbling on tree keys

A Tufted Titmouse hunted for food on the forest floor. I would not have seen it if it hadn't started calling.

 Early Spring Risers!

First Eastern Comma of 2024! (Found by Deryl on Feb. 27th. which was an unseasonably warm day.) This butterfly is one of a few species that overwinter as adults and are usually the first to fly in the spring. It was common for me to find them in the Sugar Bush in March where they would drink sap dripping from the Sugar Maples. I hope it will be able to find shelter from today's dramatic temperature drop.

I found a well-camouflaged Fall Cankerworm Moth as it fluttered in the sunshine. Luckily for me, it landed on a twig so I could photograph it!

An enthusiastic Red-winged Blackbird, very pleased with the warm weather, sang for all to hear!

I found 10 turtles soaking up the sun on Feb. 27th., including 6 Painted Turtles. The other 4 turtles were Pond Sliders which are invasive in Ontario.

Snowdrops didn't need to push through the snow this year.

Human-made flower that won't suffer from the cold.

Storm Skies as the temperature began to drop this morning.

 Good, Gully!

Gulls are members of a large family of seabirds. They are often called "Seagulls" but there is no species actually called a "Seagull"! Identification is challenging because their plumage changes as they grow older. The following photos show some of the species found in Lambton County in the past few weeks.

Glaucous Gull - immature

Glaucous Gull - immature

Herring Gull - immature

Iceland Gull - Kumlien's race, immature

Iceland Gull - Kumlien's race, adult

Iceland Gull - Thayer's Race, immature

Iceland Gull - Thayer's Race, adult

Great Black-backed Gull - adult

Ring-billed Gull - adult

 A Few Birds of Prey!

American Kestrels prefer open areas with short ground vegetation and sparse trees. They can be found in meadows, grasslands, deserts, parks, and farm fields. We often see them on roadside hydro lines but Deryl found this one in a more natural setting.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel/lifehistory

Cooper's Hawks mainly eat birds. Small birds are safer around Cooper's Hawks than medium sized birds such as Starlings, Doves, Robins and Flickers. I often see them dining on chipmunks in Canatara Park. This individual flew past me very close to ground level as I walked through a wooded area. 

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk/lifehistory

Turkey Vultures are making an appearance in South-western Ontario. A few sightings have occurred this winter. Once March arrives, Turkey Vultures can be seen in larger numbers as they migrate through the area.

Bald Eagles are starting to sit on their very large nests. Bald Eagles build some of the largest of all bird nests - typically 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall!

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/lifehistory#nesting

The Red-tailed Hawk is probably the most common hawk in North America. They soar above open fields, slowly turning circles on their broad, rounded wings. Sitting atop telephone poles is a common place for them to perch, eyes fixed on the ground, watching for movement of their next meal.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_Hawk/overview

 A Few More Superb Owls!

A Screech Owl soaking up the sun on a mild February day! They are active at night and are more often heard than seen. Many bird watchers know them from their trilling and whinnying song. If you are lucky, they can be spotted in daylight at the the entrance to its home in a tree cavity!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/id#

Screech Owls can be attracted to nest boxes, such as this one intended for Wood Ducks.

It’s nesting time for Great Horned Owls. This pair was spotted sitting in a tree at the end of January.

Long-eared Owls are nocturnal and generally spend days roosting in dense parts of trees, often near the trunk where their plumage provides excellent camouflage.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Long-eared_Owl/overview

Superb "Short-eared Owls"  

We had an unexpected Short-eared Owl experience recently. Three owls flew out from a tree line as we walked along a trail. One of them, above, is just landing in a nearby field. (The photo is heavily cropped.)

Short-eared Owls are well camouflaged in pasture. The shorter stubble in this field makes it "pop out" a bit.

Short-eared Owls are medium-sized owls with rounded heads. The "ears" mentioned in their name are difficult to see. This open country hunter is one of the world's most widely distributed owls and among the most frequently seen in daylight.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Short-eared_Owl/overview

We also found some pellets on the ground. When owls eat their prey, they swallow everything and later cough up the indigestible bones and fur.

I dissected the pellet and put the fur in one pile.

Then it was time to spread out the bones. I am guessing that the rodent bones are from a vole. The skull seemed a bit large for a field mouse. To the right of the nickel are 4 tiny bones, possibly a foot.

Close up of skull, upper and lower side. The yellow teeth are visible in the lower photo. Dissecting pellets allows scientists to learn more about owl diets.

Goofy Canada Geese!

I wasn't as close to this Canada Goose as it appears as I always give an aggressive goose lots of room when passing by. The "comb-like serrations" visible on the tongue and mouth edge aren't really teeth. They are used like teeth, but are made of cartilage and have no enamel.

https://www.strongjaw.com/blogs/blog/uncovering-goose-teeth-facts-myths-and-surprising-discoveries

The Geese have been entertaining lately and nest building season hasn't even begun.

Some Canada Geese were staking claim to their territory on Lake Chipican ...

while others were "dancing" in the waters of Lake Huron.

I’ve watched them tip forward with tails up when they are reaching for food on the lake bottom, but have not seen the "back flop" before.

Maybe they were practicing their synchronized swimming skills....

or perhaps were having a well needed bath! 

 Canatara Winter Birds:

Bird activity in Canatara Park has been slow, but every once in awhile an unexpected bird shows up. It took a bit to figure out that this was an immature Blue-phase Snow Goose. Snow Geese are rarely seen in Canatara Park.

The Snow Goose is considerably smaller than the Canada Goose that it was touring with.

Mild weather is contributing to an early northward migration of Tundra Swans. One day we saw 4 different flocks heading north.

An ornamental Crab Apple tree is providing a food source for Cedar Waxwings.

One day I saw 32 Cedar Waxwings together in the park. Despite the dark skies, the yellow tail band is visible on some of the birds.

American Robins have also been frequent visitors to the crab apple tree. As long as food is available, many birds can survive the cold temperatures. Food equals fuel!

Black-capped Chickadees enjoy fruit on the Staghorn Sumac.

A White-breasted Nuthatch posed for me in the sun.