Eagles, Buntings and Larks, Oh my!

We drove to South-east Lambton in hopes of finding some Eagles. We found both Golden and Bald Eagles, as well as a number of other species!

A grumpy looking Horned Lark!!

As we approached a 'T' intersection, 43 Horned Larks flew in circles around our car. I suggested that perhaps we were stopped where they wanted to land. Sure enough, after turning the corner and parking a bit down the road, the Horned Larks landed right at the stop sign! Horned Larks are social birds, sometimes found in huge flocks outside the breeding season. They creep along bare ground searching for small seeds and insects. They are more likely to be found on gravel roads when snow covers the fields.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Horned_Lark/id

Bald Eagle, adult and juvenile: Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about 5 years.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bald_eagle/id

Immature Golden Eagle: We had some good looks at both adult and juvenile Golden Eagles through our binoculars, but they didn't want to pose for the camera! The Golden Eagle is one of Ontario's largest and most powerful birds of prey. The species is named for the golden-brown feathers on the back of its neck, head and upper wings, but the rest of the body is mostly dark brown. Young birds have lots of white visible on the base of the tail and in the interior of the wing, but the white colour will largely disappear by their fifth year.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/golden-eagle

Snow Buntings have sometimes been called 'Snowflakes' because they swirl through the air and then settle on fields. They spend the summer in the arctic tundra, nesting in rocky areas and foraging in patches of sedges and other vegetation. In the winter, they can be found in Southern Ontario in open fields, croplands with grain stubble, shorelines and roadsides. We found 2 flocks, each with 200+ birds!

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/snow-bunting

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

23 Tundra Swans decided it was finally time to head south!

A Northern Shrike left its tree top roost as we stopped the car. They breed in open parts of the boreal forest and along the northern edge where the the boreal forest meets the tundra. Some will spend the winter in Southern Ontario when they find open habitat with groups of small trees and bushes.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Shrike/id

A wooded area along Watterworth Road: Other than some old woodpecker holes, we didn't find any signs of bird life as we walked along the road. The birds had probably feasted before we arrived and were taking a rest at the time.

We spotted 19 Wild Turkeys on Lobella Drive. When looking through the binoculars, a Raccoon could be seen foraging for food amongst the Turkeys. They all seemed to be getting along! The raccoon is visible in the right 1/3 of the top photo.