End of October Things!

Dark-eyed Juncos have returned from their summer breeding grounds. They spend a lot of time at ground level, but this individual found a feast of seeds on a Goldenrod flower head. Dark-eyed Juncos are one of the most common birds in North America and can be found across the entire continent. They are easy to recognize in flight by the bright white outer tail feathers.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dark-eyed_Junco/overview

Merlins are small, fierce falcons that use surprise attacks to bring down small songbirds and shorebirds. Merlin populations have largely recovered from twentieth-century declines thanks to a ban on the pesticide DDT and their ability to adapt to life around towns and cities. The name 'Merlin' comes from esmerillon, the old French name for the species. Merlins used to be called 'pigeon hawks' because in flight they look somewhat pigeon-like.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/overview

The Merlin was not able to eat his prey in peace (Song Sparrow in the talons) due to constant harassment from a Blue Jay.

Black-capped Chickadees are commonly found hanging upside down from clumps of dead leaves in the fall. The leaves often house overwintering insects and the chickadees know that food can be found in the clumps. This chickadee appears to have extracted a snail from the leaf clump!

A Winter Wren also found food within a clump of leaves. This tiny ball of energy is plump and round with a stubby tail that it usually holds straight up. It delivers its song with 10 times more power than a crowing rooster, (per unit of weight)! They are rather weak fliers that hop and scamper among fallen logs, inspecting upturned roots and vegetation for insects.

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

On a windy day, a Great Blue Heron chose a perching location that was blocked from the force of the wind. With its varied diet, it can spend the winter farther north than most herons, even in areas where most waters freeze.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron

Hermit Thrush - It should be heading south soon.

An irruption year has been predicted for winter finches due to low food sources further north. More Pine Siskins (and other winter finches) than usual are expected to visit Southern Ontario this winter. Pine Siskins can temporarily store seeds totaling up to 10% of their body mass in a part of their esophagus called the crop. The energy in that amount of food could get them through 5-6 nighttime hours of subzero temperatures!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Siskin/overview

Winter is the time to look for Snow Buntings in southern Ontario. They can be found in fields amongst crop stubble and also along lakeshores. The Snow Bunting, above, stopped on the steps at Canatara Beach on the shores of Lake Huron on November 29th. Snow Buntings are also restless during the winter and fly to a new spot every 10 minutes or so.

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

With their enormous bills, Evening Grosbeaks can crush seeds that are too large for Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins to open. These smaller birds often seek out the grosbeaks and eat the food scraps they leave behind.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Evening_Grosbeak/overview

Painted Turtle surrounded by fall colours: It was taking advantage of one of the last basking days of the season. The sun helps them to digest food more quickly. Stored food helps turtles survive the winter in mud beneath the water.