Desjardins Canal

A burst of sunshine at lunch on an otherwise grey day encouraged me to visit the Desjardins Canal in Dundas. It wasn’t a particularly birdy day, but a chance to get out for a walk couldn’t be passed up! Soon after my arrival, a Red-tailed Hawk soared over the adjacent butterfly gardens, searching for a snack.

Manmade islands were being inspected by a pair of Canada Geese.

But the next time I glanced in that direction, the Canada Geese had departed and a pair of Mallards were using it for a rest spot, possibly considering it as a location for this year's nest.

All About Birds describes Pied-billed Grebes as part bird, part submarine. I enjoy watching them "sink" out of sight. They have the ability to trap water in their feathers, giving them great control over their buoyancy. They can sink deeply or stay just at or below the surface, exposing as much, or as little of the body as they wish. This individual was my first Pied-billed Grebe of the year!

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pied-billed_Grebe/overview

Looking towards Coote's Paradise, and scanning with my binoculars exposed zero birds, not even any Canada Geese or Mute Swans!! After finding food, the cold temperatures were keeping the birds in sheltered areas.

Meanwhile, a Cooper's Hawk Near Home:

If I hadn't watched the Cooper's Hawk fly in and land, I likely would have missed the well camouflaged bird. It obviously saw something that it wanted to catch, probably a chipmunk. But after bouncing around on the log and surrounding ground, it flew away "empty-taloned"!

Another first for the year! An Eastern Phoebe caught my attention as it pumped its tail up and down. In order to keep track of the movement of individual birds, scientists will place tiny bands on the legs of birds. Each band has a number, much like a license plate on a car. In 1804, John James Audubon attached silvered thread to an Eastern Phoebe's leg, making it the first bird banded in North America!

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

American Goldfinch, soaking up the sun. A few male Goldfinch are beginning to show their brighter colours.

White-throated Sparrow that I found without someone else first pointing it out! This bird has done a good job of hiding from me!

In addition to drumming on tree bark, woodpeckers like this Red-bellied Woodpecker are being very vocal.

Tail-less Turkey Vulture - someone's been in a battle!

Gull species, including this Ring-billed Gull, are often found patrolling the Lake Huron shoreline in search of food.

A Herring Gull found a feast when a fish washed up on the Canatara shore.