Owls, Songbirds and a Flying Monkey!

We missed them in the fall, but found a Northern Saw-whet Owl during it's spring migration heading north. They are slightly heavier (but more compact) than a Hairy Woodpecker and smaller than an Eastern Screech-Owl.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Saw-whet_Owl/lifehistory

As I approached a known Eastern Screech Owl roosting area in Canatara, I heard a raucous of scolding birds. Blue Jays, Nuthatches and Chickadees were swooping at the tree so I didn't expect to see the owl. I did however find several birds peeking into the cavity. The Black-capped Chickadees appeared to be the bravest!

Long-eared Owls hunt on the wing, coursing back and forth, just above open ground. They will sometimes hover over prey or hunt from perches if winds are strong.

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

I recently heard our weather being described as a "whiplash" of temperature changes. Lake Chipican has been going through regular freezes and thaws in recent weeks. In an effort to break the ice by paddling his feet, this Canada Goose was making ice cubes at the surface! (The goose successfully made it to open water.)

Another Canada Goose was "parked" on the BMX track. It will be moving on once the temperatures warm and the track starts to get use.

A Tufted Titmouse was calling high in a tree when it suddenly dove into the underbrush close to where I was standing. I was happy to be able to locate and photograph it as the Canatara Park Titmice are very wary of humans when compared to the ones living at Pinery Provincial Park.

White-breasted Nuthatch looking for hidden food caches.

An American Robin found a rare patch of melting ice for a drink of water on a cold day.

Sometimes, Lake Huron has actually been calm!

Snow fencing between Canatara beach and the parking lot is doing its job of keeping eroding sand out of the parking lot during north winds.

Mallard Pair: She was busily preening and checked out a feather that she had just plucked from her body.

Soon after taking a photo of the resident immature Red-tailed Hawk, it made a dive for some food.  It flew too far away to know if he had success. Its fascinating to watch it manoeuver through the trees in its quest for food!

In keeping with the "Things With Wings" theme, I photographed a Flying Monkey at the Oz in Bloomland Display hosted by the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington this week!