November 10

I think I actually caught up with my posts - at least for now.  I might continue my posts, but do them weekly, rather than trying to make a post for every day. 

When I arrived at work this morning, I heard a bird call, looked for the bird, and found a woodpecker in a tree.  I watched it for a couple of minutes, and have identified it as a hairy woodpecker. 

It is slightly bigger than the downy, with a longer bill, and the white feathers on the sides of the tail do not have black spots, whereas they do in a downy woodpecker. 

Common birds: hairy woodpecker

November 6

I am sure I saw a ruby-crowned kinglet today, I had a pretty good view of it.  It also makes me more sure I was right about seeing a kinglet yesterday.

Common birds: house sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, chickadee, mourning dove, downy woodpecker (male)

Fall visitors: ruby-crowned kinglet, junco

November 5

I think I saw a kinglet in the spruce. 

Common birds: chickadee (3+)

Fall visitors: ruby-crowned kinglet?

November 2

Saw a small bird of prey again, two times today perched in the tall tree. 

Common birds: chickadee (3+), red-breasted nuthatch (2), house sparrow, blue jay, robin, red-tailed hawk (perched)

Fall visitors: junco, small bird of prey (merlin? perched, twice)

October 31

Happy Halloween!  I ran a quick errand today, despite the light rain.  At the corner where I crossed the road, sitting on the top of a street lamp, was a little bird of prey.  It was dark grey, light breast.  I couldn't see what the streaking may have looked like, the direction of the light, and the rain, didn't make that easy.  However, the top side of the tail feathers did have clear, strong darker or black bands, and a little white at the tip.  I think it was a merlin, but can't rule out peregrine for sure. 

Birds: bird of prey (merlin?)

October 26

I recently saw what I am reasonably sure was a purple finch.  Today's house finch I wondered about a little, but I think house finch is likely correct. 

Common birds: chickadee (2-3), house sparrow, downy woodpecker, house finch, turkey vulture

Fall visitors: white-breasted nuthatch, hermit thrush

October 25

Common birds: chickadee (4+), cardinal (pair), house sparrow, downy woodpecker (male)

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (1)

October 24

Common birds: chickadee, house sparrow, cardinal (pair), red-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker (pair)

Fall visitors: white-breasted nuthatch, wren (ID? winter wren?), turkey vulture

October 23

Really cool - saw both the red-tailed hawk, and then a smaller bird of prey (one of those I've been trying to identify), perched in a tall evergreen.  The smaller is dark grey on its back, with heavy markings.  I'm almost sure it was a peregrine falcon. 

Also I know I saw a wren, small, dark, with a darker front than some I have seen.  Winter wren is my best guess. 

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male, female?), chickadee (3+), house sparrow, blue jay, cardinal (pair), red-breasted nuthatch, goldfinch, red-tailed hawk (perched)

Fall visitors: junco, winter wren (ID?), smaller bird of prey (perched)

October 22

There was a little finch on our seed feeder, basically house finch, but the wrong colour.  I know what we typically get are house finches, which are a brighter, redder colour.  This was more, berry, or purple, and the amount of colour all over it, I really think it was a purple finch, which is possible in our area.  It's also possible I've seen them and called them house finches before, the colour can vary, but I'm more sure this time.

Common birds: chickadee, downy woodpecker (pair), cardinal (male), blue jay, starling, house sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, red-tailed hawk (perched, twice)

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (1+), ruby crowned kinglet (ID? likely), golden crowned kinglet (2), common flicker, purple finch (ID?)

October 20

Common birds: chickadee

I know I've been writing 'chickadee', and there are more than one type - ours are black-capped chickadees. 

October 19

It looks like the juncos are coming back.  Also, we were out a few minutes drive away, and saw a large group of turkey vultures flying over.  I couldn't count them, but I guess at 30+.

Common birds: house sparrow, chickadee, cardinal (male), robin, downy woodpecker (female), red-breasted nuthatch

Fall visitors: white-breasted nuthatch, white throated sparrow (1), golden crowned kinglet, junco

October 18

Common birds: turkey vulture (2), chickadee (3+), house sparrow, cardinal (pair), blue jay, robin

Fall visitors: golden crowned kinglet (2+)

October 17

We don't often see the white-breasted nuthatch, but it was around today. 

Common birds: chickadee (3+), house sparrow, goldfinch (1-3?), house finch (female)

Fall visitors: white-breasted nuthatch, white throated sparrow, golden crowned kinglet, ruby crowned kinglet

October 16

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male), red-tailed hawk (perched, twice), robin, cardinal (pair), house sparrow, house finch (male)

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (1)

October 15

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (2)

October 12

Common birds: chickadee, cardinal, house sparrow, hawk (red-tailed? flying), goldfinch, downy woodpecker

Fall visitors: golden crowned kinglet, white throated sparrow, thrush (ID? see Oct. 10.)

October 11

Common birds: chickadee (2), house sparrow

Fall visitors: brown creeper, white throated sparrow (2), golden crowned kinglet (2)

October 10

Two woodpeckers today, I saw them both at the same time.  One was a downy I'm sure, the other appeared a little bigger, which suggests a hairy, but I didn't get a detailed look at it (beak length, tail, etc.) to really decide either way. 

There was also a thrush.  I have seen the hermit thrush before, which is a brown, with rufous tail.  I didn't see this one's tail, but I thought it could also be a Swainson's or (less likely) a gray-cheeked thrush. 

Common birds: chickadee, goldfinch, house sparrow, downy woodpecker

Fall visitors: thrush (ID?), woodpecker (ID?)

October 9

Common birds: chickadee (3+), goldfinch, house sparrow, mourning dove, downy woodpecker (male), red-breasted nuthatch, turkey vulture (19+), cardinal (pair), Canada goose

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow, golden crowned kinglet, brown creeper

Not sure: I saw the/a small bird of prey, actually two of them, perched and flying.  I'm still wondering what this is, if it's a merlin, or a peregrine falcon, or if I am seeing both on different days. I wrote merlin? in my notes. 

There were a number of turkey vultures.  Some were flying quite low over the garden.  I counted 19, there may have been more. 

October 4

It was getting a bit dark outside, but I saw a little bird this evening.  It's not as easy to tell warblers apart in the fall, their colours change and are more similar, but I'm pretty sure it was a palm warbler. 

Fall visitors: palm warbler?

October 3

Common birds: chickadee, red-breasted nuthatch, house sparrow

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (5+), common yellowthroat (female), yellow-bellied sapsucker (2)

October 2

I've just started trying to add whether a bird like the hawk is perched or flying when I see it.

Common birds: downy woodpecker, chickadee, house sparrow, blue jay, red-tailed hawk (perched)

Fall visitors: white throated sparrow (3+), red-eyed vireo, yellow bellied sapsucker

September 29

Fall visitors: yellow-bellied sapsucker

I also wrote in the edge of my notes two other birds I saw recently and wasn't sure about IDs.

1 - dark bird? maybe chickadee in shadow?  It may have been a dark warbler, or a junco. 

2 - a sparrow with a a rufous cap.  It didn't stat put long, but I thought I saw a spot on the chest.  It could have been a chipping sparrow, or an american tree sparrow. 

September 28 & other recent

Some  of the common birds in today's post were seen today, others in previous days.  The fall visitors are today's.  I also saw the red-eyed vireo today, which is not one I've identified here before.  I was able to see the red eye, which is also a feature.  I may have misidentified it as the Philadelphia vireo sometimes, but the Philadelphia has a yellowy front, the red-eyed is creamy/white. 

Common Birds: red-breasted nuthatch, chickadee (3+), goldfinch(es), cardinal (pair), gull(s), robin

Fall visitors: wren (ID?), white throated sparrow, red-eyed vireo, yellow-bellied sapsucker, brown creeper, flicker?

I didn't write down which wren I thought this was.  See upcoming (October) posts for more on wrens. 

September 26 & 27

Common birds (26th): red-breasted nuthatch

Common birds (27th): grackle

September 24

Summer visitors: kinglet (ID?), common flicker

September 22

Summer visitors: white throated sparrow, common yellowthroat (female)

September 21

Summer visitors: common flicker

September 18

Common birds: house sparrow

Summer visitors: common flicker?, chestnut-sided warbler?

September 17

Common birds: chickadee, cardinal

Summer visitors: ruby-throated hummingbird, common flicker

September 14

Common birds: hawk (red tailed), red-breasted nuthatch

Summer visitors: flycatcher/phoebe (ID?)

September 13

Common birds: hawk (red tailed)

September 7

It looks like the fall migration is starting, though fall hasn't technically started yet.

Summer visitors: american redstart (female)

August 31

I can't remember if it was this day, or earlier in the week, but the caterpillar seems to have gone missing. 

August 25

I was away, and returned to find a new black swallowtail caterpillar in our garden. 

While away, I tried to write down the birds I saw, some are more specific IDs than others. 

Birds: jackdaw, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, wagtail, blackbird (thrush), wren, robin, magpie, collared dove, gulls, swift/martin/swallow (ID?), kingfisher, ducks (ID?), bullfinch, chaffinch, hawk/bird of prey (ID?), hooded crow, sparrow, starling, moorhen (ID?), grouse/partridge (ID?)

August 4

Birds: cedar waxwing

August 2

Saw a monarch butterfly.

July 27

Saw the bunny again.

July 26

Saw a bunny, and also watched a black swallowtail laying eggs in our herb garden.

July 22

The butterfly came out of the chrysalis today - a black swallowtail. 

July 19

I think I saw the baltimore oriole, and I also saw either a Cooper's or a Sharp-shinned hawk when I was out today. 

July 16

Recently saw a vireo, and the flicker, though I am not sure about the date. 

July 14

An outing to a botanical garden.

Birds: redwing blackbird, mallard duck, eastern kingbird (ID?), hawk (either Cooper's or Sharp-shinned)

July 11

Common birds: blue jay, cardinal (male), grackle, starling, house sparrow, mourning dove, house finch

July 10

Went for a walk in the local conservation area.

I saw: swallow?, cedar waxwing?, redwing blackbird, night heron, egret, cardinal (pair), chickadee, mallard duck, gull, tern, song sparrow?, and several little birds which were likely either kinglets or warblers (or a mix). 

July 6

There's been a caterpillar in the garden for several weeks, it has turned into a chrysalis. 

June 26

No birds recorded, but I did think I saw a monarch butterfly. 

June 22

Common birds: downy woodpecker, grackle, starling, house sparrow, cardinal (pair), robin, goldfinch, mourning dove

Summer visitors: baltimore oriole, redwing blackbird (pair)

June 18

Common birds: house sparrow, starling, cardinal (pair), mourning dove, robin

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair)

Heard: chickadee?

June 15

Common birds: house sparrow, cardinal, blue jay, grackle, starling, mourning dove

June 14

Common birds: house sparrow, chickadee?, robin, starling

June 12

Common birds: great blue heron?

June 8

Common birds: house sparrow, starling, robin, goldfinch, cardinal (pair), gull

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird

June 7

Common birds: house sparrow, robin, mourning dove, grackle, starling, cardinal, red-tailed hawk, mallard duck

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair), cedar waxwing

May 27 - June 6

After the spring migration, my keeping track has been patchy.  This post includes birds seen between May 27 and June 6, in addition to those already posted.

Common birds: house finch (pair), robin, starling, grackle, cardinal (pair), house sparrow, Canada goose?, blue jay?, tern?

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair)

June 3

Common birds: gull, swan

June 2

Common birds: mourning dove, cardinal, gull, swan

June 1

Common birds: cardinal, house sparrow, house finch (male), goldfinch, robin

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair)

May 31

Common birds: cardinal (pair), grackle, house sparrow, starling, Canada goose

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, veery

May 30

Common birds: starling, cardinal (pair), house sparrow, mallard duck?

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (female)

May 29

Common birds: robin, house sparrow, grackle, starling, Canada goose, mourning dove, cardinal (pair)

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, blackburnian warbler

Heard: warbler

I've been hearing a warbler in a tree for a few days, but couldn't see it through the foliage.  I saw it today, and my thinking it's a blackburnian warbler is right. 

May 28

Common birds: robin, house sparrow, grackle, starling, blue jay, mallard duck?

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (male, female?), warbler (in spruce tree)?

May 27

Common birds: house sparrow, grackle, gull, cardinal, Canada goose

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair)

Heard: warbler

Not sure: I saw a bird which I described as red-brown and large.  I don't know if it was the brown thrasher (see May 8), or a hawk.  The thrasher may be right, if it had seemed hawk shaped I likely would have added that in my notes. 

May 26

Common birds: blue jay, cardinal (male)?, house sparrow, grackle, starling, hawk (red tailed)?, gull


Not sure: bird of prey (ID?) - something other than the red tailed hawk. 

Heard: warbler

May 25

Common birds: cardinal (pair), goldfinch?, house finch (male), starling, blue jay, mourning dove, house sparrow, robin, grackle?

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, blackburnian warbler, american redstart (female), warbler ID??

Two birds I didn't identify - warblers or vireos of some kind I guess. 

1. white under, a little streaking on the sides, streaky on top, 1 or 2 light wing bars
2. buff, not streaked, a little brown?, 1 or 2 light wing bars

May 24

Another new warbler for me!  I wasn't sure at first, but I saw a Wilson's warbler - it's yellow, with a black cap. 

Common birds: starling, house sparrow, grackle, cardinal (pair), robin, goldfinch, downy woodpecker (male, female?), blue jay?, house finch (male)

Spring visitors: brown headed cowbird, blackburnian warbler, chestnut sided warbler, wilson's warbler, baltimore oriole

May 23

Common birds: starling, house sparrow, grackle, cardinal (pair), chickadee, robin, goldfinch?, mourning dove, downy woodpecker (male?), crow

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, black throated blue warbler (female), blackburnian warbler

May 22 pt. 2

Additional tags.

May 22

A year of birds!  The posting may be a few months late, but this entry is the completed year.  There are more, so I am going to keep adding to the blog.  Thanks for reading! 

Common birds: starling, house sparrow, grackle, cardinal (pair), hawk (red tailed?), turkey vulture, robin, downy woodpecker, mourning dove, goldfinch, house finch (male), blue jay

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, blackburnian warbler, ruby throated hummingbird, brown headed cowbird

I also saw the swallowtail butterfly. 

May 21

I was in a hurry, but I had a brief look at a warbler in a fruit tree, which I have since looked up in the bird book and feel reasonably sure it was a cape may warbler, which is one I haven't seen before. 

I also wrote warbler with a ? next to it, which may have been referring to the cape may (likely, I think), or may have been another I didn't manage to ID. 

Common birds: starling, house sparrow, grackle, cardinal (male), gull, blue jay, robin, swan

Spring visitors: rose breasted grosbeak (male), blackburnian warbler, ruby throated hummingbird, cape may warbler?

May 20

Common birds: starling, grackle, house sparrow, gull, cardinal (male), robin

May 19 pt. 2

Tagging.

May 19

Common birds: house sparrow, starling, blue jay, gull, goldfinch, cardinal (male), robin, grackle

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, brown headed cowbird (male), blackburnian warbler, magnolia warbler, baltimore oriole, solitary vireo?, philadelphia vireo?, black throated blue warbler (female), northern parula warbler, chestnut sided warbler, american redstart (female)

May 18 pt. 2

Adding more tags!

May 18

Common birds: house sparrow, blue jay, cardinal (pair), mourning dove, grackle, starling, robin, downy woodpecker (female, male?), goldfinch, chickadee?, red-tailed hawk

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair), veery, baltimore oriole?, turkey vulture, philadelphia vireo?, mallard duck?, northern parula warbler, blackburnian warbler (pair?), american redstart (male), yellow bellied sapsucker?

My notes from the 18th mention a 'bigger woodpecker'.  What I see most often is the downy, which is little.  The hairy is slightly larger, but if this was a noticeably bigger one, it was probably the sapsucker, which I have also been seeing this fall.

May 17 pt. 2

More tag adding.

May 17

Common birds: cardinal (pair), blue jay, downy woodpecker, house sparrow, gull, goldfinch, robin, chickadee, mourning dove, starling, grackle, crow

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, white throated sparrow?, veery?, northern parula warbler, common yellowthroat (male, female?), magnolia warbler, black throated blue warbler? (female), rose breasted grosbeak (female), philadelphia vireo?, baltimore oriole

May 16 pt. 2

So many birds to tag!

May 16

Common birds: robin, cardinal (pair), blue jay, downy woodpecker (male), mourning dove, house sparrow, goldfinch, starling, grackle, crow, red-tailed hawk?, house finch (pair),

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, white throated sparrow, white crowned sparrow, hawk (ID?), yellow rumped warbler, magnolia warbler, chestnut sided warbler, solitary vireo (ID?), black throated blue warbler (female?), orange crowned warbler?

A difficult bit of note interpreting - I think what my notes meant was I saw a warbler which I thought was either a female black throated blue, OR an orange crowned warbler, not both.  I think I've seen the orange crowned in previous years, but in this case I think it was the female black throated blue - I saw her a number of times in the spring, she has a noticable white patch on her wing, and is otherwise pretty much unmarked.  That white bit isn't always visible though. 

May 15 pt. 2

Additional tags.

May 15

Common birds: house sparrow, starling, downy woodpecker, mourning dove, blue jay, goldfinch?,  cardinal, robin, mallard duck (male, female?)

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, magnolia warbler, chestnut sided warbler, great blue heron, baltimore oriole, veery, yellow rumped warbler, american redstart (male, female?), blackburnian warbler (male, female?), black throated blue warbler (female?)

Not sure: (philadelphia?) vireo, thrush (in addition to the veery)

May 14

Common birds: cardinal (pair?), house sparrow, robin, starling, gull

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair?), white crowned sparrow, baltimore oriole

May 13

Common birds: cardinal, downy woodpecker, robin, grackle, swan, gull, goldfinch

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, baltimore oriole

May 12

I will add that, in a few posts, I've written "hawk" without specifying.  It's all I wrote down at the time, but in most cases it's likely a red-tailed hawk unless it says otherwise.

Common birds: robin, blue jay, mourning dove, gull, hawk, house sparrow, starling, cardinal (pair), goldfinch, chickadee

Spring visitors: baltimore oriole

Heard: redwing blackbird

May 11 pt. 2

200 characters isn't enough for my tags!

May 11

Common birds: mourning dove, robin, chickadee, starling, downy woodpecker, grackle, blue jay, cardinal (pair), goldfinch, hawk, house sparrow

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird, white crowned sparrow, yellow rumped warbler

Not sure: vireo (ID?), yellow warbler, magnolia warbler, palm warbler

May 10 pt. 2

So many tags!

May 10

Common birds: house sparrow, cardinal (pair), house finch (pair), goldfinch, grackle, starling, blue jay, mourning dove, robin, downy woodpecker, hawk

Spring visitors: white crowned sparrow, nashville warbler, yellow rumped warbler, baltimore oriole, rose-breasted grosbeak

We also went to the park, and in the park I saw: common yellowthroat (male), and palm warbler

I saw a grey bird with a pale front, and a small brown bird I couldn't see well enough to ID.  I also saw a sparrow at home, which I thought was either a swamp or a clay-coloured - looking back and having seen it a few times in the spring, I think it was a clay-coloured sparrow. 

May 9 pt. 2

Too many birds to fit the tags!

May 9

Common birds: robin, mourning dove, cardinal (pair), crow, chickadee, house sparrow

Spring visitors: brown creeper, yellow rumped warbler, black and white warbler, chipping sparrow, white crowned sparrow, magnolia warbler, redwing blackbird

Likely: yellow warbler, parula warbler, palm warbler, ruby-crowned kinglet

May 8 pt. 3

Separated into 3 parts so I can fit all the birds into the tags.

May 8 pt. 2

Separated into 3 parts so I can fit all the birds into the tags.

May 8

Common birds: downy woodpecker (pair), starling, grackle, house sparrow, mourning dove, blue jay, gull, robin, cardinal (pair), red-tailed hawk, chickadee, house finch (female), goldfinch (male)

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (pair), black and white warbler, magnolia warbler, chipping sparrow, white throated sparrow, ruby-crowned kinglet, yellow-rumped warbler, nashville warbler, common yellowthroat, brown thrasher, veery, turkey vulture

Not sure: vireo (ID?), bird of prey

May 7

Common birds: house sparrow, swan

May 6

Common birds: cardinal (pair), starling, house sparrow, swan

Spring visitors: redwing blackbird (male), ruby-crowned kinglet

Not sure: bird of prey (6th or 7th, ID??)

May 5

Well, other things take over, but I am going to finish this year's worth of birds!  I've also seen some interesting ones more recently in the current fall migration, so I'll note those too, but let's do the rest of the spring ones first?!

Common birds:  house sparrow, cardinal (pair), robin, mallard duck, swan

Spring visitors: brown-headed cowbird (male), ruby-crowned kinglet, black-throated green warbler

Heard: redwing blackbird

May 4

Common birds: cardinal (pair), robin, mourning dove, crow

Overhead: gull

Heard: red-wing blackbird, chickadee

May 3

Common birds: crow, blue jay, robin, cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male), grackle, mourning dove, Canada goose

Overhead: gull, turkey vulture, hawk (red-tailed?)

Spring visitors: black-throated green warbler, yellow-rumped warbler

May 2

First warbler sighting this spring --

Common birds: robin, cardinal (pair), house sparrow, blue jay, starling

Overhead: turkey vulture

Spring visitors: black-throated green warbler

May 1

Common birds: cardinal (male), robin

Spring visitors: white-throated sparrow

April 30

Common birds: red-wing blackbird, swallow

April 29

Common birds: swan, house sparrow, Canada goose, robin

Maybe: cormorant (?), swallow (?)

April 28

Common birds: robin, crow, red-wing blackbird, swan, cardinal (male)

April 27

Common birds: mourning dove, robin, blue jay, downy woodpecker (male), house sparrow, chickadee, cardinal (pair)

Spring visitors: junco

April 25-26

Common birds (26th): robin, starling, cardinal (male)

April 22-24

Common birds (24th): swan, Canada goose

April 21

Common birds: robin, blue jay, starling, red-wing blackbird (male), cardinal (pair), house sparrow, downy woodpecker, mourning dove

April 20

Common birds: crow, mourning dove, cardinal (pair), robin, red-wing blackbird

Overhead: hawk (?), turkey vulture

April 19

Common birds: house sparrow, starling, robin, red-wing blackbird (pair), cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (pair), mourning dove

Spring visitors: chipping sparrow, junco, brown creeper

April 18

Common birds: cardinal (male), downy woodpecker (male), house sparrow, robin, blue jay, goldfinch, house finch (male), starling

Spring visitors: junco

April 17

Common birds: blue jay, robin, house sparrow, mourning dove, gull, downy woodpecker (pair), starling, cardinal (pair)

April 16

Common birds: cardinal, mourning dove, robin, house sparrow

Spring visitors: junco

April 15

Common birds: cardinal (pair), mourning dove, robin, blue jay, crow

Spring visitors: junco, song sparrow (?)

April 14

Common birds: blue jay, robin, red-wing blackbird (male, female?), starling, goldfinch, chickadee, cardinal (pair), house sparrow, mallard duck (?)

Spring visitors: junco, yellow-bellied sapsucker

April 13

Common birds: starling, grackle, cardinal (pair), red-wing blackbird, robin, chickadee

Spring visitors: junco, white throated sparrow, brown creeper, golden crowned kinglet, thrush (veery?), chipping sparrow (?)

April 12

Common birds: starling, house sparrow

April 11

Common birds: robin, goldfinch, starling, cardinal (male), swan, Canada goose, mallard duck

Spring visitors: junco, kinglet (?), phoebe/flycatcher, cowbird (male?)

Heard: blue jay, chickadee

April 10

Common birds: robin, starling, house finch (pair), cardinal (pair)

Spring visitors: junco

Overhead: turkey vulture (?), gull

April 9

Common birds: blue jay, starling, cardinal (pair), robin, mourning dove, house sparrow (?), chickadee

Spring visitors: junco, song sparrow (?)

April 8

Common birds: cardinal (pair), starling, house sparrow, blue jay, robin, grackle

Spring visitors: junco, brown creeper

Overhead: hawk (red-tailed?)

April 7

Common birds: cardinal (male)

April 6

Common birds: cardinal (pair), chickadee, robin, house finch (pair), starling, grackle, downy woodpecker (male) blue jay, house sparrow, goldfinch

Spring visitors: junco, brown-headed cowbird (pair)

Overhead: gull

April 5

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Spring visitors: junco

April 4

Common birds: cardinal (male), swan

Spring visitors: junco

April 3

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Spring visitors: junco

Overhead: gull

April 2

It's been a while since I updated!  I kept track though, April-May was the spring migration of warblers and some other things. 

Common birds: cardinal (pair), mourning dove, grackle, downy woodpecker (male), house sparrow, blue jay, robin

Spring visitors: junco

Overhead: gull

April 1

Common birds: cardinal (male), mourning dove

Spring visitors: junco

Heard: blue jay, red-wing blackbird

March 31

Another raccoon visit this afternoon.  A big, dark, bird overhead, likely turkey vulture I think. 

Common birds: grackle, starling, robin, cardinal (pair), chickadee, goldfinch (pair), blue jay, mourning dove, downy woodpecker, house sparrow

Overhead: gull, turkey vulture

Spring visitors: junco, red-wing blackbird

March 30

Common birds: mourning dove, robin, cardinal (pair), house sparrow

Overhead: gull

Spring visitors: junco, red-wing blackbird

March 29

Thought I may have seen a cedar waxwing, but it could also have been a cardinal, so I'm not going to include it in the post tags.  

Common birds: cardinal (pair), house sparrow, robin, starling, house finch (male, female?), blue jay, goldfinch, downy woodpecker (male)

Overhead: Canada goose

Spring visitors: red-wing blackbird, junco

Maybe/not sure: cedar waxwing?

March 28

I think the two large birds I saw were geese.  Also, a raccoon walked along the fence!

Common birds: robin, downy woodpecker (pair), house sparrow, cardinal (pair), house finch (pair)

Overhead: gull, Canada geese (?)

Spring visitors: junco

March 27

I was on the train and saw a large bird, which I think was the turkey vulture, from the window.  

Common birds: robin, cardinal (male)

Overhead/not sure: turkey vulture

Spring visitors: junco

March 26

I was out much of the day and missed much of the bird activity.  My mum said she saw juncos, the cardinal, mourning doves, and even a red-wing blackbird, which means the season is changing, because although they are supposed to be resident year round here, we do not see them in the garden in the winter. 

Common birds: starling, robin

March 25

I think I saw the hawk, but it was too quick to be sure about it.

Common birds: cardinal (male)

Overhead: gull

Spring visitors: junco

Maybe/not sure: red-tailed hawk

March 24

Common birds: robin

Overhead: gull, Canada goose

Heard: cardinal, red-wing blackbird

March 23

Common birds: robin, cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (female)

Overhead: gull, Canada goose

Spring visitors: junco

March 22

Common birds: cardinal (male), robin

Spring visitors: junco

March 21 / the vulture

There was a big, dark bird flying over today.  I saw it twice, and think it must have been a turkey vulture.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), grackle

Overhead: gull, turkey vulture

Spring visitors: junco

Heard: blue jay

March 20 / the young hawk

Today I saw a little hawk, which I think was a juvenile of either the Sharp-shinned or the Cooper's hawk.  Either is possible, and they can be difficult to tell apart, though I hear the Cooper's is more common in the area. 

It was warm brown, streaked face, slightly lighter on the eyebrow (but not significantly), vertical brown streaks on the white breast, subtle reddish on the cheeks and shoulders, yellow legs, long tail with brown and darker brown bars (I counted 4 dark bars, approx even width to lighter bars), and a thin creamy (light, but not white) tip of the tail, which looked quite square to me. I didn't see much flight, but wing beats seemed steady.

It perched both on a fence, a pile of paving bricks, and in mid-branches of an evergreen tree, spending more time in the tree.  It seemed quick, active, and small, but definitely bigger than a robin/mourning dove.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), grackle, starling, mourning dove, robin, downy woodpecker (pair), house sparrow

Overhead: gull

Spring visitors: junco
Heard: chickadee

March 19

Common birds: cardinal (pair), goldfinch, house sparrow

March 18

Common birds: cardinal (female)

Winter visitors: junco

March 17 / St. Patrick's Day

Common birds: cardinal (male)

March 16

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

March 15

Common birds: cardinal (male)

Overhead: gull

March 14

Common birds: cardinal (pair), crow

March 13

Common birds: cardinal (male)

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

Not sure: red-tailed hawk?, starlings?

March 12 / the snow

It has snowed so much today.

Common birds: mourning dove, robin, cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

March 11

Common birds: robin, cardinal (pair), red-tailed hawk, mourning dove

Overhead: Canada goose

March 10

Common birds: blue jay, grackle

Overhead: gull

March 9

Common birds: grackle, cardinal (pair), crow

Overhead: Canada goose, gull

March 8

Common birds: red-tailed hawk

March 7

Common birds: mourning dove, starling, red-tailed hawk

March 6

In addition to the birds I am sure about, I may also have seen the chickadee or the red-breasted nuthatch, but as it wasn't clear, I'm not tagging it in today's birds.  

Common birds: cardinal (male), downy woodpecker (female)

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

March 3-5 / the pancakes

Common birds (5th): cardinal (male)

Overhead (5th): gull

Winter visitors (5th): junco

March 1-2

Common birds (2nd): cardinal (female), robin

Winter visitors (2nd): junco

Feb. 28

Common birds: cardinal (female), crow, downy woodpecker (female?)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 27

Common birds: cardinal (pair), robin, crow

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 26

Common birds: cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (female)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 25

Common birds: cardinal (female), crow

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 24

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 21-23

Common birds (21st): cardinal (pair)

Feb. 20

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 19

Common birds: cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male), red-breasted nuthatch, crow

Overhead: gull

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 18

Common birds: cardinal (male)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 17

More catching up on the blog - I have been writing things down.  Today's birds include a hawk I wasn't sure about, but likely the red-tailed hawk.  

Overhead: Canada goose, gull, hawk (red-tailed?)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 15-16

Common birds: red-tailed hawk, cardinal (pair), gull, red-breasted nuthatch

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 14 / the Valentine

Happy Valentine's day!

Common Birds: downy woodpecker (female), cardinal (male)

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 13

 Common birds: downy woodpecker (male), cardinal (female), house sparrow, blue jay

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 11-12

Winter visitors: junco

Feb. 10

Common birds: cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male)

Winter visitors: junco

the play / February 9

Saw an Agatha Christie today, much enjoyed.

Common birds: cardinal (female)

February 8 / the dinner

Big Chinese food dinner tonight!

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

the week / February 7

Friday!

Common birds: cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker, red-tailed hawk

Winter visitors: junco

February 6 / the quarter

First quarter moon.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), crow, mourning dove, blue jay

Winter visitors: junco

the clearing / February 5

So much snow.  Well, plenty anyway. 

Common birds: cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male), red-tailed hawk

Winter visitors: junco

February 4 / the hangout

Our monthly artist meeting tonight. 

Common birds: chickadee, crow, blue jay, cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male), house finch (pair), red-tailed hawk, starling

Overhead: Canada geese, gull

Winter visitors: junco

the third / February 3

Common birds: red-tailed hawk

February 1-2 / the groundhog

Groundhog day on Sunday. 

Winter visitors (1st): junco

the switch / January 31

Took down some artwork today that I have had showing locally.  My mum and I saw the, or a, small bird of prey.  I'm guessing it's the same one I've been seeing, but she thinks it's bigger than a merlin, so based on the similar appearance (grey back, white front with brown streaks, dark face?), a peregrine falcon is also possible.  I thought I remembered seeing merlin-like streaking on the front when I saw it once before, but I don't seem to have written that down, so maybe not?  The streaking on the merlin vs. the peregrine falcon is, as I said, similar, but different.  The smaller bird of prey I've seen may also be something different each time. 

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

Unidentified birds: merlin/falcon/hawk??  

January 30 / the moon

New moon today.

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male), house sparrow

Winter visitors: junco

Overhead: Canada geese

the middle / January 29

I think I also saw Canada geese, but am not counting them in the tags since I'm not sure.

Common birds: red-tailed hawk, cardinal (pair), red-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker, house sparrow

Winter visitors: junco

January 28 / the catchup

I've not updated in more than a week again - sorry! 

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

the mondays / January 27

Case of the Mondays! 

Common birds: downy woodpecker (female), cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

January 25-26 / the snow

It's been snowing.  Not a large amount, but enough.

Common birds: cardinal (male), downy woodpecker (female)

Winter visitors: junco

the movie / January 24

Movie night!  I think I saw a nuthatch and forgot to write it down, so I'm counting it.

Common birds: house sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch

Winter visitors: junco

January 23 / the feeder

Cold - the downy woodpecker was at the fat feeder, which was empty, so I filled it.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), starling, house sparrow, downy woodpecker (male)

Winter visitors: junco

Overhead: gull

the rosemary / January 22

My rosemary, which is overwintering in a pot on my kitchen counter, needs re-potting.  I'm sure it's getting bigger than the pot wants to contain.  I moved it to a very slightly bigger pot this evening, but the next one up we have is huge, so I hope it will tolerate this one until I can get an appropriate size.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), house sparrow

Winter visitors: junco

Overhead: gull

January 21 / the freeze

We've got another few days of very cold weather this week.

Common birds: cardinal (male)

Winter visitors: junco

the gull / January 20

Common birds: house sparrow, cardinal (pair)

Winter Visitors: junco

Overhead: gull

January 19 / the pair

Common birds: cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

the party / January 18

Went to a family birthday party today.

Common birds: cardinal (pair), Canada goose

Winter visitors: junco

January 16-17 / the shopping

Thursday I was shopping with a friend.  Friday was also a quiet day for the birds. 

Common birds (17th): cardinal (male)

the nuthatch / January 15

Common birds: red-breasted nuthatch

January 14 / the hawk

Common birds: red-tailed hawk, starling, cardinal (male)

the starling / January 13

Another day of not much bird activity.

Common birds: starling

January 12 / the flock

Many Canada geese sitting on the frozen river in Oakville this afternoon. 

Common birds: Canada goose

the fly-over / January 11

Just Canada geese today.

Common birds: Canada goose

January 10 / the tree sparrow

Saw an American tree sparrow today, which is something I may not have seen before.  Definitely not something I've seen much of, anyway.

Common birds: cardinal (male), house sparrow

Winter visitors: junco, American tree sparrow

the mix / January 9

More birds around today, it's less bitterly cold. 

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male, female?), cardinal (male), house sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, goldfinch

Winter visitors: junco

January 8 / the quarter

First quarter moon.

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male), Canada goose

Winter visitors: junco

the coffee / January 5-7

A couple of days with no birds spotted.  Maybe they are in the trees, sheltered from the cold. 

Common birds (7th): robin, downy woodpecker

Winter visitors (7th): junco

January 4 / the downy

Another downy woodpecker visit.

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male), starling, cardinal (male)

the third / January 3

It's very cold! 

Common birds: robin, starling, downy woodpecker (male)

Winter visitors: junco

December 31 - January 2 / the New Year

Happy New Year!

Common birds (2nd): cardinal (pair), downy woodpecker (male), robin, starling

Winter visitors: junco

the wren / December 30

A Carolina wren!

Common birds: house sparrow, house finch (pair), robin, starling

Winter visitors: junco, carolina wren

Overhead: gull

December 29 / the finches

House finches among the birds around today.

Common birds: robin, starling, house finch (pair), house sparrow, cardinal (male)

Winter visitors: junco

the weekend / December 28

Happy Saturday!

Common birds: robin, starling

December 27 / the geese

I've been in Oakville, by the river, and there have been so many Canada geese, sitting on the ice. 

Common birds: Canada goose, robin

Boxing Day / December 26

A quiet day after a lovely Christmas.

Common birds: Canada goose

December 25 / Christmas Day

I hope you are having a great holiday!

Common birds: Canada goose

Christmas Eve / December 24

Merry Christmas! 

Common birds: Canada goose

December 22-23 / the madness

Took part in a local art/craft event called midnight madness.  The weather has been terrible - it started Friday, and has been creating a lot of freezing rain, making everywhere slippery, although the roads are being salted often.  The trees and so on are coated in ice, it's very pretty, but many branches are breaking under the weight.  Many areas have been losing power, as branches fall on power lines, etc. 

Common birds (23rd): red-tailed hawk, starling, robin, cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

the winter / December 19-21

Spent Thursday doing some Christmas shopping.  Busy with that and other things, and did not take notice of any birds Thursday or Friday.  Saturday (21st) is the first day of winter. 

Common birds (Dec. 21): house sparrow, cardinal (pair)

Winter visitors: junco

December 18 / the colour

I have more catching up to do!

Common birds: downy woodpecker (male, female?), red-breasted nuthatch, red-tailed hawk