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.