March 9 - 15

Typically, I see one pair of cardinals on any given day.  One day this week there were 2 males.  On the same day, there were also 2 male red-wing blackbirds.  As well, the downy woodpecker, and several robins eating crab apples. The bird of prey was smaller than the red-tail, and I think darker; maybe a peregrine or merlin, but I couldn't tell.

Common birds: house sparrow (several, 2 days), common crow (varying #s, 3 days), downy woodpecker (female, 1 day, male, 1 day), cardinal (1-2 male, 4 days, female, 2 days), mourning dove (1-2, 3 days), chickadee (2, 2 days), junco (several, 2 days), starling(s), robin(s) (6 or more)

Winter visitors: red-wing blackbird (2, male)

En route: small hawk/bird of prey (perched, ID??)

Heard: blue jay

February 16-22

Common birds: junco (5 days), house sparrow (3 days), cardinal (pair, 3 days, female +1 day), chickadee (1-2, 3 days), Canada goose (several, 2 days), red-tailed hawk, mourning dove

En route: hawks (red-tailed likely, plus 1-2 smaller unidentified)

February 9-15

Two days this week, in the early evening, I saw a hawk in our front tree and our neighbour's front tree.  It had a dark back with white bits, wide, even bands on the tail (upper side).  Having looked at the bird book and online, I think it was a juvenile Cooper's or Sharp-shinned hawk.  The two are hard to tell apart, but the Cooper's may be more common in this area. 

Common birds: red-tailed hawk (perched), chickadee (2?, 2 days)), junco (plural, 3 days), cardinal (pair, 3 days), house sparrow

Winter visitors: Cooper's or Sharp-shinned hawk (2 days)

January 12-18

No birds January 5-11, so no post for that week. 

En route, saw 6 hawks in trees.  Likely mainly red-tailed, not close enough to tell for sure. 

Common birds: red-tailed hawk (?) (6)

December 22-28

Common birds: turkey vulture, cardinal (pair) (2 days), downy woodpecker (female?), chickadee (2 days), house sparrow, 6+ gold finches

Winter visitors: junco (2 days)

Not sure: bird of prey, with white/light tail tip? 

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 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 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. 

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 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??)

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

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??  

November 14 / the ID

A few of the usual birds, lots of sparrows at the feeder.  Also, a great view of a small bird of prey in the tall tree, where they seem to like to perch - great view for hunting I imagine!  I have mentioned seeing a small bird of prey a couple of times in the past few weeks, and have called it the American kestrel.  Whatever I have seen before, which may well have been a kestrel, I am quite sure that today's was not a kestrel.  Rather, I think it was a merlin.  It was dark brown, light under the chin, yellow legs, heavily streaked breast, and distinctly barred tail (underside), smooth and pointed wings, and a quick flyer. 

It could, maybe, have been a young peregrine falcon, but I doubt that, they are a few inches bigger than the merlin (though sizes do overlap), and rare, and the streaking pattern is different, based on pictures I've compared.  

I dismissed the merlin as a likely ID for what I saw previously because it is an 'occasional' in this region, the kestrel's range fits well.

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

Fall visitors: junco, merlin (??)

the workshop / November 7

Went downtown this evening to a workshop (arts related).  Saw a bird, I think a hawk or falcon, but it was getting dark and hard to know what it was exactly. It was in a small treetop, seen from the car.  It wasn't a red-tailed hawk, too small. 

Common birds: house sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch, cardinal (female)

Fall visitors: junco

Unidentified: bird of prey (small hawk/falcon??)