art blog of a skeptic·birder·science nerd

Archive for August, 2006

Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 27 - 2006

Warblers

I headed out to the nearby willow marsh this morning and was immediately treated to a small fallout of warblers. Five species (Common Yellowthroat, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Pine and Nashville) all foraged from the branches of the same larch. Black and White, Magnolia and a likely Black-throated Blue were also glimpsed.

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 26 - 2006

Red-necked Grebes at Bronte Harbour

I made a second visit to these grebes on a chilly Saturday morning. The pair were busy with their second brood of two chicks (the only ones to hatch of five eggs), the older over a week old and the younger only a few days out of the egg. Oblivious to joggers and boaters, the  [ Read More ]

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 15 - 2006

Osprey Nest

I visited this osprey nest near Guelph Lake several times over the summer. Today I found the young fledged but still hanging out in the vicinity of the nest, returning to it whenever a parent dropped off a fish.

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 13 - 2006

Juvenile Gray Catbird

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 12 - 2006

Tricoloured Heron, Niagara Falls

I headed down to Niagara Falls early this morning and ended up hanging around all day, returning to the same location several times in between sight seeing for another look at this rarity. According to another birder I spoke with, non-birding locals had been seeing this bird for several weeks before someone finally recognized it  [ Read More ]

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 08 - 2006

Brown Creeper, Purple Finch, House Wren

Categories: Field Sketches
Posted by Jocelyn Posted on Aug - 06 - 2006

Mirimichi and Colpoys

A fledgling Chipping Sparrow waiting impatiently on the back deck for its parents to return was reason enough to be late for work Thursday morning. Drove out to Mirimichi Bay to look for shorebirds while up at the cottage this weekend. Found a scattered group of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Killdeer picking their way  [ Read More ]

Categories: Field Sketches