tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2838343853963481682024-03-21T17:57:03.687-07:00A Birding ParentAdventures in familial birdingMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-10521099380913144972012-01-03T05:26:00.000-08:002012-01-03T05:26:28.214-08:00Birds of 2011 ( and 2012 ? ) - The Whitby Smew, Shearwaters, etc.Here are my favourite birds for 2011<br />
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5. Barred Owl - A very co-operative Barred Owl at Cranberry Marsh provided a great opportunity fo THE SON and THE DAUGHTER to get a close-up look. This bird may be #1 on my son's list as for weeks he would ask if we were going to see the owl.<br />
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4. The swarms of shearwaters off Little Catalina, Newfoundland - An impressive site and great to pick out three differrent species for the old life list<br />
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3. Golden-Winged Warbler - A singing Golden-Winged Warbler at the Carden Nature Festival provided me with a new life bird and the first in-the-feather look at my favourite bird. But if this is my favourite bird, why is it at #3 on my 2011 list ?<br />
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2. Atlantic Puffins ( Lots of them ! ) - The sheer number of Atlantic Puffins on our boat tour of Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland was mind-blowing. Even better, the whole family was able to take in this spectacle. Oh, the whales were petty cool too !<br />
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1. The Smew in Whitby Harbour - A late-in-the-year addition. An ultra-rarity that I dragged my family out to see ! A great Christmas present and only the third confirmed sighting in Ontario !<br />
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And looking forward to 2012, here are the five species I hope to see in 2012<br />
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5. California Gull<br />
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4. Grey-Cheeked Thrush<br />
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3. Barrow's Goldeneye<br />
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2. Connecticut Warbler<br />
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1. Kirtland's Warbler ( I'm going fo it ! )Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-90897104480164841762011-12-28T14:20:00.000-08:002011-12-28T14:20:35.432-08:00Niagara River + December = Gulls !And back again...An insanely busy fall has made posting an endangered activity but now that the big holiday has passed, we have time to reflect on fall birding. Of course, my fall birding was limited but for one road trip. After years of wanting to go but never quite going I finally made it to the Ontario Field Ornithologists Niagara River Field Trip. This trip is one of their most popular trips and this year was no exception with a solid 60-70 people plus many others along the route. The weather was great, balmy for an Ontario December ( the exception to the rule ). The kids were at home, as this trip was my delayed birthday present. And the target for birders on this day...Gulls. Yes, the most frustrating family in ornithology ( despite what people watching a flock of "peep" sandpipers will tell you ). Unfortunately no pics but here are 10 key points about this field trip if you are interested in going.<br />
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1. It is hard to pick out gulls but the presence of experts makes it a little easier.<br />
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2. Getting close enough to hear the experts is tough. This field trip is insanely popular for people who have tried to add gulls to their list before and failed miserably.<br />
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3. Bring a scope and binoculars. The overlook of the Sir Adam Beck Hydro plant is one of the most impressive places to bird as one looks down ( way down ) into the gorge onto the hundreds of gulls congregating on the river. Seeing the sitting birds in any detail is impossible without a scope. However, once they take off and start to fly you need a decent pair of binoculars to track them. I had two life birds and with both I was able to see diagnostic features with 10 x 40 binoculars.<br />
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4. The scope is even more impotant when birding sites above the falls, like the Chippewa Control Gates or the river immediately above the falls.<br />
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5. When birding above the falls, try to stand in the middle of the group. If you end up on the periphery of the group, you will be asked by non-birders what this crowd of people on the sidewalk is looking at. Which means explaining that everyone is looking at seagulls.<br />
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6. The Slaty-Backed Gull may be the most frustrating bird to identify in North America. To identify a Slaty-Back in North America, you must essentially eliminate all other possibilities ( i.e. all the normal gulls ). Thankfully, I have my life Slaty-Back but every time I see a possible candidate, it makes you realize the challenge that birding provides.<br />
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7. Jaegars are cool. After missing out on jaegars completely in Newfoundland this summer, I wrote off these birds as overly fat, nasty seagulls. And while there is some truth in my assessment, seeing one in action was impressive. The POMRAINE JAEGAR at Adam Beck was a great surprise. It was gliding with the other gulls, then bolted towards it's target and began harassing it relentlessly in the air, then into the water. As I stated before, even with my binoculars i was able to see the typical white flashes on the wings.<br />
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8. Waiting for the gulls is part of the game. Sleeping gulls show just enough to be intriguing but of course, there is always one other feature that remains hidden. Our group spent nearly 20 minutes waiting for a potential CALIFORNIA GULL to show it's legs. Finally, it stood up to reveal....pink legs !!! No California Gull, although the birders with more expertise mused that this might be California/Herring gull hybrid. Ah, hybrids. Another reason why gulls cause birdes to assume the fetal position.<br />
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9. There is more to this trip than gulls. PURPLE SANDPIPERS, HARLEQUIN DUCKS, TURKEY AND BLACK VULTURES(!) in addition to the gulls ( including my life THAYER'S GULL ). The scenery is great too. This trip gave me my first look at The Whirlpool, which is impressive. <br />
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10. This trip rates a 2 out of five on the kid-meter. Staring at seagulls requires patience beyond that of young children. I would recommend leaving the kids at home for this one, despite the chance to see the falls.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-29200316383146129882011-09-04T13:53:00.000-07:002011-09-04T13:53:54.940-07:00And the saga ends ???And so <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1049195--happy-feet-coaxed-from-cage-released-into-antarctic-ocean?bn=1">Happy Feet is on his way to somewhere</a>. A nice ending to an interenting storyMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-58740163410835883142011-09-04T13:37:00.000-07:002011-09-04T13:38:14.258-07:00Newfoundland - Part 2 - ShearwatersIt seems odd but I have never seen a shearwater before. Most people probably are in the same boat as me, although probably more apathetic to the issue than I am. However, I want to see shearwaters and have had ample opportunities. Despite living in and visiting Nova Scotia and despite several trips to Newfoundland, shearwaters never made it into my field of view. Or maybe they did and I couldn't ID them. Whatever the reason, the recent family visit to Newfoundland held promise to break this streak.<br />
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In fact I came away with three species of shearwater: SOOTY, GREATER and MANX. <br />
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Here are the locales where I had success:<br />
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Little Catalina: |This small commnity is typical of small-town Newfoundland and it provided me with my best look at a shearwater flock. And if you haven't seen a shearwater flock in action, I will tell yo that it is an impressive sight and slightly vertigo inducing. The birds seem to flow back and forth, swarming with all the structure of bees defending a hive. The birds fly very low to the water, seeming like they play chicken with the waves. SOOTY SHEARWATERS dominated this flock. A couple of GREATER SHEARWATERS and a MANX SHEARWATER were also seen although there is no doubt that there had to be other representatives of these species in the cyclone of birds. I also picked out a couple of NORTHERN FULMARS and closer to shorre some BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES. <br />
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Bonavista: On a visit to the Bonavista lighthouse, I was able to get the scope out and found another decent flock of shearwaters. Most of the flock was floating on the water. Again, tons of SOOTY SHEARWATERS bt it was also easy to find GREATER and MANX. This place was great for viewing puffins ( I'll eventually get around to writing about places to see puffins ).<br />
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Cape Spear: Cape Spear is a must-see whenever one visits Newfoundland. It is a site for the whole family, the easten most point in North America. Ideally one can see great scenery, pelagic birds, land birds and whales. I didn't get out to Cape Spear on an ideal day. Still, I had my best views of GREAT SHEARWATERS. NORTHERN GANNETS and gulls are relatively easy to find. <br />
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Four pelagic life birds was excellent for me as pelagics have never been my specialty. Given the number of sites, not to mention whale-watching tours, pelagic birds can be seen by a birding parent. Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-13925443236547288752011-08-23T19:53:00.000-07:002011-09-04T13:38:49.209-07:00Newfoundland Vacation - Part 1 - In search of whalesThe family vacation to Newfoundland is over. Despite butal summer weather, even by Newfoundland standards, everybody enjoyed themselves. Now it is time to get back into routines, prepare for back to school shopping and blogsome trip reports. From a birding perspective, the trip brought 6 life birds including some nice pelagic species. In fact Newfoundland is a great place to indulge in the outdoors and get closer to nature. One of the activities that I would recommend is a whale-watching tour and there may be no better place than Bay Bulls, a small town about 40 minutes south of St. John's.<br />
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There is no shortage of options when you aive in Bay Bulls. If you want my recommendation, go with O'brien's Puffin and Whale Tours. Their on-land premesis has a great gift shop and restaurant. The crew is always friendly and accomodating. Plus the company my brother works for built their new boat (Note: I didn't find this out until after the fact...). The tour takes you out into Witless Bay Ecological Sanctuary and the focus is on puffins and whales ( of course ).<br />
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You will see puffins. Lots of puffins. Starting early with a few flocks flying across the water and climaxing as the boat coasts along Gull Island. All the islands in the Witless Bay Sanctuary are seabird nesting sites and Gull Island may be the grandest example. The puffins take most of the attention; their burrows dominate the crown of grassy vegetation that caps the island. However, there is much more: GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, HERRING GULLS, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE and COMMON MURRE nest on the cliffs. Some close inspection will reveal RAZORBILLS. And absurdly close inspection will net the odd THICK-BILLED MURRE. Another eason for recommending O'brien's: they know their stuff. I asked the guide if thick-billed murres bred on this island and within five minutes he had one picked out for me to look at.<br />
There are breeding thick-billed murres on the other islands in Witless Bay representing the furthest south this species breeds. NORTHERN FULMAR is another species that breeds in the area that landlubbers like me will seldom see. Again, the guide picked out one flying across the bow but I was a bit slow and distracted by...<br />
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Humpback Whales are relatively easy to find in Newfoundland. You can also see lots of Minke whales, too ( I think there may be one mixing in with the mother and calf Humpbacks ). If you are really lucky you could also pick up Fin, Orcas and dolphins. The Humpbacks are true stars. These two froliced, jumped and put on a show for twenty solid minutes before we made it back. I would say this was a once-in-a-lifetime show but five years ago, I was out on a trip with the same operator and the same result ! Yet another reason to recommend O'brien's ! They also offer Screech-ins and tradition Newfoundland music which helps get one in the mood for nautical adventure. It was very special to see these magnificent whales with my kids. THE DAUGHTER will probably remember it for a long time. THE SON, who seems to have a taste for all things water-based, was extremely excited. You can hear him encouraging the whales to jump...a very special moment indeed...<br />
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-60208033878465333842011-08-10T19:07:00.001-07:002011-08-10T19:07:39.890-07:00Newfoundland updateI am halfway through my trip to Newfoundland. It has been great. The family is having a great time and I have added 6 lifers. Preparing a trip report when I come back. Check out my new sightings on my Birdstack feed below. And check out the videos I have on my twitter feed. Later !<br /><br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-16167718039251326572011-08-03T10:42:00.001-07:002011-08-03T10:42:43.825-07:00NewfoundlandPlans can go awry when planning/preparing to go on vacation. I had grand designs on posting some pictures of Newfoundland and Newfoundland birds but unfortunately time dwindled and here I am in Newfoundland, staying at my in-laws with wife & kids in tow. <br />Despite an late night departure and early, early morning arrival, everyone is in good spirits. Even the birding is off to a good start. A walk down to the bay netted me my life ARCTIC TERN. Tomorrow is a whale watching trip that I will post ASAP. And then... well who knows ? <br /><br /><br />- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-26227335628214058742011-07-23T13:07:00.000-07:002011-07-23T13:07:55.631-07:00Sign this petition please !There are plans to build an Ethanol Plant beside the Second Marsh Wildlife Area. This provincially-significant wetland is a wonderful place to visit. The location of the plant is directly adjacent to the marsh; the worst possible location, really. The history of ethanol plants in Ontario is not very reassuring. In addition, this project is heavily opposed at the local level. Oshawa city council has made numerous objections in the past but FarmTech, the company that hopes to build this massive plant, keeps coming back with a fixation on this location.<br />
The Oshawa council is still mounting opposition by preparing a petition to send to the Fedeal Government. Please sign this petition or research the issue further. Thanks<br />
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Link to petition: <a href="http://www.oshawa.ca/cit_hall/harbour-petition.asp">http://www.oshawa.ca/cit_hall/harbour-petition.asp</a><br />
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Friends of Second Marsh ( if you wish to visit or learn more ) : <a href="http://secondmarsh.science.uoit.ca/">http://secondmarsh.science.uoit.ca/</a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-11760350135808922972011-07-18T12:54:00.000-07:002011-07-18T12:54:08.340-07:00Brickworks, TorontoThe birding may be slow but the parenting never stops. Here are a couple of pictures from the Brickworks in Toronto. Anyone from around the Greater Toronto Area should check out this wonderful facility. Some decent birds including PURPLE MARTINS and a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON. Lots of dragonflies, frogs and turtles too !<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking into one of the many ponds at The Brickworks</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragonfly on THE DAUGHTER'S finger</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Martins</td></tr>
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-39006840897789136202011-07-06T06:49:00.000-07:002011-07-06T06:49:31.431-07:00My native plant garden - Early SummerWith birding is a slow period, one can turn their attention to other things. Like looking for rare ferns(!) or working on my native plant garden at home...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian grass, Switchgrass, Hairy Beardtongue, Coneflower, New Jersey Tea, Prarie Smoke and Red-Osier Dogwood</td></tr>
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The Beardtongue, Coneflowers and Switchgrass are native but I bought cultivated forms that are probably different than what you would find in the wild. However, the beardtongue and coneflowers have been great with attracting butterfliesfor the last couple of years. The Switchgrass has also been very successful and seems to help bring in birds ( especially during the fall )<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up of flowering New Jersey Tea</td></tr>
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I have a few other native plants, scattered throughout my backyard. I bought a Highbush Cranberry three years ago and, after a slow start, it has really taken to its surroundings. This year it flowered for the first time and we are hoping for our first fruit this year.<br />
I have a massive Red-osier dogwood that has grown to immense proportions. It is a bird magnet, both in terms of food and shelter. <br />
I also managed to sneak some New England Asters a few years ago into the garden and they have repaid me every fall. Their flowers are amazing ( one of my favourites, actually ) and by attracting parrows and finches. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highbush Cranberry</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the left: My thriving Red-osier Dogwood; To the far right: New England Asters</td></tr>
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Posted using BlogPress from my iPhoneMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-77395599470922018262011-07-06T06:33:00.000-07:002011-07-06T06:33:26.014-07:00Inglis Falls, Owen Sound - Falls and FernsSo what does a birding parent do when the birds go out of sight for the summer ? Well, fortunately there are plenty of options for a parent that enjoys other aspects of nature. On Canada Day, we had a family outing to Inglis Falls. This conservation area is located west of Owen Sound, almost two-and-a-half hours north of Toronto. It is known for two things: the falls and the high diversity of ferns. Yes, ferns...the ignored cousin of the plant kingdom. Still if there is a Fern Capital of Ontario, Inglis Falls Conservation Area might be it !<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And for those that don't care about ferns, there is always the waterfall</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>There are a lot of options for hiking at Inglis Falls Conservation Area. Hiking along the west side of the falls gives the best views of the falls but it is rugged with numerous crevasses within the limestone. You can also wind your way down to the bottom of the falls. With young children, this route is a little too much. On the east side of the falls, there is a network of nicely groomed hiking trails. The Pot Hole Trail makes for a nice diversion with its geological features ( "Pot Hole !" ) although it gets a bit rough too. <br />
Inglis Falls makes for good exploring and from the naturalist's point of view, there is plenty to see. The highlight is the oft-overlooked ferns. Between Grey and Bruce Counties, there are 50 species of fern ( compared to 75 species found in all of Ontario ). Among them is the Hart's Tongue Fern, which is rare in North America ( rated as Special Concern in Ontario ) in addition to other species like Robert's Fern, Broad Beech Fern, Walking Rue and Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Niagara Escarpment</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Intermediate Wood Fern</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/07/05/3546.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/07/05/s_3546.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bulbet Fern</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/07/05/3571.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/07/05/s_3571.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A terrible picture but here is the Hart's Tongue Fern</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/07/05/3574.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/07/05/s_3574.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maidenhair Spleenwort</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/07/05/3576.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/07/05/s_3576.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun along the Pot Hole Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For anyone interested in Fern ID:<br />
<span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=abirpar-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003X66RE6&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span><br />
I would recommend searching for the book "Guide to the Ferns of Grey and Bruce County" on amazon.ca . This publication is put out by the Owen Sound Field Naturalists and is available through their website. Or you can pick up a copy from the Grey Roots Museum, located 2 km west of Inglis Falls. It may be the best field guide to ferns in existence ( I know, I know... such a bold exclamation ! ). It only covers the 50 species found in Grey-Bruce Counties but it is worth the $20.<br />
<br />
On top of that, the museum sells an excerpt from American Fern Journal in 1909, detailing a trip to Owen Sound, specifically made to see the Hart's Tongue Fern and Northern Holly Fern. It comes with a nice Fern Checklist, which makes it both a neat piece of nostalgia and handy for naturalists.<br />
<br />
.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-7661545910807911932011-07-05T12:45:00.000-07:002011-07-05T12:45:48.813-07:00Corporate Responsibility ? Wow...<a href="http://www.thestar.com/iphone/news/article/1019451--owl-at-centre-of-telus-campaign-creates-flap"></a>Good for Telus ! Of course, there is always a cynical slant to these situations but I don't know of too many cases where I have seen such positive action...Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-46968356581996681192011-06-25T12:48:00.000-07:002011-06-25T12:51:02.957-07:00Doldrums are fun...June has been a big bird news month...Willow Ptarmagin in Southern Ontario...The Peregrine Falcons breeding success at the building that houses Harlequin Publishing...An Emperoro Penguin taking a wrong turn...and now <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1014953--turkeys-trot-into-traffic-in-barrie-havoc-ensues?bn=1">THIS</a> ! You know, if turkeys are the biggest problem on your commute, you should count yourself lucky. And be thankful; <a href="http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/06/12/5860031-sun.html">turkeys are capable of worse</a>...Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-65531053548945939532011-06-24T19:52:00.000-07:002011-06-24T19:57:47.773-07:00Summer Doldrums...Not much to post...The birds have better things to do...The bugs are out...Canada Post is on strike, delaying delivery of new books...We'll wait for the Canada Day weekend and see if there isn't something to report. Until then, if you are in Toronto, check out the <a href="http://www.torontozoo.com/Events/AfricanPenguin.asp">new Penguin Exhibit</a>. Again, I probably have a little pro-zoo bias ( I used to volunteer there ). For those that remember the old indoor penguin exhibit, the new exhibit is vastly improved. THE SON has adopted penguins as his favourite animal and judging by the reactions of children when we go, he is not the only one...<br />
<br />
Speaking of penguins, here is <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1014310--homesick-penguin-moved-to-new-zealand-zoo-for-surgery?bn=1">the king ( or emperor, if you will ) of all vagrants</a>. And I thought a Willow Ptarmagin in Southern Ontario was impressive !Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-42451735366228262962011-06-15T08:54:00.000-07:002011-06-15T08:54:42.269-07:00Willow Ptarmagin at Darlington Nuclear PlantThe Birding community in Ontario is abuzz with the sighting of a Willow Ptarmagin on the grounds of a local nuclear power plant. So much buzz <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1008739--rare-arctic-ptarmigan-causes-flap-when-it-stops-by-darlington-power-plant?bn=1">that it made the paper...</a><br />
<br />
Of course, the one ( and only ? ) trip to the facility coincided with a big party for my Dad's 70th birthday, which goes to show that I have my priorities in the right place. However, I now find myself living the experiece vicariously via Youtube:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BfSvTw1c8IA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
To explain this odd bird sighting, I will use the power of Copy/Paste from Ontbirds ( the Ontario bird sightings page ) and Jean Iron:<br />
<br />
"Last winter there was a very large irruption of Willow Ptarmigan and even a<br />
few Rock Ptarmigan into south-central Quebec. The Darlington Willow<br />
Ptarmigan is likely an extreme overshoot from last winter's irruption.<br />
Remarkably, there was a specimen taken near Whitby, which is close to<br />
Darlington, on 15 May 1897 following a large irruption in the winter of<br />
1886-1887."<br />
<br />
Hopefully, there will be another trip arranged so even more birders can enjoy this amazing sighting !Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-77095119806852508822011-06-13T18:43:00.000-07:002011-06-13T18:43:19.498-07:00Baby Muskie ( or Muskellunge if you prefer... ) and other aquatic stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>THE DAUGHTER and I participated in three sessions at the 2011 Carden Nature Festival. The first was an early-morning but unfortunately quiet Birding by Ear workshop. The second was a Fossil Finding activity at a local quarry which was rained out by some torrential weather ( although I did learn that limestone attracts lightning, a fact that I am sure will come in handy at some point in the future ). Upon our return and a near-simultaneous clearing of the bad weather, we ( really me, via executive decision ) went off and found my life Golden-Winged Warbler. After this triumph, we returned to Festival Central to take part in our last session: Aquatic Organisms. When I originally signed us up, I felt that this session would appeal to my daughter because it was fun. I remember participating in stream studies and finding all kinds of cool stuff. However, with a session that my daughter looked forward to already cancelled, the pressure was on. Would my daughter really enjoy dipping her net into water and catching little slimy, muddy beasties ? Thankfully the answer was a resounding YES !<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhER4AtNYxk-rbrVdaKFykIXBMKzrVsEhcGhxcSrb7MTjI0k__kPEEFieKuGLiFLywXoIT2ShEkwCNMhThW7gesO-QR0cVEEfnwXs2k9yiVUOTjSH3nMpUZ1bdeJiwhTz8NCDVsBGQ_K5I/s1600/IMG_1041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhER4AtNYxk-rbrVdaKFykIXBMKzrVsEhcGhxcSrb7MTjI0k__kPEEFieKuGLiFLywXoIT2ShEkwCNMhThW7gesO-QR0cVEEfnwXs2k9yiVUOTjSH3nMpUZ1bdeJiwhTz8NCDVsBGQ_K5I/s320/IMG_1041.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon !</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a name='more'></a>Our group leader was Bob Wright, the president of the Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs ( CAOAC ). He started by talking about what we would find and showed us several live examples that were caught on other festival days. Iowa darters, Brown Bullheads and other baitfish species I never heard of ( I'm baitfish ignorant ! ); the largest tadpoles I have seen ( thought to be Green or Bullfrogs ) and a few dragonfly larvae. Due to conditions we were only going to survey the shoreline of Young's Lake. So on went the rubber boots and with dipnets in hand we ventured into the shallows of Young's Lake.<br />
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For the record, THE DAUGHTER can be a bit well...girly at times. I banned the Disney princesses from our home because there seemed to be some negatives that came along with them...I'm sure other parents can relate. So, I was wondering how she would take to dipnetting. Of course, she was completely engaged from dip #1 when she brought up several teeny tiny, unidentifiable tadpoles. Minutes after that, she brought up the first fish of the day; a BROWN BULLHEAD catfish. Apparently these fish have spines and, even better, venom in their spines that can trigger allergic reactions in someone unlucky enough to get spiked. Still my daughter was psyched. She showed off her catch to a television crew who are putting together a documentary for TVO on "The Land Between", then plunged back in to find more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7747YFgIKH5toXo-0LqmeUE4jt71s3pN_UNITiFBNnfUvVKpVuFCdkaEgL_Uhcgt1WVfn95Vn9pyfs-T5Mb1TOB2hqKcocXRYFuJYHjHjGB9nxUjApcLvsj2yI8YtcNxBqdTFkEWFaWw/s1600/IMG_1036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7747YFgIKH5toXo-0LqmeUE4jt71s3pN_UNITiFBNnfUvVKpVuFCdkaEgL_Uhcgt1WVfn95Vn9pyfs-T5Mb1TOB2hqKcocXRYFuJYHjHjGB9nxUjApcLvsj2yI8YtcNxBqdTFkEWFaWw/s320/IMG_1036.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Bullhead</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And did we ever find more...there were lots of damselfly larvae, a few dragonfly larvae and several more large tadpoles added. My daughter plucked a snail out of her net and took some more camera time to show it off. Then my daughter brought up another fish. Eventually, we would ID it as a STICKLEBACK. If you noticed that I was not catching fish up to this point, you would be quite right. THE DAUGHTER must have been feeling sorry for me because she started giving me tips on how to move my net through the water. Within minutes, she had another fish in her net. A BANDED KILLIFISH. A fish that our session leader had been trying to catch. Now caught by my daughter. At this point my daughter was officially invited to come back next year. No word whether the invitation was extended to her father.<br />
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Of course there were other people and other nice finds. The highlight would have to be this baby MUSKELLUNGE.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fziD8MXO8LxLBZbS0rt73VKUJeXv3acebYOTQVNuUuyWL6n4l_AA-pcOIkOHMNBWDXoZ0Y-vTQ-a85tgsZD92tPkpV-36jbJyE57W5G2zo5oifdB4m4Gf3V642MJMtoGIw1Tu1Jdsfo/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fziD8MXO8LxLBZbS0rt73VKUJeXv3acebYOTQVNuUuyWL6n4l_AA-pcOIkOHMNBWDXoZ0Y-vTQ-a85tgsZD92tPkpV-36jbJyE57W5G2zo5oifdB4m4Gf3V642MJMtoGIw1Tu1Jdsfo/s320/IMG_1038.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Muskellunge</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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We could only see it for a few seconds before setting back into the water but what a sight. Especially if you are like me and read about the mythical "muskies" in fishing magazines. Especially, if you are expecting this fish to make the roster for Season 3 of <u>River Monsters</u> ( Guilty Pleasure... ). I have outgrown the fishing bug but seeing a potential 50+ pounder at this early stage in life is quite stunning.<br />
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One other nice find was another baby: A PAINTED TURTLE. We all had nice looks at this little guy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZsQf3SbRLuLddZztPQj5q-AYU6WPdj2dpe9HZ2LguB1MuBuRnyHcrHPn28jIkNztmbiJWzEHggRg2RbHLyfcLIKckKCdCW1T5DiccZIpFoIYiZ8tNGtp9W4QtmK-kG9FFUvxfrlHrJc/s1600/IMG_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4ZsQf3SbRLuLddZztPQj5q-AYU6WPdj2dpe9HZ2LguB1MuBuRnyHcrHPn28jIkNztmbiJWzEHggRg2RbHLyfcLIKckKCdCW1T5DiccZIpFoIYiZ8tNGtp9W4QtmK-kG9FFUvxfrlHrJc/s320/IMG_1046.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Painted Turtle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
So to sum up...I had a great time ( even though I didn't catch any fish; lots of bugs though ). THE DAUGHTER had a good time ( fish + time in front of a television camera + lots of other cool stuff + being called "a great fisher-person" by Bob Wright which morphed into her being called "the greatest fisherman in the world" by her account + a pin and posters ). There was nothing left to do but pour the water out of our boots and head home. And wait to sign up for this activity again next year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcv5QXsm2Dxf91lrgcIKKp8ApBMrcf17jcAeP-AZZvNGiYoTQ6jIu7HYuZzZkBqso_OOHbYDQ9bAgULl-le8nJzRM1ZsdRAB3qNqbADmGC5lU0x2lbNUspG5jeDgWsEAQ5ZQAYq9teK8/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcv5QXsm2Dxf91lrgcIKKp8ApBMrcf17jcAeP-AZZvNGiYoTQ6jIu7HYuZzZkBqso_OOHbYDQ9bAgULl-le8nJzRM1ZsdRAB3qNqbADmGC5lU0x2lbNUspG5jeDgWsEAQ5ZQAYq9teK8/s320/IMG_1048.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No low-cut rubber boots next year !</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
If you want to bring children to the Carden Nature Festival, I would highly recommend this activity ! If you have any other questions regarding the Carden Nature Festival, please feel free to comment or contact and I will respond. Can't wait for 2012 !Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-29455223041604846842011-06-13T11:14:00.000-07:002011-06-13T11:14:18.543-07:00Peregrine Falcons in Toronto...Here is an update on the Peregrine Falcons in Toronto, ON. The Toronto Star has been following this falcon pair, thanks to their connection with a certain publisher of romantic books. <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/article/999580--north-york-falcons-welcome-baby-harlequin">Now, a new baby has been welcomed into the family</a>...I'm assuming the star will continue to update this nice little story throughout the summer.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-55796424800074056912011-06-09T08:53:00.000-07:002011-06-09T08:53:59.769-07:00Plantlife from the Carden Alvar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just beecause I never have huge success with photographing birds, here are some wildflowers pics from the Carden area. Late May-Mid-June is a great time of year to see some of these highly-adapted alvar plants. They tend to be fairly rare in other parts of Ontario. Although there are many places one could go, I highly recommend Cameron Ranch or Prairie Smoke nature Reserve if you are interested in seeing the diversity of plantlife on the Carden Plain.</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLcr6QqcIYW9ljcDyVZqifOGOkXzmAhbhzH5Ew6IhAn4s_TeWkXnfJf7kjTdiYqVhpm_8CDONgUXaHM_1QJpL-bAP-oPY0mfL-riUi8SyQWf_yQqfE9nNXdARVJX2VfaoAvBU2Fqwpmo/s1600/IMG_1010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyLcr6QqcIYW9ljcDyVZqifOGOkXzmAhbhzH5Ew6IhAn4s_TeWkXnfJf7kjTdiYqVhpm_8CDONgUXaHM_1QJpL-bAP-oPY0mfL-riUi8SyQWf_yQqfE9nNXdARVJX2VfaoAvBU2Fqwpmo/s320/IMG_1010.JPG" t8="true" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie Smoke is everywhere...This picture was taken on the Windmill Ranch<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalmjZhwaWuss3I85zpyvyeF961NbC9qDtuYv6Qt-2TJUVMQvi6d9VqnesKv2nMHKYZZ9fA7RN-783E_CRO0pWcqKGBuKO9sTK_U0I37Q5AedZr5xSpcZesB4L1oKiolshh7wBUbNUL4E/s1600/IMG_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalmjZhwaWuss3I85zpyvyeF961NbC9qDtuYv6Qt-2TJUVMQvi6d9VqnesKv2nMHKYZZ9fA7RN-783E_CRO0pWcqKGBuKO9sTK_U0I37Q5AedZr5xSpcZesB4L1oKiolshh7wBUbNUL4E/s320/IMG_1012.JPG" t8="true" width="239px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The spectacular Indian Paintbrush - Very common although it seems to grow better away from roadways</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8Rf2rAIYGz2ytBhCPus4aKJFqyPT6q-I7sFjpu79Cy1qETGP0Yog2ZM5mcNSq8PvjWzTFMv4XNZQE8td5Qjp5BA29_LRWBV6aBuKveaKnSGbZ3LMb-BsBsZchfbn-lkiMck9llckqDk/s1600/IMG_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8Rf2rAIYGz2ytBhCPus4aKJFqyPT6q-I7sFjpu79Cy1qETGP0Yog2ZM5mcNSq8PvjWzTFMv4XNZQE8td5Qjp5BA29_LRWBV6aBuKveaKnSGbZ3LMb-BsBsZchfbn-lkiMck9llckqDk/s320/IMG_1009.JPG" t8="true" width="239px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsam Ragwort - A true alvar specialist</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcubBaoaLQwi55jeyGKwXVBKXGaWaTtcjNwltgvDlF0AjMIZQzbCMLgfbyMrT4utqBpRHYqleRKOsCsoLmT1OEJqc75YT2HwoBny0qVbT_4QUMvzkvaodFDgKgpSQ0JsSNuP7cHHUH-m0/s1600/IMG_1024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcubBaoaLQwi55jeyGKwXVBKXGaWaTtcjNwltgvDlF0AjMIZQzbCMLgfbyMrT4utqBpRHYqleRKOsCsoLmT1OEJqc75YT2HwoBny0qVbT_4QUMvzkvaodFDgKgpSQ0JsSNuP7cHHUH-m0/s320/IMG_1024.JPG" t8="true" width="239px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balsam Ragwort - 2011 has been an excellent year for this wildflower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPMZUZjSRqKi3yFTOIxXfZHA5YQC6Qgg0J2tFfsA7zMxUb8stfTZpYDAXt484ECGpE_nwttrv1hFiHLLB51fK3T4vOPFS4Cccbec5qh-k3qlcDzmgiyjhFslSlLZw5NYBG1Ov72o5Qfg/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPMZUZjSRqKi3yFTOIxXfZHA5YQC6Qgg0J2tFfsA7zMxUb8stfTZpYDAXt484ECGpE_nwttrv1hFiHLLB51fK3T4vOPFS4Cccbec5qh-k3qlcDzmgiyjhFslSlLZw5NYBG1Ov72o5Qfg/s320/IMG_1018.JPG" t8="true" width="239px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hairy Beardtongue - Tougher to find than some of the other wildflowers but a beautiful delicate-looking plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-1169878035169115132011-06-08T19:35:00.000-07:002011-06-13T18:21:53.888-07:00Golden-Winged Warbler !The Golden-Winged Warbler is my favourite warbler. Maybe even moreso, now that I have seen one. A visit to the Carden Plain always brings some nice birds. I still remember my first visit; 6 life birds including a HENSLOW'S SPARROW, SEDGE WREN and Loggerhead Shrike. Last year's visit to the Carden Nature Festival brought my first CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and VESPER SPARROW. However, every visit also missed out on the Golden-Winged until Saturday...<br />
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My first session at this year's festival was Sparrows By Voice. It provided an excellent overview of identifying sparrows by song and sight. The entire session was spent at the Windmill Ranch, a Nature Conservancy property on Wylie Road. FIELD SPARROW, SONG SPARROW, EASTERN TOWHEE and an oddly still BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER provided good looks. The highlight were picture perfect scope views of CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. The view of the Clay-colored was about 10 times better than the view I managed in 2010. Outside of birds, the group also had good looks at a huge NORTHERN LEOPARD FROG, a GREY TREE FROG and a GARTER SNAKE. We also heard a calling Golden-Winged Warbler but alas it was distant and hidden. Still, the morning was off to a good start.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy7BHcem2k52Kzg7ip8dGCs4kl9MEAH9fOWdXh-_ZaBr0CaD002h0u1tGpq8CH58zcdpRpQ1pJNucuy77W1FQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Here is some video from Wylie Road; Can you hear the Grasshopper Sparrow ? If not, sign up for the Sparrows By Voice workshop next year !<br />
Even the drive back to the Carden Rec Centre ( aka Festival Central ) was productive. When half your drive is along Wylie Road, it is bound to be productive. RED-EYED VIREO, another GRASSHOPPER SPARROW ( easily identified ), UPLAND SANDPIPER, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, BOBOLINK, WILSON'S SNIPE and EASTERN BLUEBIRD were observed and provided great views to boot !<br />
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My second session was a Wilderness Explorer session at another Nature Conservancy Property. Being mid-day, the birds became far quieter. FIELD SPARROW, EASTERN TOWHEE, ALDER FLYCATCHER and a soaring BROAD-WINGED HAWK were the best birds that were out. Turning over a stone allowed nice looks at a MILK SNAKE ( Threatened in Ontario ).<br />
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The next day, I travelled back to Carden with THE DAUGHTER for an early session called Birding by Ear. We learned a lot about bird songs but sadly the birds were not very co-operative for views. NASHVILLE WARBLER, BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER, SONG SPARROW, EASTERN TOWHEE and EASTERN KINGBIRD were the best we could get.<br />
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The next session was supposed to be a fossil hunting activity at a local quarry. Sadly the weather turned nasty with plenty of wind, lightning, thunder and sideways rain. The session was cancelled but as we returned to the Carden Rec Centre the weather began to clear. We had a long wait ahead of us before the last session so I made the executive decision to head out to Wylie Road for some quick birding.<br />
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This little sojourn turned up some nice bird; more WILSON'S SNIPE, UPLAND SANDPIPERS and BOBOLINKS. As we drove towards the Sedge Wren Marsh, I heard a familiar song- one long buzz followed by three short buzzes...a golden-winged warbler. I started looking among the scrub forest on the left side of the road and quickly picked up the shape of a small bird at the top of a dead tree. A quick look through the binoculars and it was clear that I had a view of my first Golden-Winged ! The view was a bit distant but the yellow patches on the wings of the bird were clearly visible. On top of that distinctive field mark, the lttle bird threw it's head back and <em>sang</em> it's buzzy little song.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKBqpTG7W5_sEnp5CIMGuLsgkTgKXBEyzL1DjISiqudrpRasPTy8pjPfit-WLtilN4XSPh5y8cshswmUcJqoxwGNlKvm_bHytGkzWOAoB97ennctvYE_rA4AKi604xOCsGUNGIPYBi8k/s1600/IMG_1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKBqpTG7W5_sEnp5CIMGuLsgkTgKXBEyzL1DjISiqudrpRasPTy8pjPfit-WLtilN4XSPh5y8cshswmUcJqoxwGNlKvm_bHytGkzWOAoB97ennctvYE_rA4AKi604xOCsGUNGIPYBi8k/s320/IMG_1026.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See him in the dead tree to the left of the tall green trees...</td></tr>
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The memory of the bird singing makes me smile because it reminds me of this image.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRooC0zMk0Lj8VKufTAJeAykaey_BYfH9iHHaKjD3unMFCH8lX_GY3PoW3a1C-tOdYT_qFVuxl-O9Ocq80ytpxPygKjO0o37CMfqu_2GFxDDalr4xycG1Wb-z3sPwLJGeWe51zhxxpeSc/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRooC0zMk0Lj8VKufTAJeAykaey_BYfH9iHHaKjD3unMFCH8lX_GY3PoW3a1C-tOdYT_qFVuxl-O9Ocq80ytpxPygKjO0o37CMfqu_2GFxDDalr4xycG1Wb-z3sPwLJGeWe51zhxxpeSc/s320/IMG_1060.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still with original price tag on cover...</td></tr>
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This image is the reason why the Golden-Winged Warbler is my favourite warbler. Before I saw this magazine cover, my favourite warbler may have been the Blackburnian or one of those other brightly coloured species. This picture caught my attention immediately from its position on the newstand. Everything about the image is amazing; the all-white background, the bird captured in mid-song, it's perch on a leafed branch. Awesome...Then I turned the magazine around and saw this on the back cover...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8ng3jWnRWm3uevClPOQtT-fzNN10h1gf8vNVxNSs1mIyDpvuWFZIX0sxB7hlYF7k5Od97kdi7RWR6hg_pbMF79UHJLZbNJ1DQtrP5uVCCZR6WVyKR2ZA2mGxY9DD1ADtZkqCVs7Q5DY/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8ng3jWnRWm3uevClPOQtT-fzNN10h1gf8vNVxNSs1mIyDpvuWFZIX0sxB7hlYF7k5Od97kdi7RWR6hg_pbMF79UHJLZbNJ1DQtrP5uVCCZR6WVyKR2ZA2mGxY9DD1ADtZkqCVs7Q5DY/s320/IMG_1061.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That man looks familiar...Where have I seen him before ?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Sibley-Guide-NATIONAL-AUDUBON-SOCIETY/dp/0679451226/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1307584909&sr=8-3">Sibley</a> ! I should have known ! I was in love with this picture so I did something I never did before and have never done since...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtP5NLfiDw6euvIv6vjz-oxnT11356OAss3ehxQWWfG8SIZUDhCiMTNyv4bviiEHw7yNBZxHLV6nqcjP-i8oHQP_FlgXx1smUlQpv-5VPE0_0z7yzJW1pS44W_c6ex9pck8q-kyvKy4U/s1600/IMG_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtP5NLfiDw6euvIv6vjz-oxnT11356OAss3ehxQWWfG8SIZUDhCiMTNyv4bviiEHw7yNBZxHLV6nqcjP-i8oHQP_FlgXx1smUlQpv-5VPE0_0z7yzJW1pS44W_c6ex9pck8q-kyvKy4U/s320/IMG_1059.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></div><br />
I ordered the print. Now it is framed, hanging over my bed.<br />
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So, to finally see the bird, <em>singing</em> no less was great for me. As I drove back to the Carden Rec Centre, I was buzzed. My daughter was happy for me too. I felt a little guilty because she was looking forward to the fossil hunting; we had been in 2010 and had a great time, while coming away with a bunch of nice fossils. She took the cancellation in stride but now I went out and found my life bird. Everything worked out well as we went for our third session of the day and it would have nothing to do with birds...more on that to come !<br />
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<div align="center"></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-36109318590135045692011-06-08T08:41:00.000-07:002011-06-08T08:41:36.079-07:00Carden Nature Festival 2011The Carden Nature Festival is one of those annual events that every nature-lover should try to attend at least once in their lifetime. Hyperbole ? Perhaps I'm still buzzing after attending the 2011 version last weekend. However, the festival revolves around a habitat that many people do not get a chance to experience and features numerous activities that range from birding to observing aquatic wildlife to mosses and lichens to hunting for fossils. I could go on but suffice to say, if you like nature, there will be something that will appeal to your taste. Even better for parents, kids are welcome !<br />
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2011 is the fifth annual Carden Nature Festival. Every year the festival seems to grow, offering more activities to visitors. All of the activities allow people to get up close and personal with one of the most intriguing environments in Ontario ( although I'll gladly stretch that to all of North America ). Alvars are globally rare habitats and one cannot find a better example than the Carden Plain. Birders are drawn here in droves but the festival reaches out to anyone who enjoys nature and being outside. They find some amazing activity leaders too. And for parents, I noticed more activities aimed at kids, a bonus for parents who want to make the trek.<br />
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Bringing a young child to a nature festival is always a tough proposition. The Carden Nature Festival presents it's own challenge. This event is not the Spring Birding Festival at Tommy Thompson Park where Wendy's and Tim Horton's Donuts are a few minutes up the street. Most of the action emanates from the town of Carden Rec Centre, about an hour and a half north of Toronto. <br />
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<a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&biw=1003&bih=594&q=Ontario%20Map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl">http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&biw=1003&bih=594&q=Ontario%20Map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl</a><br />
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So planning has to be undertaken because there is no place to buy sunscreen or insect repellent if said items are forgotten. The snacks and drinks need to be meticulously sorted out and packed. Rain gear must be brought and stowed in the car. However, if one remembers all the important things, the Carden Nature Festival is amazing. This is the second year that I have brought THE DAUGHTER and both times have been the ultimate daddy-daughter days.<br />
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The first time I brought my daughter, she was only 4. I was probably pushing things by having her participate in a 630 am Birding by Ear Activity. However, the real highlight was a mid-day fossil hunting trip in a nearby quarry. THE DAUGHTER is a fan of all things pre-historic and we came away with nice specimens of trilobites, sea stars and shells that were buried about 400 million years ago.<br />
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This year we returned on Saturday while I also managed to get a solo day in Carden. I will be posting my/our highlights of the festival over the next few days. Let's just say it involves alvars, a new life bird and a baby muskie.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-51412359497145120092011-05-24T19:36:00.000-07:002011-05-24T19:36:46.738-07:00Tommy Thompson Park Photos<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foggy day at Tommy Thompson Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/05/24/3083.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/05/24/s_3083.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE SON at Tommy Thompson Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-71805678169195777402011-05-24T19:31:00.000-07:002011-05-24T19:41:45.972-07:00Spring Flora and Fungi at Thickson's Woods <br />
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Trying my hand at plant and fungi ID...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trout Lilies - Early May</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emerging Ostrich Ferns</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple-Toothed Polypore helpfully pointed out by THE DAUGHTER</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large-Flowered Trillium</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Meadow Rue ??? ( Help me out if I'm wrong )</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on it...</td></tr>
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-77764154884844787862011-05-24T09:05:00.000-07:002011-05-24T09:05:31.146-07:00A NEW LIFE BIRD ! and other things in Thickson's WoodsWell, first to get this over with right away...my new life bird is an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, seen at Thickson's Woods on Friday, May 19th. It wasn't an easy ID; I originally thought the bird was a Palm Warbler, albeit an immature bird. However that identification did not sit well and with a bit of research, I found that it may be a tad early to expect immature palm warblers. So what was this little bland/brownish bird with light indistinct streaking on its breast, a wash of yellow on its flanks and a yellow vent ? Orange-Crowned Warbler !!! Not the best looking specimen, I'd say but still a new bird for the big list !<br />
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Thickson's Woods has been a good place for birds over the last week. MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, CAPE MAY, BLACKBURNIAN, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, CANADA and my first WILSON'S WARBLER of the year were highlights. I also had a wonderful BLUE-GREY GNATCATCHER; this one was more blue than grey and made me wish I had my camera. However, the trees are starting to grow out their leaves so the remaining weeks of migration season will be a bit more challenging...<br />
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Every so often, I find myself amazed/entranced/enthralled by something I see while birding. These events are unpredictable and do not necessarily correlate to life birds or rarities or anything that comes close to birding glory. Most of these events feature birds I have seen before, most of them common. The first time I saw a Yellow Warbler sing...The time a Blue-Throated Blue Warbler serenade THE DAUGHTER at close range...The first time THE DAUGHTER and I fed blue Jays by hand...THE SON's reaction to a very close chickadee... <a href="http://birdsandkids.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-behaviours.html#more">The fight between a Flicker and two starlings for a nest hole</a>... On Saturday, I was given a wonderful serenade by a beautiful Chestnut-Sided Warbler. The warbler was close, so close that I probably could have got a decent shot with my camera. The little bird was feeding in a dilligent manner but once in a while would throw back it's head and unleash a pitch-perfect version of its <em>pleased-pleased-pleased to meet you</em> song. I watched for a couple of minutes until the bird finally flitted away into deeper brush and was enthralled for that whole time. Afterwards, I reflected that these are the moments that make birding special to me far more so than lifers or listings or spotting the latest rarity. The moments where I can marvel at the birds themselves and how amazing they are...Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-88116905066493901422011-05-17T11:22:00.000-07:002011-05-17T11:22:35.813-07:00A Victim of Taxonomy: RIP Yellow-Rumped WarblerSo the Yellow-Rumped Warbler is gone. The poor little "Butter-Butts", as THE DAUGHTER calls them, have a new name. To serious birders this news is not news at all. However, this is the first spring where the changes have been in effect and it has been a learning process to replace the old with the new. The species was the victim of the sometimes loved and equally dreaded taxonomic split. Taxonomy changes with time and science, as we learn more about individual species. Sometimes we learn that species we thought were a species were not actually a species but several species. Confused yet ? Welcome to birding...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Taxonomic splits are the part of the birding game that provides thrills beyond the chase. It is the nerdy, the pen-protector-with-thick-glasses, branch of the birding world. It can be terriffic, expanding your life list at sudden notice. Witness the day I learned that the Winter Wren was split from the Eurasian Wren. That was a happy day. I think I took my family out to Chuck E. Cheese that evening. However, the wheels of science can be slow, as are the workings of shadowy birding organizations that analyze and interpret the science before deciding whether a species is indeed a species. I am still waiting for the House Wren to be split into two species...the Northern and Southern version. These splits are relatively clean. Sometimes the results can be downright ugly.<br />
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Witness, the Herring Gull, which is different than the Herring Gull that your forefathers knew. With the ever-changing combination of species, sub-species and hybrids that exist with roots from the simple Herring Gull, well, it's a wonder that gull-watchers aren't huddled in the fetal position, muttering various field markings under their breath ( more often... ). Other species have suffered similar fates. Take the Blue-Crowned Motmot which was split into 5 almost identical species. Thankfully, they left one of those species with the Blue-Crowned Motmot name. Bigger changes sit on the horizon. Recently, it was proposed that the Canada Goose may actually be a combination of 17 <em>different </em>species. The anxiety of birders over that split is palpable.<br />
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Sadly, we sometimes lose great names along the way. Yellow-rumped warbler was a perfect match to the little bird it was attached to. The name said everything you needed to know; How perfect is that ? Now we have four new names with two affecting our ID in North America. Out west, there is the Audubon's Warbler, a passable name, mainly because it carries the name of an ornithological god. And here in the east, we have the Myrtle Warbler. Now, I will admit that I don't like the name. It seems...uncool but at first I thought Myrtle referred to some long-gone scientist who made great contributions to our knowledge. However, through research I found that it actually refers to the fact that these birds eat "wax-myrtle berries" in the winter. My first thought: "Seriously ?". So we lose the great name of "Yellow-Rumped" to name a species after it's preferred winter diet. That does not sound right; however, that is the nature of taxonomy. It is a cold, calculated science cloaked in secrecy with no heed paid to the wishes of lowly birders or publishing companies who must update their bird guides.<br />
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FYI, each re-arrangement of species via the International Ornithological Union is referred to as a Species Update. Although I prefer the term "Supplements" used by the American Ornithological Union. Actually, I prefer the term "Taxonomic Hootenany" however scientists have been slow to embrace this phrase.<br />
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If you wish to follow the chaos more closely, you can check out the International ornithological Union's updates here<br />
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<a href="http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates-spp.html">http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates-spp.html</a><br />
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The AOU has its own taxonomic list that applies to the Americas. Check it out here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.aou.org/">http://www.aou.org/</a><br />
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Thus we mourn the loss of the Yellow-Rumped Warbler. Hello Myrtle ( ugh ). Thankfully, this species will always be called "Butter-butt" in my household.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-283834385396348168.post-56546605983130008372011-05-16T12:08:00.000-07:002011-05-17T10:11:58.110-07:00Spring Birding Festival, Tommy Thompson ParkTommy Thompson Park will always be known as the Leslie Street Spit to me. <br />
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The Spit is the old name but as a teen who watched copious amounts of MuchMusic ( aka Canada's MTV ), I remember seeing videos of the Leslie Street Spit Trio almost daily ( Yay Canadian Content !!! ). <br />
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When I actually visited "The Spit" for the first time, I was blown away by the life of the place. Terns and ducks and passerines and coyotes ( ! ) and nesting night-herons and gulls and cormorants. All on a base of construction site fill. Even today, the park only operates on weekends. During the week, dump trucks haul waste material out to the tips of remote penninsulas and essentially grow the park bit by bit. Tommy Thompson Park is probably as good an example of ecological succession that exists on this planet. It is also one of my favourite birding sites; the site of my first Snowy Owl, Long-Tailed Duck and others. Unfortunately, it is NOT very kid-friendly; the walk to get into the park is long and their is precious little in the way of facilities. So when I brought my children to the Spring Birding Festival on Saturday, I braced myself...this could get ugly.<br />
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However, it was great. Well, actually the weather was a downer but our morning was mainly fog, not rain. The Toronto Region Conservation Authority had shuttles dropping people off at several sites around the park. There were vendors at the park entrance and lots of kid-friendly activities.<br />
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Highlights included:<br />
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- Watching THE DAUGHTER build a nesting box that would be used in the park<br />
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- Taking a pleasant guided bird walk<br />
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- Getting a card with a free birdseed coupon from the Urban Nature Store ( Received on Saturday; Redeemed on Sunday )<br />
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- Watching a palm warbler get banded and released<br />
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- Coming away with free swag from the Conservation Authority<br />
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- THE DAUGHTER rolled a seed ball of native wildflowers that we got to take home and plant in the garden<br />
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- Picking up a few prairie smoke plants for my natural garden<br />
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- Seeing birds ! No lifers but a solid assortment of warblers and vireos ( MAGNOLIA, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, AMERICAN REDSTART, WARBLING VIREO ), COMMON TERN, LINCOLN'S, WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS plus nice looks at NORTHERN ORIOLES. And only one meltdown, to boot !<br />
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In honesty, the day was a re-introduction to one of my favourite natural places in the city. I believe it had been about five years since I visited "The Spit" ( March 2006 ? ), before the first child. I always intended to visit "The Spit" but it is daunting for a parent; even someone who is used to taking kids into settings beyond the playground. <br />
I only saw a small portion of the park on this visit. The park was a bit different; Some areas that were only mud on my last visit, were covered with vegetation. I am tempted to go back and explore some more. I want to bring the kids back to show them the ducks in the fall or the nesting night-herons, maybe even the cormorant nesting grounds. Tommy Thompson Park suddenly seems less intimidating to me. The staff and volunteers deserve a lot of credit for making the atmosphere of the festival friendly, inviting and warm ( even on a less than ideal day ). There were a lot of families with small children enjoying themselves. So now, I can't wait to go back...to the festival next year and to "The Spit" hopefully well before that !Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14960180670660095665noreply@blogger.com0