Spring Birds 2023 Bob & Anne-Marie

Here are some spectacular photos from Bob and Anne-Marie Taylor. There are some wonderful birds.  Thank you to both of you for taking the time to send them and share them with us.

Hi Fred,

Just another “short” email to share a few of the spring birds we have seen in the area.

I guess I’ll start with some that will soon be gone for another season. With the lower water we’ve had a few gulls landing closer for some good photos. One day three Glaucous and several Great Black-back gulls stuck around for the morning. 

Two of the Glaucous made this photo while the younger one opted to sit farther away.

They had quite the squawking session before they eventually moved on. Both of these gulls will soon be or are now northward bound.

Our last Snowy owl of the season was having a hard time finding some snow for a bit of camouflage but they’re still tough to pick out as you drive along.

As these birds move out new migrants are moving in as I’m sure most of you have been seeing by now. The last few warm days have been especially good for new spring arrivals.

Wood ducks now dressed out in their breeding colours are becoming more of a common sight.

A Snow bunting stopped in the yard and we hardly recognize it for a moment as this female is much whiter than the ones we are used to seeing skimming over the fields. The males are even more of an impressive sight but no luck on that one this year.

Belted Kingfishers have returned and this female was hanging out with her hubby until he decided to fly just before we got this photo . 

On the first rainy day near the end of March or first of April the Spotted salamanders decide to emerge from underground to head across the road to a swamp near our place. Since we realized they were here years ago it’s been an annual event to make sure they get across the road safely. This year several of our grandchildren had their

first experience with the event and it was a good one.

The last day of March we counted 187 as everyone got to enjoy the experience. The odd one of them doesn’t have any spots and one had just a couple of spots on its legs but most are like this first photo. The fatter ones have the eggs already and the skinnier males just have to find them when they get to the mating pools. 

Now we won’t see them again for another year as they sneak back in the dead of night to head back underground to eat and continue their solitary lives as the new young develop in the pools in the swamp.

Sparrows have been active in the yard lately with Song, Chippjng, Savannah, Field, White-throated, Fox and even a pair of Eastern towhee. 

Several Fox were scratching away on various days and are reasonably easy to see due to their incessant movement in the underbrush. While looking for them we also got some nice views of our first Brown thrasher of the season as well.

We had to wait for it to get out from behind a lot of brush in order to get a decent photo but it eventually obliged us with a great photo op standing for a second before diving into the brush to scratch for some more goodies. 

It was nice to see both male and female towhees this year usually we only get a male as it stops for a day on its way to its nesting area. They like a bit more of an open area to nest than we have in our yard.

The female came out from under the trees a bit for a better photo as the male stayed as well hidden as he could in the darker area under the trees. 

We’ve had a few Bonaparte gulls flying by recently and it’s different seeing them closer to their breeding colours with dark heads. They’ll soon be off to the north as well to mate and start raising another generation. We keep hoping for a Little gull travelling along with them but no luck so far. 

Shorebirds have started to show up in the area in small numbers. Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, Wilson’s snipe, Killdeer, Dunlin, and soon Spotted sandpipers. 

A Greater at Chalmers Pond with the slightly upturned long bill.

A Lesser at Browns Pond as it tries to find some food hiding in the mud of the pond. 

A Wilson’s snipe keeping a close eye on us. It decided shortly after this photo to find a better spot down by the creek at Chalmers out of view.

With the calmer water we had on those last warm days the lake was alive with the calls of Red-necked grebes and Common loons. We sat by the lake and thoroughly enjoyed the sounds coming from out over the water. Usually when the grebes and loons go through it’s either too noisy from waves or wind but it was perfect this time. We counted over 60 of these grebes out on the lake and often pairs were doing their mating dance. They aren’t quite as skillful as the Western grebes with their dancing but still fun to watch. Unfortunately the dancers were way too far out for a photo.

Thirty plus Common loons were also in attendance making a wonderful background with their haunting calls.  

Just now I believe I saw a few snowflakes floating by so hopefully the birds that have arrived will be okay for a couple of colder days and nights before we get back to some seasonal temperatures. 

Happy Birding and enjoy this special time of the year when morning is full of the lovely sounds of various birds getting ready to raise another family or two.

Bob and Anne-Marie