A Summer Day at Wetland Ridge.

From the amount of tales I've posted recently, you would think I had given up on the birding thing and simply chose to laze around while my lists sat idle.

Well, that's never going to happen. There were some issues with transferring images from Jean's camera to the PC but we have figured it out and I no longer have an excuse not to post.

Soon after ticking the Red-necked Grebe, Jean and I returned to St.Johns CA to find a Scarlet Tanager. Despite the male's bright red colour, it's a tough species to spot in the high tree tops but luckily they were singing and we could finally move on to the next target species.

Well, first we had to ensure our target date for a group tour with some friends at the Niagara College teaching winery and brewery took place as planned. A few days later, Jean and I visited the former sewage lagoons behind the school's Glendale campus. Birders that enjoy beer can sample a variety of malted beverages created by the students after an hour or two of birding at the base of the Niagara Escarpment.

During our walk around the two cells, we ticked a total of 40 species.

Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula

Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica

There were also Tree and Cliff Swallows flying low over the lagoons.

Insects...

...and mammals were also spotted.

Green Heron, Butorides virescens

Other heron species observed included Great Blue Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron.

I was hoping to add a shorebird species to the year list during our hike. Shorebirds can be found along the edges of the cells and we usually spot them in the north cell. Species Jean and I have observed in the past include Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpiper. Of these 5 species, I still needed a Solitary and Lesser Yellowlegs for the year list.

On this day, a Lesser Yellowlegs was roaming the mudflats.

Lesser Yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes

A Solitary Sandpiper was ticked three weeks later when visiting the lagoons on the Civic Holiday in August.

Jean and I have visited the lagoons a number of times since 2006 and we have accumulated 82 species for our Wetland Ridge Trail list. 15 lifers were found here including a Common Gallinule (known as Common Moorhen at the time of the lifer tick). Though the chances of repeating a Common Gallinule observation may be tough, I'll still love to bird the ponds a few times a year. Knowing that there's cold beer to sample later on, makes a visit all the more enjoyable.

Cheers!

Niagara Digiscoping

I'm submitting this post of Niagara Digiscoping to "World Bird Wednesday". A new meme created by Springman! at The Pine River Review blog.

Since purchasing her Nikon Coolpix S220 in 2009, my wife Jean has taken up the hobby of digiscoping. These two images were taken at the Wetland Ridge Trail in the Niagara Region, in southern Ontario.

My tales of our birding adventures would be quite boring if not for images such as these two.

Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Wetland Ridge Trail, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara Digiscoping

As promised in my June 22 post, here are images of a Cooper's Hawk Jean and I observed on the slope of the Niagara Escarpment. We were hiking on the Bruce Trail side trail that links the Wetland Ridge to Woodend Conservation Area when we spotted this Accipiter.






It then spotted us...





...but continued to dine despite our presence.








Oops! I dropped my dinner.





The hawk picked up its prey and carried it to another roost to finish off its meal.

Hey Rocky! Watch Me Pull a Pintail Out of My Hat!

Now that the excitement and controversy of viewing the Phainopepla has subsided (whom am I trying to kid), I finished up the following post of our hike to Woodend Conservation Area.

November 8

Sunday's weather was even more wonderful than that encountered during my Saturday hike. The thermometer reached 20 degrees Celsius while Jean and I were hiking at Woodend Conservation Area Sunday afternoon. The seasonal high in southern Ontario at this time of year is 7 degrees! No wonder there were many cars parked along the roadway of the conservation area. Everyone was out for hike, not just birders looking to add to their year list.

We started walking east on the Bruce Trail, near the entrance to Woodend, and found dozens of American Robins flying from tree to tree. The trail descends the Niagara Escarpment at the west end of the conservation area, meeting with the Wetland Ridge Side Trail. Our plan was to take the side trail to view the lagoons of the Wetland Ridge Trail. Walking further east along this section of the Bruce Trail will be left for another day.

South of the side trail is the Niagara Escarpment.

To the north, (hidden behind the tall grass) a vineyard and the campus of Niagara College.

As we hiked to the lagoons of Wetland Ridge (I was a few paces ahead of Jean) a flash of brown glided between Jean and I. As I do not have eyes in the back of my head I did not see what passed between the two of us. What Jean saw was no bird. When the animal grabbed onto the tree trunk, Jean immediately exclaimed, "Bob, it's a flying squirrel!". It was 3:00 PM and very sunny. What was this nocturnal creature doing outside of its home?

Jean was able to capture some great images of the rarely observed Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans).

I never grow tired of looking at the exposed layers of rock on the Niagara Escarpment.

Arriving at the Wetland Ridge we walked along the south end of the lagoons. No waterfowl in the south lagoon.

Walking on the path between the two lagoons revealed that all the waterfowl were in the north lagoon. Over 30 Bufflehead and a pair of Northern Pintail were found.

The college has placed a different style of Wood Duck nesting boxes in the lagoons. A hollowed out roll of hay supported by a triangular frame.

Though the colours have fallen from the majority of the trees on the escarpment it was a great day for a November hike.

Birding During the Labour Day Weekend

September 6

With hopes of viewing Common Nighthawk in flight, Jean and I went to the Wetland Ridge Trail Sunday evening. A previous attempt to view a calling nighthawk during a non-birding evening ended in an addition to the year list without seeing the bird.

We arrived at 7:30 PM and had less than an hour of daylight to observe any birds in or around the lagoons. Two people were leaving as we entered and informed us of 2 juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons in the branches of a dead tree in the far corner of the nature area. Sure enough they were still there when we setup the scope. There was insufficient light to digiscope an image of the birds.

We could see a Green Heron at the far end of the north lagoon so we headed that way to get a closer look. The light was fading fast and the heron had left. Only 2 Killdeer remained on the mat of algae. As if in sync, the mosquitoes started biting as the Common Nighthawks began calling. Walking back more nighthawks were heard calling. In a Sumac, less than 10 feet from where we stood, the sixth Common Nighthawk of the evening called loudly. With the little amount of light that was left, Jean and I could not spot the bird in the nearby tree. Though we heard a total of 9 nighthawks without observing any, the night was not wasted. While straining to observe the Common Nighthawk in the Sumac I spotted another bird perched on a hydro tower as I looked back towards the call of another nighthawk. That's an odd looking hawk, I thought. It had its back towards us and when it turned its head around it revealed itself to be a Great Horned Owl. Though we observed a pair (and two young) earlier this year, this was only our third observation of this species of owl. Enough light remained for a scope view of the owl and we were able to make out its white collar.

We left the Wetland Ridge with nighthawks still calling. It was if they were teasing us. As on two previous occasions (back yard and Wetland Ridge) we will most likely observe Common Nighthawks in flight when we least suspect.

September 7

Before leaving for the Marshville Heritage Festival, a report of a Snow Goose (with a number of Canada Geese) had Jean and I stopping at the Green Ribbon Trail in Port Dalhousie. At first no geese could be found on Richardson's Creek or Martindale Pond. A flock of Canada Geese flew overhead but did not contain the white goose we sought. More flocks flew overhead, some deciding to land in the waters by the trail. Hey, this group coming in has a white goose in it! Unfortunately it was only a domestic goose.

A Green Heron was perched very close to the trail. Despite the branches Jean managed to get some good images of the bird.








The 2 Wood Ducks we observed earlier were now resting on a log.

As were the many turtles in the pond.

Leaving the trail a photographer pointed towards a large Rat Snake on the bank of the pond. We discussed spotting scopes and digiscoping (with the photographer not the snake) and then Jean and I headed to the other side of the Niagara Region to spend part of the day at the Marshville Festival.









On the way home we stopped at a pond near Port Colborne. I was hoping for shorebirds but the water levels were too high. Though there were no shorebirds there were a few wading birds. An adult Black-crowned Night-heron was flying away as we approached the pond. Towards the south end of the pond, 2 Great Egrets and a Great Blue Heron were busy hunting for prey while 2 juvenile Black-crowned Night-herons stood still on the edge of the pond. Red-winged Blackbirds flew back and forth between the reeds and the field of corn across the road.

Autumn Wild Onion, Allium stellatum

That was it for birding during the long weekend. For shorebirds we will have to plan a day of birding along the shore of Lake Erie in the next few weeks. You never know what you may find. Last year's highlight was the Curlew Sandpiper. Let's hope there will be another Eurasian visitor this fall.

A Worthy Substitute

August 20

I had previously mentioned that I still required a Brown Thrasher for the year list. My Ontario sightings of this species are limited and after looking over the observations on eBird, Niagara Shores Conservation Area in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) looked to be the best option.

The hundreds of Bank Swallows seen on May 29 have departed to their wintering grounds in South America (somewhat earlier than the "snowbirds" bound for Florida). We walked along a trail to the western edge of the area but found no birds in or around the pond. The eastern side of Niagara Shores borders the former National Defence lands (currently owned by Parks Canada). A final decision has yet to be made on the future of the property.

Searching the web, I was able to find groups supporting and opposing Project Niagara. I may be biased but as a biologist and a birder (What? They'll remove the sewage lagoons?) I would rather see an eco park at this location. If the choice was between urbanization (as is happening on the main route into NOTL) and Project Niagara, well I'm sure the majority would side with the amphitheatre.

We walked along the fence line, scanning the brush in the neighbouring property. This is where Brown Thrasher have been observed in the past. The bird still remains off the list but we found a worthy substitute. Well, something better actually. It was an Empidonax flycatcher. Our last lifer Empid was observed during our vacation in British Columbia. This flycatcher was slightly different. Though olive-green above, the yellowish underparts and distinctive yellow throat (as well as a yellowish eyering) distinguish this Empid from the others. We had a lifer Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (#284). Sweet!

We left NOTL and travelled along the parkway to a picnic area near the Queenston-Lewiston bridge. The spot is surrounded by trees and overlooks the Niagara River from the top of the Niagara Escarpment. A great spot to observe soaring Turkey Vultures.

You may even catch a glimpse of one roosting in a tree.

On the way home we stopped at the Wetland Ridge Trail.

Jean captured this digiscoped image of a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk.

In addition to these 2 Killdeer, we found 2 Spotted Sandpiper and 2 Solitary Sandpiper (# 175 for the year list) in the usual shorebird corner of the north lagoon.

Swallows were flying above the lagoons and we managed to pick out 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow (#176) in the bunch.

Continuing with the subject of swallows.

Later in the evening, we received an e-mail (addressed to Ontbirders using the listserve) from Mike Cadman of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS). In his e-mail, Mike stated, "swallow species are showing a marked decline across Ontario and northeastern North America". The CWS is in the process of determining what research is required to determine why the declines are happening and are interested in collecting preliminary information on pre-migration and migrating flocks in Ontario. Mike asked all on the listserve to provide information on sightings of flocks with 100+ swallows. Jean and I have not seen any large migrating flocks but I did pass on our May 29 sighting of the nesting Bank Swallows (Mike Cadman is also looking for historical data on swallow roosts).

Back to birding at the Wetland Ridge.

Wood Duck boxes have been placed in the south lagoon to encourage mating pairs to nest in the area. It worked. I counted 12 Wood Duck (adults and young) while surveying the lagoon. They were also raising young here last year.

Moving on, we observed some activity in the adjacent woods of the escarpment.

A Black-throated Green Warbler and 2 Black and White Warblers. Some "pishing" brought them out from behind the branches.

A spying Black and White.

A close up.

A Yellow Warbler was the last bird observed for the afternoon as we walked between the vineyards and lagoons. The day of birding was done and our two weeks of vacation would soon be coming to an end. The lifer Yellow-bellied Flycatcher helped ease the realization that we would be returning to work soon.

Wetland Ridge

On the evening of Sunday June 12 Jean and I spent a short period of time birding the lagoons of the Wetland Ridge Trail. It was an evening for viewing parents and their young.

Even before entering the nature area we were greeted by an adult Northern Flicker feeding one of its young in the college parking lot. Passing the vehicle gate, we spotted young sparrows, unsure of the species, in the storage yard. The young sparrows flew through the chain link fence to the adult Chipping Sparrow (another adult busy feeding its brood) across the access road.

As we approached the lagoons a male Common Yellowthroat, our first Ontario sighting for the year, crossed the path.

Walking up to the edge of the north lagoon we flushed 2 juvenile Black-crowned Night-Herons.

Both herons flew to the nearby corner of the lagoon, landing on a log to our right.

Though slightly blocked by the surrounding vegetation, Jean was able to capture the following digiscoped image.

The adult with young theme continued. An adult Pied-billed Grebe was kept busy attending to 4 young.

Moments after flushing the immature herons, 2 Green Herons flew in the opposite direction from the same area to a small stand of trees on the northern edge of the lagoon. Both species of heron were added to the year list this evening.

With our time limited we would only reach the north-east corner of the north lagoon. Exploring the south lagoon would have to be done on a future visit. The usual species were observed walking along the raised path but we could not find any shorebirds on the mat of algae and debris.

Returning along the northern edge of the lagoon (the Niagara Escarpment beautifully lit by the setting sun) we spotted 2 more Black-crowned Night-Heron (1 juvenile & 1 adult). Back at the original viewing area we found another youngster, a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper. A Solitary Sandpiper has to show up sooner or later.

As we were leaving the Wetland Ridge Trail, one of the Green Herons flew by and came to a rest in a tree, long enough for another digiscoped image.

Other than counting Chimney Swifts, this was our first time birding in the Niagara Region since returning from our vacation in British Columbia (more posts to come). I suspected we would find a heron (BcNH) but adding two species of heron we needed for the year list (in one evening) was a pleasant surprise.

We still have to find a Grasshopper Sparrow this year. A visit to some grasslands in the region should be planned before its too late.

All images by Jean

NOTL Birding

On Thursday evening Jean and I would spend some time birding two sewage lagoons that have been converted into a nature area. The Wetland Ridge Trail is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake and is maintained by the staff and students of Niagara College.

A grassy trail runs around the perimeter of the lagoons and had been recently cut. Good! Less chance of a Brown Dog Tick hitching a free ride. During previous visits we have found these ticks crawling on us.

A young rabbit sought protection in a rock wall as we walked down the gravel road to reach the lagoons.

This Eastern Black Swallowtail was feeding from the nearby flowers.

A pair of Eastern Kingbirds were seen on the branches of a small tree as we looked east towards the sewage lagoons.

In the north lagoon, 2 Pied-billed Grebes and a few Canada Geese were spotted as well as a pair of Wood Duck, as we approached the east end of the lagoon. In this east end we can usually find a shorebird or two. This evening, on the mat of debris, mud and algae, we found 3 Spotted Sandpiper (#145) and 1 Least Sandpiper. The Wood Ducks would fly away to the safety of the south lagoon. There are nesting boxes set out for Wood Duck and we have observed a pair with young in previous years.

We continued our walk along the eastern edge of the lagoons and observed additional waterfowl species in the south lagoon. 2 adult female Mallards were tending to their many young as Bufflehead repeatedly dove under the water in the background.

We walked along the south side of the southern lagoon finding American Robin, Gray Catbird (big surprises!) and a Hairy Woodpecker in the woods on the escarpment slope. Birds observed in the college's vineyard, using our spotting scope, were identified as American Goldfinch.

Back on the gravel road, we found a male Orchard Oriole (#146) as we were leaving the lagoon area.

Additional birds ticked during the short walk included, Killdeer, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow, Northern Flicker, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Yellow Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow and House Sparrow.

As with the pond on the recently birded Merritt Trail, we would find no herons in either lagoon. We are sure to come across both Black-crowned Night-heron and Green Heron during future walks, if not here then some where else in the region. I would love to see the Common Moorhen again. Our only Ontario observations (3) have occurred at the Wetland Ridge Trail, the last being in 2007.