The gold finch is turning brown

WOW.

Talk about the signals of fall. Yesterday I counted 8 goldfinches at the feeding station. The two feeders were rocking and those that couldn't fit were under them on the platform picking up the discards.

The crazy thing? Most of the females were almost BROWN. You know... that beautiful shade of milk chocolate with a hint of citrus. The surrest sign of all that fall is quickly upon us.

It seems early with it still being August, but since summer arrived in April this year I guess I can't complain. The birds all arrived earlier so I guess it makes sense that they'll leave earlier.

I guess I'll have to pick up some regular bird seed next week and start keeping the feeders filled...I had a dream that the Harris sparrow showed up last night...I hope that's not true...yet.

It's all about the Jelly

I just can't seem to get over how the yard activity has changed around here these last few days. The Baltimore orioles are still here. I see mostly the females...I moved the feeders around to I could get an unobstructed view from the kitchen and I noticed something.

She's not afraid of bees...rather they're afraid of her! I've never seen such aggressive behaviour from an oriole before. She chases away the warblers, the finches and the bees/wasps.

I'm not a fan of her chasing away the finches, but since she won't be here long I guess I won't really matter.

But what with the Nashville warblers obsession with Grape Jelly?

The Baltimore Oriole returns

I just can't get over it! Late last night I walked into my kitchen and was stunned to see sitting at my feeding station this female Baltimore oriole!! I couldn't get over it!!

I tried so hard all summer to draw these guys to my yard. They were the reason I invested in a brand new telephoto lens. They're the bird that I associate the strongest with my father. They came back. In August.

I sat and watched her eat jelly orange and nectar. the pictures not the best but considering it was dusk I was thrilled to have anything at all.

Happiness thy name is me.

Nashville Warbler

I'll prefeace this post by mentionning that this past weekend when cleaning up the yard I decided to put out my oriole feeders again. I'd had them out until the end of July hoping that somehow the orioles would show up...they never did.

I thought that with the rapid approach of fall and henceforth fall migration there might be a few stray somethings that would be interessted in the sweet treats. Well it turns out that I was right! (a birder friend of mine thought i was nuts as there's no way that I'd get orioles or anything else st this time of year here in WPG).

While sitting on the phone yesterday afternoon I happened to catch out of the corner of my eye, what at first glance could appear to be a female goldfinch. It didn't take me long to realize that was NOT what I was dealing with at all.

After much searching and narrowing down I came to the conclusion that there was a brand new visitor to my yard! The NASHVILLE WARBLER!! I think that he's a young one...perhaps a first year. Some of the other pictures show a slight rufous patch on his crown...or maybe he was just dirty ;)

This guys hung out all day (and was back this morning when I awoke). He seemed to be quite taken with the Grape Jelly and the oranges. When I looked it up in my bird books this was not mentioned as his preferred food...I guess you really never know what's going to show up in your yard.

Defy the skeptics!!

The indigo Bunting

This summer I decided to see what else was out there in the world of birding (other than my back yard). I found a webite that listed La Barriere park as having Indigo Buntings, Red Headed woodpeckers and Scarlet Tanagers.

All 3 of these guys became my mission to spot and photograph. Unfortunatly I haven't been able to get out there as much as i would have liked and with the summer quickly dwindling I have a feeling that the Bunting will be the only one I see this year.

I was a wonderful trip...I had no idea how large the park was until I was 3.5 hours into exploring and had seen none of my desired subjects. I was on the verge of giving up when I decided to brave the mosquito infested swamp forrest to get to the edge of the forrest which butted up against farmland (a favourite place of buntings).

Well wouldn't you know it I turn the corner and there they were! About 6 of these beautiful males follicking to their hearts content. Unfortunatly because of my noisy blundering, I scared them back into the forrest which meant I got to stand there, with my camera, being swarmed by mosquitos until they re-emerged.

Eventually they did make their way back out and these pictures were the result. They are by far no where near what I would classify as a great photo, but the fact that i captured proof of my sighting was really all that mattered to me.

I will admit that i had no idea that they were as tiny as they are...I was thinking more tanager size for some reason.

I have since that wonderful June day made my way back to the park sveral times each time I did not see these beauties again. I've heard them though...maybe next time!

The Baltimore Oriole

One of the many reasons I adore St. Malo Provincial Park (aside from the sunsets) is the diverse range of birds that find their way to my camp site.

The Baltimore Oriole holds a special place in my heart and was the one bird I desperatly had hoped would return this year to my feeder...they did not...neither did the Orchard Oriole. I put out jelly and oranges and refreshed religiously, but alas they did not show. (they were the reason I rushed to purchase my new lens as well...dirty buggers).

Needless to say when I noticed that these guys had shown up in my site and were going after the wild plums that were growing in the tree line, I was thrilled.

So much to the point that I put out my oriole feeder full of oranges and jelly which not only drew them but the catbird!

Let me just add that I would never encourge people to put out feeders while camping...this is something I never do if there's even a hint of a threat of any wildlife.

I take my cue from the garbage cans...when they dont even have lids and racoons aren't even an issue (seriously...how do they manage that???)I figure half and orange can't be that bad.

Season's Change

Well I think that it's very evident that playing catch up just simply will not work. I've just returned from yet another week long camping trip where I managed to catch a glimpse of Baltimore Orioles, A black and White warbler, catbirds, cedar waxwings, downy woodpeckers, eastern King birds,flickers, goldfinches, grackles, Grebes, House finches, hummingbirds, nuthatches, Philadelphia vireo,piping plover,red eyed vireos, rose breasted grosbeak, song sparrows, warbling vireo, a Clark's Grebe, yellow bellied sapsucker, yellow warblers and a variety of misc. sparrows.

So as you can see I have too much to catch up on, so I think today, for this moment in time I shall talk about the weather.

One of the things that I love about living in Winnipeg, Manitoba is that in reality you have to be hearty. The winters here go below -40'C and the summers can soar over +40'C. If we're lucky you get those transitions seasons fondly called spring and summer...but lets face it a true winnipegger is never really surprised to see it go from winter to summer and then back to winter.

This past week started off with god awful +40'C with 99% humidity...last night the over night low was 10'C...and I have to say I'm LOVING it!

I'm one of those terrible people that my friends hate, that not only anticipates the end of summer, but looks forward to it.

There's something wonderful about the arrival of fall. I don't know if it's the smell, the colours or the sweaters. Many accuse me of loving fall because it signals Christmas is around the corner (yes...I'm one of those too), but that's not it.

I really feel that there's something romantic and special about watching the leaves change colour and fall to the earth. I love nothing more than to sit, back against a tree and breathe...you all know what I'm talking about. That smell that only happens at the start of fall.

The air is crisp & clean, there's a slight chill and that smell that can only mean fall is right around the corner. It feels like home. Maybe because I can't help but flash back to being a kid.

Growing up, fall was eagerly anticipated as it meant one thing...leaf forts. Now I have to admit my sister and I were not your average kids...we made leaf mansions. Our 'forts' had tennis courts and swimming pools (usually more than one).

Why I'm not quite sure, but I always remember it was more fun designing and making them than it was to play in it afterwards...but it was always sad when it came time to see them go.

I guess the reason for the off topic post today is that the black poplars have dropped their leaves...it seems early even for them. The smell is there and even though I love the fall I feel a little bit sad as I know that migration is right around the corner. Which then shall leave my yard bereft of everything but sparrows and starlings.

But until then i shall try to keep up with all of my sightings...but don't hold your breath.

Stop. Breathe. Enjoy.

The invasion of the Cedar Waxwings

I'll preface this post by saying that this is (I think) one of the best pictures I've ever taken...

It was one of the reasons we decided to book this particular campsite...the fact that while it backs onto the main road on the other side of that main road is acres of pure forrest.

When we came here last year and ended up in this site by default I couldn't get over how many birds there were...I'll never not camp here in June again!

Right next to our site were trees full of tiny berries which drew waxwings, robins and chipmunks galore. I had just finished my first 1/2 marathon the day before and had some nasty blisters that prevented me from straying to far from our site...as it turned out, not a bad thing!!

I watched the waxwings all week long and saw things I'd never seen before. On the first day I watched a pair pass a berry back and forth several times...kinda like a "you have it...no you have it...no you have" moment. As soon as they saw me the gulped the berry down and took off. A bit sad but the shenannigans ensued all week long.

If you'd like to see more of the pictures from this session please check out www.photography-by-coral.com under Nature!

Black Backed Woodpecker

I have to say that this sighting was and possibly will be the best sighting of the year for me...let me start from the beginning.

I had just ran my first half Marathon and as a result had massive blisters to show for it (and a few missing toenails).

Needless to Say this meant that for the first few days of my camping trip I stayed REALLY close to my site as moving was a challenge. Well what does a person to do when they stuck? Why read their bird book of course!

I decided to try to familiarize myself with some of the birds that might be in the area...there was no way to memorize but you never know what will stick.



Anyhoo! We decided to attempt a local hiking trail and as we're walking along I happen to notice a YB sapsucker fly to a tree. I also notice another bird with him. He's black. In the back of my mind I'm thinking OMG that's one of those black woodpeckers (3 toed or BB).

I snap away not really figuring to get anything because all of a sudden there was a full on battle for the tree between the two.

These were the only 3 pictures I got, but as you can see they're clearly good enough to help support my ID!


I think the thing that made this so exciting for me was what I'd read about them the day before...

"These guys are hard to find despite being widespread, due to the fact that they most often are found in areas of burned forest.

They dine almost exclusively on wood-boring beetles that occur after outbreaks of fire...and as a result have been greatly affected by our forestry programs."

And I got to see one. It doesn't get better than that.

Pine Siskin - June 14th

The Hairy Woodpecker - May 27th

The blue Jay returns - May 26th

The house Wren

Sometimes you just get caught up in life

If there's only one thing that I've learned as of late is that even my blogging can eventually come to seem like a job...a job that I just don't have time for.

This had been the one of the best birding summers I've ever had, due in part to me losing my job. This has given me much time to observe and search out my feathered friends.

I even managed to add 5 new birds to my life list on one trip! That's pretty darn amazing if you ask me...

What I did manage to do was jot down a few thoughts when I did have new sightings so I think I'll try to play catch up.

I have to say that with all of the ups and down's this past year has brought me, never have i felt more alive. I worry that my obsession with my feathered friends is getting a bit out of hand...NAW.