Breeding season is upon us

Friends who have been folowing my blog for some time may notice that with this post there is a slight change from the format I have been using. I have recently acquired a new camera and lens. Hopefully the new setup will allow me to catch a little more detail in the birds I encounter. And of course I wish to make this available to all. I am now processing my photographs to a higher size and resolution for posting to the blog. These are of course best viewed on a larger size computer monitor.

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) - Brady Park, Garson, Ontario - 2015 May 21

My first attempt to take some bird photographs was on a rather dull overcast day along some forest trails behind Brady Park in Garson. A Common Yellowthroat was busy staking out territory among last years cattails.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) - Brady Park, Garson, Ontario - 2015 May 21

Nearby in a grove of birch trees this male Yellow-rumped Warbler sang repetitively, his strong voice carrying a great distance.

Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) - Brady Park, Garson, Ontario - 2015 May 21

In the same grove of trees several other warblers also voiced their presence. This male Blackburnian was also showing off his orange flame throat and bold black face markings.

Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) - Brady Park, Garson, Ontario - 2015 May 21

The other warbler I captured on camera had neither a loud voice or brilliant colours. This male Blackpoll Warbler has a black cap and white body with black streaks. His voice is a distinctive series of high pitched squeaky tweets.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 May 22

The next morning brought me a nice sunny day to further test out my new equipment. A stop at Tiny Marsh found this family of Canada Geese. The adult pair was watching me carefully as they led their newly hatched family of goslings out into the open water.

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 May 22

Walking further along the Trotter Dike, I caught sight of a small bird that flushed out over the water and then returned to the side of the dike 20 meters ahead. Continuing slowly towards the area where I thought the bird landed, I saw nothing and had given up resighting the bird for identification. Fifteen minutes later I was on my way back and slowed down in the hopes of finding something. I was lucky catching this Least Bittern in the vegetation at the side of the dike. This small wading bird is about the size of a robin and stood with its bill pointing to the sky in the hopes of blending in with the grass and reeds.

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 May 22

In this area of Tiny Marsh, I saw the first signs of the return of the local colony of Black Terns. Here one of the terns takes a sharp turn in its flight as it spotted something of interest on the water below.

Veery (Catharus fuscescens) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2015 May 31

A week later at the end of May we were once again out at Kukagami Lake. In the underbrush a Veery called its abrupt single note "jeer" echoing through the forest. I spotted the bird perched on a fallen branch.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2015 May 31

Further along a male Chestnut-sided Warbler sang from a trailside tree. Here he shows well the yellow cap and namesake chestnut stripes along its sides.

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) - Kukagami Lake, Ontario - 2015 May 31

Later in the day I was out on the water enjoying the scenery and trying my luck at fishing. On a rock outcropping where locals had piled some rocks in the form of an inuksuk, a Herring Gull sat and posed for me.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 June 1

Next morning I was once again at Tiny Marsh. Just out of my vehicle this flycatcher caught my eye in the early morning shade. The flycatcher shape, its greyish brown back with no distinct wing bars identifies it as the Eastern Phoebe. Sitting on a low branch and wagging its tail were very is also very classic Phoebe behavior.

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 June 1

Along a gravel trail out into the cattails a sparrow sat on the top rail of a fence. The reddish brown cap and wings with a grey face identified this as a Swamp Sparrow.

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) - Tiny Marsh, Tiny Township, Ontario - 2015 June 1

Numerous Red-winged Blackbirds were found throughout the Marsh but this male was one of the few who sat long enough for a photograph.

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) - Marden, Ontario - 2015 June 2

Next day I walked along the abandoned railway trail near Marden. I heard a distinctive call in the underbrush. Here is a Northern Waterthrush with a creamy underside, dark streaks and light eyebrow.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) - Marden, Ontario - 2015 June 2

Further along on my hike I came upon this male Rose-breasted Grosbeak perched in the morning sun. The bright triangular pink chest flash is in this instance broken by the shadow of its bill drawing an almost perfect heart shape.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) - Marden, Ontario - 2015 June 3

The nice weather continued and I was back along the same trail early next morning. Here a Song Sparrow serenaded me as I walked by.

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) - Marden, Ontario - 2015 June 3

All along my hike I regularly heard the call of the Eastern Wood-Pewee. This bird of the forest canopy is often heard and occasionally seen high on a branch in typical flycatcher fashion waiting for an insect to fly past. Here I was fortunate to have one perch on a lower branch in full sunlight. It is identified by its flycatcher shape, greyish rather than olive green back, two wing bars and lack of eyering. The yellow lower mandible is also found in some of the other flycatchers although this is sometimes dark in young individuals.

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) - Marden, Ontario - 2015 June 3

Near the end of my walk this morning a male Brown-headed Cowbird sat watching me from a tree top. He is also probably keeping an eye on other small birds watching for a nest. The cowbird is a parasitic nester, that is it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds and leaves them to raise its young.