Cackling Goose -- Peterborough, March 11 2012

After scanning through many thousands of Canada Geese over the last few months, I finally found something different!

I dropped by Little Lake at 1:30pm and was surprised to see a lone Horned Grebe off of "the point" in Little Lake Cemetery.

Horned Grebe

There were also 57 Hooded Mergansers, 78 Ring-necked Duck, 5 American Wigeon and a Redhead among other things.

American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck and friends

There were also a pair of Merlins flying over the cemetery calling incessantly. At least three Iceland Gulls were loafing with the usual crowd of Ring-billeds and Herrings.

Iceland Gull

Abby and I returned in the evening for a quick look through the remaining ducks. I scanned through a smallish flock of Canada Geese on the water and spotted one that was much smaller than the rest. After scrutinizing so many small Canada Geese, there was no mistaking an actual Cackling Goose.

Cackling Goose

In other Peterborough news, many migrants are back in full force. Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are becoming more common every day. The city is getting close to bursting with American Robins. During one of the warmer days last week I saw more than 50 gathered on a small patch of exposed grass.

I found another flock of Bohemian Waxwings on March 4th, this one a bit more substantial.

Bohemian Waxwings

It can be funny how easy it is to find things when you stop looking for them.

In even more other news, I made it down to see the Cranberry Marsh "Oregon" Junco on February 28 2012. As I looked through a group of Dark-eyed Juncos I heard something behind me and turned to see the Oregon about six feet away on the path. If only it was always this easy!

The Cranberry Marsh "Oregon"

It was a pretty good day. I made a bunch of stops and went as far as the Scarborough Bluffs to follow up a tip on an Eastern Screech Owl. At Lynde Shores Conservation Area I saw a Song Sparrow, Winter Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker (and a flock of six White-throated Sparrows the following day.) In the late evening at Thickson Woods I saw a Northern Mockingbird and a Northern Harrier and heard the resident Great-horned Owl.

Eastern Screech Owl

Bohemians! Finally... Feb 24 2012

After a couple of failed attempts and a couple of flocks of Cedar Waxwings, I finally found some Bohemians. After driving through a likely area north of Lakefield and coming up short, I went straight through town where I spotted a nicely fruit-laden crabapple directly across from the Foodland entrance. I pulled over and a quick scan with the binos through the blizzard produced three Bohemian Waxwings.



Bohemian Waxwing



Mmmmmm! Crabapples!

First attempt



Still needs more work



A bit more mashing...

...and it's gone

I love these guys. At Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, I would be late for my 8:30am Chemistry labs because there would be Bohemian Waxwings in the crabapples right outside the windows in the Chemistry hall -- sometimes right on the window sills. Hard to resist stopping to look at them from 6" away!

And for comparison's sake, here is a shot of some Cedar Waxwings on Feb 16 2012.

Cedar Waxwings

On Feb 16, I also saw my first Peterborough area Sharp-shinned Hawk of the year (thanks, eBird.) It was a large female hunting American Goldfinches and others at the bird feeder. I saw a small male back on Dec 08 2011 that actually sat still for a minute. I really like this photo.

Sharp-shinned Hawk