Play Time in the Horse Field

Driving on the backroads, I spotted these two horses who seemed at first glance to be arguing.  But after watching them for a bit I realized it was pretty gentle, and they took turns instigating.

Rough-housing Horses

Truce?

Hugging it out

Visiting the Tundras

On the way to a family Easter dinner in St. Thomas, we made a quick stop in Aylmer, Ontario to visit the migrating Tundra Swans.  We see 50 or so every year in Durham, but I couldn't resist the temptation to see several hundred in one marsh.

Aylmer Wildlife  Management Area is a preferred Tundra Swan stop-over year after year, where they see between 10,000 and 60,000 migrating swans each season.  For more information, http://www.naturallyelgin.com/natural-areas/aylmer-wildlife-management-area.

The migration doesn't last long and we stopped by during the tail end.  My guess is that there were between 400-600 the day we went.

Amazing to watch them!  They were quite animated in their interaction with one another, and they would frequently do fly-bys as well.  And nothing beats their mumbling vocalization.  It was a combination of a school yard at recess, and a busy airport.

Gossiping at Recess!

Bossy!

Lots of incoming and outgoing flights.

Tundra Swans Taking Off

Great to see them...and its always nice to see a distant surprise Bald Eagle, who stole some of the Tundra's thunder.

Bald Eagle

Tundra Swan in Flight

I'm really hoping that I will see a few here in Durham over the next week or so.  Beautiful birds!

Puppy Paradise!

I had the privilege of doing a Puppy Adoption photo shoot for Team Chelsea, a Durham Region community volunteer group that helps pets in need.

Photographing these 7 beauties was so much fun!  Happy to report that so far four have found amazing new homes where they are no doubt cherished and spoiled!

A Surprise Snowy Owl on a Dreary Day

This almost never happens to me with Snowy Owls.  I was driving through South Whitby on a dreary, rainy and miserable morning wishing hard to see something, anything to photograph when I saw this stunning beauty in a random field in an industrial area.

Not only did I spot him, but he was withing decent range which also almost never happens.

Needless to say, my day went from dreary to amazing!

Watching for prey in the field.

Muddy "Paws"!

Here, the owl is swatting at crows and gulls as they pester him on a roof-top.

Majestic Great Horned Owl

I was incredibly lucky to find this Great Horned Owl, who just happened to move into the only sliver of sunlight in the dark forest.  WOW.  I think my heart stopped.  Such incredible beauty.

Great-Horned Owl, Durham Region Ontario

Lucky Duck - Merganser Rescued and Released in Durham Region

On a bitterly cold winter evening I caught glimpse of something lying on the ice in a construction lot in South Whitby. I soon realized it was a male Red-Breasted Merganser.  He was one of countless waterfowl along the Great Lakes this winter who struggled to survive, no doubt crash landing in this desolate area.  These birds need open water to fish and swim, which is scarce this winter with the lakes freezing at a much higher rate than usual.

There was no telling how long he had been there.

After a battle walking through huge snow drifts, I was able to access and contain the bird.  I got him warm and comfortable for the night.  The next day he was transported to Toronto Wildlife Centre, where he was found to be emaciated, like many of the waterfowl in Durham who were in trouble. But fortunately, no injuries.

"My" Merganser can be seen in this video clip, as he enjoyed his 15 seconds of fame the day he was admitted, in this CBC News Video Clip.  He is the first bird shown, eating fish in the clinic.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Toronto/ID/2655684378/

Several days later he was released with a new friend he made at TWC while in care.  These birds were very lucky because they were rescued in time and made full recoveries.  It is hard to walk along the shores of Lake Ontario now and see all those that didn't survive this harsh winter.

Thanks as always to Toronto Wildlife Centre for the huge difference they make to wildlife in the GTA (and in my life too!).

Jim Baillie, Birder Extraordinaire

Published by Toronto Ornithological Club
and Long Point Bird Observatory
Written by Lise Anglin

For those of you who are birding veterans in Southern Ontario, you may have met Jim Baillie while out in the fields and meadows of our region's birding hotspots.  Younger birders might recognize his name through the James L. Baillie Memorial Fund established by Bird Studies Canada, or have perhaps participated in one of the many Baillie Birdathon fundraising events that take place across North America each year.

Growing up, we frequently heard fond references to our "Uncle Jim", an uncle through marriage, on our Grandfather's side. We knew Uncle Jim worked at the ROM doing something exciting with birds (we never really knew what), that he was the one that gave our Grandparents the two bird statues that were always displayed in their living room, and that our parents always spoke of him with great affection.

Fast forward to many years later and I now know that James L. Baillie was a fascinating man who shared my passion for birds (but far surpassed me in the skills department).  One of the only things I have in my possession that belonged to my Grandfather (on loan from Mom, and I'm hoping she forgets I have this!) is a book written about Jim Baillie, called "Birder Extraordinaire, The Life and Legacy of James L. Baillie", by Lise Anglin and published by the Toronto Ornithological Club and Long Point Bird Observatory.

It is fascinating to see how much, and how little, has changed in the birding community in the last 50 years.

Many of the birding spots frequented by myself or birding friends today are referenced, including High Park, Mount Forest Cemetery, Ashbridges Bay and Cranberry Marsh (referred to then as LeVay`s Marsh).  A Northern Shrike is nicknamed a Butcher Bird (I hadn't heard that reference before); and while bird photography wasn't big back then, there is reference to a debate between "Collectors vs Non Collectors" which reminds me of the ongoing battle between Baiters and those who oppose this practice (myself included).  The competitive nature of some birders today existed back then as well.

Perhaps what has changed most is the prevelance, and acceptance, of birding today.  I loved this excerpt from the author on Page 23:

"Although birdwatching has gained acceptability as a hobby over the past decade or two, there has long been a certain stereotype of the birdwatcher as a hair-netted spinster in woolens and sensible shoes who probably talks to her plants at night and subsists on Ovaltine.  One individual who became keen on birds in the 1940s reported a reaction to the news that he spent his spare time watching birds, as follows, "And he a grown man! Imagine!".  Others who have since come out of the closet tell tales of hiding their binoculars much as an alcoholic might hide his desk-drawer bottle, or covering their field guides with the tiel of some best seller".

And I especially loved this journal entry by Jim, from Field Journal 3, April 23, 1922, concerning a walk by the Humber River:

"At this point I laid [sic] down on the grass for a rest and as I watched the glistening blue of the tree swallows as they skimmed over the water and as I listened to the harsh rattle of the kingfisher as it shot passed [sic] me, I was well pleased with life, and did not like to get up and continue my walk".

I'm sure most birders can relate to moments like that.

It's been great flipping through the pages of this book, and I often wish I could go birding with "Uncle Jim" now - I can only imagine what I would learn.   

James L. Baillie Memorial Fund

Baillie Birdathons

Toronto Ornithological Club
http://www.torontobirding.ca/site/page/view/club.publications

  

Cattle Egret in Durham

Rumours were rampant that a Cattle Egret was in south Durham Region recently.  I struck out the few times I was in the area, and figured it had moved on.

This morning while on the way to take photos I was thrilled to unexpectedly stumble upon it, not too far from where it had been reported.

Unlike Great Egrets, who can be found at many local marshes in late summer, Cattle Egrets spend their time in pastures, often with cattle and sometimes even on top of cattle.

I don't think this one read the memo, choosing instead to hang out under the Golf Simulator sign at our local golf course.

Rare Sighting of a Cattle Egret in South Ajax

New Golf Course Mascot?