The birds are coming back!

The rains are here, again. We anticipate 50 mm today, there is a rainfall warning. Texas sent us their bad storms, which have gone from horrific tornadoes to just heavy rain storms. The Tay River is pretty swollen. I drive along there for my physio. The road is full of puddles and mud holes!



With the snow melt, the ticks are back. I checked Daisy, nothing. Annie sported her first one. We removed it and popped it into the jar of rubbing alcohol.
I'm really happy to see the turkeys feeding, as they eat the ticks for us! We have a flock of 13 that hang about.


Some birds don't leave for the winter. Others, like the goldfinch, have changed back from their drab olive winter colours, back to their yellows! The song sparrow and the purple finch returned on Wednesday!

The woodpecker is a hoot. I cannot photograph the process adequately, but she was sticking her tongue into the bird feeder to grab a seed! I just cannot photograph it through the window and the mesh of the feeder.

And, finally, the American Woodcock is back! That mysterious Eeeepp. It took me a long time to figure that one out!

Look who is back! American Woodcock

It is back. I was herding cats in the dark...
-this is who I heard!

Mystery birds - the ones I needed to identify!

Hermit Thrush

I find it easier to place photos of the birds I am trying to identify in this file. After my great bird count event, at Murphy's Point Park, I am noticing more and more 'new' birds!
Moving to Lanark County, about 5 degrees warmer than Ottawa or Muskoka, I'm finding new birds, as well as new birder friends to help me identify these birds.

Flycatcher

It started with one, and led to another! The big clue is their song. 

Scarlet Tanager

Falcon - wicked hunter working
on the roof of a Perth building

Maybe a female Red-winged Blackbird?

American Bittern - listen to its weird sound!
It landed on the road. Stood their, as we stopped, with three cars behind us.
One guy tried to drive around us on our right, on the gravel, to get by.

Juvenile European Starling

 

American Redstart - male juvenile

Adult Male American Redstart

Mystery bird- American Woodcock

My faithful readers will recall, last year, April 7, 2011, I posted a dusk video of the song of a mystery bird. I couldn't see it in the dark. My late buddy, Oliver the cat, was chasing it on the lawn. Someone on YouTube suggested it is an American Woodcock. It could well be! This link has the same sounds!


I anticipate more April visitors! Today it being -10 C. and brisk.


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