It’s the Spring That Never Was.
The snow has melted, yes (mostly: there are still some thick patches in the woods) but it’s still COLD here in Manitouwadge, ON. Today, May 19th, we have a daytime high of only 6C when it should be well into the high teens C by now. Migration up here is quite slow this year because of the weather. I haven’t seen a single Warbler yet … not even a Yellow Rumped which usually show up here in April!
On the plus side, I did have a really good, if short, showing of Rusty Blackbirds earlier this month. They are my favourite Blackbird. My rough estimate tells me we had at least 300 of them for a couple of weeks. This photo shows barely a quarter of the flock that was coming around.
This Blackbird flock is mostly Rusties with a couple of Grackles mixed in. This is maybe 1/4 of the entire flock that was around for a few weeks.
Female Rusty Blackbird
Male Rusty Blackbird
Below are some photos of other migrants that have been around lately:
White Crowned Sparrow. We also have a few White Throated Sparrows & Juncos now.
Chipping Sparrows. Tree Swallows are also around. Chipping Sparrows nest in my neighbour’s shrubs & come to feed in my yard.
Female Brown Headed Cowbird
Fox Sparrow – one of my all time favourite Sparrows.
Bohemian Waxwings – a flock of about 30 raided my neighbour’s fruit tree earlier in May.
Downy Woodpecker – at one point a couple of weeks ago, I had 5 Downies every day!
Hooded Mergansers – not in my yard, obviously, but one of my favourite ducks to see in spring.
Tree Swallows – 2 pairs have been vying for the birdhouse in the peak of our garage. Fingers crossed for a successful nesting season!
We recently went on a week-long trip through southern Ontario, covering from the London area over nearly to Ottawa, then back up north to Kirkland Lake & home. It wasn’t a bird watching trip but we still did okay thanks to a lovely lady who owns a country/gardening shop in London. She invited us to her house on a super rainy Thursday to see the Orioles, Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanagers & Indigo Bunting she had visiting her feeders. It was incredible!!
Female Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Male Rose Breasted Grosbeak
Male Indigo Bunting … WOW!
Male Baltimore Oriole, a bird I just for the first time in spring 2018
Female Baltimore Oriole with a lifer for me: male Orchard Oriole!
Even though it is crooked and not super crisp, I still love this photo: female Baltimore Oriole, male Orchard Oriole & female Scarlet Tanager!
I never expected to get a lifer sighting on this trip so I was absolutely thrilled to see this stunning male Orchard Oriole at my friend’s feeders on that rainy day!
Other sightings on our trip included:
Be still, my heart: a stunning Northern Cardinal
Male Northern Flicker amongst the dandelions
One of many Robins
Here at home now, my feeders are overrun with Purple Finches and Pine Siskins. Sparrows are few & far between but there have been some. I’ve only seen 1 Goldfinch here so far. Definitely a very late & quiet spring.
The other night, we went for a drive to do an American Woodcock Survey. We got skunked on the Woodcocks but we did come across this handsome fellow during a courtship display for a female that we could hear moving around but not see.
Ruffed Grouse courtship display
I’ll end this month with a funny little sighting. I looked out my kitchen window the other evening just in time to see a female MALLARD DUCK fly by! A friend had called the day before to tell me she one in her yard eating cracked corn (just a few houses down the street from me) and my next door neighbour told my husband he had seen one at the end of the street chasing a Crow away. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she has a nest nearby! 🙂
That’s it for this month. Now: could someone please turn the heat up???
Thanks for sharing all of these birds. Have a good night.
Very awesome photos Tammie 😁👍
Tammy, What a great post, especially about the weather. I am down in Grafton, Northumberland County, Ontario and yes it has been cold. The migrants seemed to be holding up on the other side of the lake waiting for warmer weather to cross here. I do have 8 Orioles here, 2 pairs and some immatures, so I have lots of oranges and jelly out. Saturday warmed up and I knew that a lot would take the opportunity to cross the lake, sure enough a friend in Port Hope had 8 Indigo Buntings in her yard (she lives right on the lake) the next day. Another friend who does bird watch was thrilled to see a Orchard Oriole at her feeders. My Catbirds and Hummingbirds made it back for Sunday as well. It is an extraordinary year for sure… Today it is cooler again, so the birds will feed here a while longer. It is wet too wet to cut my grass, the sparrows love that!
love your blog again Tammie! You put everything together so neatly. Birds and the weather, and the fact that everything is lagging behind a bit this spring.
Happy birding.
The Spring that never was, perfect description! (for here too). Glad you had a great trip and got some lifers, hope you add that Prothonotary with us in the future. 🙂