Robins
not a sign of spring, but a leftover from last fall
No folks,
we are not heading for an early spring this year, at least not so far. Many
readers and observers have called to report seeing their first spring robin.
Unfortunately, these are not returnees for the spring season but left-overs
from last autumn.
There are many dozens of robins foraging amongst the buckthorn, hawthorn, wild grapes and many other bushes bearing berries and frozen fruit. Jayne Umpherson, Ferguson’s Falls Road, counted six robins on New Year’s Day, feeding on wild grapes in a tree in their front yard.
Gloria Opzoomer and Paul Sprague, Bathurst Con. 9, counted eight robins on their front yard on Jan. 3 and Bev Relfe, Taylor Lake, noted one huddled in a sumac tree on one of the coldest days of January so far.
Robust robins in winter are becoming much more common, depending upon the amount of food available. They are quite hardy and seem to be able to stand the cold sub-zero temperatures.
As climate change progresses, our winters will become warmer and we will be seeing many more migrants staying the winter.
A rather low number of wild turkeys were counted on the Christmas Bird Count Dec. 30, but that doesn’t mean to say they weren’t there. To prove it, Gloria Opzoomer counted over 100 on Bathurst Con. 9, Jan 10.
Last week, I surveyed three large flocks on Upper Perth Road. Arie Piet, Lanark ward, was watching a small flock of wild turkeys feeding on crushed corn in the yard when a band of raiding rock pigeons swooped down hoping to cash in on the food.
To Arie’s astonishment, the turkeys all suddenly spread their wings to cover the food, preventing the pigeons from partaking and sending them packing. This wing spreading to hide food is a common practice amongst large raptors, wild turkeys and turkey vultures.
Raptors are in the news this week. Bev Relfe sent along a great photo of a red-tailed hawk which she finally captured on Tatlock Road. Each time she would get ready for that perfect shot, a car would come by causing the bird to move to the next pole. After five tries, she got it.
She also forwarded two photos of a larger raptor for identification. They proved to be an immature bald eagle.
Shaun McLaughlin spotted another bald eagle flying over his Pakenham Ward property on Jan 3. There must be a dead deer carcass nearby, for that makes at least eight eagles Shaun has counted this winter.
John James, Union Hall area, while in his barn last Thursday, was startled by a large raptor which flew down the inside of his silo chasing a rock pigeon. He had to open his large barn doors to let the bird escape, minus its prey, which lay dead at the bottom of the silo.
He called for an ID on the raptor and we concluded it was a Northern rough-legged hawk.
Still with Shaun, last week he was watching a flock of goldfinches at his feeders when he noticed one was almost white with pale yellow on its body and wings. This bird would be a partial albino, rather uncommon in goldfinches.
Still with albinos, Lise Balthazar, Playfairville area, sent a couple of snaps of a pure white hummingbird taken somewhere down south. It was really beautiful.
In other bird news this past week, Gloria Opzoomer listed a rather rare brown creeper on a tree at their home on Jan 8, Betty Cormier, Innisville watched several times as a mallard duck came out of the open rapids and trekked up to their bird feeder to gobble up seed droppings and Howard and Mary Robinson, Clayton, counted a barred owl in their forest Jan. 9 and noted a downy woodpecker at their suet.
Betty Gemmill, north of Clayton, spotted a pair of Canada geese in a small open patch of water by Command Bridge on Galbraith Road. She wondered if one of them is injured and the other, probably its mate, is staying around to help it.
These geese will be quite vulnerable to fox or coyote predation if they are forced out onto the ice.
Do keep the reports coming in as I begin our 2012 record-keeping. Even the ordinary birds are important.
There are many dozens of robins foraging amongst the buckthorn, hawthorn, wild grapes and many other bushes bearing berries and frozen fruit. Jayne Umpherson, Ferguson’s Falls Road, counted six robins on New Year’s Day, feeding on wild grapes in a tree in their front yard.
Gloria Opzoomer and Paul Sprague, Bathurst Con. 9, counted eight robins on their front yard on Jan. 3 and Bev Relfe, Taylor Lake, noted one huddled in a sumac tree on one of the coldest days of January so far.
Robust robins in winter are becoming much more common, depending upon the amount of food available. They are quite hardy and seem to be able to stand the cold sub-zero temperatures.
As climate change progresses, our winters will become warmer and we will be seeing many more migrants staying the winter.
A rather low number of wild turkeys were counted on the Christmas Bird Count Dec. 30, but that doesn’t mean to say they weren’t there. To prove it, Gloria Opzoomer counted over 100 on Bathurst Con. 9, Jan 10.
Last week, I surveyed three large flocks on Upper Perth Road. Arie Piet, Lanark ward, was watching a small flock of wild turkeys feeding on crushed corn in the yard when a band of raiding rock pigeons swooped down hoping to cash in on the food.
To Arie’s astonishment, the turkeys all suddenly spread their wings to cover the food, preventing the pigeons from partaking and sending them packing. This wing spreading to hide food is a common practice amongst large raptors, wild turkeys and turkey vultures.
Raptors are in the news this week. Bev Relfe sent along a great photo of a red-tailed hawk which she finally captured on Tatlock Road. Each time she would get ready for that perfect shot, a car would come by causing the bird to move to the next pole. After five tries, she got it.
She also forwarded two photos of a larger raptor for identification. They proved to be an immature bald eagle.
Shaun McLaughlin spotted another bald eagle flying over his Pakenham Ward property on Jan 3. There must be a dead deer carcass nearby, for that makes at least eight eagles Shaun has counted this winter.
John James, Union Hall area, while in his barn last Thursday, was startled by a large raptor which flew down the inside of his silo chasing a rock pigeon. He had to open his large barn doors to let the bird escape, minus its prey, which lay dead at the bottom of the silo.
He called for an ID on the raptor and we concluded it was a Northern rough-legged hawk.
Still with Shaun, last week he was watching a flock of goldfinches at his feeders when he noticed one was almost white with pale yellow on its body and wings. This bird would be a partial albino, rather uncommon in goldfinches.
Still with albinos, Lise Balthazar, Playfairville area, sent a couple of snaps of a pure white hummingbird taken somewhere down south. It was really beautiful.
In other bird news this past week, Gloria Opzoomer listed a rather rare brown creeper on a tree at their home on Jan 8, Betty Cormier, Innisville watched several times as a mallard duck came out of the open rapids and trekked up to their bird feeder to gobble up seed droppings and Howard and Mary Robinson, Clayton, counted a barred owl in their forest Jan. 9 and noted a downy woodpecker at their suet.
Betty Gemmill, north of Clayton, spotted a pair of Canada geese in a small open patch of water by Command Bridge on Galbraith Road. She wondered if one of them is injured and the other, probably its mate, is staying around to help it.
These geese will be quite vulnerable to fox or coyote predation if they are forced out onto the ice.
Do keep the reports coming in as I begin our 2012 record-keeping. Even the ordinary birds are important.
