This is the spot where I first saw the bird amidst the tangles in the center of the photo.
The bird has been hanging out behind the 42nd Parallel sign and around the washrooms.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Spotted Towhee pics
As promised, here are the 3 pictures I got of the Spotted Towhee.
This is the spot where I first saw the bird amidst the tangles in the center of the photo.
The bird has been hanging out behind the 42nd Parallel sign and around the washrooms.
This is the spot where I first saw the bird amidst the tangles in the center of the photo.
The bird has been hanging out behind the 42nd Parallel sign and around the washrooms.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Apparently "updates soon" means "updates in 3 months"
As I sit blowing warm air into my cold fingers before typing a few words on my horrendously slow home computer writing an update to the least-updated blog in the universe while watching a hunter's truck slow down in front of our house with a rifle pointing out the window (probably hunting the pheasants that we are so happy to have around our house) and hearing Josh Groban pelt out Silent Night in the dining room (my Mom's choice), there is a big ol' crooked smile on my facade at the improbability of me actually having spotted the Spotted Towhee that has now been hanging around Point Pelee since November (...October?!).
Although it was an astonishingly beautiful day on Saturday that would have been ideal for going to Point Pelee to see the bird, which is a great rarity for the area, I decided instead to go on Sunday, quite possibly the windiest day of the year. With trees falling down around me and ice pellets blowing into my face, I bravely ventured out into the park from the warmth of my car to visit the 42nd Parallel sign where the bird has been reported for weeks.
The first good sign was that there were birds around. With the slightest amount of pishing, a large group of Juncos immediately surfaced, followed by a pair of Northern Cardinals, a few American Tree Sparrows, and a Downy Woodpecker. I had been there for about 2 minutes at this point when suddenly another bird popped up from behind a fallen log. THE SPOTTED TOWHEE! Hands now shaking from excitement instead of the cold, I was able to watch the bird for about a minute in my bins before it was concealed again. I got on the phone and gave a self-congratulatory phone call to Marianne, which seemed like a good idea at the time but the long distance fees added to the roaming charges will have me sighing at my Koodo bill in another month's time.
I decided to walk to the tip area to check out if there were any rafts of ducks on the open water. Nothing extraordinary but there was a flock of about 15 Northern Pintail, which was quite interesting. The warm weather must have had them moving. I could only huddle next to the rocks at the tip for so long before I started to get cold so I headed back to the safety of the forest to take one more look at the Spotted Towhee. This time, the bird flew in front of me across the path, which allowed a great look at its wing-pattern (beautiful).
Other birds for the day included 2 Brown Creepers behind the Cattail Cafe along with both a Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, a few White-throated Sparrows, and of course, more juncos.
The next day, I went to the park again, this time meeting up with Marianne in the morning. Boy, did it ever help to have someone there with me to keep my mind off the fact that I was wearing thin boots with large holes in them, no other protection on my legs but jeans, and gloves that kept my fingers warm for most of the morning until I decided to try to get photos of the Spotted Towhee (which we relocated easily). Now "try" is definitely the key word of the last sentence. I will be posting these "photos" on my blog once I get back to Toronto (you might not see them until 4 months from now but I do plan to get them up!). Marianne had a good point that they are good enough for records (you can see the bird) but a couple of them look like those shots of Nessie that provide evidence for the Loch Ness monster.
We had some other interesting birds including quite a few finches flying over (Goldfinches and Purple Finches), a large flock of 29 American Robins flying over the tip, two Bald Eagles, a couple of other raptors (a nice Cooper's Hawk flew right over the Spotted Towhee location), and the regular wintering birds.
More to come!
Although it was an astonishingly beautiful day on Saturday that would have been ideal for going to Point Pelee to see the bird, which is a great rarity for the area, I decided instead to go on Sunday, quite possibly the windiest day of the year. With trees falling down around me and ice pellets blowing into my face, I bravely ventured out into the park from the warmth of my car to visit the 42nd Parallel sign where the bird has been reported for weeks.
The first good sign was that there were birds around. With the slightest amount of pishing, a large group of Juncos immediately surfaced, followed by a pair of Northern Cardinals, a few American Tree Sparrows, and a Downy Woodpecker. I had been there for about 2 minutes at this point when suddenly another bird popped up from behind a fallen log. THE SPOTTED TOWHEE! Hands now shaking from excitement instead of the cold, I was able to watch the bird for about a minute in my bins before it was concealed again. I got on the phone and gave a self-congratulatory phone call to Marianne, which seemed like a good idea at the time but the long distance fees added to the roaming charges will have me sighing at my Koodo bill in another month's time.
I decided to walk to the tip area to check out if there were any rafts of ducks on the open water. Nothing extraordinary but there was a flock of about 15 Northern Pintail, which was quite interesting. The warm weather must have had them moving. I could only huddle next to the rocks at the tip for so long before I started to get cold so I headed back to the safety of the forest to take one more look at the Spotted Towhee. This time, the bird flew in front of me across the path, which allowed a great look at its wing-pattern (beautiful).
Other birds for the day included 2 Brown Creepers behind the Cattail Cafe along with both a Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, a few White-throated Sparrows, and of course, more juncos.
The next day, I went to the park again, this time meeting up with Marianne in the morning. Boy, did it ever help to have someone there with me to keep my mind off the fact that I was wearing thin boots with large holes in them, no other protection on my legs but jeans, and gloves that kept my fingers warm for most of the morning until I decided to try to get photos of the Spotted Towhee (which we relocated easily). Now "try" is definitely the key word of the last sentence. I will be posting these "photos" on my blog once I get back to Toronto (you might not see them until 4 months from now but I do plan to get them up!). Marianne had a good point that they are good enough for records (you can see the bird) but a couple of them look like those shots of Nessie that provide evidence for the Loch Ness monster.
We had some other interesting birds including quite a few finches flying over (Goldfinches and Purple Finches), a large flock of 29 American Robins flying over the tip, two Bald Eagles, a couple of other raptors (a nice Cooper's Hawk flew right over the Spotted Towhee location), and the regular wintering birds.
More to come!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Peterson's Field Guide to the Birds of North America
Another quick update while summer winds down and fall migration slowly begins (a post on Ontbirds has already listed some of the fall migrants that can be seen on the Toronto Islands...I plan to take a couple trips there mid-fall for the warblers).
So I went to Chapters to check out the new Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of North American and I can say, with a slight touch of disappointment, that I will not be purchasing the guide (though it is tempting after seeing the beautiful cover art). If I get it for my birthday, that's fine, but it's not worth the purchase for me after looking through the guide. That's not to say it's not a good guide. For anyone starting birdwatching, this is the guide to buy! Peterson's plates and layouts are simple, easy to comprehend, and the arrow system is pivotal to learning. Since my first Peterson Guide, improvements have been made in various publications including simple maps next the plates rather than only in the back of the guide (where larger, more detailed maps appear). Also, up-to-date lumps and splits have always been included. However, while looking through the new guide, which combines Eastern and Western regions (whereas older publications had these two regions split into separate guides), I quickly realized that everything looked very familiar. This is not to say I wanted them to change Peterson's wonderful plates. That would be blasphemy. For me, however, an owner of 3 different versions of the Eastern Guide and 1 Western Guide, there was nothing more to get from the book.
It is handy though. Having a North American Guide versus splitting it into two versions is much more convenient for trips, as well as comparing species between regions. Also, many western birds appear out of range in the east so it's beneficial to have them all in the same guide anyway. I did not have a lot of time to look through the maps, but if I was ever to decide to purchase the book, it would be to compare the maps from the new publication to my older copies. I have my doubts that much would be different though. I also quickly skimmed some of the recent splits/lumps and subspecies and was surprised to see very little text on the potential (and daunting) 9 species of Red Crossbill, as well as Cackling Goose (which does have a separate plate and species account but nothing we haven't read from other guide books).
All in all, the merger of Peterson's Eastern and Western Guides was a good idea and an update on species account was in need, but for me, the $25 can be spent elsewhere (or at least put away in my new RBC spotting scope/iPod account).
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Further reading
If I may, a couple of plugs for my friends' birding blogs:
Marianne's Birding Blog
- right now, Marianne has some excellent posts regarding her trip (honeymoon) to the east coast.
'Burg Birder
- Blake Mann has been updating his blog throughout the summer with detailed posts of bird and butterfly sightings from the Wallaceburg area.
Both sites are worth checking out for their pictures as well. I am without camera so my blog is visually underwhelming if I may say so myself...but I'm working on it.
Marianne's Birding Blog
- right now, Marianne has some excellent posts regarding her trip (honeymoon) to the east coast.
'Burg Birder
- Blake Mann has been updating his blog throughout the summer with detailed posts of bird and butterfly sightings from the Wallaceburg area.
Both sites are worth checking out for their pictures as well. I am without camera so my blog is visually underwhelming if I may say so myself...but I'm working on it.
2008 OFO Convention
I finally sent away my registration form for the 2008 Ontario Field Ornithologists Convention on October 4th and 5th. I was able to attend last year's convention at Point Pelee so I didn't want to miss this year's event in Hamilton. I'm pretty excited (although I have a lot of planning to do...where am I going to stay? How am I going to get to Hamilton?). There is a trip to Van Wagner's Beach on Saturday morning led by Brandon Holden so I want to check that out for potential Jaeger's (any of which would be lifers for me). Then on Sunday (I truly hope it's not overbooked), there is a workshop with Donald Kroodsma on recording birds and how to use the equipment he uses. I read a great book about Kroodsma last year that I highly recommend titled Birdsong that details his research and his somewhat -and I mean this in a good way- eccentric lifestyle. Being able to see him speak at the convention and possibly meeting him is something I truly look forward to.
For more details of the OFO convention, click here.
For more details of the OFO convention, click here.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Marine Blues
In my previous post, I mentioned a morning of birding (but it mostly turned into a search for butterflies). A short while ago, the first record of Broad-winged Skipper for the Pelee Birding Area was seen along Concession E north of the park. No matter the time of year, whenever I am home, Marianne and I make it a point to go out birding at least once. This weekend was no exception and although we only had 3 hours, we still had a fun time (minus missing the aforementioned Broad-winged Skipper).
We decided to start our search for butterflies (and possibly shorebirds) at Hillman Marsh. After poisening ourselves with bug spray (I had already applied sunscreen earlier in the morning so I felt like I had just waded through toxic sludge at this point), we set off. It was a typical July day with no shorebirds found but some highlights in the birding department included a few Willow Flycatchers, both species of Cuckoo, 2 Belted Kingfishers, a ton of Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers, as well as the usual summer suspects (a huge flock of swallows over the Pelee Marsh was a highlight for me). Note to self: even the strongest bug sprays do not deter Deerflies...ouch!
We ended up with 14 species of butterfly in total:
Black Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger-Swallowtail (black and yellow forms)
Summer Azure
Cabbage White
Orange Sulphur
Bronze Copper
Eyed Brown
Painted Lady
Eastern Comma
Pearl Crescent
Orange Crescent
Monarch
Viceroy
Least Skipper
I also learned this weekend of a butterfly listserv that I need to find and become a member of. If I had been on it, I may have heard about the Marine Blues that were featured in the Toronto Star!
I wish I had had more time to stay out today but only having 2 vehicles on a farm where 4 busy people live causes obvious scheduling conflicts. In other news, it's been made official! I am the membership secretary of the Toronto Ornithological Club! *Currently floating on a cloud*
We decided to start our search for butterflies (and possibly shorebirds) at Hillman Marsh. After poisening ourselves with bug spray (I had already applied sunscreen earlier in the morning so I felt like I had just waded through toxic sludge at this point), we set off. It was a typical July day with no shorebirds found but some highlights in the birding department included a few Willow Flycatchers, both species of Cuckoo, 2 Belted Kingfishers, a ton of Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers, as well as the usual summer suspects (a huge flock of swallows over the Pelee Marsh was a highlight for me). Note to self: even the strongest bug sprays do not deter Deerflies...ouch!
We ended up with 14 species of butterfly in total:
Black Swallowtail
Eastern Tiger-Swallowtail (black and yellow forms)
Summer Azure
Cabbage White
Orange Sulphur
Bronze Copper
Eyed Brown
Painted Lady
Eastern Comma
Pearl Crescent
Orange Crescent
Monarch
Viceroy
Least Skipper
I also learned this weekend of a butterfly listserv that I need to find and become a member of. If I had been on it, I may have heard about the Marine Blues that were featured in the Toronto Star!
I wish I had had more time to stay out today but only having 2 vehicles on a farm where 4 busy people live causes obvious scheduling conflicts. In other news, it's been made official! I am the membership secretary of the Toronto Ornithological Club! *Currently floating on a cloud*
Evelyn Hatt 1920-2008
On Wednesday of last week, I got a call from my parents to tell me that my Grandma Hatt had passed away. She had come down with pneumonia, which led to congestive heart failure, and although she had a fighting spirit, this time it was just too hard on her. On her last birthday (her 88th year), however, she told my aunt that she had, "reached her goal." She must have been prepared. She had lived a long, eventful life and her funeral was as much a celebration of that life as a time to mourn her passing.
Like my grandpa, who passed away last year, my grandma was always asking about the birds I had seen. In fact, just this May (during our last visit together), she asked me how my week of birding had gone and how many lifers I had seen. When she was still living next to us on the farm, I would come back from a long walk looking for birds or butterflies and she would invite me in for peach juice and a few home-made cookies (she was an incredible baker). There were times when she thought I was crazy for how much time I spent birding and wouldn't hesitate to tell me that, but I'll remember her for all the good times we had together on the farm.
This weekend was a good time for me to take a break from life in the city, breathe a deep breath of country air, and spend time with close friends and family (and of course, a morning of birding). But now I'm ready to get back to Toronto, rejuvinated and ready for the oncoming fall migration, the OFO convention, and working with the TOC. Finally, one of the first things I'm going to try to do when I get back is see the Red Crossbills that are being reported across the northern areas of Toronto.
Like my grandpa, who passed away last year, my grandma was always asking about the birds I had seen. In fact, just this May (during our last visit together), she asked me how my week of birding had gone and how many lifers I had seen. When she was still living next to us on the farm, I would come back from a long walk looking for birds or butterflies and she would invite me in for peach juice and a few home-made cookies (she was an incredible baker). There were times when she thought I was crazy for how much time I spent birding and wouldn't hesitate to tell me that, but I'll remember her for all the good times we had together on the farm.
This weekend was a good time for me to take a break from life in the city, breathe a deep breath of country air, and spend time with close friends and family (and of course, a morning of birding). But now I'm ready to get back to Toronto, rejuvinated and ready for the oncoming fall migration, the OFO convention, and working with the TOC. Finally, one of the first things I'm going to try to do when I get back is see the Red Crossbills that are being reported across the northern areas of Toronto.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Was that really 6 years ago?? Also, 2008 MAY LIST
Before I get down to business, I have a couple of things to get out of the way. Firstly, I think I need an updated picture for my blog. Although I love this photo and it appears on the back of Henrietta O'Neill's Birding At Point Pelee, it's way back from the year 2002...and besides, my hair looks really greasy (and don't get me started on that coat, which lasted for 8 long years).
It's hard to believe I was only 17 when this photo was taken. I remember the day quite vividly but not the bird I was looking at. The full photo (the one on my profile is cropped to only show me) is of a group of birders searching for the first Painted Bunting to ever be seen at Point Pelee (there are now two sightings that I know of, including a female from a couple years back). Marianne and I searched for 4 hours at Sleepy Hollow to see that bird and it was only once we left the large group and walked down a separate trail that we finally found it. I remember the day well enough, but my memory of the bird itself is quite unclear. I saw the bird. I saw a glimpse of its red underside and the blue head but don't remember seeing the green back. The sighting lasted for about 4-5 seconds before another birder yelled to a large group on another trail that we had. Next thing we knew, we were being trampled. I will never forget the old lady who tried to see the bird and had her glasses knocked off her face due to the pushy, aggravated crowd. For anyone who thinks birding is a relaxing hobby, think again. It can get pretty rough from time to time. So, a new picture is necessary. The problem is I rarely get my photo taken while birdwatching.
The other thing I am currently needing to update is my equipment. It's time to buy a spotting scope. Living in Toronto certainly creates a black hole in my bank account so it's been very difficult to save any money but if I can just become a bit more thrifty and actually start a separate savings account, I should be able to afford a new scope within a year or two.
O.K. let's get down to business: THE MAY LIST! (note: new species marked with '*'; new species for Pelee marked with '~')
Cackling Goose~
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Mottled Duck*~
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
King Rail*~ (note: heard not seen, therefore not on my life list)
Sora
Common Moorhen
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
American Woodcock
Wilson's Phalarope
Laughing Gull~
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Kirtland's Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-coloured Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Lark Bunting*~
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 170
Total Warblers: 30
New Species: 2
New Species for Pelee: 5
Yet another great spring at Point Pelee National Park.
It's hard to believe I was only 17 when this photo was taken. I remember the day quite vividly but not the bird I was looking at. The full photo (the one on my profile is cropped to only show me) is of a group of birders searching for the first Painted Bunting to ever be seen at Point Pelee (there are now two sightings that I know of, including a female from a couple years back). Marianne and I searched for 4 hours at Sleepy Hollow to see that bird and it was only once we left the large group and walked down a separate trail that we finally found it. I remember the day well enough, but my memory of the bird itself is quite unclear. I saw the bird. I saw a glimpse of its red underside and the blue head but don't remember seeing the green back. The sighting lasted for about 4-5 seconds before another birder yelled to a large group on another trail that we had. Next thing we knew, we were being trampled. I will never forget the old lady who tried to see the bird and had her glasses knocked off her face due to the pushy, aggravated crowd. For anyone who thinks birding is a relaxing hobby, think again. It can get pretty rough from time to time. So, a new picture is necessary. The problem is I rarely get my photo taken while birdwatching.
The other thing I am currently needing to update is my equipment. It's time to buy a spotting scope. Living in Toronto certainly creates a black hole in my bank account so it's been very difficult to save any money but if I can just become a bit more thrifty and actually start a separate savings account, I should be able to afford a new scope within a year or two.
O.K. let's get down to business: THE MAY LIST! (note: new species marked with '*'; new species for Pelee marked with '~')
Cackling Goose~
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Mottled Duck*~
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Wild Turkey
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
American White Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Green Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
King Rail*~ (note: heard not seen, therefore not on my life list)
Sora
Common Moorhen
Sandhill Crane
Black-bellied Plover
American Golden-Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
American Woodcock
Wilson's Phalarope
Laughing Gull~
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Screech-Owl
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Kirtland's Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-coloured Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Lark Bunting*~
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Total Species: 170
Total Warblers: 30
New Species: 2
New Species for Pelee: 5
Yet another great spring at Point Pelee National Park.
Monday, July 21, 2008
June 28, '08 - what this date meant to me
Since it has become a trend on Cerulean Sky to describe events of the distant past instead of describing events of today (part of the reason for this is my lack of birding this summer season due to a busy city schedule), I will include another post in the same vein. This time, I travel all the way back to June 28, 2008.
It was a simpler time. The Apple iPhone wasn't on Canadian shelves yet, gas prices were a mere average of 1.324, and no one had any idea that Steven Page was in possession of cocaine. It was also a bittersweet time in my life. I was still dealing with the fact that I had turned 23 just four days prior, thereby fearing the cruel effects of time and an ever-approaching quarter-life crisis. Pride week was reaching a close and I was able to spend a good amount of time celebrating on Church street, which was an amazing and gratifying experience. It was a week that saw the start of many new relationships and the end of others.
What does this all have to do with birding and why is Cerulean Sky becoming a journal of the author's mundane life, you demand??? Nothing. And that's why I'm going to finally get to the actual topic at hand. June 28, 2008 also marked a key development in my birding career. I was invited to the Toronto Ornithological Club's first retreat since the club's inception in 1934. The retreat (featuring a handful of councilors and honorary members) was held in Barrie and the goal was to lead the club in new directions (in conservation, membership, fundraising, guest speakers, etc.), as well as iron out the purpose/stance of the club and determine ways to improve it. Of course, I can't get into too much detail as the results of the meeting have not yet been published (and plus, you probably don't want to hear about the paddling ceremony they hold for new members anyway). Needless to say, I was honoured to be included in the retreat as the youngest member of the club and the newly appointed Acting Membership Leader (crossing my fingers that the council will vote me in as the official Membership Secretary in the fall).
I am thrilled to become a more active member of the club and I cannot wait for more duties to come my way. I am currently in charge of answering any email inquiries about membership, updating the membership list and contacting inactive members, and in the fall, I will be responsible for introducing guests at meetings and introducing new members to the club. I'm both nervous and excited (my public speaking skills certainly have plenty of room for improvement). However, I've already met some truly great individuals that I respect and look up to, I look forward to meeting more people in the Toronto birding community, and it is a pleasure to be part of the rich history of the club, especially due to its reputation.
The summer months are a slow time for the TOC (there are no meetings or outings) but once fall migration begins, I'll be a busy birding boy. My goal for this fall/winter/spring is to submit a lot more of my sightings from the GTA as the records committee in the city keeps detailed reports and lists. This is extremely important citizen science. Everyday people finding short-term and long-term trends in bird populations, migration patterns, and breeding evidence. The 2 Ontario Breeding Bird Atlases show just how far citizen science can lead us in conservation and the study of birds. If there is ever to be a 'Birds of Toronto' published, I want to feel like I really took part in it.
Things are genuinely exciting for me right now as a birder and I have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months. As for now, hopefully I'll finally get my May summary up soon (only 2 months late!).
Click here to see the Toronto Ornithological Club's website.
It was a simpler time. The Apple iPhone wasn't on Canadian shelves yet, gas prices were a mere average of 1.324, and no one had any idea that Steven Page was in possession of cocaine. It was also a bittersweet time in my life. I was still dealing with the fact that I had turned 23 just four days prior, thereby fearing the cruel effects of time and an ever-approaching quarter-life crisis. Pride week was reaching a close and I was able to spend a good amount of time celebrating on Church street, which was an amazing and gratifying experience. It was a week that saw the start of many new relationships and the end of others.
What does this all have to do with birding and why is Cerulean Sky becoming a journal of the author's mundane life, you demand??? Nothing. And that's why I'm going to finally get to the actual topic at hand. June 28, 2008 also marked a key development in my birding career. I was invited to the Toronto Ornithological Club's first retreat since the club's inception in 1934. The retreat (featuring a handful of councilors and honorary members) was held in Barrie and the goal was to lead the club in new directions (in conservation, membership, fundraising, guest speakers, etc.), as well as iron out the purpose/stance of the club and determine ways to improve it. Of course, I can't get into too much detail as the results of the meeting have not yet been published (and plus, you probably don't want to hear about the paddling ceremony they hold for new members anyway). Needless to say, I was honoured to be included in the retreat as the youngest member of the club and the newly appointed Acting Membership Leader (crossing my fingers that the council will vote me in as the official Membership Secretary in the fall).
I am thrilled to become a more active member of the club and I cannot wait for more duties to come my way. I am currently in charge of answering any email inquiries about membership, updating the membership list and contacting inactive members, and in the fall, I will be responsible for introducing guests at meetings and introducing new members to the club. I'm both nervous and excited (my public speaking skills certainly have plenty of room for improvement). However, I've already met some truly great individuals that I respect and look up to, I look forward to meeting more people in the Toronto birding community, and it is a pleasure to be part of the rich history of the club, especially due to its reputation.
The summer months are a slow time for the TOC (there are no meetings or outings) but once fall migration begins, I'll be a busy birding boy. My goal for this fall/winter/spring is to submit a lot more of my sightings from the GTA as the records committee in the city keeps detailed reports and lists. This is extremely important citizen science. Everyday people finding short-term and long-term trends in bird populations, migration patterns, and breeding evidence. The 2 Ontario Breeding Bird Atlases show just how far citizen science can lead us in conservation and the study of birds. If there is ever to be a 'Birds of Toronto' published, I want to feel like I really took part in it.
Things are genuinely exciting for me right now as a birder and I have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months. As for now, hopefully I'll finally get my May summary up soon (only 2 months late!).
Click here to see the Toronto Ornithological Club's website.
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