52 – Page 2 – David M's photoblog

Some birds from week 21.

31/05/201824/11/2018 David MLeave a comment

First, a Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus). Normally an occasional winter species for us but we had large numbers last winter and we’ve still got a dozen or so around this spring. They’re an irruptive species meaning numbers vary from year to year as the birds follow food sources.

A spring Pine Siskin.

Next, a Turkey Vulture soars overhead while I waited for an uncooperative Baltimore Oriole.

Looking for something to eat.

Finally a female Common Grackle searching for a meal in the yard. An often overlooked species, a lot of people regard them as a nuisance around their bird feeders. I rather like them although I don’t have a lot of shots of the species.

A spring Common Grackle.

Week 19. A Warbler that thinks it’s an Oriole.

14/05/201815/05/2018 David MLeave a comment

A bit of an odd one from me this week for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, I have been avoiding photographing birds on feeders for years, or more probably, decades. I got tired of editors picking a bird on a feeder over other shots of the same species in natural settings.

Secondly, this is unusual behavior, which is why I photographed it. A grab shot after I got home Friday afternoon. The bird has been back regularly over the weekend but I haven’t had chance for a second attempt at a better shot.

The photo shows a male Black-throated Blue Warbler coming to the Grape jelly in an Oriole feeder. It didn’t do it once, the bird has been coming to the feeder regularly for three days now.

I did some research and found records of them taking sugar water in Hummingbird feeders but no records of them pretending to be an Oriole and eating Grape jelly.

I submitted a report of the bird and its behavior, including the photo below to one of the Ontario bird sightings websites. The report is being ignored as far as I can tell.

Male Black-throated Blue Warbler.

Week 18. Two birds.

07/05/201815/05/2018 David MLeave a comment

Week 18 was originally titled two ducks but the head and neck of the leading bird makes me think that they could be a Grebe species. They were out on Colpoy’s Bay and silhouetted by the rising sun. The photo is more about the light and ripples on the water, the birds are there for context.

Two birds at sunrise.

Week 16. Sunrise over ice.

23/04/201812/11/2018 David MLeave a comment

Colpoy’s Bay, Ontario at sunrise. Most of the bay is still frozen although you can see some open water at the mouth of the bay.

Strangely, a few hours after the photo was taken I was on the Lake Huron shoreline which was ice free around Southampton, Ontario.

Ice at sunrise.

Week 15. The ghost of a Maple leaf.

15/04/2018 David M3 Comments

With winter refusing to make way for spring in this part of Ontario it’s back to winter images. After getting 16 inches of snow yesterday I went for a walk this morning. I noticed the remains of the Maple leaf on the fresh snow and pursued it for some time as a strong wind kept blowing it around. In the end I managed to get one shot of it.

ghost Maple leaf.

Week 14. Early morning light.

09/04/201804/02/2019 David MLeave a comment

I went for an early morning walk rather than heading off to one of my sunrise locations this weekend. I liked the way the low sun was illuminating patches of the Ivy leaves on the tree trunks.

Ivy leaves in winter.

Week 13. Gnarled and wrinkled.

02/04/201815/05/2018 David MLeave a comment

An interestingly textured section of tree bark.

I did a monochrome conversion, I had been looking for shots that would work in monochrome when out for a walk. Maybe the monochrome is the reason it makes me think of Elephant skin. Not that I have ever been close enough to an Elephant to know what their skin looks like in close up.

gnarled and wrinkled tree bark