Snowgoose second day update!

This morning I went to the exact location where I had seen the Snowgoose yesterday and the Canada flock was there and in the background a bit beyond the Canadas I saw the white Snowgoose!

The flock was silently feeding as I observed them and then all of a sudden the took off in flight.  The white of the snowgoose was a standout feature as it trailed behind the main flock of Canadas.

I hoped that I would not lose sight of them and frtunately they landed on the water of a n. earby pond. I could still see the snowgoose in the background.

Look carefully to off center left and you can find the snowgoose in the water.

The snowgoose then settled on s small island of land that had risen a bit from the water.

And that is where I left the snowgoose when I returned home around 7:30 a.m. this morning.  I shall check later on this  afternoon

to see if it is still in the region.

A juneville Snowgoose

I wentbout early this morning, around 8 a.m. thinking thatbirds like to feed early.actually I was hungry too, but everyone else at my house was still sleeping. I came upon a flock of Canada Geese, about 25 or so, and at the edge of them I saw a white plastic bag ( or so I thought) , but then the plastic bag  started moving around

eeding! I suddenly realized that I was watching a Snowgoose! Snow geese are not native to my area or common. Every season a few are sometimes seen among Canada flock, but I had never seen one this close to my home before!! How amazing! And how beautiful it was! Upon returning home the curiosity of why it had a black beak was solved! We were able to I D it as a juvenile Snowgoose!  I hope it is still in my area to be seen, early tomorrow morning. However I have just been out checking the area this afternoon and broadening my search area and not a goose was in sight. Neither a Canada’s or a snowgoose

Eastern Phoebe for Saturday Critters

I had pulled my car over to the shoulder of the highway and I was watching a pair of black ducks in the pond below. The morning light on the water was very beautiful! I had rolled down my car window to get a better view.

From my open car window I became aware of bird twittering and whisperings and then I heard a bird shout its name! "Phoebe". I was immediately alert  and pulled my car a little closer to the woods at the side of the pond. I could see movement within the area. then I spotted it! An beautiful Eastern Phoebe was sitting on a tree branch. How sweet it was!

I then left the area but returned there once more before I went home.Pulling up beside the pond again I saw a beautiful Great Blue Heron there in the water!

The heron decided to change location and flew off into the beautiful reflections of white birches on the water there in the background.

And that was the end of my observations at the pond yesterday morning.

I am linking this morning to Eileen's Saturday Critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

Have a safe day everyone and a lovely weekend.

Feeding Tree Swallows.

Yesterday morning I chanced upon a very interesting activity of a huge number of Tree Swallows. These birds feed on bugs and insects and I saw many swallows swarming over the surface of an enclosed water space. They were moving so quickly that I could not focus on just one individual bird to get a photo. However from the many group pictures I was able to capture, I was able to isolate one bird and crop its picture from the many. A second photo shows several birds grouped together in their swirling and swooping.  

It was fascinating to observe them! Nature is full of surprises if you take the time to look around and observe the behaviour of the many creatures we share our daily lives with, you may find much beauty and delight in their behaviours. Hopefully I find something as equally as fascinating today. if so I will let you know about it tomorrow!

Field Sparrow sighting

       Field Sparrow seen on April 22, 2020 in  our feeder area.

Its white eye ring and its pinkish bill are its defining 

identification features!

My first Great Blue Heron sighting of 2020

On Saturday, April 18 I saw a Great Blue Heron! and I hadn't even been expecting to see one!  It was so very beautiful, standing upright on the edge of the pond shore and its breeding plumage was so lovely, as well as its reflection there in the water.

Wood Ducks for Saurday Critters

 I still enjoy finding ducks and yesterday I chanced upon a couple of Wood Ducks in flight!

above is the male Wood Duck in flight.. below is the female Wood 

Duck, mostly identified by her grey feathers and her white eye patch.  She was slower in getting into flight than the male, although I enjoy her beauty as I caught her  in motion. I like her feathers in motion!

I am posting this morning to Eileen's Saturdays Critters which can be found at

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca 

Common Goldeneye in flight

Yesterday morning I was very pleased to discover that my favourite pond for viewing  returning ducks had been almost clear ed of its surface ice. I like taking photos of ducks from my car at this location because my car can be parked on the road nearby and adjacent to the pond at this location. However the pair of Common Goldeneye present at the pond at that time saw mead I was watching them and the only picture I was able to get of them at the time was of their taking off in flight. I am especially pleased to have a good view of the female Goldeneye in flight.

Crocus blossoms 2020

How beautiful and what an uplifting find this afternoon!  By some weekday next week I have no doubt that I shall have Crocus in full bloom outside my kitchen window, something to anticipate  as I make my morning cup of coffee each start of day!  How beautiful and awesome!

Newly returned species yesterday

A couple of wonderful finds for me yesterday while bird watching through the windshield of my car were Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Merganser ducks! Both were a surprise for me!

Also more bird watching through glass for me from my living room window overlooking Bird Alley was our regular Song Sparrow and a nice surprise of a 

couple of American Goldfinch.

Tra la la  la lay, 

I don't know what I'll find today!

Isn't spring wonderful!

Canada Geese for Saturday Critters

Earlier this week while out looking for ducks in my regular daily checks, instead of ducks I found a small flock of Canada’s Geese.

I am linking today to

Eileen’s  Saturday Critters which can be found at viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

Thank you Eileen for hosting this weekly meme.

Male and Female Goldeneye for Saturday Critters

Bitd sightings are very rare around here at this time of year. Yesterday I saw a Bluejay and this morning a small flock of starlings but neither sighting created any good photo opportunities. However this morning I also saw a pair of Common Goldeneye again. I have been hoping to get a good photo of a female Common Goldeneye but all I could get was a photo that showed its brown head
and a hint of its goldeneye,
The male that I saw this morning was a much cleared photo.

It is seldom that I can achieve a good photo of an goldeneye pair , however here is one I was able to acquire in 2006

Hopefully in the upcoming days I will be able to get a god picture of a pair of these ducks. 

I am linking today to Eileen's Saturday Critters found at

viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.ca

My first Duck Sighting of 2020

Yesterday afternoon I did my rounds of my usual duck sighting locations at ponds and the river  I go to daily, and I found none.  However, on my way home I decided to check out my communitiy's local lagoon as I had noticed a few days ago that it now had open waters and glad am I that I did!!!  Yes, I saw a pair of ducks on the water there.  From the distance I could not visually identify them, so I got out of my car and walked to the gate enclosure and held my camera to the opening gap giving me  a view of the two ducks on the water. My Nikon slr camera picked up the images and thankfully for photo editing, which allowed me to edit a clear view of a male Common Goldeneye! What a beautiful sight it was.  I could kind of slightly id the female as well, but it was not a very clear photo capture.

 I shall check the river and pond today as I usually do to see if there are any arrivals there yet, but also I shall check out the lagoon and I will not be surprised to find the two goldeneye there again today! My spring obsession of experiencing my first duck sighting is over and now I shall contently enjoy any further sightings that I might achieve.  High on my to see list are Hooded Mergansers and Common Mergansers.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Deer walking crossing the highway

Today we watched this deer,  from the interior of our approaching car,  as it safely crossed the highway in front of us.

                         

                         

                          

                          

An early Robin for Saturday's Critters

for the second day in a row this Robin  has bisited us here , in Bird Alley.  Its sighting has added to the promise of spring arriving soon. I am posting this morning to Eileen's Camera Critters.  Have a wonderful day everyone on this last day of February2020 viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com

The First Robin of 2020

Yesterday morning, February the 27th. I saw this handsome American Robin feeding in our ornamental Crab apple tree in Bird Alley! This is the first Robin we have seen in this year 2020!

What a wonderful promise of seasonal change ahead! as already yesterday morning at 6 a.m. I was aware of a big snowstorm forecast for the day , heading our way and most schools in the province had already been cancelled for the day! I am hoping the Robin will return this morning again although there is nary a sight of it yet.

                       

  

White-throated Sparrow for Saturday Critters

We have two little White- throated Sparrows that visit daily and they appear to love paying chase and scratching  in the snow for seeds. Their beautiful 'stand out' yellow lores easily identify this Sparrow species!

The colours of Bird Alley

Our most recent arrival at Bird Alley yesterday was a White-throated Sparrow!( seen in the included picture, see its white throat! and its yellow lores) actually there were two of them!
We had many feathered visirors yesterday and we were pleased to welcome back the Song Sparrow which had not appeared for the two previous days.
The very busy Blue Jays ( and there seemed to be several), added their beautiful blue to the outdoor scene, The yellow of the American Goldfinch was very low key as their appearance was very brief. We did not detect any grey as the little Juncos which had appeared to be quite plentiful on previous day did not make an appearance
The colourful red on the back of a Hairy Woodpecker's head was missing so we can conclude it was a female of the species that was feeding in the alley and to finish off the day's listing was the ever present, loyal, Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay in Bird Alley for Saturday Critters