Thursday, February 23, 2012

Well, here I am again. I stopped writing this blog for the longest time, because I didn't feel like changing my account and sign-in (it's a long story). In the interim, I have seen many new species, and enjoyed the return of many familiar ones.

Last year was the year for unusual bird sightings. There didn't seem to be too many birds about, but there were certainly a lot of sightings of rare birds; to make up for any deficit. I saw a smew, a razor-billed auk, and a mountain bluebird, among other things.

The mild winter was definitely a draw for some warbler species. Imagine seeing a half-dozen passerine species in the month of December - something that would be normal at spring migration. These sightings were all at Bayfront Park, in the Hamilton area. The topper was the Black Throated Gray warbler. This species is not normally seen in the eastern half of Canada. It really made my day, to see this little beauty.

This year, my husband and I managed to get a look at a Snowy Owl at Tommy Thompson Park, in Toronto. We missed seeing one last year, and I was a little sad about it. The Snowy always looks, to me, like a miniature snowman from a distance. But, if you can manage to get closer, they really can take your breath away. Unfortunately, though, some people can't resist the temptation to get too close to this wonderful bird. What I don't like, is the landfill that surrounds it: seeing at these birds, surrounded by rebar, and broken tile; really bothers me.