Very Early Arrivals

Red-winged Blackbird (m) and American Robin

I usually start looking for returning male Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles and American Robins around the first week of March. It is not unusual to see the odd Robin in January as a few of them overwinter in protected areas. I was surprised to see a male Red-winged Blackbird on February 10 and another male doing a territorial call on February 11th at the local park. My husband returned from a walk with the dog on February 11th and reported that there were a dozen Robins in a tree at the end of our street. I hurried out and heard them before I saw them. Yes, there were 14 Robins in the trees and shrubs at a neighbour's house. This is an early record for my first-of-year sightings.

I was looking at Grandma D's Roger Tory Peterson's A Guide to The Birds of Eastern North America, 1947 edition. Several birds, including the Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, and Sandhill Crane were not found in Southern Ontario at that time. Bird ranges shift and populations rise and fall for many reasons. Birds move where there is food and there a plenty of local berries for Robins around here. 

Here are some more photos taken on February 10th and 11th in our region.

The Bald Eagle nest was empty but it is mating time for them this month. They were here on February 14th last year. 

The American Tree Sparrow is a winter visitor that hangs around local bird feeders. 

Confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers, Cambridge ON

A canoeist took advantage of a warm day to paddle down the river. The river is high and flowing quickly so there was no need to paddle. I did wonder how hard they would have to work to go back upstream.

A group of Golden-eye Ducks, winter visitors to southern Ontario, hold their place at the edge of the river