Northern Flicker Flashes Some Yellow

Image of a Northern flicker in flight near Algonquin Park, Ontario

Bob and I were surprised when we visited my mom’s place at Oxtongue Lake, Ontario, in late April to see so many Northern Flickers, or Yellow-shafted Flickers as they are also known.  On the first day alone, we saw no less than eight of these birds, six at one time in a leafless deciduous tree.  Read more

The Courtship Ritual of Cedar Waxwings

Cedar waxwings courting in trees at Oxtongue Lake in Ontario

My childhood home at Oxtongue Lake holds a very special place in my heart, and we visit there often.  Every season has something special to offer and to excite Bob and me.  In early June, it was the nesting pair of returning Eastern Bluebirds that first captured our attention, but with expansive views from mom’s sunroom windows, we saw at least a dozen other species of birds including four pairs of Cedar Waxwings. Read more

Eastern Bluebirds at Carden Alvar in Ontario

eastern bluebird, carden alvar, carden township, city of kawartha lakes, ontario

Bob and I were up early one morning in May in our attempt to get to the Carden Alvar, in Ontario, Canada, at a decent morning hour.  We’re usually a little slow to get off the sheet, but in this case, we did better than usual and found ourselves on Wylie Road by 8:30 a.m.  I know it’s not sunrise, but we still scored lots of sightings, among them several pairs of Eastern Bluebirds. Read more

A Wilson’s Snipe at Ontario’s Carden Alvar

wilson's snipe, carden alvar, city of kawartha lakes, ontario

Bob and I came home from Ontario’s Carden Alvar very satisfied with our experience in that unique habitat.  The combination of grasslands, forests, shrublands and wetlands creates a landscape that is not only favoured by a wide variety of wildlife but also is attractive to those people who go in search of the birds and animals that live there.  One such bird that we managed to see was a Wilson’s Snipe. Read more