An irruption of Snowy Owls in southern Ontario in the winter of 2017/2018 gave Bob and I huge expectations of seeing one. Reports had been pouring in from all across the province, so we made plans to go touring with friends in the hopes of turning up a couple. Read more
Tag: Ontario
Ontario is one of the ten provinces of Canada, located in east-central Canada.
150 Stories – An Ode to Life in Ontario as Canada Celebrates its Sesquicentennial
An initiative by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday resulted in this marvelous compilation of 150 stories that examine what it means to be Canadian living in Ontario. Each story is paired with a relevant photograph. Read more
Hundreds of Sandhill Cranes in Ontario
On a bright, sunny Saturday in mid-October, Bob and I decided to make a trip to the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario, Canada. A fellow birder had reported groups of Sandhill Cranes in that vicinity where corn fields had recently been harvested. At first, we were afraid the drive would be all for naught, but in the end, we located close to 200 of these elegant birds. Read more
Thousands of Greater Snow Geese Migrating In Ontario
On a cool November day with sunshine in the forecast, Bob and I decided on the spur of the moment to take a drive into Eastern Ontario to see the spectacle of Greater Snow Geese amassing near Casselman. Reportedly, 60,000 Snow Geese had already formed one flock with more arriving hourly. Read more
Eastern Meadowlark in the grasslands at the Carden Alvar
You will have to look at my photos closely in order to see the Eastern Meadowlark, but despite the distance between the bird and ourselves, Bob and I were thrilled to see it in the grasslands of the Carden Alvar. Read more
Red Fox On A Cold Winter’s Day In Algonquin Park
On a cold winter’s day that included passing snow squalls, Bob and I ventured into Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, in hopes of seeing a Spruce Grouse. Instead, we found ourselves in the company of a Red Fox. Looking picture perfect, this Red Fox almost seemed to pose for our cameras while fine snowflakes settled on its fur. Read more
A Sharp-shinned Hawk stalks our backyard feeders
What a delight to have winter arrive on time! Cold temperatures and lots of snow meant that our bird feeders were busy from morning until night in Ontario, Canada. And then one morning, we noticed that all was quiet in our suburban backyard. A Sharp-shinned hawk had landed. Read more
Northern Saw-whet Owl Near Oshawa, Ontario
It had been several years since Bob and I came across a Northern Saw-whet Owl, the first time being in our local park in late October of 2012. It was that bird sighting that got us hooked on bird watching. It was a long interlude but not for lack of trying. Our patience and persistence finally paid off when we located this Northern Saw-whet Owl on a recent warm February day near Oshawa, Ontario. Read more
All dressed up for Christmas, bring on the snow!
With the recent substantial snowfalls, our home and property is ready to celebrate a White Christmas. And when I awoke this morning, I found that yesterday’s wind and warm temperatures had sculpted the snow into an artful scalloped edge that neatly framed each Christmas bulb. Read more
Northern Parula Warbler in a Backyard Oasis
One spring, during peak bird migration, we finally visited the Long Point area here in Ontario, Canada. We had a long list of birds that we hoped to see, and on the list was a Northern Parula. We failed to spot one at Long Point, but what a surprise when we had one spend the afternoon in our backyard soon after returning. Read more









