Bohemian Waxwing (21)

Bombycilla garrulus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Apr 17 2025

Details: adult

Ottawa - Winter visitor, along with hundreds of others soon to depart for the northwest to breed. The birds only showed up in numbers in recent days with two areas having several thousand. This one has flown down to the water for a quick drink after eating buckthorn berries.

Date uploaded: Apr 18 2025

Views: 15

Comments (2):
Sue Bishop: Lovely. I haven't seen one in years.
Brian Morin: We haven't had any locally for a few years so the large number drew my attention to the Ottawa area. Most will likely be gone in a few days.

Wild Turkey (30)

Meleagris gallopavo

BobTour

Canada (Ontario)

Date taken: Apr 12 2024

Date uploaded: Apr 12 2025

Views: 8

Comments (1):
Sue Bishop: Nice one.

Mute Swan (49)

Cygnus olor

BobTour

Canada (Ontario)

Date taken: Apr 12 2024

Date uploaded: Apr 12 2025

Views: 11

Harlequin Duck (27)

Histrionicus histrionicus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Apr 7 2025

Details: male, adult

Mississauga - While this species is viewed every winter in the area with a few individuals, it is still a rarity in the province and is considered a species at risk in Eastern Canada. Females are usually observed more than males in southern Ontario.

Date uploaded: Apr 8 2025

Views: 16

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Great find and capture, Brian!
Brian Morin: In morning light his colours really pop.

Tufted Duck (8)

Aythya fuligula

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Apr 6 2025

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Erieau - This Eurasian wanderer put in an appearance in the extreme southwestern part of the province. I had a very poor distant look at one in Toronto in January and failed a second time for a better look at the same bird in a different location. This bird was much better.

Date uploaded: Apr 8 2025

Views: 12

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Another great find!
Brian Morin: This was a long trip but after failed attempts this winter I had to try again. It all worked nicely.

Varied Thrush (11)

Ixoreus naevius

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Mar 7 2025

Details: female, adult, outside normal range

Ottawa - The bird remained in the area since January.

Date uploaded: Mar 20 2025

Views: 7

Comments (2):
BobTour: very nice colorful bird
Brian Morin: It brightens up a winter landscape.

Painted Bunting (7)

Passerina ciris

(Near-threatened)

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: May 3 2021

Details: female, adult, outside normal range

Ottawa - I had forgotten to post this individual, well out of range but a pleasant surprise.

Date uploaded: Feb 27 2025

Views: 20

Boreal Owl (11)

Aegolius funereus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Feb 22 2025

Details: adult

Ottawa - Well hidden in cedars, I finally saw this bird that I had missed earlier in the week. There have been a number of Boreal Owls in southwestern Quebec and this one in Eastern Ontario, part of a minor irruption along with Great Gray Owls. The bird was very difficult to shoot because of branches. My shot window was no more than 6" wide and 2" high before branches compromised the shot. I used a monopod otherwise precision would have been impossible. It was also very dark and very late on a cloudy day. I shot at 1/10 second at 8,000 ISO.

Date uploaded: Feb 23 2025

Views: 35

Barred Owl (27)

Strix varia

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Feb 20 2025

Details: adult

Ottawa - The bird was still actively hunting 90 minutes after sunrise. The frosty look to its face is actual frost.

Date uploaded: Feb 21 2025

Views: 22

Comments (2):
Ahmad Shah: Fantastic capture.
Brian Morin: A very cooperative bird in nice early light. This makes up for a midday shot of another one in bright sunlight that I got a few weeks ago. I couldn't do much with the conditions and that bird was squinting.

Northern Shrike (23)

Lanius excubitor

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Feb 14 2025

Details: adult

Kingston (Wolfe Island) - A pleasant surprise at the end of the day.

Date uploaded: Feb 15 2025

Views: 9

Comments (2):
Ahmad Shah: Fantastic capture.
Brian Morin: It was the best capture of the day. Very few subjects to work with on that outing.