Snowy Owl (218)

Nyctea scandiaca

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 4 2022

Details: female, adult

Kingston (Wolfe Island)- We were very surprised that the bird didn't take off as we drove by, especially being an adult female. The pink sky was an interesting background.

Date uploaded: Jan 26 2022

Comments (4):
Ahmad Shah: It is always nice to see this magnificent bird. Great shot.
BrianMorin: She was a beauty. There were a number of birds but most were at a distance.

Northern Hawk-Owl (23)

Surnia ulula

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

Date taken: Jan 23 2022

Ottawa - a cold north wind and biting temperature was of no concern to this Hawk Owl. There are several in the region again this winter.

Date uploaded: Jan 24 2022

Comments (2):
Chris: I like the perch 😊 Super capture!
BrianMorin: The bird had just a few favourite perches and this is one I liked.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (9)

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 7 2022

Details: outside normal range

Niagara Falls - This southern vagrant has spent five months hanging out with Mallards at a park. It is a bit smaller than its many cousins and when it is close it really stands out. It presumably will relocate in the spring.

Date uploaded: Jan 21 2022

Comments (4):
Chris: What a find! I remember seeing a flock in Quebec years ago and have a print somewhere. Must be getting lots of attention.
BrianMorin: It is a popular bird, visited by many birders since its arrival. I pointed it out to some people not familiar with it.

Common Goldeneye (26)

Bucephala clangula

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 7 2022

Details: male, adult

Cobourg- There was a bit of slushy ice in the low waves on the shore of Lake Ontario. The birds would swim in close to shore then swim back out again.

Date uploaded: Jan 21 2022

Comments (6):
Ahmad Shah: Fantastic capture, nice detail.
BrianMorin: This is a common winter duck but in most areas they are very hard to approach. I used some trees and ice encrusted rocks for cover to get shots on a very cold morning.

Northern Pintail (21)

Anas acuta

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 7 2022

Cobourg - a lingering bird that will likely soon depart as winter ice sets.

Date uploaded: Jan 12 2022

Comments (6):
Chris: Brilliant lighting. Great job.
BrianMorin: He was a beauty. You couldn't tell that I was freezing my hands off on this bitterly cold morning.

Eastern Bluebird (38)

Sialia sialis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Details: male, adult

Guelph - part of a small overwintering flock that were feeding on remnant wild grapes and berries, including these winter berries. This plant keeps its fruit into the coldest part of the year, usually until birds clean them out.

Date uploaded: Jan 12 2022

Comments (5):
Chris: Amazing to see. I guess he's enjoying whatever types of berries those are.
Ahmad Shah: Nice to see this beauty in winter .

Short-eared Owl (23)

Asio flammeus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 4 2022

Details: adult

Kingston - Wolfe Island. We had great luck with four Short-eared Owls today.

Date uploaded: Jan 5 2022

Comments (6):
Ahmad Shah: Great looking owl.
BrianMorin: This was a real beauty, fairly close, shot from the car.

Black-backed Woodpecker (5)

Picoides arcticus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Dec 29 2021

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Constance Bay - A few Black-backs venture south of their boreal habitat in winter but they remain a rare visitor. They are usually found in forests with red or jack pine and work on dead or dying trees. I have seen a few and heard more over the years but never had a chance to get decent photos. This bird took hours to track down but in the end I got plenty of good shots. However, getting the forehead patch of the male to show was extremely challenging. If you don't see it, the bird looks like a female.

Date uploaded: Dec 30 2021

Comments (8):
Ahmad Shah: Great find, nicely captured.
BrianMorin: It was worth the effort. For those unfamiliar with it, be listening for subtle taps, not the noisy tapping of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. If it calls, so much the better, but the bird never did call for us. We zeroed in on its tapping.

Great Gray Owl (64)

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 7 2021

Williamsburg - We are hoping that this will be a flight year for our largest owl. The normal irruption cycle is every four years with them occasionally showing up every fifth year. This is the fifth year so we have our fingers crossed for a good show in January. This photo was the only bird seen in the entire region last winter.

Date uploaded: Dec 25 2021

Comments (5):
Chris: Great one Brian. So nice to see ☺️
BrianMorin: This was my original favourite bird and because it is not a species we see regularly, it has remained a very special species.

Ruddy Duck (25)

Oxyura jamaicensis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Oct 7 2021

Blenheim - Ruddy Ducks are uncommon or rare in much of the province but they can be found in good numbers in a few areas in the southwest during migration.

Date uploaded: Dec 16 2021

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Nice one.
BrianMorin: It was great to get a flock together.