Birdviewing.com

99 results found

Mountain Bluebird (17)

Sialia currucoides

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Date taken: Dec 2 2022

Details: female, outside normal range

Bailieboro - This bird was seconds from eluding me. I had spent over an hour checking the fields and farms it had been reported in for close to a week. Others had given up and I made one final run when I spotted it about 100 metres out atop a fence. It looked like it was merely a very small bump because it was crouched in the wind. I was later able to go onto the farm property thanks to the gracious homeowner and followed the bird for a bit as it hunted for insects on the ground. It was cold so it was lucky to find some large caterpillars.

Date uploaded: Dec 5 2022

Comments (4):
Chris: That great perseverance paid off. Fantastic capture.
BrianMorin: It was definitely worth the wait.

Cattle Egret (30)

Bubulcus ibis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Date taken: Oct 28 2022

Details: winter plummage

Merrickville - An invasion of Cattle Egrets has brought well over 100 into southern Quebec and Ontario. One Quebec location briefly had over 50 birds. This is my second sighting in October with this bird being far more photogenic than the previously shown individual. As is usually the case, the egret was hanging around farm animals, on this occasion a pair of horses, and wandered as close as 10 metres from me at times.

Date uploaded: Nov 1 2022

Comments (2):
Chris: Great to see, and hear the story behind!
BrianMorin: I spent a few hours watching with others and it was interesting to observe its behaviour. We got lucky because that was the last day it was seen.

Cattle Egret (30)

Bubulcus ibis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Details: adult, winter plummage, outside normal range

Brooklin - There is still a bit of breeding colour on the head but not much. This was the second day of the bird's appearance and I was lucky to be passing close by on my way home from Southern Ontario so I had to only make a minor detour.

Date uploaded: Oct 18 2022

Comments (4):
Chris: Terrific clarity and what a cute bird.
BrianMorin: This was a great opportunity and the leafy background added to the shot.

White-faced Ibis (10)

Plegadis chihi

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Date taken: May 5 2022

Details: adult, summer plummage, outside normal range

Erieau - The occasional individual deviates from its western flight path that would normally take it to South Dakota or even southern Alberta. I made two attempts at photographing this individual and on the second day it was much closer, offering excellent views. The breeding plumage is stunning, right down to the ruby-red eye. I've waited a long time for this bird.

Date uploaded: May 26 2022

Comments (6):
Chris: Excellent story. Glad it worked out so well. Believe this is your first upload of this species.
BrianMorin: Yes, it is.

Eastern Screech Owl (21)

Otus asio

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Details: male, adult

Ottawa - This is a known bird, quite used to people, although this was my first visit in a few years. It roosts a short distance from the nest site which the female is currently occupying. When I shot the photo, the bird was cautiously watching a mother raccoon and two kits high in a tree 8 metres away. They had just emerged for a night ramble. After a couple of minutes it launched towards the raccoons and flew right at the mother's head with wings open, likely dragging his claws on her fur as he flew by, it was that close. After a couple of minutes he repeated the attack and five minutes later did it again, each time engaging her head. It was pretty dark at that point so I didn't see the final outcome but the issue is that raccoons are one of the prime predators for Screech Owl nests.

The shots were taken as darkness was setting in so this was at only 1/10 second on tripod using a remote and ISO was up to 3200 (I don't have a mirrorless camera so ISO is an issue). Many of the shots incredibly were in focus and looked not bad. I got lucky.

Date uploaded: Apr 24 2022

Comments (5):
Chris: What a story! Great job in the conditions! Out here, I’ve yet to see or hear a western screech, and a biologist told me there were none found in the entire Vancouver region…only one far east of the city during a detailed census.
BrianMorin: I wonder if the expansion of Barred Owls has done them in. That would be a primary predator for a Screech Owl.

Hooded Oriole (2)

Icterus cucullatus

Chris

United States (Texas)

Date taken: Mar 18 2022

What I initially thought was an Altamira Oriole was actually my second ever Hooded Oriole - Bentsen Rio Grande.

Date uploaded: Mar 28 2022

Comments (4):
Ahmad Shah: That is gorgeous, spectacular shot Chris .
BrianMorin: Beautiful bright colours.

Golden-crowned Sparrow (22)

Zonotrichia atricapilla

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Date taken: Nov 29 2021

Details: immature, outside normal range

Toronto - A second BC bird in one day. This one has found a Toronto park to its liking.

Date uploaded: Nov 30 2021

Comments (5):
Ahmad Shah: Another wonderful finding. Great work.
BrianMorin: This species doesn't show up that often, perhaps every 7-10 years, and was a first for me.

Glaucous-winged Gull (14)

Larus glaucescens

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

📍 Map

Date taken: Nov 29 2021

Details: immature, outside normal range

Barrie - This second year bird, a bit larger than a Herring Gull is well outside its Pacific Coast range. This is only Ontario's second bird, the first being last year.

Date uploaded: Nov 30 2021

Comments (4):
Ahmad Shah: Wow ! That is an amazing find, Brilliant job.
BrianMorin: It had just shown up the day before and being such an unusual species it was worth the trip.