Sunday, July 4, 2010

where did the weekend go? sigh.... (#74-76)

A four-day weekend has just breezed right by and I'm really not looking forward to going in to work early tomorrow to go to French class!

I stuck around in Ottawa for Canada Day and didn't do too much special aside from some lovely outdoor yoga, a little of my fave new hobby (other than birdwatching) and hanging out with some friends.

We were supposed to be camping all weekeng in New York state but our plans got derailed and we had to drive to Toronto and back to visit Matt's aunt in the hospital. 9 hours of driving in one day...boo.

That left us with Saturday and Sunday so we ended up near Morrisburg/Ingleside at the Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary. We camped there for the night and did some birdwatching on Sunday morning before heading back to Ottawa. Identified about 25 different kinds of birds, including a few new ones.

I was very excited to see an American Redstart, but the picture is lousy...so will need to get that one again.

We went for a short hike the night we arrived and saw this little guy. I almost didn't take a picture thinking it was an Eastern Phoebe, but something seemed a little different. Glad I did because it turns out it is an Eastern Wood Pewee--a similar, but different bird!
#74: Eastern Wood-Pewee; Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary (Ingleside, Ont); July 3, 2010

Another new bird there was a Common Tern, which we watched fish for quite a while! There were a few of them hanging out at the causeway that links the sanctuary to the campground.
#75: Common Tern; Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary (Ingleside, Ont); July 3, 2010

Of course I have seen cormorants but this is the first time one posed nicely and close enough for me
#76: Double-Crested Cormorant; Upper Canada Bird Sanctuary (Ingleside, Ont); July 4, 2010

I got so close to one more, but couldn't figure this one out between Alder Flycatcher and Willow Flycatcher. I think it's an Alder, but that's ok!!

Matt also got this amazing shot of an Eastern Kingbirds with its babies. Awesome!!!

More than three quarters there!

3 comments:

Funkysandman said...

nice shot of the Tern..it's so aerodynamic -i think the feet fold up like landing gear. it's so hard to get a sharp shot like that when they're in flight.
i think the cormorant left you a present..lol

Jenna said...

I don't know if it was him or his Canada Goose friend that was there earlier in the day....
I thought about photoshopping it out but figured it would weaken my photo-editorial credibility haha!
Hope you are having a great time...it's sooo hot here!

dmorin said...

Alder and Willow's are for all intents and purposes, indistinguishable in the field except by song. In the fall, when they don't sing anymore any Alder/Willow's is usually called a Traill's Flycatcher. That was their name before they were split into two species.