Tag: Urbannaturestore
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A Dole of Mourning Doves
Since the beginning of February I have had larger than normal flocks of mourning doves congregating at my bird feeders. This morning I counted, or tried to count, just over 40 of them. Various names for these large flocks include a cote, dole, bevy, flight or piteousness of doves. Mourning doves enjoy feeding from platform,…
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Will it be an Early Spring?
It may be hard to believe but spring is on the way. Of course, there will be cold snaps and snowstorms in the weeks ahead but some birds can’t wait and are excited for what is to come. Backyard birders will be the first to notice the change and it will be in the form…
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Winter Waterfowl
At this time of the year the pickings can be pretty slim for birders. Our regular feeder birds do not change much and a walk through the parks or woodlands may produce limited results. One area that will still have birds though is open water, especially along Lake Ontario, Lake Erie and fast flowing rivers.…
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BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER!
Now that we’re into the cold months of winter you might be noticing small flocks of chickadees, goldfinches and cardinals in trees or shrubs, or arriving at your feeders in larger than normal groups. There were 8 male cardinals in a small tree in the field behind our house today with some females too! During…
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Special Visitors
Once winter sets in, we may find ourselves entertaining local birds that might otherwise appear only infrequently. A favourite is the Tufted Titmouse, a chickadee cousin that has a prominent crest and a boisterous, rapidly repeated song ‘Peter-Peter-Peter’. It is normally not as friendly as chickadees, which can often be hand fed. Never common, it…
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CHRISTMAS WISH LIST FOR YOUR BACKYARD FRIENDS
It’s time for our annual Christmas wish list for the birds. If you would like to give a gift to your feathered friends… or squirrels, here are some ideas for you! Blue Jays – Peanut ring and a bag of whole peanuts. Cardinals – Sky Cafe with a serving of safflower. Chickadees – Droll Yankees…
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They’re Back!
Some lucky feeder operators in Ontario are enjoying our very colourful Evening Grosbeaks once again. In 2020 there was a movement that saw birds in a number of locations but last winter was not as good. While small flocks showed up in 2021, most moved on. This year thousands have descended from the boreal forest…
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What Does an Irruption Year Mean?
Have you ever heard this term among birders and wondered what it means? According to Project Feeder Watch it is defined as “the movement of northern-wintering species to the south in years of low food availability.” I’ve recently heard from customers that they have seen flocks of Evening Grosbeaks in parts of Scarborough and the…
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Fall Activity
Have you noticed new arrivals in recent days? White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows as well as Dark-eyed Juncos are showing up and depending on your location, some of these birds may stick around. Most of the White-crowned will eventually move on but often White-throated Sparrows will stay late and some will overwinter. The Juncos are here…
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Bird Identification Simplified
So many of us have looked at a bird and had no idea what it was, or heard the name of a bird and thought, well, that makes no sense at all. Let’s not forget all those little brown birds. Becoming familiar with a bird’s topography will help you with identification. Field guides are great, but…