Notes From a Northwestern Ontario Backyard – August 2022

Hello again!

Wow, it’s been a really quiet season here up until just recently. I had my feeders put away in late spring, after FeederWatch season ended and for about half of the summer due to worries of Avian Flu. I put one or two feeders out in late July and have 3 hanging feeders out now plus the platform. I also have 3 hummingbird feeders out around the yard. Birds have been quite slow in returning to the yard but activity is picking up a bit. I now have Purple Finches, Goldfinches, Song Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows (EVERYwhere!), Downy Woodpeckers, White Throated Sparrows, Chickadees, Red Breasted Nuthatches, Crows and Pine Siskins coming around regularly with sporadic visits from Grackles, Red Winged Blackbirds & Starlings here and there.

Since there isn’t much to talk about right now, this post will be mostly a photo essay. Hope you enjoy!

Starting earlier in spring, I had a good number of Tree Swallows coming around to check out the bird house. Unfortunately, they decided NOT to nest in my yard this year. Very disappointing.

Tree Swallows

 

In June, I had this stunning pair of Eastern Bluebirds visit and hunt in my backyard. I was soooo hopeful that they would pick a birdhouse & nest in the yard but again, no luck. They came through the backyard hunting insects & caterpillars & such but chose to nest somewhere else. Hoping for next year again.

 

Male Eastern Bluebird

 

Female Eastern Bluebird

 

I was very pleased to see a Savannah Sparrow in my backyard this summer. One of my favourite types of Sparrow, I don’t get to see them every year. So pretty!!

Savannah Sparrow

 

We usually get a pair of Sharp-Shinned Hawks and a pair of Merlins hunting the backyard all summer long. The Merlins were around in spring & early summer but haven’t come to the yard since nesting season began. This Sharp-Shinned hawk visited only this one time that I know of, in late June.

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

 

If you were watching the webcam in late winter, I’m sure you remember the Crows that were on the feeders daily! They hung around the yard & area in numbers of about 15 to 20 until well into the summer. They were another reason why I put my feeders away and stopped putting seed out. I like Crows but they were taking over and their noise was insane. Now that it’s late August, many have moved on but the resident family is still coming around once in a while.

Crow

 

Hummingbird season has been quite entertaining this year. 🙂 It started out quiet but once nesting season was over, they took over the backyard! Juvenile males are battling it out almost constantly for either the feeders or the flowers. I’ve had to duck from them a few times! Good thing they are as tiny as they are!

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

 

Juvenile male Ruby Throated Hummingbird

 

Purple Finches are back at the feeders in pretty good numbers right now, about 20 in the yard at a time. Juveniles are constantly begging out there at this time.

Male Purple Finch

 

Goldfinches have been around since spring and they are the latest ‘nesters’ in this area that I know of. I believe they just have nestlings now.

Female Goldfinch

 

Black Capped Chickadees have been around all year long, of course. No day in the backyard is complete without hearing the Chickadees calling. 🙂 I’m happy that I have a pair of Red Breasted Nuthatches back again too.

Black Capped Chickadee

 

It’s baby bird season now and the backyard has been a veritable Birdie Nursery this past month. Here are some immature birds I’ve been watching in the backyard lately.

Juvenile Ruby Crowned Kinglet … too cute for words!

 

Another juvenile Ruby Crowned Kinglet, a little further along in development.

 

Juvenile Chipping Sparrow … they have been all over the backyard for weeks now.

 

Juvenile Blackburnian Warbler (correct me if I’m wrong!)

 

Juvenile Blue Headed Vireo

 

Juvenile Philadelphia Vireo

 

And this, I think, is my favourite photo of the whole summer: a juvenile Red Eyed Vireo about to grab breakfast! After some research, it turned out that ‘breakfast’ was a Clearwing Moth caterpillar! I didn’t see the caterpillar when I first took the photo … not until I brought it up on the computer screen. This took place in my Highbush Cranberry Shrub right outside of my livingroom window.

Juvenile Red Eyed Vireo

 

I was very happy to see a good sized flock of Common Nighthawks this summer, just last week in fact. I would estimate about 200 in the flock and I was able to watch them 3 evenings in a row.

Common Nighthawk

 

A tiny portion of the Nighthawk flock from my backyard.

 

I’ll end with a photo of one of my all-time favourite Warblers: the adorable little Wilson’s Warbler. Every time I see one, I keep thinking that if they could speak, they would have a French accent to go along with their little beret! We are just getting into Warbler season in the backyard as fall migration kicks into high gear so hopefully, I’ll have some interesting sightings in the next couple of months.

Wilson’s Warbler

 

That’s it for this month …. and this summer. Thanks for reading/looking! I hope you are all having an enjoyable season.

Until next time! 🙂

10 Comments

  1. Oct, 9th finally had time to view these remarkable photos. Thanksgiving for sure, Thanks once again. Hope I forwarded to friends.

  2. So glad I found your blog! I have been looking for new bird blogs to follow. I don’t think nearly enough people are well educated about birds, Thanks learned and know a lot for sharing everything. Its helps a lot. Thank you very much.

  3. Thanks for posting—these birds are so cute! I’m envious of all the varieties you have! Looking forward to the feeder cam this fall.

  4. Hi Tammie great selections of birds and photos.

  5. Amazing and wonderful as usual Tammie. I always look forward to your posts about the bird life at your home.

  6. Thank you for sharing your backyard goings-on w us Tammie! Your articles & amazing photos are always a treat..Have learned so much from our resident Bird Lady ❤️

  7. Wonderful photo’s. love your posts.

  8. Thank you very much. I missed your pictures. This is great especially the Blackburnian Warbler

  9. Very Nice Photos I Enjoyed Them

  10. Many thanks for such wonderful photos! I love your posts and it reallty helps me in identifying the birds in my backyard! Look forward to the next one!

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