From the Earth to the Sky

 I knew that I wanted to do Paul's walk, but wasn't sure if I wanted to tour around on my own or join an event.  The Birder Murder Mystery Tour appealed to me, because, as you know I'm a pretty die hard birder with really no time for fun!  This looked like fun, and when I got to the registration tent Saturday morning I asked if their were spaces and if I could sign up.  I could and I did!  It was a good decision, cause I had a blast! Marshall brought us to his and his wife's Wanda's estate close to Tiverton to solve several mysteries!  None of us where really sure what was going on, but as he showed us around his property we happened on various 'clues' to solve mysteries.  I will not divulge details of the clues, as they are pretty clever and insightful, but let me just say there was alot of learning going on!  Marshall has several tree swallow boxes on his property, he opened up and showed us this one with 6 eggs. A couple of hours later we had l...

 I had heard of this awesome Bird festival through my fellow birders, they all say it's a must do, and the birds and habitat are so different from what we have down here.  The Huron Fringe Birding Festival is set at McGregor Point Provincial Park, just outside of Port Elgin on Lake Huron. I started my day leaving the house at 4 am to get to the park, it's a 2.5 hr drive, check in at registration and be ready for my 7:15 tour 'On the fringe' with Paul Riss.  I am a big fan of Paul's and I have seen his CBC POV documentary 'Rare Bird Alert' a few times! I have a link to his documentary at the bottom of my post.  If I thought I had a rough morning, well he just got in at 2am from a birding tour in Trinidad!  Talk about climate change! coming into the park with 7 C temp and light rain. Yellow Ladies Slipper Fringed Polygala The rain let up and we ventured out on the Tower Trail where about 10 of us got good looks at Least Bittern Botaurus exilis (lifer for me!) ...

 I must apologize as I haven't gotten caught up with the posts...too busy birding!  But I must post a dogspotting post as the dogs have been stacking up.  I don't engage or photograph with every dog and owner that I encounter, but if there is a connection I will! Here is Phoebe, a gorgeous English Labrador Retriever who was very enthusiastic about the birds that we were looking at.  and I love her name! (I have a sister named Phoebe!) Then we have Ludo, a very gregarious huge Cane Corso that is the gentlest dog!  I've seen Ludo many times in my travels and he always noses my pocket for treats! The sweetest most graceful senior girl, Seal, who is a Standard poodle who has participated in agility in her younger days is one of the regulars at the park as well.  Very well mannered and very well groomed! When I travelled up north this weekend I met Daphne, who is a super sweet, pretty shy Alaskan husky, ex sled dog.  Her owner told me that he had gotten to ...

 This is the time of year for Birding Festivals!  Rondeau and Pelee both have had theirs from the 1st of May to the 21st.  They are fun events that coincide with the spring migration of birds from their southern wintering locations.  This past weekend I went to Pelee on the Sunday of the last weekend.  Point Pelee National Park is located at the southernmost point of Mainland Canada. extending into Lake Erie.   It is known for its diverse ecosystems, it is Canada's second smallest and most ecologically diverse national park.  The park is also on two dedicated migration flyways, the Mississippi and the Atlantic.  Birds congregate on the tip before they make their way northward, so sometimes rarities are seen. I decided to wake up bright and early and get to the Park by 7 am so I could take the tram to the tip by 7:15.  I was welcomed by this 'rafter' of Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo on my way into the park   and of course stopped t...

 I love making photographs.  I really do.  I have been behind a camera since I was a teenager.  I really enjoyed my Canon 35 mm film camera, and jumped over to digital to a Canon Powershot.  Last September I treated myself to a full mirrorless digital camera.  It has a entry level R100 body with an adapter for my Canon EF lense as well as a 150 mm to 600 mm Sigma EF lense.  It has been a real learning curve with this thing.  I can't seem to get sharp focus if in focus at all.  I have been practicing and talking to people and watching Youtube videos with some success.  Lately the frustration has affected my joy in birding.  I especially felt it this weekend as I went to Pelee and instead of enjoying the sights and sounds of birds and birders, I was focused on how I wanted to chuck my camera into the next swamp.   Today I came to the conclusion that my focus is on learning the birds, the habitat, the sounds, not just on gett...

 As many of you know, I live out in the County, in Wyoming, Ontario.  I am not too far from Rondeau and Pelee and points south.  I have noticed in the past when I traverse Hwy 21 through Oil City and Oil Springs towards Dresden and Dawn-Euphemia Township, that I pass by these beautiful Barn Quilts.  I have always been too much in a rush to stop and photograph them, but last Sunday I left early just to be able to capture the images.  The sun was just coming up and very bright, so some are overexposed, but I wanted to share what I experience on my sunrise travels south.   The trail starts just outside of Oil Springs near the Oil Museum of Canada (another great spot!).  This Barn Quilt is called Turkey Trot.  There is also a Quilt on the other side of the sign, but you only see it coming back, so I'll include it at a later date. As promised, the other side of the sign. It represents the Molecular structure of natural gas! The next Quilt is calle...

 Today I participated in the OFO's Warbler walk at Rondeau PP.  It started out with a beautiful sunrise and I joined an impromptu sunrise flight at the park store.  So many warblers flying in, fortunately the young fellows were quick to i.d.!  Lots of Chestnut side Warblers, Palm Warblers, Redstarts, and my first Orchard Orioles of the year.  If anyone has been to Rondeau you know about the swallows!  Many barn swallows, tree swallows and purple martins make this area their home for the summer.   Stewart gathered the group and we made out way to Warbler Way.  We had gorgeous weather, 15C and sunny, no rain for a change!  We've had a cold harsh winter followed by a cold wet spring.  One of the members of the tour from Owen Sound said that migration is roughly 2 weeks later than normal in her area.   The group was enthusiastic and a good mix of more experienced birders and newbies.  I had been to Rondeau only a handful ...