Life bird

[vaneramos]

This morning I took djjo to Leslie Street Spit, one of the best locations in Toronto for viewing migratory birds. I haven't done much recreational birding the past few years, and need to hone my visual and auditory skills in preparation for the Breeding Bird Survey in late June. I had never spent time there before, and it was a rewarding morning.

The nice thing about spring running late is, trees haven't leafed out yet so birds are easy to see. I had the opportunity to show Danny a few lovely little critters. Counting birds in the woods around Summer Solstice will be another experience altogether.

Here are the species (35) I observed: Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Double-Crested Cormorant, Killdeer, Ring-Billed Gull, Common Tern, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Least Flycatcher, American Crow, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Yellow Warbler, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Palm Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Song Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Red-Winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

So there was a lot of nice stuff, but nothing particularly unusual in the poplars near the base of the spit. But as we ventured further along the shoreline facing the marina, I spotted some unusual ducks diving. My excitement grew as I got better and better glimpses. It turned out to be a pair of Long-Tailed Ducks (formerly known as Oldsquaws), which are not uncommon but spend most of the year offshore, away from view—a life bird for me. They were hanging out with a pair of Greater Scaups, diving and resurfacing repeatedly. The stayed still long enough for Danny to get a good look through the binoculars at their peculiar and elegant plumage, and we watched them for a good five minutes.

A life bird is a species one has never seen in the wild before and observes for the first time. Too often these experiences are fleeting or unsatisfactory. I've had unusual birds sing identifiable songs from a thicket, but never emerge for viewing. Or they appeared barely long enough to reveal a distinctive feature, then vanished. So this was a real meat-and-potatoes lifer: a pair in clear light around 11:30 on a matchless spring morning, acting as if they took joy in the pleasure they bestowed, not actually watching us, but simply going about their duck business.

Comments

[bixie.livejournal.com]

sounds like a lovely day. :>

and, I was geeked to read your list and realize that I could identify most of the birds on it as well! I would love to be back in a place where you could see swans in the wild, I've been wanting that for a while.

I'm looking forward to hearing about the breeding count when it happens. that's something I'd like to do at some point myself, but I have a long way to go with quick visual identification and calls before being useful in that function (I think).

and, the ducks sound wonderful, too.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I'll try to remember to post about the BBS next month.

As for Mute Swans, it's pretty matter-of-course to see them along the waterfront in Toronto Harbour. They are an introduced species, and seeing them is pretty much an indication that you're somewhere urban. ;-)

We do get Tundra Swans migrating through Ontario, landing on wet fields in early spring en route to the far north.

[thewindrose.livejournal.com]

Seeing the ducks sounds wonderful. I recently was on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, and spent a lot of time in nature preserves. I saw a number of birds that I've never seen before and never expect to see again, it was wonderful.

I still wish I had your skill with identifying birds by sound!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I've never visited the Carolinas, and would love to go birding there! Sounds wonderful.