Snowy Owl experience.

It was nice at Ashbridges Bay today; -7 degrees Celsius, 10km/h wind, clear blue sky...

Highlights include 5 White-winged Scoter, a Snowy Owl, FOY Song Sparrow, many diving ducks, and 2 Iceland Gulls.


Here's what I saw:

2 Mute Swan
4 Gadwall
30 Redhead
20 Long-tailed Duck
5 Mallard
1 American Black Duck
5 Common Goldeneye
5 Bufflehead
5 White-winged Scoter
3 Red-breasted Merganser
200 Ring-billed Gull
20 Herring Gull
2 Iceland Gull
1 Song Sparrow
3 American Tree Sparrow
1 Red-winged Blackbird
6 Black-capped Chickadee
2 Northern Cardinal

Here are some shots!

Red-winged Blackbird

FOY Song Sparrow!

Lake Ontario

Common Goldeneye

Iceland Gull

Redhead

Snowy Owl - I liked this shot, but had to get closer!

She then flushed and flew about 35 feet away.

Comments appreciated!

Happy birding!

-Owen

Ashbridges Bay birding.

Today was nicer than yesterday; 6 degrees Celsius and sunny. Went back down to Ashbridges Bay and saw the usuals. I also picked up a yearbird. Only 5 Iceland Gulls today, but the Snowy Owl was back in the spot that she was seen in yesterday. Overall good afternoon.


Here's what I saw:

2 Mute Swan
10 Greater Scaup
5 White-winged Scoter
2 Common Goldeneye
5 Red-breasted Merganser
5 Common Merganser
20 Redhead
10 Gadwall
50 Mallard
1 Wood Duck
20 Long-tailed Duck
10 Bufflehead
300 Ring-billed Gull
30 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
6 Iceland Gull
1 American Tree Sparrow
1 Northern Cardinal
1 Red-winged Blackbird

Here are some shots!

Bufflehead

FOY Red-winged Blackbird!

Redhead and Mallards

Greater Scaup

I refound the Snowy owl in about the same spot as yesterday.

The Mallards better watch their backs...

Long-tailed Ducks

White-winged Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Ring-billed Gull

Iceland Gull and Common Mergansers

Iceland among Ring-billed

Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull, Mallards, and a Wood Duck - you don't often see a Wood Duck and an Iceland Gull in the same shot!

Iceland Gull

American Black Duck

ABDU closeup

Comments appreciated!

Happy birding!

-Owen

11 more Iceland Gulls and a surprise lifer!

Went down to Ashbridges Bay, and it was pretty great. 8 degrees Celsius, no wind, sunny... what a day nice day. Highlights include lifer #182 - Wood Duck, 5 White-winged Scoters, 11 Iceland Gulls, a possible Thayer's Gull, and 13 Common Mergansers.

I went back down to the bay today, Thursday, and finally saw the Snowy Owl and it was very cold and windy. It was -13 Celsius with 35km/k wind off the lake. Brrr.


Here's what I saw:

2 Mute Swan
80 Canada Goose
1 Wood Duck
60 Mallard
10 Common Goldeneye
13 Common Merganser
5 Red-breasted Merganser
30 Redhead
15 Bufflehead
5 White-winged Scoter
20 Greater Scaup
150 Ring-billed Gull
40 Herring Gull
11 Iceland Gull
4 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Northern Cardinal
15 American Tree Sparrow

Here are some shots!

Trip 1:

Mallard

Lifer #182! Wood Duck!

American Tree Sparrow

Redhead, Red-breasted Merganser, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead.

Red-breasted Merganser

Long-tailed Duck

Common Mergansers

Iceland Gull

Iceland Gulls

Iceland Gull

Long-tailed Duck going for a dive!

Common Mergansers

Wood Duck... in the parking lot?

Trip 2:

Icicles coming down from the sand.

White-winged Scoter

Snowy Owl!

This is the best shot I got of her!

Digiscoped headshot.

Northern Cardinal

Comments appreciated!

Happy birding!

-Owen