Falcon Fledglings

Windsor's Ambassador Bridge has a Peregrine Falcon nest box that is used yearly by the same pair of birds (usually the same pair, read about some falcon drama from last year in Windsor's newspaper). A typical number of chicks for falcons is 2-4, but this year there are 5 fledglings moving around and getting ready to make their first flights!

Here is one of the parents perched on the nearby church steeple yesterday, a favorite perching spot for them.

The same parent moved to the bridge to watch her young more closely. 

Yesterday I could only see four of the fledglings, and one was doing a lot of wing stretching. 

Today all five young were out of the nest and moving about, two of them doing lots of wing stretching. 

The one on the right in this photo seems pretty antsy - pacing back and forth, stretching lots, calling lots... 

The one on the right here did some wing stretching but mostly kept its head down where it had some food it's parent brought in right before I started getting photos.

Hopefully some more falcons flying around Windsor in the next week!

More Migrants

There are some pretty cool birds in the Windsor area! Here are the few I've actually been able to photograph in the last month:

Black and White Warbler

Green Heron

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-headed Woodpecker

Summer Tanager

Palm Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Black and White Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Song Sparrow

Prothonotary Warbler

Eastern Kingbird

Summer Tanager

Windsor's Breeding Birds

The number of birds that breed in Windsor becomes very clear at this time of year as tons of fledgling (recently left the nest) birds can be seen everywhere! Young European Starlings can be seen everywhere, this year's Canada Geese offspring are now teenagers, the Ambassador Bridge Peregrine Falcons have several chicks (reports of 5), and there is a new batch of American Robin and House Finch fledglings outside my office window. 

Two Robin siblings

Robin female after feeding one fledgling

One of the House Finch fledglings (mostly full feathers except the head tuft)

Three of the four Robin fledglings

Hopefully photos to come of the Peregrine Falcon chicks!

A Photo Post

Wood Ducks at Holiday Beach Conservation Area

Blue Gray Gnatcatcher at Holiday Beach

camouflaged American Bittern in Vermont 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Connecticut

Scarlet Tanager in Connecticut

Ovenbird in Connecticut

Tree Swallows, Barn Swallow, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Vermont

Close-up of the swallow tree

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)

Using All Available Habitat

As birds migrate through our area, it always amazes me how small an area they are willing to use for stop-overs to refuel. I bike along Windsor's riverfront each day, and in this narrow strip of trees and green area between the river and city, I consistently see an incredible number of species that are migrating through.

Yesterday, in about an hour total of birding along the river, I saw Northern Rough-winged Swallows (who will become resident and breed along the river), Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Chimney Swifts, a Downy Woodpecker, lots of American Robins, and then a large flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets!

The narrow strip of green space of Riverside Park

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Yellow-rumped Warbler foraging

Downy Woodpecker (he was following the warblers)

Yellow-rumped

This morning, a Yellow Warbler had joined the flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers!

Yellow Warbler (from last year, singing in Point Pelee NP)

A Heron Hunt

Some sad and some good news with the office birds... Last week a mob of House Sparrows found and attacked the House Finch nest. I haven't seen much sign of them still nesting, so they may have given up or moved.

In good news, there is a pair of robins building a nest! Photos to come, but they were working hard on Friday.

Migration continues to pick up, so here are a few birds from this past weekend:

Savannah Sparrow, Point Pelee

Horned Grebe, Point Pelee

Tree Swallow, Point Pelee

Pine Warbler, Point Pelee

Green Heron and Painted Turtles, Malden Park

Carefully step over the turtles...

Caught a fish!

Try for a second fish! (the turtle doesn't seem to mind)