EASTERN SCREECH OWL,WOOD DUCKS,BALD EAGLE,CACKLING GEESE !!!

For a sunny day it was still cold! The search for the Eastern Screech Owl at Canatara Park came to an end today. We have been trying to find one in the park for awhile now the bird always seemed to elude us.
Found the owl sunning him or herself in one of the wood duck boxes.


EASTERN SCREECH OWL IN CANATARA

There was also a pair of wood ducks that flew down from a tree to join a large group of Mallards in the pond at the animal farm. Wood Ducks are such beautiful birds even the females with their white eye ring.


FEMALE WOOD DUCK




MALE WOOD DUCK

As we were looking over Lake Chipican which still had the Common Mergansers from a few days ago a Bald Eagle flew along the lake shore being harassed by American Crows.
The walk threw the meadow proved to produce a few Cardinals some Black Capped Chickadees and one solitary Downy Woodpecker heard but not seen.
Finally the first spring flowers, this clump of Snow Drops was out presenting itself.


SNOW DROPS ON TRAIL 

Our hands were frozen from holding binoculars so decided to break for lunch.
Since the sun was still shining after lunch we went to Wawanosh Wetlands which is fully thawed.Finally got another Lifer off my list a Cackling Goose.
Eight where swimming in a group they took awhile to spot in the hundreds of Canada Geese(No Scope) that were on the main pond near the parking lot. I can now say I see the difference besides them being smaller their bills and neck are also different.


CACKLING GEESE AT WAWANOSH WETLANDS


The ponds on Upper Canada drive are open and there was 2 gadwalls swimming in amongst the geese and mallards.
These ponds always seem to produce a few rarities like the Ross's Goose we found earlier.


GADWALL UPPER CANADA DRIVE

                                                                 

ROSS'S GOOSE AT POND EARLIER

I think we need to go talk to Wiarton Willie who said Spring would be early!!
Today with the wind it was still nippy birding. Oh well we at least saw something new which is what birding is about.
Good Birding soon hopefully, I have been promised Pelee for my birthday in May.To bad my son won't be here, he ids most of the birds for me I am getting better each time we go out.Chris will be near Flagstaff, Arizona he leaves April and won't be back till end of summer. He has a job Bird Banding/Mist Netting for the University of Montana in the Coconino National Forest.
So be warned I may be posting pictures for everyone to help me id and if I post wrong please correct me how else will I learn them.

Happy Birding Everyone!!