About 20 people joined Lynne Freeman and Monika Croydon on a Birding Basics walk at Toronto's Evergreen Brickworks on Sunday, June 20th. For some, it was their first birding experience. We all shared a keen interest in learning more about birds, and how to identify them by sight and by sound.
It was a beautiful morning, but the birds were scarce, with mainly common breeding birds showing themselves. We started by practicing our binocular skills on the Barn Swallows and House Sparrows nesting in the market buildings. Moving onto the ponds and surrounding shrubs, trees and grasslands, we learned how to identify male, female, and fledgling Red-Winged Blackbirds, Yellow Warblers, and other bird species. Focussing on song, we learned the American Goldfinch’s "potato chip" song and the "sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet" song of the Yellow Warbler. Participants were urged to make up their own mnemonics for bird songs. A creative young man who was there with his family figured out that Warbling Vireos sing "I don't know what I'm doing, but I can fly up!". Highlights for the group included watching fledgling Red-Winged Blackbirds and Yellow Warblers being fed by their parents, a female Mallard on its nest, a teetering Turkey Vulture and a distant Red-Tailed Hawk. Other birds included a Purple Martin guarding its nest and an elusive Eastern Phoebe who was seen by some of the group. The lovely morning was rounded out by a curious Snapping Turtle who swam over to look at us, and Midland Painted Turtles basking in the sun. Lynne and Monika -- Lynne Freeman (she/her/hers) [email protected] "Be bold, be brave, be amazing" Simon de Pury - Work of Art -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at [email protected]. Please review posting rules and guidelines at http://ofo.ca/site/content/listserv-guidelines During the COVID-19 pandemic, all Ontario birders should be taking extra precautions and following local, provincial, and federal regulations regarding physical distancing and non-essential travel. To find out more about OFO, please visit our website at ofo.ca or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists.
