Rondeau Ric

It’s with great sadness that we let you know Ric has passed away.   His wife Anne and his 2 sons, Brian and Steve, were by his side.   A memorial service is being arranged and once details are known, we’ll post an update.   Thank you - Anne, Brian and Steve.

  I don't normally do video but we had a fall out today at our water feature. This only some of the warblers. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Sept 21, 2025. A bouquet of warblers.

  Up close and personal, September 18, 2025. Our yard, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Lots of warbler activity the last two days and this is one of 14 species of warbler that came by the yard. Setophaga pensylvanica The Chestnut-sided Warbler sings two basic songs: one is accented at the end (the  pleased-to- meetcha  song), and the other is not. Males sing the accented songs primarily to attract a female; once nesting is well underway they switch over to the unaccented songs, which are used mostly in territory defense and aggressive encounters with other males. Some males sing only unaccented songs, and they are less successful at securing mates than males that sing both songs. source-allaboutbirds-org

  Not sure what this mourning dove was doing. First it lifted one wing then after a moment it switched and lifted its other wing. Didn't bathe while it was doing it, just sat there. Odd. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Sept 8, 2025. Zenaida macroura Mourning Doves tend to feed busily on the ground, swallowing seeds and storing them in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop. Once they’ve filled it (the record is 17,200 bluegrass seeds in a single crop!), they can fly to a safe perch to digest the meal. source-allaboutbirds-org

 We had thirteen species of warblers today, I missed photographing 3 but Anne and I got the other 10. This is group- wrench- of warblers including black and white, black throated green and a chestnut sided warbler having a communal bath in our little water feature. The birds were coming and going so fast it was hard to get more than three species together. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 17, 2025.

 A pair of misnamed warblers. I thought it was fun to capture both of these warblers together naming Nashville, Tennessee . Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 13, 2025.   Nashville Warblers are only found in Tennessee during migration Leiothlypis ruficapilla - Nashville warbler. Despite breeding no closer to the state of Tennessee than northern Michigan, 600 miles away, the Tennessee Warbler was given its name by Alexander Wilson based on a bird he encountered in Tennessee during its migration. Leiothlypis peregrina-Tennessee warbler. source- allaboutbirds-org.

Philadelphia vireo. An unusual visitor to our yard and water feature. They migrate through our area, they just don't stop here often. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 12, 2025. Vireos tend to do what we call a "dive and dip" bath. They sit on a branch above the water and suddenly dive into the water, then straight back out to a perch. Vireo philadelphicus Philadelphia Vireo was named in 1851 by American ornithologist John Cassin, who described the species based on a specimen of a migrant in Philadelphia. A local name for the species in that city was once “Brotherly-love Vireo.” source-allaboutbirds-org.

  We had a Cooper's hawk drop in for a drink and a bath at our small water feature. Unsurprisingly, we had no other birds during its visit or for a while after it left. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, Sept 10, 2025. Astur cooperii Dashing through vegetation to catch birds is a dangerous lifestyle. In a study of more than 300 Cooper’s Hawk skeletons, 23 percent showed old, healed-over fractures in the bones of the chest, especially of the furcula, or wishbone. source-allaboutbirds.org

  There isn't a common name for a group of Tennessee warblers, so , Anne and I made up own and decided a hoedown was a fun name. We had 6 Tennessees in the water or nearby at one point yesterday, September 8, 2025. We have never seen so many at one time before. Perhaps the red-nuthatch was acting as the lifeguard. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada Leiothlypis peregrina Despite breeding no closer to the state of Tennessee than northern Michigan, 600 miles away, the Tennessee Warbler was given its name by Alexander Wilson based on a bird he encountered in Tennessee during its migration.

We have been inundated with red-breasted nuthatches this year. Here there are 6 of them in the water at the same time. We have seen up to 11 at a time. Unfortunately they are aggressive to other birds coming in for water. They take on everything from warblers to mourning doves. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 6, 2025.  Sitta canadensis During nest building, the Red-breasted Nuthatch is aggressive, chasing away other hole-nesting birds such as the House Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Downy Woodpecker. A particularly feisty nuthatch may go after Yellow-rumped Warblers, House Finches, Violet-Green Swallows, and Cordilleran Flycatchers.

  This is probably the safest looking Northern Cardinal I have ever seen. This is moulting to the max. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 2, 2025. Cardinalis cardinalis Only a few female North American songbirds sing, but the female Northern Cardinal does, and often while sitting on the nest. This may give the male information about when to bring food to the nest. A mated pair shares song phrases, but the female may sing a longer and slightly more complex song than the male.

 We had a very good day for warblers. Thirteen species with photographs of all but one. Not vey often get that many wailers in one day. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, September 3, 2025. Seiurus aurocapilla The Ovenbird female weaves the cup, side entrance, and roof of her domed nest from the inside as a single, integrated piece. Then she drops leaves and twigs on top to hide it. If the chicks inadvertently dismantle the dome as they grow, the female ignores the damage.

Nellie is one of the most relaxed cats we have had. A nice snuggle and we both have a cat nap. Photo by Anne. Sept 1, 2025

We normally get these large gulls in late August to early September, so they are right on time. There is no mistaking the adults for any other gull. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 30, 2025, Larus marinus This is the largest gull in the world. Its broad wings and powerful appearance give it a regal look that have impressed naturalists for years. In the words of one early observer: “It surely seemed to be a king among the gulls, a merciless tyrant over its fellows, the largest and strongest of its tribe. No weaker gull dared to intrude upon its feudal domain.” The average length of 71-79 cm (28-31 inches), a weight of 1300-2000 g (46-70 oz), and a wingspan of 146-160 cm (57.5-63 inches) The oldest Great Black-backed Gull on record was at least 26 years, 9 months old, when it was spotted in new Jersey in 1994 and identified by its band. It had been banded in Massachusetts in 1968. source- allaboutbirds.org

  This is one of several dragonflies that were in the yard today. Very cool/cold overnight and they appeared to be waiting for the temperature to climb before becoming active. If you look closely you can see the outline of the rear wing that has the blotches. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 29, 2025. Tramea lacerata The black saddlebags     is a species  of skimmer dragonfly     found throughout North America. It has distinctive wings with characteristic black blotches at their proximal ends, which make the dragonfly look as though it is wearing  saddlebags. The black saddlebags is a relatively large dragonfly at about 5 centimetres (2 in) in length. The body is thin and black, and the female may have lighter spotting or mottling dorsally. The head is much wider than the rest of the body and is dark brown in color. The insect can be found at bodies of stagnant water, such as ponds and ditches. source inaturalist.

 Looking out from a snag in the yard to see if the coast is clear. We had a Cooper's hawk in a tree and the red-breasted wasn't going out until it was sure it was clear. The hawk left without breakfast. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario , Canada., August 27, 2025. Sitta canadensis The Red-breasted Nuthatch collects resin globules from coniferous trees and plasters them around the entrance of its nest hole. It may carry the resin in its bill or on pieces of bark that it uses as an applicator. The male puts the resin primarily around the outside of the hole while the female puts it around the inside. The resin may help to keep out predators or competitors. The nuthatch avoids the resin by diving directly through the hole.

 Drinking at the Spotted Rock, open 24/7. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 26, 2025. Dryobates pubescens. Woodpeckers don’t sing songs, but they drum loudly against pieces of wood or metal to achieve the same effect. People sometimes think this drumming is part of the birds’ feeding habits, but it isn’t. In fact, feeding birds make surprisingly little noise even when they’re digging vigorously into wood.

  Fall migration is on. This chestnut-sided dropped by the water feature for a quick bath. Photo by Anne. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 24, 2025. Setophaga pensylvanica The Chestnut-sided Warbler sings two basic songs: one is accented at the end (the  pleased-to- meetcha  song), and the other is not. Males sing the accented songs primarily to attract a female; once nesting is well underway they switch over to the unaccented songs, which are used mostly in territory defense and aggressive encounters with other males. Some males sing only unaccented songs, and they are less successful at securing mates than males that sing both songs. source - allaboutbirds-org.

  Another of the migrants moving south through our yard.  Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 23, 2025. Cardellina canadensis Canada Warblers can be a little more difficult to find than other warblers due to their declining populations and northern breeding distribution, but they are not impossible to find. Look for a forest patch with a mossy understory filled with ferns, shrubs, and rhododendrons

 Fall migration is under way. This Blackburnian warbler is one of the species we have seen over the last few days. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 21, 2025. Setophaga fusca Tiny Blackburnian Warblers are strong fliers that travel between North and South America twice each year, so perhaps it isn’t surprising that they’re occasionally found very far off course. At times, “vagrants” have been recorded in Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, and the Azores off western Africa.

 This is one of the flycatchers we see in the yard. Not an everyday bird so it is nice when it does visit. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 21, 2025. Empidonax flaviventris Yellow-bellied Flycatchers don't stick around on the breeding grounds for long. They have one of the shortest stays of any Neotropical migrant, often less than 70 days. source- allaboutbirds-org.

  A handsome bird still in spring plumage.  It was our only warbler today. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 20, 2025. Setophaga tigrina.  The average clutch size of the Cape May Warbler (6 eggs) is greater than that of other warblers. This large clutch size may allow Cape May Warbler populations to expand rapidly during outbreaks of their preferred prey, spruce budworms.

 I need coffee NOW! A very young mourning dove at our water feature. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 31, 2025. Zenaida macroura The oldest known Mourning Dove was a male, and at least 30 years, 4 months old when he was shot in Florida in 1998. He had been banded in Georgia in 1968.

Spotted the five-lined skink on a log near our water feature. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 16, 2025. Common five-lined skink   is a small (up to 8.6 cm ) black or grey coloured lizard. Juveniles have five cream-coloured stripes along their back and a blue tail. It is the only   lizard native to Ontario. Found in a small area of southwestern Ontario near the shorelines of Lake Erie, St. Clair, and Huron. This population is considered endangered due to habitat loss and other threats. Plestiodon  fasciatus 

It's what's for breakfast. This Chipping Sparrow came to the water feature in the yard with a shoreline wolf spider in its beak. It seemed to be washing it before eating it. I always thought they were strictly speed eaters. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 12, 2025 Spizella passerina. The nest of the Chipping Sparrow is of such flimsy construction that light can be seen through it. It probably provides little insulation for the eggs and young. source-allaboutbirds-org

This yellow-breasted chat showed up today , a first for the water feature. More likely to be heard than seen as they like heavy, thickets.  Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 12, 2025.  Icteria virens The Yellow-breasted Chat offers a cascade of song in the spring, when males deliver streams of whistles, cackles, chuckles, and gurgles with the fluidity of improvisational jazz. It’s seldom seen or heard during the rest of the year, when both males and females skulk silently in the shadows of dense thickets, gleaning insects and berries for food. Larger and chunkier than a warbler, the chat is a widespread breeder in shrubby habitats across North America, venturing to Central America for the winter. source allabouttbirds-org

  The prothonotary was back today and I managed to get an image of it with a yellow warbler. It was a good day, as well as the prothonotary we had brown creeper, scarlet tanager, and a black and white warbler. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 11, 2025. Protonotaria citrea Setophaga petechia

  While out on the pontoon boat we came across this small map turtle. Anne thought it looked like a Chinese lantern. August 8, 2025, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Graptemys geographica Mating in spring; females lay eggs in sandy or soft soil Nesting occurs in late spring to early summer Hatchlings emerge in late summer or overwinter and emerge in spring

In the hedge above the pond. It was a 10 second bird. If you blinked, you missed it. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 9, 2025. Setophaga virens One male Black-throated Green Warbler was observed singing 466 songs in one hour.

 We haven't seen a red-head for about two weeks. We hear then most days, but they have been shy, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 7, 2025. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. It hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood, under bark, in fenceposts, and under roof shingles. Grasshoppers are regularly stored alive, but wedged into crevices so tightly that they cannot escape.

  This American robin was showing off his lunch to the crowd at the pond. For some reason nothing tried to steal his meal. Rondeau Provincial  Park, Ontario, Canada, August 1, 2025. Turdus migratorius Robins eat different types of food depending on the time of day: more earthworms in the morning and more fruit later in the day. Because the robin forages largely on lawns, it is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning and can be an important indicator of chemical pollution.

  A loud caller and a fast mover, Carolina wrens can be a challenge to photograph. This one was feeding along the edges of the water feature which made it easier. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 5, 2025. Thryothorus ludovicianus One captive male Carolina Wren sang nearly 3,000 times in a single day. source - allaboutbirds-org

  This yellow warbler looks like it is having a bad feather day after bathing in the water feature in the yard. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 3, 2025. Setophaga petechia Yellow Warblers eat mostly insects, so they don’t come to backyard feeders. Larger yards that have small trees or are near streams may provide nesting habitat for these birds.

 Eastern wood peewee diving through a water feature in the yard. They rarely bath, instead they splash through the water then groom on a perch. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, August 1, 2025. Contopus virens The olive-brown Eastern Wood-Pewee is inconspicuous until it opens its bill and gives its unmistakable slurred call:  pee-a-wee! —a characteristic sound of Eastern summers. These small flycatchers perch on dead branches in the mid-canopy and sally out after flying insects.  source - allaboutbirds-org

Today Anne spotted and I saw prothonotary warbler at the water in the yard. It moved into the hedge and started grooming. They breed close by but we haven't seen or heard one in the yard before. Not the greatest image but for something like this you take what you can get. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 31, 2025., Protonotaria citrea Most warblers nest either on the ground, in shrubs, or in trees, but the Prothonotary Warbler and the Lucy's Warbler build their nests in holes in standing dead trees. They may also use nest boxes when available.

 Stuck in the middle with you. A mixed bag of birds in the water feature. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 27, 2925.

The house sparrow is another bird with the hard ridge in its mouth to assist in cracking seeds. The white object is its tongue. Lots of birds coming in for water these days. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. July 27, 2025  Finches, sparrows, cardinals, grosbeaks and others have muscular, conical bills. The.upper jaw's hard palate (roof of the mouth) is heavily keratinized—with ridges or bumps—that works like a cracking surface against the lower jaw to shell seeds efficiently Many granivores possess specialized  tomial structures—the cutting edges of the mandibles—with ridges or serrations that slice through seed hulls. Passer domesticus House Sparrows in flocks have a pecking order much the way chickens in a farmyard do. You can begin to decipher the standings by paying attention to the black throats of the males. Males with larger patches of black tend to be older and dominant over males with less black. By wearing this information on their feathers, sparrows can...

  We were really pleased to see the titmouse. We haven't had one in the yard for two or three years. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 27, 2025 Baeolophus bicolor  Unlike many chickadees, Tufted Titmouse pairs do not gather into larger flocks outside the breeding season. Instead, most remain on the territory as a pair. Frequently one of their young from that year remains with them, and occasionally other juveniles from other places will join them. Rarely a young titmouse remains with its parents into the breeding season and will help them raise the next year's brood.

This yellow throated vireo dropped by on July 26, 2025. Not supper rare, just rare at our water. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada Vireo flavifrons The Yellow-throated Vireo is one of the most colorful member of its family. Not only does this bird have a bright yellow throat, it looks as if it’s wearing bright yellow spectacles.

Northern house wren, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 24, 2025. Troglodytes aedon Wrens love brush piles for cover, protection, and a source of insects. If you need to prune trees or cut brush in your yard, consider heaping the cuttings into a pile as a safe place for birds to gather.

Two ruby-throated hummingbirds quietly sharing a feeder. Come mid August we can have as many as 17 hummingbirds at the various feeder inn the yard. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 21, 2025.  Archilochus colubris Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are eastern North America’s only breeding hummingbird. But in terms of area, this species occupies the largest breeding range of any North American hummingbird.

  This warbler turned up at the water today. Rare for this time of year in our area. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 22, 2025. Leiothlypis peregrina The Tennessee Warbler is a common nectar "thief" on its wintering grounds in tropical forests. Most nectar-eating birds, bats, and insects probe a flower from the front to get the nectar, spreading pollen on their faces in the process. But Tennessee warblers pierce the flower tube at the base, lapping up the nectar without helping pollinate the flower.

 Ever wonder where movie directors get their ideas for aliens? How about this monster mouth. The inside of a young grackles mouth  as it panted in the heat. The ridge inside the mouth is for sawing the tops off acorns to help crack open the nut. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 15, 2025. 

A new pond visitor.  I was photographing birds that were coming into our water feature and things had slowed down. Rather than packing it in, I stayed and just watched the area. The longer I watch the luckier I get. Northern short-tailed shrew,Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 15, 2025. Blarina brevicauda It is notable in that it is one of the few venomous mammals . The venom secreted from the salivary glands of northern short-tailed shrews can cause pain that lasts for several days in a human who is bitten. However, bites are rare, and usually occur when someone attempts to handle a shrew. Northern short-tailed shrews are 75 to 105 mm long from their head to the base of their tail. The tail length ranges from 17 to 30 mm. Males are slightly larger than females, especially in the skulls. The fur is velvety and soft, and the color almost uniformly slate gray, with the underparts being only slightly paler. Summer fur color is a shade paler than winter fur. Northern short...

  Red-headed woodpecker visiting the yard this afternoon, I think they are one of the most elegant bids we see. Rondeau Provincial Park. Ontario, Canada, July 13, 2025. Melanerpes erythrocephalus The Red-headed Woodpecker benefited from the chestnut blight and Dutch elm disease outbreaks of the twentieth century. Though these diseases devastated trees they provided many nest sites and foraging opportunities for the woodpeckers.

Every time I seen an immature male orchard oriole it makes me think of a hooded oriole from way down south.  Our yard, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 12, 2025. Icterus spurius. Orchard Orioles migrate north late in the spring and head southward early, with some returning to their wintering grounds as early as mid-July. Because of the short breeding season, researchers have trouble distinguishing between breeding orioles and migrating ones in any given location.

 More often heard than seen this visitor to the eater feature is always a treat to see. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 10, 2025 .Pipilo erythrophthalmus A strikingly marked, oversized sparrow of the East, feathered in bold black and warm reddish-browns – if you can get a clear look at it. Eastern Towhees are birds of the undergrowth, where their rummaging makes far more noise than you would expect for their size. Their  chewink  calls let you know how common they are, but many of your sightings end up mere glimpses through tangles of little stems.

  This common grackle had a mouth full of insects. Not sure if they. were for it or if there was a chick nearby. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 8, 2025. Quiscalus quiscula Those raggedy figures out in cornfields may be called scare- crows , but grackles are the #1 threat to corn.

  Our cactus are in bloom just now, odd to have cactus in Ontario. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 7, 2025. Opuntia humifusa. The Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa) is one of only two cacti native to Ontario, and it is considered an endangered species in the province.  It is found in Point Pelee National Park, and Rondeau Provincial Park.     These areas, known as the Lake Erie Sand Spit Savannas, provide the dry, sandy habitats that the cactus needs to thrive.

  We were unable to identify this young bird. Our various field guides don't show immature birds and the Merlin app couldn't identify it either. Thanks to a lot of people responding to an enquiry on Ontario Birds we found out it is an immature scarlet tanager. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, July 6, 2025. Piranga olivacea The oldest Scarlet Tanager on record was a male, and at least 11 years, 11 months old. He was banded in Pennsylvania in 1990 and found in Texas in 2001.