Rondeau Ric

Not much variety in bird species in the yard these days. Went out looking for snow buntings and horned larks but nothing came close enough to photograph.  This one is from the archives.  January 14, 2015, Kent county, Ontario, Canada. Eremophila alpestris. Female Horned Larks often collect “pavings”—pebbles, clods, corncobs, dung—which they place beside their nests, covering soil excavated from the nest cavity. The “paved” area resembles a sort of walkway, though the birds don’t seem to use it that way. While nobody fully understands the function of these pavings, they may help prevent collected nesting material from blowing away while the nest is under construction.

It has just been reported, that as a part of the Inauguration ceremonies that the 51st state has joined the union. It is the State of Depression, and the state song is Suicide is Painless as performed by the German band , Despair, a thrash metal band . In other breaking news the symbol of the United States, the Bald Eagle, will be replaced by the Clownfish. More details as they become available.

We have a lot of juncos in the yard just now, up to 20+ feeding and getting water from the water feature. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, January 17, 2025. Junco hyemalis The Dark-eyed Junco is one of the most common birds in North America and can be found across the continent, from Alaska to Mexico, from California to New York. A recent estimate set the junco’s total population at approximately 630 million individuals.  

A standard winter resident in our yard over the winter. A handsome little bird. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, January 15, 2025. Spizelloides arborea. American Tree Sparrows need to take in about 30 percent of their body weight in food and a similar percentage in water each day. A full day's fasting is usually a death sentence. Their body temperature drops and they lose nearly a fifth of their weight in that short time.

 Snuggle up.

A rare visitor from  the south-central Great Plains. Seen near Blenheim, Ontario, Canada, January 12, 2024. Zonotrichia querula Unless you are ready to brave a trip to far northern Canada in the summer, you'll need to catch the Harris's Sparrow during migration or on the wintering grounds.     North America's largest sparrow (except for towhees) and the only songbird that breeds in Canada and nowhere else in the world. 

f  A dull grey day, a grey and white bird straddling the stream. Dark eyed junco, Rondeau Provincial Park, January 11,, 2025.

Nice sunny day but far too cold to be trying to get decent images. Therefore, back to the archives for this  hummingbird from Ecuador, March 2016 near Tandayapa, about 37 miles (60km)   outside of Quito   Colibri coruscans  3.5 cm (5.3 in) .  The Sparkling Violetear is “sparkling” green with conspicuous violet sides of the cheeks and ear tufts. It has a blue patch on the belly. The undertail coverts are green with feathers fringed with whitish. The tail is green and square with a dark terminal band.  The bill is black and gently decurved.

  March 19, 2016,  flame faced tanager, Ecuador. Near Quito.

 Some colour on a cold winters day. Ecuador March 16, 2016

Everyone complains about the cost of living but no one wants to give it up.

Overcast, below freezing, snowing. Some colour for your day.