This morning I left a little earlier – 3:15 am – to drive to the first stop of this survey (Crooked Creek) which begins just north west of Port Hope. It is the final one of my three Southern Ontario routes. Next I head to Northern Ontario.

Some route images:

MYSTERY BIRD

I will identify it at the end of the post.

A few months ago I posted Identification of 11 Sparrow Species: a Photographic Guide

This morning’s survey featured 2 more sparrow species. In fact, the first bird I heard at 4:30 am was a Vesper Sparrow. I had 4 during the survey but was unable to photograph any. Here is a photo from the Cornell Lab. site:

The other sparrow was the quite uncommon Grasshopper Sparrow. The song is described as a very high, hissing, insect-like buzz preceded by weak tik notes. They breed in large expanses of dense tall grass with scattered shrubs or weeds on dry ground. They are difficult to locate and even more difficult to photograph but I did find one briefly on a fence post. Note the complete eye ring:

I did have some beautiful singers during the 4.5 hour long survey.

Red-eyed Vireo, House Wren, Wood Thrush, Brown Thrasher, American Goldfinch, Bobolink. Eastern Meadowlark, Baltimore Oriole, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Black-and-white Warbler and Indigo Bunting. For the most part, the Crooked Creek Survey is on very peaceful country roads but there is a short interval when I had as many as 10 cars pass by during a 3 minute stop.

Birds I was able to photograph:

Some botany:

MYSTERY BIRD

The only other warbler that is mostly yellow with a darkish back like this one is the Prothonotary Warbler but it does not have wing bars. This is a female Yellow Warbler.

MAILBOX

Hi Miles,

Could this be a Mallard-Gadwall hybrid?

I would say yes as it has features of both parents.

NATURE POETRY

Buttercups have honeyed hearts,
Bees they love the clover,
But I love the daisies’ dance
All the meadow over.                                  – Marjorie Pickthall (1883–1922)

Miles Hearn