Rusty Blackbird at Humber Bay/ 11:30 group: October 2, 2021

Rusty Blackbirds are uncommon and nest in spruce trees near bogs within boreal forests. The migrant that we saw today was travelling with a mixed flock of Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles.

Rusty Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird

Other birds:

Red-necked Grebes
Red-winged Blackbirds
Northern Cardinal (male juvenile)
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorants
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorants
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Mallards
Double-crested Cormorant
Northern Cardinal (female)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Downy Woodpecker (male)
Song Sparrow
Brown Creeper
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Double-crested Cormorant with fish
Double-crested Cormorant with fish
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
male Wood Duck with Mallard
Yellow-rumped Warbler
female Wood Duck with Mallard
Yellow-rumped Warbler
female Wood Duck with Mallard
juvenile Red-winged Blackbird
male Wood Duck

Species list (for 8 am and 11:30): red-necked grebe, great blue heron, great egret, double-crested cormorant, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, wood duck, American wigeon, ring-billed gull, herring gull, mourning dove, belted kingfisher, rock pigeon, downy woodpecker, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, gray catbird, American robin, European starling, yellow-rumped warbler, northern parula, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, northern cardinal, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow.  (30 species)

In all of my years of birdwatching, this was the first time I ever ever seen a Red-winged Blackbird take food directly from a hand:

Red-winged Blackbird (male)

11:30 group:

NATURE POETRY

Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.
So the little moments,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of Eternity.                       – Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney (1823–1908)

Miles Hearn

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