Belted Kingfishers need open water for fishing and we have had a lot of that this winter. That would explain why we had one yesterday at Lambton Woods:
and another this morning at Wilket Creek:
What does Birds of Ontario say about wintering Kingfishers?
On the 1968-1977 Christmas counts they were present but uncommon at most localities north to Ottawa and Manitoulin. Speirs had winter records for Pickering Twp. on Dec. 13, 1972, Jan. 20, 1973 and Feb. 2, 1974, and they were noted on more than half of the Pickering Christmas counts. Mills (1981) cited a few January records for the cottage country. Dennison (1980) listed one on one of the 25 Christmas counts at Sault Ste. Marie.
Other birds from Wilket Creek:
Park scenes:
Some botany:
Today’s group:
NATURE POETRY
Willow buds sleep tight
And snug on winter branches.
Weeping is tiring. – Karen Eckert
Miles Hearn