WELCOME TO THE SOUTHWEST/EASTEND BIRD SITE. The purpose of this forum is to provide information about birds in general as well as information about specific birds.  The initial intent is to provide seasonal time frames for the information.  Within each broad time frame, the viewer will be able to read relevant material and to provide their input on bird topics, bird sightings or queries. The beginning: Winter 2015 1: Please remember to clean any bird feeders you may have on your property.  See www.birding.about.com or www.allaboutbirds.org and check their links. 2: Blue jays love peanuts.  Provide them with non-salted peanuts in the shell.  It's interesting to notice how many they can stuff into their mouth at one time. 3: Birds of note;  There is a resident Varied Thrush and an American Goldfinch around town.  Eyes open!  Another bird of interest is the brown Creeper.  This bird is easier to see during the winter when leaves are off deciduous trees.  Pay attention to the manner in which it moves along the trunk.



 May 23 2015 - Hi: Adding to our springtime list of arriving birds:

I think I missed the Belted kingfisher from two weeks ago.  The 5 dollar bird with the rattling call. Our two mimidae birds are back, namely the Gray catbird and the Brown thrasher.  If you have the opportunity to hear these two birds expressing their "happiness" about being back it is very entertaining and varied.
Blue herons and Pelicans have been visiting our waters.
Upland sandpipers, Lark buntings, Least flycatcher, Baltimore Orioles in large numbers, or it sounds like large numbers, Rose-breasted grosbeaks (lovely bib on the males), Veery and just today the songster of renown, the Red-eyed vireo.  This bird repeats its love call over and over without much spacing between.  He is usually found in the upper branches of larger trees searching for insects.
With the mostly southerly winds we have been experiencing there should be some additional warblers coming through.

Head out and check out our little, some not so little, friends.

Bye for now
Robt

Note: we have a reasonably high occupancy and egg laying on behalf of the Mountain bluebirds on our trail.
 

 May 17 2015 -Hi.   House wrens. (Those vocal little noisy backyard bullies).   White throat sparrows showed up in our backyard again, along with their kin, white-crowned sparrows.  Swainson's thrush appeared recently.  Also check out the Gray cheeked thrush; they might show up.  Male yellow warblers  and blackpoll warblers are busily gleaning amongst the shrubbery that is in bloom.  Heard towhees busily exercising their syrinx. (This is a Y shaped vocal apparatus that enables birds to produce two pure notes at the same time or separately.). Three male Harris sparrows have been cleaning up any seeds and other forms of food that may on the ground.  Beautiful specimens .  Siskins seen recently at the feeder.   Several excessively vocal Red-napped sapsuckers were searching the trees for edibles.  A few Baltimore Orioles have been heard.   Two of our larger sparrows are the Harris and the Fox.  So, if you see a large sparrow check out the distinguishing characteristics for each.

Our seasonal turkey vultures appear in early evening for one last flight before going to roost on some large trees.  Just about forgot the Tennessee warbler searching for insects in our Cotoneaster shrubs.

Until next time,
Robt
 

 April 23 -Good afternoon,  A male Mourning dove was feeding beneath our feeder.  Note their beautiful iridescence (mauve overtones).  Note the black spots on the wings.  They also have a triangular pointed tail.  Remember the Eurasian collared dove has a lighter coloration and the black swatch behind its head; possess a rounded tail.

Turkey vultures appeared approx a week ago.  If you see one while using you binocs check to see if there are coloured plastic tags (long pieces of plastic). Attached to the trailing portion of their wings. If so, please note the colours and the order of colours and contact Stuart Huston in Saskatoon.  (Or myself)
Many grackles over the past week.  Again notice the iridescent colours and eye colour.
The white crowned and white throated sparrows should be on the scene in the near future.  Catch the "Oh Canada, Oh Canada...".) tune of the white throat.
Kildeers are out and about.
Red tail and ferruginous Hawks are either building or on nests.  Please do not get too close to either hawks nest.  They can be somewhat annoyed with our noble intrusions!
If you wish to build bird houses please check the Internet for the proper size and appropriate openings for the specific bird. E. G.  Mountain bluebirds require an opening of 1 9/16 inch.

More later without a doubt!

Robt

 

March 29-Good morning:  two weeks ago, while working on the bluebird trail, we observed approx. 24 Meadowlarks.  A thrill to see and to listen to them.  At that time the birds were like all males.
Have noticed several swans on Shaunavon's lagoon. I believe the majority has moved further north.  Note the dramatic increase in the number and kinds of ducks.  Seems the larger ducks arrive before the smaller ones.  E.g.  Mallards, pintails,shovelers before teals etc.
Over the past week Song sparrows have arrived.  If you have a chance listen to their vocalizations; lovely spring song.  Juncos are still here in numbers.  Note that some of the males have rusty/orangish sides. These are a variant of the Dark-eyed Junco.  Eastend'is goldfinch is starting to show much more yellow. Have to impress the females!  The Varied thrush is still in town.
The insect eating birds are still on their way, keep watching.

Keep your lenses clean.

Robt

Hi:  Update on sightings. Mar 16.  5 American tree sparrows;  Mar. 17.   2Juncos;  Mar. 18. Numerous Starlings;  Mar 21. Some kind of gull,  Red-tail hawk.   Numerous robins over the course of the week.  Ducks ( mallards and pintails ) were observed along hwy 21 approx. 5 km North of 13 and 21 junction.


Keep the old peepers open!

March 8 - Good morning:  spring arrivals are starting to show up in increasing numbers.  A sighting of two robins and two kestrels occurred NW of Ravenscrag within the last few days. Please post sightings in order to gain a broader perspective of this springs migration.  Saw 40+ Canada geese in the open water on the Frenchman River today.  Lovely chorus being generated.
RG

Hi: Ed, I have seen the following over the past week: Feb 12. Two snowy owls and one rough-legged hawk along the Davis Ck road. Yesterday, Feb 17, FOUR Canada geese flew over town! What are these geese thinking? Have they considered the limited menu around here? We go south they come North. One of the mysteries of life.

Bye for now,

Robert


Good morning: spring arrivals are starting to show up in increasing numbers. A sighting of two robins and two kestrels occurred NW of Ravenscrag within the last few days. Please post sightings in order to gain a broader perspective of this springs migration. RG


More birds! Saw 40+ Canada geese in the open water on the Frenchman River today. Lovely chorus being generated. Robt


Good morning: Went for a drive yesterday and saw a Great Horned owl sitting on the nest and facing into the wind. See attached photo. If you are interested in observing these owls just look for any large nest in the trees and you should be able to distinguish the heads with "horns". These birds usually start the nesting program in Feb. Also, take a close look at the Redpolls that may be at your feeder. There just might be one or more (small numbers) Hoary Redpolls. We should be able to see these for a few more weeks before they migrate to northern Canada. Has anyone heard what sounds like a Redtail hawk around town? Enjoy the viewing.


 Photo of Great Horned Owl nest courtesy of RG

THE AREA SURROUNDING EASTEND IS A WORLD CLASS BIRD WATCHING LOCATION.

BIRD COUNTERS: ROXIE BINKLEY, JOAN HODGSON, DIANE DOHEI, ED SANFORD, HARVEY JOHNSON, AND MARY THOMSON

BIRD COUNT RESULTS FOR JAN. 2, 2015 BIRDS:

Mallard                                           15

Ring-necked pheasant               49

Sharp-tailed grouse                    41

Rough-legged hawk                      4

Rock pigeon                                 19 

Eurasian collared dove              16

Downy woodpecker                    12

Hairy woodpecker                          4

Northern flicker                               2

Merlin                                                1

Blue jay                                             7

Black-billed magpie                    63

Common raven                               1

Horned lark                                      5

Black-capped chickadee            39

Red-breasted nuthatch               17

White-breasted nuthatch               1

European starling                           7

Bohemian waxwing                     91

Snow bunting                                  4

Dark-eyed junco                             2

House finch                                     1

Red crossbill                                   9

Common redpoll                          82

Pine siskin                                       1

MAMMALS:

Nuttal's cottontail                            3

Jack rabbit                                       2

Meadow vole                                   1

American porcupine                      1

Red fox                                             1

Mule deer                                       26

White-tailed deer                            8

Moose                                               6


Total birds for count day: 682

Total bird species for count day: 26