Wood Ducks in the fall
Hunted nearly to extinction these beautiful ducks are making a comeback here in Ontario. Distinctively North American, they are not found anywhere other than the wetland forests of eastern North America.
Great Blue Heron
Many of the blue Herons have flown south for the warmer weather, perhaps the one knows about the Hurricane hitting the east coast today and decided to stay a little longer, but I doubt it. This one was settling in for the evening and eventually went to sleep whit’s head tucked in. 
Sanderling in winter plumage
Wasaga Beach is a great place to family portraits, which is what I was doing when Tammy pointed out this shore bird running in the surf. I was intent on what I was doing and it had run right up behind me. So of course I took a few photos, challenging to identify it’s first year fall/winter plumage. they spend the summers in the high Arctic, migrating south for winter.
Sandhill Crane Chick
This family was working their way along the shore line, I stayed somewhat still, and they walked right by me minding their own business. I feel good when my presence doesnt interrupt what they were doing and they continue on without giving me much notice. As they mosey along finding bugs to feed the chick, they also tried to show it where the bugs are found and encouraged it to pick them up. Fascinating.
Ring Billed Gulls #175
Wow #175 is one of the most common shore birds in Ontario… sometimes we simply need to stop and enjoy the birds right in front of us.
Mature Ring Billed Gulls
First year Gull without a clear ring around it’s bill.
Young Gulls with brown feathers, preaning on the beach.
Chipping Sparrow #173
Most likely the most common sparrow in North America, they are small and delicate, blending into all kinds of habitats, so well that we don’t even notice them. 
White-breasted Nuthatch
While it’s cousins prefer pines, this fellow prefers deciduous tress. They are frequently at the feeders, taking the nut of the seeds and hiding them for later in the tree bark. They are always here at the farm year round, I see them often yet rarely post a photo… here we go, a fall Nutchatch at he feeder.
Red-breasted Nuthatch #172
The fall migration has had a slow start, however the birds are coming thru. The trees we full of loud birds this morning here on the farm. There are several warblers in the bushes which I can’t identify in their fall plumage and no camera in hand. This little fellow was an easy one, and new to me. It is likely passing thru and stopped for some niger seed with the Chickadees.
Cedar Waxwings – Juvenile #171
Chickadee
These clever little birds are very smart indeed. They cache food in many different sites, recalling those locations and finding the food again is not small task. So much so, their little brain actually increases in size with the information, and as the winter stores are found and memory is not needed, its brain shrinks. They are also tough little birds that will gang up on a small owl to protect its family. Fascinating.
Monarch Butterflies
While on the Bruce Peninsula I learned some interesting Monarch info… they currently flying south along the shore line, we saw at least a dozen, perhaps more. They overnight in the cedars and sometimes will cluster in them. While some will make the whole trip to Mexico, along the journey 7 generations are produced. The extra little bug in the first photo is an Syrphid. Next time your up in the Bruce Peninsula look in the cedars for sleeping Monarchs, you might be surprised how many you find.
Red Eyed Vireo #170
The Red-eyed Vireos were once considered one of the three most abundant bird of the forests of Eastern North America. Cheeful singers, they will persistently sing all day long. via iBird.
Magnolia Warbler #169
This gem moved fast, almost too fast for me to follow… I’ll just have to go back and search it out again for better pics! Shown here in fall plumage.
Magnolia Warbler
Milk Weed Bugs
hmmmmm who knew? Milk Weed Bugs, finally a simple and fitting name. Done. these are Milk Weed Bugs. I just had to post them for that simple reason.
Cape May Warbler
Hard to imagine these little birds fly all the way to the West Indies for the winter, I find it amazing. Generally to search for bugs on the edge of forests like this like one was, he was very busy and really didn’t hardly give me a glance.
Yellow-throated Vireo #168
I was just looking this one up, futile, until a friend named it for me. I only saw it for a second or two, long enough for a couple of photos and it was gone. iBird fun facts: This little bird is on the decline due to spraying of trees with toxic chemicals where they forage for food, mainly insects. This is an old one for the bird books first described in 1808 by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot, a French ornithologist.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
I was delighted to find this bird. Just when I was thinking “wouldn’t it be cool to find a Black Throated Blue” there is was right in front of me. Click, click, click, click. A very approachable bird once found.
Black and White Warbler
Once known as the Black and White Creeper, this little bird moves around on tree trunk seeking out bugs under the bark. Found in Canada during the summer and migrates south for the winter.
Tufted Titmouse
This little birds busy cleaning out an egg it found in a compost pile. Interestingly most tufted Titmice live their entire lives within a few kilometres of their birthplace. A fun fact from my iBird.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
