The Pond has Melted!

Finally! After 4 months being completely covered in ice, the pond near my house has finally melted completely meaning the ducks and shorebirds are once again using the pond as a rest stop on their trip north.

Waterfowl included a pair of Bufflehead:

Bufflehead pair

Three Blue-winged Teals, a pair of Hooded Mergansers, and a pair of Green-winged Teals.

Blue-winged Teals, female Hooded Merganser, female Green-winged Teal (far left)

Hooded Merganser male with female Green-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teals with female Bufflehead

Song Sparrows are singing from (still) singing from everywhere, but I also heard my first singing Savannah Sparrows and Vesper Sparrows (FOY) this morning. The Savannah Sparrows were doing an interesting dance where one would sing vigorously and chase the other individual from perch to perch. I presume this is a courtship routine, one I have never observed before.

Savannah Sparrows

Here are some shots of some Song Sparrows:

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

The Mourning Doves have been back for some time now, but today was my first time hearing that familiar cooing.

Mourning Dove

Numbers of Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers are increasing everywhere currently and their calls can be heard from many bush-lines and treetops.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Of course, Northern Flickers!

Female Northern Flicker

This male and female posed nicely for me on this fencepost. Notice the black "mustache" on the male.

Male and Female Northern Flicker

Male Northern Flicker

Another woodpecker that is extremely abundant right now is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. They migrate through southern Manitoba in great numbers during this time of year.

Female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

All these photos were taken on while on a walk this morning (April 27). I also saw 3 Franklin's Gulls, the second FOY I recorded today which has put me at 100 species on the year! In total I recorded 33 species... visit my Bird Log post to access the link to my eBird Checklist.

Have a good one!

Joel G.