Here's a beautiful cardinal that I photographed in my backyard earlier this year; I thought it was a good one for today. Merry Christmas to all! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #MerryChristmas #Christmas

Merry Christmas eve, for all those who celebrate! #birds #birding #finches #purplefinch #Christmas #Christmaseve

Another surprise at my feeders - one male and two female Brown-headed Cowbirds. Here's a snap of the male. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

An unexpected but welcome visitor yesterday, a female Purple Finch! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #finch #purplefinch

Yesterday a flock of about 30 American Robins passed through my yard. They seemed to be on a mission, with most flying rapidly by, all in the same direction. However, a few took a drink and a brief rest before rejoining their gang. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

I couldn't decide which pose of this House Finch I liked best, so am posting them all. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #housefinch #Ancaster #HamOnt

It's #caturday, but it's also our little goofball Loshi's 9th birthday today!

Yesterday, I had two American Tree Sparrows and one Pine Siskin enjoy my feeders. I managed a few shots of the sparrow, but not the siskin. Hope it comes back today! #Birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #sparrow #Ancaster #HamOnt

Two years ago, this gorgeous Snow Goose made an appearance at a local canal. #birds #birding #snowgoose #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay

From my archives, a Great Gray Owl that I saw close to Thunder Bay, Ontario in the winter of 2018. #birds #birding #owl #BirdOfTheDay #greatgrayowl

A Red-breasted Nuthatch posing nicely in our redbud. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay

Yesterday I posted the red-tailed hawk in my backyard on the weekend, featuring its talons. Here's the Cooper's Hawk, taken the same day, showing its talons as well. They both left empty-handed. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

On the weekend, the local Red-tailed Hawk perched above my feeders and watched them intently (photo 1). It eventually flew off (#2), which provided a good look at its lethal talons, so I cropped it to show them off (photo 3). #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #hawk #Ancaster #HamOnt

I'm thrilled to have this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker frequenting my feeders over the past two days. I can't help but think it is the same bird that spent last winter in my backyard. It ignores the migration memo! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #woodpecker #sapsucker

Loshi is the best present under the tree! Every year he remembers that it is his favourite place to snooze. Happy #Caturday!

A tale of two hawks. The Red-tailed Hawk had been sitting in our maple for hours (right side of photo). When a Cooper's Hawk flew in and took a nearby higher perch (upper left), I was expecting drama. The Coop's sat for a few minutes, then left, while the Red-tailed remained nonplussed #birds

House Finch have the knack of giving me judgmental looks. Female on my chickadee ornament and male in our redbud. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #finch

Last week a Sharp-shinned Hawk took an unsuccessful run at my feeder birds. This week a Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper's Hawk did the same. Pity as I have a surfeit of doves and starlings! Here's the Cooper's and an amusing shot of the Red-tailed as it launched towards the feeders. #birds #Bobsbackyard

Although I don't appreciate when European Starlings descend by the dozens onto my feeders and clean them out, I do appreciate their beautiful non-breeding plumage that they sport this time of year. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

The Varied Thrush is a beautiful west coast bird. This one somehow ended up near Haliburton, Ontario in the winter of 2020. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #vagrant

Follow the leader! Two male Hooded Mergansers out for a swim-about, and a close up of one showing off his hood. #ducks #birds #birding #HamOnt

American Tree Sparrow regretting that it agreed to "just one more drink." #birds #Birding #sparrow #noregrets #regrets

Last week there was a vagrant White-eyed Vireo in Hamilton. Though I saw it, I failed to get a decent photo. It got me to thinking of how beautiful vireos are. Here's four species - Blue-headed, Red-eyed, White-eyed, and Yellow-throated vireos. #birds #birding #vireo

An American Tree Sparrow foraging in golden rod. #birds #birding #sparrow #BirdOfTheDay #HamOnt

I found this photo of a Savannah Sparrow in my archives and thought it a good one to post on this cold, blustery day! Looking forward to their return in the spring. #birds #birding #sparrow #BirdOfTheDay #savannahsparrow

A Red-breasted Nuthatch posing nicely in our backyard redbud. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay #nuthatch

I spent hours at my desk, keeping an eye on my feeders. Left the room for a min, and when back this Sharp-shinned Hawk was right outside the window! By the time I could take a photo, it was taking off, so the photo is a bit out of focus. #birds #birding #BobsBackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay

I saw this Tundra Swan in Burlington a couple of days ago, hanging out with the Trumpeter Swans that overwinter there. #birds #birding #swan #tundraswan #BirdOfTheDay

This Winter Wren popped up yesterday and appeared to be standing on guard! Love its confident and proud looking pose. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #wren #winterwren

A festive #caturday to all who celebrate. Loshi takes his sleep very seriously.

A Tufted Titmouse in the snow. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #tufted #tuftedtitmouse

American Goldfinch enjoying our backyard snacks. #Bobsbackyard #Birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay

Woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. 22 cm overnight and it's still coming down. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #letitsnow #winterwonderland

From my archives, I'm still dreaming of getting Pine Grosbeaks this winter like these I saw in Thunder Bay a few years ago. #birds #birding #finches #pinegrosbeak #BirdOfTheDay

The Red-tailed Hawk that briefly perched in my backyard a few days ago was quite haughty! #Bobsbackyard #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #raptors #redtailedhawk #BirdOfTheDay

Here's a few more shots from last week when I went for a cuteness overload fix of Tufted Titmice! Titmouses? #birds #birding #tuftedtitmouse

It's the time of year when House Finches become regulars at my feeders. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

Not a bird, but it is a song by Wings! Paul McCartney played here in Hamilton on Friday night, for almost 3 hours at the age of 83. Here's a clip from Live and Let Die! #thebeatles #McCartney #Liveandletdie

Here's two more shots of the beautiful Evening Grosbeaks which visited my backyard last week. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheWeek #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

This Red-bellied Woodpecker was posing (posting?) nicely for me. #birds #birding #woodpecker #BirdOfTheDay

Yesterday I saw this Red-tailed Hawk fly in & perch behind my house. I went out & was amazed by the racket of alarm calls. The loudest were squirrels and nuthatches, joined by house finch, chickadees and blue jays. Soon crows came and chased it away. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding

A couple of days ago I went to get a fix of cuteness overload, visiting a spot with Tufted Titmice. Here's one with launch sequence activated.  #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #tuftedtitmouse

An Evening Grosbeak dining with a couple of woodpecker pals. First, with a Hairy Woodpecker, and second with a Red-bellied Woodpecker. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

The Evening Grosbeaks seem to have been a one day wonder, but at least a few Pine Siskins have stuck around, hanging out with the American Goldfinch. Here's a siskin enjoying a drink. #birds #birding #BirdOfTheDay #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #pinesiskin

Here's a few of the hundreds of photos that I took yesterday of the pair of female Evening Grosbeaks in our backyard. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #finch #eveninggrosbeak #Ancaster #HamOnt

Oh Canada! The winter finch report has been spot on. Two female Evening Grosbeaks and a flock of Pine Siskins in our backyard this morning. #birds #birding #eveninggrosbeak #finch #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

On Fri, just at dusk, a beautiful pair of Purple Finch appeared in my yard for about 3 minutes. Very briefly on the tray feeder, then bounced from tree to tree and gone - it looked like they were migrating. Haven't seen them again since. #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #BirdOfTheDay

Happy #caturday to all who celebrate it!

This Northern Mockingbird was quite wind blown, but that didn't stop him from singing his heart out. #birds #birding #mockingbird #BirdOfTheDay

This shot of a Winter Wren is similar to one I posted last week, but it looks even more jaunty with its tail cocked way up in this one #birds #birding #wren #winterwren #BirdOfTheDay