A Baltimore Oriole exploring an apple tree in blossom. #birds #birding #HamOnt

Unreal. A pair of Black-throated Blue Warblers visiting a feeder for Oriole's grape jelly! The females are rarely seen, very skulky, and so different from the males they were initially thought to be a different species. Thanks to my good friend Alice for sharing them with me! #birds #birding #HamOnt

Last week I finally saw a Wilson's Phalarope, a lifer. Pretty bird! #birds #birding

Here's a brief clip of the male Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher in action. Sorry for my shakiness! #birds #birding

This was the cutest things I have ever seen! A pair of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers building their nest, taking turns, working on the nest for about 20 sec each time. She's gray, and he's bluish-gray, with Angry Bird eyebrows. They are slightly bigger than a hummingbird. Video next. #birds #birding

Here's a short clip of the American Woodcock doing its sexy little moves while preening. Such an interesting bird! #birds #birding #woodcock

American Woodcock! I usually only see (well, barely see) these "timberdoodles" at dusk, so to see this one in broad daylight was quite a thrill. My next post will have a video of it shaking its booty while it preens. #birds #birding

It's #caturday morning of a long weekend. Loshi can barely contain his excitement!

What a delight to watch my favourite bird, a Wood Thrush, build her nest at eye level about 10 metres off the trail that I was on. #birds #birding

Palm Warblers singing and posing! #birds #birding #HamOnt

What a beautiful setting for a beautiful warbler, the Northern Parula #birds #birding #HamOnt

White-eyed vireos are gorgeous birds that we unfortunately only see as vagrants during migration as we are north of their breeding range - in the spring they are "overshoots" that went too far and eventually turn around and have a reverse migration south to where they should have stopped. #birds

My first Scarlet Tanager of the spring! #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

Here's a splash of spring colours in our backyard - a Baltimore Oriole and an Indigo Bunting. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard

Since the female N. House Wren declined to use our nesting box, it is available. A pair of chickadees checked it out. Finding the opening too small, one started chiseling away, pecking at it like a woodpecker. That was too much work and it gave up! #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding

It seems like the boys have finally decided to be on their best behaviour. They are taking a break from fighting and are actually dining together. Must be because it's mother's day! #Bobsbackyard #mothersday #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding

In honour of Mother's Day, here is an adorable Killdeer baby, and a photo of its hardworking, extremely protective, loving mom. Hats off to all moms for all that you do! #birds #birding #mothersday

I honour of #caturday, here's a Gray Loshi-bird - oops Gray Catbird - and Loshi himself having a snooze!

Nothing says spring like returning birds singing their hearts out on their territory! Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Northern Yellow Warbler. #birds #birding #Migration #springmigration

Indigo Bunting in #Bobsbackyard. I filmed this through the window, so unfortunately you don't get to hear him singing. #birds #Ancaster #HamOnt

Yesterday's backyard bird of the day was a male Orchard Oriole, the first one to visit since 2022. Such a handsome fellow! #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard

A huge thanks to all of my followers; I am humbled and grateful to now have over 10k of you! For those new, I go birding every day and love to share my passion. Birding is a great form of mindfulness to help to forget your aches and pains. Here I am "in the zone", focused on #birds!

Post 3 is of other birds vying for my attention yesterday - a Northern Flicker, a female Purple Finch, and a White-crowned Sparrow. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds

Post 2 of yesterday's backyard birds features the arrival of the first female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. She has lots of suitors - there were three males in the yard. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds

Post 1 of 3. Yesterday there were 3 males and a female Indigo Bunting at my feeders, as seen in the first photo. The second photo features Ukrainian colours - the yellow and blue of an American Goldfinch and an Indigo Bunting, along with a Pine Siskin. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds

I love our provincial flower, the trillium. Like so many beautiful plants that flower in the spring, they don't bloom long enough! #notabird

Double your pleasure, double your fun! This morning I've got three Indigo Buntings so now on a mission to get them all in one frame. #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt #birds #birding

Yesterday 2 male Baltimore Orioles chased each other almost constantly. One got so tired he sat on our weather beaten fence for a long time. I wondered why they were so aggressive, when in flew my answer - the first female has returned. Game on, boys! #birds #Bobsbackyard #HamOnt #Ancaster #Birding

I got home from birding and there were 2 male Indigo Buntings on my feeders! The 2 had just come close enough to get them in one frame when they got scared off by an oriole. I never thought I'd get mad at an oriole! Pretty happy with this one though! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt

Yesterday being a great birding day, part 2. I was thrilled to see this Summer Tanager in Guelph, an "overshoot" that has migrated too far north beyond its normal range (as far north as roughly mid-USA). The only completely red bird in North America! #birds #birding

I was pretty lucky with birding yesterday, going 2 for 2 for some regional celebrities. First was getting great looks at this Red-headed Woodpecker. #birds #birding

I'd like to propose a change to bird taxonomy - the creation of a new category of birds. Unrelated, but they have 1 thing in common - Angry Birds! Charter members include Purple Martins, Common Grackles and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers. Exhibit A, a Purple Martin showing his Monday face. #birds #birding

Whenever we brush our cat Loshi, we save the hair. Last evening I spiked a small ball of it on a redbud branch. This morning it wasn't daylight for very long when a White-breasted Nuthatch made 3 quick trips to take it all away. Prize nesting material! #Bobsbackyard #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

I know many people are not fond of Double-crested Cormorants for various reasons. I suspect they've never looked into their eyes! #birds #birding #HamOnt

It's always nice to see these little tigers back. Yellow Warbler. #birds #birding #HamOnt

It's #caturday. Here's Loshi as a kitten. He eventually grew into those ears!

Birders don't like when people use the term "seagull" (they are gulls), so how about a tree gull? And a tree goose as well! #birding #birds #HamOnt #Ancaster

I love this photo; it's not just a bird posing, it tells a story. See Alt text for details. #Bobsbackyard #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

It was nice to see another old friend back from his winter vacation. A Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing his heart out from the top of a tree, in the pouring rain. Given our frost warning for tonight, he might regret having returned last night. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt

This Purple Finch spent most of yesterday at our feeders. I thought it was a female, until I saw my photos, which show tiny patches of purple or pink coming in, particularly on its crown. I now think it is a young male molting into adult plumage.. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard

I find Chipping Sparrows to be very photogenic. Very happy to have several that spend their summer in my backyard. #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard

Give this podcast a listen! Made by a fellow birder here in Hamilton, Ontario. #birds #birding

Look who's back!! I'm grinning as much as he is. Always a thrill when the Baltimore Orioles return! #Bobsbackyard #birding #birds #HamOnt #Ancaster

You've not been judged until you've been judged by a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a hummingbird-sized angry bird. My first of the year yesterday. #birds #birding #HamOnt

Yesterday I went out birding; drove about 50 km and walked about 7. Got home and walked around our pond, and had the best birding of the day. Four Yellow-rumped Warblers and my first of year Palm Warbler! #birds #birding #Ancaster #HamOnt #Bobsbackyard

A future momma Wood Duck was standing on her nesting box watching her handsome mate who was swimming nearby. #birds #birding

It's #Caturday! Here are photos from a time when Loshi was trying to decide which book to read next!

Check out the gigantic feet on this Common Gallinule! #birds #birding

I was thrilled to see my first trilliums of the year today! Ontario's provincial flower. #notabird

This Northern Flicker was foraging around our backyard yesterday morning. Have to love those polka dots! #birds #birding #Bobsbackyard #Ancaster #HamOnt