The Fullness of Spring - Better Late than Never

I have been enjoying a spring that is just starting to come into its own.  The weather has been so abnormally cold this year that things are almost 2 weeks behind where they should be, although they are catching up!  I have been birding here and there and enjoying seeing spring creep towards the fullness of colour and life that I am accustomed to in May.  Below are a few of the shots I have taken in the last couple of weeks.

Summer Tanager - not quite fully adult male

Summer Tanager - young male

Ruff - a European shorebird, probably the rarest bird I have seen so far this spring, only my 2nd ever

Ruff

An angry White-eyed Vireo.  I'd be pissed off with this weather too!

Short-billed Dowitcher and Dunlin

Great-crested Flycatcher

 One of the highlights of my spring so far was getting into Marcy's Woods at Point Abino in Niagara.  What a fantastic woodlot and great birding to boot!

Baltimore Oriole

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Red-headed Woodpecker

Scarlet Tanager

May has Arrived!

Today was the first day of May and it was a great day to be out bird watching and otherwise enjoying the great spring weather.  I had work down in Essex today and managed to catch up with many 'First of Year' birds.  With the closure of almost all parks and open spaces, getting out to natural spots requires some creativity.  Below are some shots from this past week and today.

Cait examining a huge Beaver cut.

1st Broad-winged Hawk in my 5MR

A new spot to check in my 5MR

Chatham Woodland

Yellow-rumped Warbler

American Avocet

This bird was the star of the show for me today!  This beautiful Prothonotary Warbler put a smile on my face for the rest of the day after it flew to a perch within 8ft of me and started singing!  What a sight for winter weary eyes, it brought the very sun to the tip of my camera lens!

Prothonotary Warbler

Northern Watersnake crossing the road

Willet - terrible shot, great birds!

Wilson's Phalarope

Have a great spring; get out and enjoy it safely.  Hopefully the parks will open soon!