Belleville

My second stop in Belleville involves visiting my nan (aka Omi) and Grandpa who live next to a bay that is connected to Lake Ontario. The bay was still frozen when I arrived and appeared vacant other than a few confused looking geese that were sitting awkwardly on the ice.

Thanks to Omi's multiple bird feeders her deck has become a twitchers paradise, here are some frequent visitors.

Redpoll  

Hairy woodpecker

White breasted nuthatch 

It was -2 and clear skies as I sat out on the deck this morning with the sun in my face and a cup of tea in hand. The ice melted overnight and the bay is now completely open. The diving ducks are ducking and diving just off the shore including hooded, common and red breasted mergansers, golden eye, buffleheads, and a single loon. Bravely fluttering between a nearby weeping willow and the feeder opposite me are white breasted nuthatch, goldfinch, red polls and black capped chickadees. But there's something missing and we've been speculating about their return for a few days now. Usually they come a few days after the bay is open Omi tells me, and start building their nests up high on a platform mounted upon a dead tree. Then something swooped up high near the shore creating a shadow above us, the wingspan is broad but my instinct tells me this isn't just another turkey vulture. As it soared into view my suspicions were confirmed and with the sound of a distinct whistling cry Omi and I looked at one another and smiled, the osprey are back!

The Osprey nest has a webcam over it which will be switched on in a few weeks time once they start nesting, click here to watch them raise their chicks live! The log in name and password is guest.


A lady selling wool brought her alpaca to the local garden centre for a day and I know have an alpaca scarf courtesy of Omi. If the weather doesn't start perking up I'm definitely going to need it!

 

Six turkey vultures were blown above the bay during high winds today. After battling with breeze for 5-10 minutes they managed to land on the grass and catch a break for a while before taking off again.

I still have a just under a week left before I head to Carden so I'd best get back to swatting up on birds!