Lynx me!!

It's official, I've made a break to Cochrane for the weekend to prevent myself from going too nuts working inside. Here's the skinny:

Expected year birds: White-winged Crossbill, Pine Grosbeak, Ruffed Grouse and Hoary Redpoll

I spent most of my time driving. Once I hit cobalt, I took some side roads and turned up the bird goodies while trying to not crash. The first BIG highlight was this:

Yes, that's a Lynx. I saw it crossing the road, slammed on the breaks, and managed a yelp to catch it's attention (for a photo) before it walked into the woods.). What a crazy cat!

On the drive I saw a Ruffed Grouse, a dead Spruce Grouse, and a dead grouse sp. Maybe a good year to be a lynx!

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It wasn't 30 mins later when my world was turned upside down! The skinny: I stopped to view a flock of redpolls, and eventually discovered a Redpoll feeding goldmine in the snowbanks nearby.. Parked my car and took 1000+ Redpoll photos over the next 5-6 hours. My final guess at numbers (a real guess)

"Southern" Common Redpoll - 25
"Greater/Greenland" Common Redpoll - 60
"Southern" Hoary Redpoll - 20
"Hornemann's" Hoary Redpoll - at least 2


Note, that should be     """Hornemann's" Hoary" Redpoll"

I'm a self professed Hornemanns skeptic, but I have a feeling that this blog will have some redpoll chatter over the next few weeks when I get my images in order. For now, here's the two birds that best matched proposed field marks for finding oneself a "Hornemann's"

Far left and far right birds, the two biggest redpolls in the flock (with 3 "southern" common Redpolls here). 

Yes the magic of photoshop combined 5 pictures to make this one, but I used the seeds to line up the images, so the birds location and size to each other should be fairly accurate. It was the only time I saw these 2 close together, and this was the best I could do for a photo.  

Anyways, Redpolls are more confusing than gulls, so stay tuned for more photos of more odd birds. 

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 Now all I can hope for is some good looks at some of these Owls being seen around Ontario! Check these out:

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/1920/3959137/owl/upload/
Boreal Owl

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/1920/3870767/owl/upload/
Mexican Screech-Owl

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/1920/3971639/owl/upload/
Great Horned Owl

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/your_weather/details/1920/3980877/owl/upload/
Burrowing Owl


Anyways, I jest. There is some really neat pictures being posted on the weather network, if you know how to find them. It's unfortunate that the whole thing is just a free-picture grab scam by the weather network (read the fine print on what they can do with the pictures you post) ... but it is fun.


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Yes I wrote that owl thing a few days ago.. Back to Redpolls and ready for birding tomorrow!!!!!!!!!