Oakes Rd. Grimsby, ON. January 2nd. 2021. I could write a Bird of the Day today, but what would I write about?” That was me thinking aloud a moment ago. Then in silence I reminded myself that the principle of this site is that, no matter how dreary the day, there’s always something, some bird, that makes me think Wow!- a Bird of the Day.
As always it was true there was that one Bird of the Day, Northern Flickers far away atop a winter-rattled ash tree. Just one at first, puzzlingly large and with an out-of-place posture. Through binoculars I could not draw a conclusion as to its identity, maybe a crow, perhaps a Peregrine Falcon. So, I resorted to a device I’ve learned and found to be helpful at times like this: I photographed them using the maximum zoom on my camera and then enlarged the captured image. This was what I saw.
The white rump on the lower one is a conclusive field mark for Northern Flickers and the general posture and the long stout bill are reassuring. Two for sure. The surprise, the justification for the Wow moment, is that Northern Flickers are unusual here in winter, they generally depart Ontario in October and return in April. But there are plenty of exceptions to the rule with large generalist feeders like flickers so, while mildly surprised as I was, it really is more of a ‘okay-so-what-else-is-new’ sighting.
Perhaps more revealing to myself was my inner sentiments about seeing a Snowy Owl. It was where I was told it would be and where a gathering of other birders and photographers stood chatting and watching. There wasn’t much to see, it was motionless, snoozing perhaps, and unapproachable on an offshore floating dock. A Snowy Owl is a sensational bird by any measure, but for me the real fun, the challenge, is in finding it myself or with friends and using our field skills to get there. Nice bird, my first this winter – but not My Bird of the Day.
Other than the flickers and the owl, I guess my 2021 birding list might include a flock of House Finches, House Sparrows, a Red-tailed Hawk, Mourning Doves, White-winged Scoters and an American Kestrel.