Red-winged Blackbird @ Quidi Vidi

[AlvanBuckley]

A 1st winter male RW Blackbird was hanging out in the bushes where Virginia River flows into the lake. It was in the very last bush (most downstream bush) and very difficult to see at times in the thickest tangles.
It's likely been there for some time as some visiting birders reported one on Jan 10th.

Also a cormorant resting on the ice edge, not looking well - it was earlier seen being attacked by an eagle. I think it's a Double-crested Cormorant, despite the whitish throat.

AB

[AlvanBuckley]

Turns out that the cormorant is actually a Great Cormorant! :)

[Lisa]

On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 4:22:42 PM UTC-3:30, AlvanBuckley wrote:
> Turns out that the cormorant is actually a Great Cormorant! :)

Red-winged Blackbird is still at Virginia Lake outflow at QV. First seen on ground under small evergreen stand, then moved out to the little island. Busy feeding and not interested in posing for pictures.

[Frank KING]

The Red-winged Blackbird was back at Virginia Lake outflow at QV again this morning. It was in the evergreen tree and flew back and forth to the trees in the water. Someone has thrown seeds on one of the branches of the evergreen and he was feeding off them. The Juncos and Song Sparrows were there as well. 11am

[Shawn]

Red-winged Blackbird is still there early afternoon. Geoff was onto the bird as I arrived. Shortly after Les showed up and we all had god views. I put a mixture of black-oil sunflower seeds on the snow laden branches of the evergreens right next to the outflow a couple days ago, when I was there at the same time as Ed amd Allison were there. We looked for the Red Winged then, but no luck. I put the seeds around in a couple different places there for the Song Sparrows of which I was surprised to see several of them at once there today. Glad to see that the Red-Winged Blackbird was partaking too. Geoff, and I watched it going into the evergreens to eat the seeds. Hopefully it stays for a while. It's a beautiful bird. When it turns a certain way, a couple of times Geoff and I both caught great "glimpses" of a very bright "mustardy red" (Geoff's call :)), patch in the wing.

Shawn

[Geoff Smith]

Thanks to your tip, Alvan, Shawn, and Les, and I had some great enjoyment watching the RWBB at QVL, today, as Shawn mentioned.

Nice to meet you and Les, Shawn.

I did manage one tight shot of the bird in question, without too much clutter in the frame. Just wondering if I'm correct in assuming that this is a first year bird, yes/no?...

https://500px.com/photo/194210363/red-winged-blackbird-in-winter-by-geoff-smith?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=20036497

[Geoff Smith]

And, Shawn...I did unexpectedly grab a frame of the RWBB flashing the reds, with a slow shutter speed, and I think I kind of like the motion blur, in a happy accident sort of way...

https://500px.com/photo/194229471/red-winged-blackbird-motion-blur-by-geoff-smith?ctx_page=1&from=user&user_id=20036497

[lancy cheng]

(1) female lacks the reds=it's a male; (2) adult male is not streaky but black=it's a young one; (3) Maturation takes one year=this is a first year (2nd calendar year) bird.
:)

[Geoff Smith]

Thanks, Lancy...Nice to know I got this one right. :-)

[lancy cheng]

Congratulations! :)

[thefunkys...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, 21 January 2017 12:14:28 UTC-3:30, lancy cheng wrote:
> Congratulations! :)

Concerning the Redwing,I'm heading to shovel and will have a car if I could get the perfect directions to the tree's where yee throw seed I'll make a trip,please start me from the driveway parking lot on the North side by the Virginia River,I need specific specification's please and thanks!

[Geoff Smith]

Funky...

The RWBB seems to favour the very last deciduous tree/bush where the Virginia River flows into QVL. It's actually beyond the shoreline and in the water. He tends to hop back and forth between there and the two spruce trees nearby, on the shore, which is where Shawn spread seeds.

Good luck.

[Shawn]

Nice shot, capturing that flash of red, Geoff. Let's hope this young fellow hangs around for awhile. Gerard, as Geoff pointed out, the bird seems to favour the security of being well into the middle of the last deciduous bush growing in the middle of the outlet. Sometimes its in there right down near the water and if you didn't see it when watching, you might not even know it's there. Geoff and I watched it bathing the other day when we were there. When it leaves that spot, it was mostly going to the mid-section of the very nearby evergreens. There was a layer of snow packed down onto this inner branches and it is on the snow layer that I reached into and spread a couple of coffee cups filled with mixed seed unto in previous days. This resulted in a fair bit of bird activity there in the coming days. I put more seed in amongst the shrubs to the right of where you walk to that bush where the Red-winged is taking up residence. I stepped into the middle of the shrubs and walked the snow down, then spread a good load of mixed seed in there too. In the following days, I noted several songbirds have now found that spot along with a few Juncos. As was mentioned in a recent column in the telegram, the birds are having a tough time finding food this year. I noticed early on in autumn that most trees seemed to be void of seeds this year. Everything from dogberry trees to birch and alders and Cone bearing trees, have all produced low yields. I guess that could be expected in nature following the previous year where just about every tree was dripping with the aforementioned bird delectables.

Shawn

[Frank KING]

Ken Knowles and I had views of the Red-winged Blackbird around 11am today. It appeared in the tree at the mouth of the Virginia River where it stayed in the middle of the tree and behind the trunks and branches. It than flew into the Evergreen tree where it disappeared for a few minutes and than back to the tree in the water. It went to the base of the tree and out of sight.

[Geoff Smith]

A splash of colour in the dead of winter, Feb 4th 2017...

https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/16423132_10154789446137419_3752541328600797099_o.jpg?oh=0fca7b37b0ba3d8c1250de56d8c142dd&oe=59140AE1

[Bhill]

On Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 12:13:33 PM UTC-3:30, AlvanBuckley wrote:

Well caught, Geoff.

[Geoff Smith]

Thanks, Brian...Lots of clutter and junk in that image, but our friendly neighbourhood RWBB looks so darn beautiful flashing it's wing colours like that, that I just had to post it.

[thefunkys...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, 4 February 2017 20:51:58 UTC-3:30, Geoff Smith wrote:
> Thanks, Brian...Lots of clutter and junk in that image, but our friendly neighbourhood RWBB looks so darn beautiful flashing it's wing colours like that, that I just had to post it.

Just a exciting story concerning the Red-wing.He was taken mid-air very quickly and dramatically by a mature Sharpie pictured by a man on facebook Bird watching Group.The bird was then taken down to the board walk must have not had much of a hold on the bird and the Red-wing survived and escaped.Obviously some do not get that site so I thought I would share the story.It was the 4th early a.m and the bird was pictured alive and well later that day but in the picture it was been poorly held by the Sharpie.He should now be called Lucky!

[Madonna]

On Monday, February 6, 2017 at 9:50:18 PM UTC-3:30, thefunkys...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Saturday, 4 February 2017 20:51:58 UTC-3:30, Geoff Smith wrote:
> > Thanks, Brian...Lots of clutter and junk in that image, but our friendly neighbourhood RWBB looks so darn beautiful flashing it's wing colours like that, that I just had to post it.
>

Great great news for sure. Thanks for posting.