Saturday, December 26, 2009

Merry Christmas!

Hello!

My Boxing Day of birding and photography thwarted by rain, I decided to head to a nearby provincial park for the promise of Barred Owls with my father.  We were not disappointed, and found three Barreds in the dim, gloomy weather.  I haven't yet sorted all of the shots, but wanted to get one up while I had a moment.  Hope everyone's holiday is treating them well!

Barred Owl (Strix varia) - 100%

























The dark overcast conditions (and admittedly a slip-up on the white-balance setting of the camera) give the image a bluish cast...I'm not sure if it works or not, but I'm happy all things considered.

Cheers!
Kyle

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Sunny Florida

Hello!

After a long, snow-less fall we are suddenly blanketed here in Orillia. Makes me think of sunny Florida. To encourage warmer thoughts, here are some photos from a previous trip to the sunshine state.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feeding chick



Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eye detail
















Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) - endemic to Florida

























American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
















Think warm!

Kyle

Friday, December 4, 2009

Kyle's On Sale!

Hello!

I am officially on sale!  Some of my work is available as plaque-mounts in the gift shop of the brand new Scales Nature Park.  Everyone should run out and visit this exciting new facility (and buy a print)!  See their website at www.scalesnaturepark.ca.



Cheers!
Kyle

Thursday, December 3, 2009

New Website!

Hello!

After an initial plan and months of procrastination, I have finally applied myself and gotten a website up!  Clearly I am no web designer...I am hoping that someday I will take the time to learn, and break out of the template imposed by the idiot-proof site-building software, but for now it will do.  My ultimate plan is to sell photography from the website, but in the meantime it will act as an online portfolio of sorts.  I can be found at www.kylehorner.com (confusing, I know).

Cheers!
Kyle

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Southern Illinois

Hello!

I have been a long time from the blog, but have been thinking I should return. Thus, a couple of photos from a recent herping trip to southern Illinois. Legendary Ontario herper Steve Marks led a crew of us to the great Snake Road to look for a variety of southern herps. Great success! Here are some of the favourites:

Western Ribbon Snake















Southern Leopard Frog















Green Tree Frog
















Spider















This last one is not an excellent shot per se, but shows an interesting behaviour that I've never seen in Nerodia before, possibly mimicking a Cottonmouth.

Yellowbelly Water Snake
















Anyway, that's all for now, I will try to post more regularly.

Cheers!
Kyle

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Photo-less Update :(

Hello!

So a bit of an erratic day off this week, leading to this update with no photos (sorry). I drew the short straw this week and worked until 7:00 the night before, so I ran for Kofa National Wildlife Refuge in the dark and crashed in the Jeep. I awoke in the morning, went for a short hike, and returned to find that I had developed a severe coolant leak. After some consideration I decided to cut my visit short to drive to town and get it repaired. And so I drove from the desert, heater on full bore and pouring precious water into my thirsty vehicle, only to discover that it was Sunday and all of the shops were closed.

The silver lining to this cloud, as it were, is that on the highway north out of Kofa I spotted a largish (4 ft) Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum) crossing the road. I slammed on the brakes and skittered to the roadside, throwing my laptop and other paraphernalia against the dash, and bolted after the speedy serpent. Sadly my encounter was short-lived, as he disappeared into some dense brush before I could get myself repeatedly bitten. Still cool though.

One more cool sighting to report. The sound of slithering today drew me to a hefty Western Diamondback, mostly concealed under some brush. He was making some erratic movements and tongue-flicking rapidly, and it looked to me as if he was trying to court a mesquite branch. Then I noticed the scared-looking juvenile that he was trying to do the nasty with, and all became clear. She was not pleased, but I was elated at my dirty, dirty discovery.

Anyway, that`s all for now. More to come...
Kyle

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Joshua Tree National Park

Hello!

After a lengthy bird drought here at Cibola, we finally had the fallout we've been waiting for. A huge influx of birds had us running between net lanes this morning (a good workout in the soft sand!). The highlights were a Hermit Warbler and Cassin's Vireo, and we caught tons of Orange-crowned Warbler and Warbling Vireo. Nice to see the birds have finally arrived!

I spent my day off this week at Joshua Tree National Park. I decided (against my better judgement) to tag along with the housemates. They definitely do not travel like I prefer to, and much time was spent cooking, socializing and shopping. The large group is definitely encumbering when trying to get out and see things, especially when they are not overly motivated. Enough of my complaining though, Joshua Tree is very cool and I did get some decent photos. I also had the pleasure of listening to the music of Lyle Lovitt on the drive. For those of you unfamiliar, I would like to share with you some lyrical selections:

This old porch is like a steaming, greasy plate of enchiladas
With lots of cheese and onions
And a guacamole salad
And you can get'em down at the LaSalle Hotel In old downtown
With iced tea and a waitress

And she will smile every time

And if that wasn't enough...
If I had a boat I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat
And we could all together
Go out on the ocean
Me upon my pony on my boat


Stunning.

Ok, on to the photos. It was an oddly overcast day in the desert so not the greatest landscape shots, but at least they get the point across.  For many, one of the big appeals to Joshua Tree is the spring wildflower bloom. Many of the flowers were doing their thing, so I did grab some photos. I have no idea what any of them are, so please don't ask, but do tell if you know!























































































Along a trail, someone spotted a Black-throated Sparrow nest. The female was surprisingly calm about our presence, and even flew in and fed the chicks while we stood 20 feet away.

Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) at nest with two chicks - cropped
















On the way back to the campsite I spotted this singing male, posted up on a creosote bush.

Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) - cropped
























Joshua Tree is home to some weird vegetation. Not the least of this is the Ocotillo, a gnarly cactus with brilliant red blooms.

Ocotillo Flower
























Ocotillo Patch
















There are also several varieties of Cholla cactus, mostly (it seems) named after things that are cute and squishy.

Teddy Bear Cholla flower
























Teddy Bear Cholla 'forest'
























Finally, a 'forest' of Joshua Trees, for which the park is named.

Joshua Trees

















That's all for this week, until next time!

Kyle

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Salton Sea

Outside my cramped Jeep
The morning sky grows lighter
Salton Sea awaits.

Hello!

Another week gone, and more interesting highlights to report. Migration is only beginning to pick up, and new birds are appearing on the site regularly. Especially of note was the appearance of a Black-throated Gray Warbler, a regular for the site but a first for me. We are also regularly seeing Bullock's Oriole, Hermit Thrush and White-crowned Sparrow. Reptile activity remains largely the same, though I have added Long-tailed Grass Lizard to my list. I was fortunate enough to come across another Western Diamondback the other day while I was walking and daydreaming, and he was quite subdued at my intrusion, not even rattling as I observed and passed by.

My day off this week was spent at Salton Sea, a migration mecca in southern California. I picked up 6 life-birds: Black Rail, Black Phoebe, Gull-billed Tern, Burrowing Owl, Eared Grebe and the long awaited American Avocet. There were also a number of new birds for the trip, including both Pelicans, the federally endangered Yuma Clapper Rail, and a number of shorebirds and gulls. I was largely too awestruck with my surroundings to take photos, but I did snap a few. As much as I hate to edit photos, birds are hard, so some of these have been adjusted as indicated.

I arrived at the Sea in the late afternoon. I hiked a short trail at Dos Palmas preserve, then headed down to Salton Sea National Recreation Area to camp (for free, I might add, as long as you leave before the ranger comes by). Before turning in I grabbed a few sunset photos of the sea.

Salton Sea Sunset















Up before the dawn the following morning, so that I could be at Sony Bono National Wildlife Refuge for sunrise. Like most good shorebird and seabird habitat, the area is disgusting. It smells and is not visually appealing...and the birds love it. Lots of pelicans, grebes, ducks, terns, stilts and avocets. Many of the birds seemed quite leery of human presence and moved away quickly, but I did take a couple shots of Eared Grebes, a new bird for me, and the second last North American Grebe I need (Least Grebe, one day...).

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) - cropped
















On the way out, there were a couple of Common Ground Doves at the visitor's centre feeder.

Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
















At the southern section of the refuge many of the trails were closed to traffic, and the one trail that was open was not overly productive. It did redeem itself as I returned to the parking lot, with a quick glimpse at a Black Rail, which I flushed out of some vegetation. I also managed to get some shots of a singing Marsh Wren.

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
























Back on the beach at the National Recreation Area I was able to pick up a few shorebirds, and as I was walking back to the car I spotted a Zebra-tailed Lizard. He camouflaged so well in the sand that I could hardly find him in my viewfinder, but when he ran he flipped his tail up over his back and flashed the black and white underside.

Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)















To wrap up the day I made another trip to Dos Palmas to do a bit more hiking. Very few birds observed here, but these amazing red dragonflies were about all day. They are large, the size of a king skimmer, and have tinted wings. I think they are an amberwing, but really have no idea.

Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)















Anyway, that's all for this time. At last bird count I am at 133 species, including 30 new ones, so no complaints! Hope everyone is well at home!

Kyle

Blogger Woes

So I am attempting to post a lengthy update with many photos, but Blogger has decided not to upload photos today. Can't say I didn't try, hopefully I'll be able to get them up soon!

Cheers!
Kyle

Monday, March 30, 2009

Tortoises and Iguanas

Hello!

On a hot tip from my housemate, I ventured into the desert uplands in search of the elusive Desert Tortoise and Desert Iguana. My first attempt was late in the evening, and I was unsuccessful in locating the creatures (though I did find many burrows). There were, however, many cool cacti to see.

Fishhook Barrel Cactus















Yellow Cactus Flower (Cholla sp.?)















Pink Cactus Flower (Opuntia sp.)















I was slightly discouraged by my failure to locate the reptiles, so a second trip was in order. This time earlier in the afternoon, I was able to locate a tortoise right at the entrance to her burrow. I was surprised at how big she was, easily the size of an average watermelon!

Desert Tortoise (Gopherus aggassizii)















My tortoise desires satisfied, I soon planned a third excursion for the iguana. As this was a day off, I was able to go in the morning. I did manage to catch a glimpse of a Desert Iguana as its banded tail disappeared into some scrub. I also observed Tiger Whiptail and many Side-blotched Lizards, but the highlight of the day was this juvenile Common Chuckwalla that I saw retreating into a crevice.

Common Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)















I spent a lot of time searching the area for snakes, but to no avail. There was some awesome-looking habitat, including all varieties of rock shelves, crevices and caves. It is still early in the season, and I am hoping that the snakes simply aren't out yet, but the search will continue.

The most exciting bird update of late has been numerous Phainopepla, perhaps the bird I was most eager to see in Arizona. They have a unique life history, and are gorgeous to boot. All in all, not a bad week.

Kyle

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Grebes Galore

Hello!

My first day off has come and gone. After some consideration, I decided to hang around the study site (Cibola National Wildlife Refuge) and do some exploring. Especially of interest to me was the supposed presence of Burrowing Owls, though I was not to see any on this particular day. However, an early-morning jaunt to Cibola Lake did provide two species I've long wanted to see: Clark's and Western Grebe. I was lucky enough to see them doing their synchronized mating runs, though not quick enough to catch it with the camera. I did, however, take many pictures.

Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)















Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)















After this I decided it was finally time to chase down some of the tiny lizards that are ever-present at the banding site, and with some difficulty I was eventually able to get a shot of one:

Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)
























All in all, not a bad day. At the same time, my housemate went to a different location nearby and got both Desert Tortoise and Desert Iguana, so I am looking forward to checking that out as well. Till next time...

Kyle

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Update Week One

Hello all,

Sorry no photos on this update, I have been lazy I guess, or just not gotten around to taking any. Just wanted to fire up a quick update to let everyone know that I'm still alive. Internet access here requires a half-hour drive, so I imagine I'll only be able to update this about once-a-week or so.

Anyway, first week has been good. The weather has been unseasonably hot, but I guess I can't complain. We have spent much of the first week banding which has been nice for me. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it. It is almost a pity that I will be shifting to foraging observations and colour band resighting in the next week or so, but I am excited to work on my observation skills and spend more time exploring the study site

Wildlife sightings have been good so far. Since leaving Ontario I have picked up 15 new bird species, with highlights including Vermilion Flycatcher, Inca Dove, Abert's Towhee, Curve-billed Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Verdin, Lesser Goldfinch, Ladder-backed Woodpecker and Western Scrub Jay. There are tons of lizards running around that I have yet to get down and dirty with, and the other day I saw my first Western Diamondback. I have been informed that other snakes at the study site include Rosy Boa, Western Hognose and California Kingsnake, so I am naturally optimistic.

Well, that'll be it for now. My first day off is rapidly approaching, so hopefully I get off my lazy ass and take some photos. Hope everyone is well!

Kyle

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Final Leg

Hello!

I am in the last motel room in a while so figured I'd take advantage of the free WiFi and upload some more photos. This morning was spent testing the peak performance of a '95 Jeep Cherokee through the mountain passes of central Arizona (and overtaking a late model Camaro in the twisties no less...sucker). I experienced sun, cloud, rain, sleet, snow and ice pellets all within an hour or two, and passed though a variety of desert types. I did snap a few photos along the way, none stellar but they do give an idea of the landscape. Southwest of Flagstaff I passed through the Red Rock region of the state, adorned with (obviously) pinkish-red rock outcroppings as far as the eye can see.

Red Rock region, Arizona
























Down off that mountain and up the next, the desert becomes much more shrubby and even, and the rock becomes grayer, especially when it rains.

Montane Desert in Rain
























I stopped at a rest stop just north of Phoenix to look for birds. Did see Lesser Goldfinch and Vermillion Flycatcher (a real highlight for me, and a shining beacon for all those that have ever struggled with flycatcher identification), but no pics. Speaking of beacons though, I did see this wonderful sign:

My Favourite Sign

























Sadly, I did not see any of these lovely creatures (not that I expected to), but there was a glimmer of hope in the form of this little fellow. Photo sucks (was not expecting to see him), but good enough for ID.

Ornate Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus) - cropped
















In the afternoon, I spent a while trying to accomplish some necessary shopping in Phoenix (a far larger city than I had imagined), and set out for Blythe, CA. I stopped to take one quick shot of the real desert (Saguaro cacti and all).

West of Phoenix, Arizona

























Anyway, I will be reporting for work tomorrow and not sure when I'll be able to post again. I will upload more when I get a chance!

Kyle

Friday, March 13, 2009

Grand Canyon

Hello!

So this will be my first post on the blog. I have no idea if I will be able to update this regularly or not, but I will give it a shot. I arrived in Arizona yesterday after 3 days and 4000 kilometers, sore and tired. I parked the Jeep at a campsite in Grand Canyon National Park (which I got away without paying for), and crashed in the back, with the alarm set for sunrise. I awoke early and stationed myself at a spot on the rim to wait for the sun. Here are a few of the results:

Grand Canyon at Sunrise















Grand Canyon at Sunrise















I followed up the morning photography session with a 15 km hike into and out of the canyon, which was very cool but with limited shooting opportunities. I came out of it very sore and tired, and somewhat happy with the photo below:

Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
























My afternoon was spent on a crazy chase for California Condors, following the advice of an old man I met in the park. Though he seemed to know what he was talking about, I was quite unsuccessful and am now in a Motel6 in Flagstaff, having a relaxing night in a real bed. The plan for tomorrow is a leisurely drive down towards the study site, and reporting to the house the following day. That's all for now, I will try to post when I can!

Kyle