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John McAllister

@johnmcallister

Former teacher and geologist (trilobite geochemistry and microstructures) and now a birder, photographer, genealogist, and car restorer.

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14.11.2024
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Latest posts by John McAllister @johnmcallister

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A few honeycreepers for you from Costa Rica. Two are male red-legged honeycreepers, one mature and one immature, and the third is a male shining honeycreeper. Telling them apart is easier than you think. Look first at the legs and then the plumage. #birder #birdwatcher #ornithology

22.02.2025 15:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Just back from a birding trip to Costa Rica. Just under 54K photos, so this will take some time to wade through! First off, though, a shot of a rufous-tailed hummingbird and a rufous-browed peppershrike both taken at the Hotel Bouganvillea. #birdwatcher #ornithology #birding

22.02.2025 14:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks!

22.01.2025 13:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Where are you going in Cuba?

22.01.2025 13:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Nice shot!!

22.01.2025 13:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Another bird endemic to Cuba is this Oriente warbler. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 24 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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It's always a thrill to spot and photograph a Cuban emerald hummingbird! #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:37 ๐Ÿ‘ 22 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Continuing with the trapping of song birds, we came across a pair of female Cuban grassquit with no male. It made us wonder if the male had been trapped too. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 12 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

One issue that came up on our trip to Cuba is the trapping for sale of song birds. We came across a man who had captured a male painted bunting and was taking it to sell. We offered him money, but he thought we would report him as it is illegal to trap them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:32 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The nice thing about photographing the Cuban gnatcatcher is that it tends to make an effort to give you interesting poses to capture. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A close runnerup to the Cuban Tody for perhaps the cutest tiny bird, IMHO, is the Cuban gnatcatcher. It gives off a muppet feeling. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:26 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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For those that haven't had the pleasure of meeting a Cuban Tody before, they are inquisitive wee beasts, to say the least. Oddly they make a sound similar to that of a rapid camera shutter, so taking their photo actually attracts them. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birder

22.01.2025 03:21 ๐Ÿ‘ 15 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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One of my all time favourite birds is the Cuban Tody. Here are a couple of closeups taken last week near Holguin, Cuba. #birds #birdwatcher #ornithology #birders

22.01.2025 03:17 ๐Ÿ‘ 12 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So we just got back from a two week trip to Cuba. For those who can't get there (for political or financial reasons), I will be posting some of my bird shots over the next few days. Why days? I shot just under 19 000 photographs, so it takes a little time to get through them all. Stay tuned!

22.01.2025 03:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks! Back at you!

03.01.2025 12:49 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks!

03.01.2025 12:49 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thanks!

03.01.2025 12:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Hooded mergansers flying by down by the waterfront in Parry Sound this afternoon. A little late in the season for them here. #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology

02.01.2025 01:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 12 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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We started our day interacting with a small colony of tree sparrows. It is always a thrill to have them all around you! #birds #birding #birdwatcher #ornithology

01.01.2025 14:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Not to be outdone, some trumpeter swans shots from New Year's Eve at Collingwood Harbour. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology

01.01.2025 14:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Mute swans in a flyby - running the circuit around Collingwood Harbour on New Year's Eve. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology

01.01.2025 14:17 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A goldeneye taking off and doing a flyby of the local mute swans before setting down again at Collingwood Harbour yesterday. #birds #birding #birdwatching #ornithology

01.01.2025 14:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The main reason for our trip was to see if we could get some photos of snowy owls. We managed to spot a few late in the afternoon, and at a good distance, so no worries about stressing them.

01.01.2025 14:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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There were plenty of common goldeneyes in the Collingwood Harbour yesterday - always a treat to see them take off and land.

01.01.2025 14:07 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Yesterday we headed off to Collingwood for some birding. A great day for it with plenty to see, but what caught my eye was this mallard hen sporting a tracker. #Birds #Birding #Birdwatching #ornithology

01.01.2025 14:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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We did some birding in Barrie the other day - got some nice shots of the local mallards. #birding #birds #ornithology

30.12.2024 22:59 ๐Ÿ‘ 35 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A few barred owl shots from yesterday's excursion. We saw and photographed three barred owls. No baiting-these were spotted in the brush by the side of the road in a relatively desolate region of northern Ontario opposite open fields, so obviously they were hunting. #birds #birding #ornithology

23.12.2024 13:12 ๐Ÿ‘ 12 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Yellow-faced grassquit taken in January near Guardalavaca, Cuba with Karlos Ross. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher

25.11.2024 01:43 ๐Ÿ‘ 27 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The Cuban emerald hummingbird - again taken near Guardalavaca last January. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher

25.11.2024 01:41 ๐Ÿ‘ 24 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Right up there with the Cuban pygmy owl is the Cuban tody. An amazing, tiny bird, that is quite curious and will come close in to check you out. #birds #ornithology #birdwatcher

25.11.2024 01:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 44 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0