Osprey Surprise

I must apologize for my tardiness in posting recently, I've been tied up packing boxes as we are leaving for a new location soon and unfortunately have not been birding lately.

At the end of the summer and after the breeding season we occasionally see ospreys on our coast taking advantage of the good fishing. This guy dropped in and settled down for lunch on the eagle tree just a few days ago.

Our Bald Eagles had a unsuccessful breeding this year. I'm sure she laid eggs and incubated for a short period. They stopped incubating after two weeks and were constantly harassed by crows that nested in the wood just below the eagle nest.
I'll be signing off this blog but will let you know how my move goes and I'll post a link to my new location birding blog. I hope you have enjoyed visiting and follow me in the future.
Happy birding, Graham. 

 

March 15. 2016

Our eagle pair have been fortifying their nest through the winter with branches and sods of grass and now the female is spending time in the nest although I don`t think she`s laid yet. If you look closely you can see her.

 

 

 

I went to Buttertubs Marsh the same day and watched the Ring-necked ducks displaying while a large flock of Violet-green swallows flew overhead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I returned home the fishing fleet was laying nets for the herring and the sealions were having a good meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Backyard Today

My attention was drawn to a Merlin hunting birds while I was having lunch today. He upset the crows which were very vocal after being chased, the starlings scattered and he focused his attention on the flickers. The most difficult bird shots to get have to be birds in flight and especially a fast moving falcon. I failed on numerous attempts and settled for one, it's not in focus but I'll keep trying.

Neck Point Park

A little relief from the warm weather this morning with clouds overhead I headed out to Neck Point. Through the forest there were Yellow-rumped Warblers, Chestnut-backed Chickadee's, Bush Tit, Spotted Towhee and Northern Flicker.  With a cool breeze off the ocean I scanned the forth beach for shorebirds and managed to find a small group of Spotted Sandpipers feeding amongst the rock and seaweed.    

Adults in breeding plumage

 

A juvenile

Crested Caracara

He was sitting at the top of our eagle tree this morning for 25 minutes before finally flying off. I could hardly believe my eyes, a Crested Caracara all the way from its normal territory in the southern states, central and South America sitting atop the Douglas Fir just waiting to be photographed. The local birders are now going crazy looking for it for their life lists.

BCFO Trip to Oliver BC

I know I stated that my blog is sightings at home and in and around Vancouver Island. Well I've expanded my fields!

I recently had the opportunity to attend the annual conference of the BC Field Ornithologists and as they offered field trips over two days and presentations including a banquet I decided to give it a try and I was glad I did. We saw a total of some 140 species including birds I don't get to see at home.

Here's a selection of my shots

Common Yellowthroat

Western Kingbird's at nest

 Yellow-headed Blackbird

 

 Bobolink

 Yellow-headed Blackbird

 Black-headed Grosbeak

 Bullock's Oriole

 Lazuli Bunting

 Dusky Flycatcher

 Red-necked Phalarope

 Northern Harrier

 Eastern Kingbirds at nest

 

Sunny morning at Buttertubs

I went looking for warblers today, heard orange-crowned and common yellowthroats but none of them cooperated for my camera. I did catch a busy female robin collecting material for her nest and  pied-billed grebes were in evidence.

 When I returned home a dapper looking white-crowned sparrow was catching some rays and we had a standoff at the feeder.