December 27 at Buttertubs

A quick visit to Buttertubs produced Hooded & Common Mergansers a Northern Shrike and a Juvenile Harrier

Common Yellowthroat at Buttertubs Marsh

My visit to Buttertubs Marsh yesterday gave me glimpses of a late Common Yellowthroat searching the oak trees which was really surprising as they have usually left our area by mid October.

Buttertubs Marsh August 2nd 2011

Pied-billed Grebe's successfully hatched young...just see new chick's head in photo.
Watched two Merlin hunting Dragonfly over the water and one picked off a Cedar Waxwing for lunch.

Buttertubs Marsh July 26th. 2011

Before going off to Buttertubs today I watched both young eagles trying their wings.

 It was a cool and cloudy one hour walk around the lake with moisture in the air. Amongst the usual species I saw a pair of Eurasion Collared Doves, Cedar Waxwngs and managed a few shots of a Pied-billed Grebe incubating.

OUT ON A LIMB

One of the main reasons we moved to our present location was the opportunity to live below a Bald Eagle nest situated atop of a ancient Douglas Fir designated as a Wildlife Tree by the Ministry of Environment. Over the years the eagles have produced several young and this year the parents have again been busy providing for two eaglets -  photo at right. They are progressing well and have been venturing from the nest for the last week or so as they get stronger and feel the need to exercise their wings. I caught this one out on a limb over morning coffee.

My first Collared Dove seen at home

Yesterday I did a spot of birding at Buttertubs Marsh after dropping my wife off at the shops. It was a cloudy but warm morning with few species spotted including Northern Flicker, American Robin, Song Sparrow, a Cedar Waxwing feeding berries to a fledge and Turkey Vultures overhead. I heared the usual Common Yellowthroats and Marsh Wrens and a Mink crossed my path. Just before leaving I spotted a pair of Collared Doves in a Maple above the new lots behind the leisure centre, the male was busy wooing the female. On our return home a Collared Dove flew up from my feeders and sat in the trees for a good while before departing, photo at right. I couldn't believe it,  after seeing them at Buttertubs I see one to add to my home list. 

ALL THE BIRDS SEEN FROM OUR HOME

Home List: 88 species

Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Mallard
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Silver Pheasant
California Quail
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Brandt's Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Sandhill Crane
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Osprey
Merlin
Black Oystercatcher
Mew Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Marbled Murrelet
Band-tailed Pigeon
Collared Dove
Swift sp.
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Violet-green Swallow
Tree Swallow
Belted Kingfisher
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Hammond's Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Hutton's Vireo
Steller's Jay
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick's Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Red-winged Blackbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Black-headed Grosbeak
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow