American Robins, Bush Tits ( how many can you count ) Anna's hummers and a Cooper's Hawk visit.

Sunny cold day on the Island

We have three Anna's Hummers resident at our place and two feeders but they still fight over them. Just amazing how they survive over night in temperatures as low as -10c with daytime temps of -2c.

Buttertubs Marsh walk

Great sunny day to walk Buttertubs with sightings of Hooded Mergansers, American Wigeon, Ring-neck Duck, Redwings, American Robins and a nice looking male Anna's hummer.

Buttertubs Marsh

I visited Buttertubs this morning before the rain set in and had good views of Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Pied-billed Grebes, Canada Geese and a Bewicks Wren shown.

While walking on the north side trail under the towering oak trees, acorns were falling and having glanced up I noticed at the top a flock of Band-tailed Pigeons feeding on the acorns.

Earlier on a fellow walker had mentioned that a cougar was sighted here yesterday and this young deer managed to elude it

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Merlin at Home with House Sparrow

Juvenile eagles have left the nest

After some 120+ days since I calculated the eggs laid the young eagles have left the nest and still learning the skills of flight. A adult returns to the nest with food for them two to three times daily.
The shots of the Merlin are at Buttertubs Marsh.

Young Eagles

The young eagles are progressing nicely. During coffee this morning I managed to get these images. After being fed they did their exercises. 

Buttertubs Marsh

Quiet during my visit yesterday. The Marsh Wrens were singing along with Yellow Warblers and Pied-billed Grebe calling. Had good views of Wood Duck in eclipse, two juvenile's, a Great Blue Heron and Hooded Mergansers.

Food for a growing family

Breeding Activity

The eagles have been active around the nest these last few weeks adding branches and spending time fixing house. I caught them copulating on several occasions and am convinced they are now incubating eggs. I have been fortunate, while having coffee, to watch a nest change, sharing incubation. These are the latest images.

A Familiar Pheasant Returns

We only usually see them once a year in the spring when the males are thinking of breeding and fighting each other for the females but this beautiful male Silver Pheasant showed up yesterday, picking up seeds fallen from my feeders. He looks magnificent in his new black and white's.

Back After A Break

I was out walking Neck Point yesterday, one of my local patch parks and apart from the usual species a flock of Red Crossbills were feeding at the top of the conifers while a Pacific ( Winter ) Wren was searching under and around the logs on the beach and the Chestnut-backed Chickadee's and Ruby-crowned Kinglets seeked out insects in the understory. Harlequin Ducks rode the waves and Red-breasted Mergansers rested off Sunset Beach.