You know that spring is here when early wildflowers come into bloom and newly arrived migrants from the south begin singing to to attract mates. Year round residents also join the chorus and this week during my lunch time walk I’ve seen (and heard) a couple of White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) singing from the tops of low trees along the …
Backyard Birds
Bushtit Bonanza
I’m not sure why they visit so infrequently (but regularly) but it seems that every so often a flock of Bushtits (Psaltriparus minimus) comes through, visits our suet feeder, and are gone for another week. It’s almost as if they have a regular route and our feeder is on it. Bushtits (Psaltriparus minimus) – here and then gone. I do …
Signs of Spring – the American Robin
An American Robin (Turdus migratorius) keeps a watchful eye. I’m not sure whether it’s the weather but there seem to be more American Robins (Turdus migratorius) around lately. On my regular lunchtime walk this week I came across a large flock of close to thirty robins on a snow covered field. This was a day or two after the last …
Spotted Towhee in the Shrubs
I’ve really been enjoying my lunch time walks along the country roads near my work place in rural Comox Valley, British Columbia. With farm fields, blackberry brambles, and roadside thickets sparrows are common. One of my favourite sparrows at any time of year is the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus). This large, dramatic sparrow usually announces itself with a “raspy mewing” …
A Touch of Gold – the Golden-crowned Sparrow
One of the more common “bramble” sparrows that turns up on winter Christmas Bird Counts is the golden-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) – it’s often much easier to find than the white-crowned sparrow (Z. leucophrys), although ironically, the latter actually showed up at our feeder today. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any pictures of the white-crowned sparrow for comparison purposes …
Finding Fox Sparrows
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca), a winter sparrow common in blackberry tangles and thick shrubs along roadsides and field edges. I’ve been gearing up for this year’s Christmas Bird Counts and doing a little birding along the hedgerows and shrubs growing beside the rural roads near my workplace in rural Comox Valley, British Columbia. This week I was out during my …
Hello Hermit!
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) is a good bird to look for during this year’s Christmas Bird Counts. One of the uncommon birds that often makes the Christmas Bird Counts here on Vancouver Island is the Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) – I usually get at least one in my count area. Other members of the thrush family like American Robin, and …
Backyard Birds – January 25-February 7
We’re still getting over a dozen different species of birds at the feeders but most of them are the same ones that we’ve had for most of the winter so I’m going to do a bi-weekly feeder report instead of weekly. Observations of birds are noted for Project Feederwatch. Project Feederwatch Highlights Some of the notable highlights over the last …
Backyard Birds – January 18-24
Just a quick backyard feeder update for the week – not much change in the number or kinds of birds visiting the feeders. We’re still getting both a male and female Downy Woodpecker regularly and the Ruby-crowned Kinglet makes appearances daily to visit the suet feeder. The single White-crowned Sparrow has been joined by at least one other adult and …
Backyard Birds – January 11-17
The challenging to photograph Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) demonstrating how to place the shadow of a twig between camera and bird. Winter is a great time to enjoy the birds that drop into the feeder. As part of Project Feederwatch I’ve noted which species are using the bird feeder and how many are commonly stopping in. This week, bushtits returned as …