I’ve really been enjoying my 30-45 minute lunchtime walks – it’s a great break from the office and gives me a chance to get out, stretch my legs, take in some fresh air and do a little birding. There is plenty of good habitat to see some of the common thicket sparrows like Spotted Towhees, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Song Sparrows and …
Birding
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 …
Bird on a Wire – American Kestrel
I like to keep an eye on the telephone wires and poles while driving between Courtenay and Black Creek on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. This winter I’ve seen an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) on a couple of occasions but never have had the chance to stop and take a photo. This week I had the good fortune to not only …
What was that Bird?
OK folks – here’s a little challenge for you on a gray west coast Sunday. It’s time to crack open those bird books and see if you can figure out what bird this is. Post a comment below with the field marks that you used to help you identify the bird. I’ll post a couple of better photos (which show …
Winter Sparrows
All through the winter months, even on the wettest and dullest days, there are always birds in the shrubs and hedges of our neighbourhood. Sparrows are some of the most common winter birds, but I’m always glad to see them. They aren’t particularly flashy or colourful, but they have a subtle beauty, and like good friends they just get better …
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” …
Seeking a Sapsucker
One of the advantages of working where I do is that there are plenty of places to walk to during my lunch break. If the weather is good, I can get out for 30 to 45 minutes after a quick lunch (or eat lunch while I’m working to maximize my walk time). Sparrows are common in the thickets and blackberries …
Bald Eagle’s Brunch
On the way to Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park yesterday morning we spotted a bald eagle enjoying a little black scoter for brunch at Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Bald Eagle with Black Scoter #1 Bald Eagle with Black Scoter #2 Bald Eagle with Black Scoter #3
Looking and Listening for Long-tailed Ducks
During a break in the weather this week I had a chance to get down to Goose Spit to look for a short-eared owl that had been reported near the tip of the spit. There’s a large grassy area at the end of the spit that was once a hideous thicket of Scotch Broom. The Department of National Defense has …
Trumpeting in the New Year
As we roll into 2011 birders around the world are restarting their “year lists,” a tally of all of the species of birds they see in one year. Some, like Russell Cannings, use the new year as a starting point for a “Big Year,” a serious attempt to rack up as many species of birds as possible. In 2010, Russell …