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Friday, November 29, 2013

Change in the weather

Definite change in the weather today!


very misty and moody....funny I had never noticed eagles perching in trees in this particular area of the estuary before.


and with the more inclement weather we had the whole area to ourselves - that hasn't happened for a long time.  All was peaceful at the log bay...did notice that there were very few ducks around today, none up my way, but lots of gulls....


and Bald Eagles scattered in trees throughout the area.  This guy with it's wings spread in the 'drip dry' position that you often see when the weather is wet.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Bushtits....

Another day much like yesterday....when we set off, despite the fact there had been a lot of duck hunting and therefore gunshots out there for most of the morning...


there were quite a few Bald Eagles along the shoreline, a Great Blue Heron on the piling and I could hear Killdeer....


a number of them, like this young one were perched in the 'eagle' trees.  Walked over to the log bay where more eagles were perched in the trees and out along the shore line...


these two out on the flats were having a very vocal discussion about something!


this Spotted Towhee was sunning in the bushes.  And speaking of bushes, as we headed back we ran into....


the first Bush-tit flock of the season.  Unfortunately I didn't really have the right camera with me for capturing these active little birds.  

And speaking of 'camera' on my way over to the log bay I had passed a photographer carrying a very expensive camera set up.  I knew when the area where the eagles  were had been accessed as I heard the heron that had been on the piling take off, giving an alarm call as it flew....sure enough the photographer was settled in at the end of the point where the birds had been.  At least this person, and the one yesterday, were going about it the right way by settling in as unobtrusively as possible and letting the birds come back, rather than marching along the foreshore chasing after them.


the heron hadn't gone far and was busily fishing.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

A Goldfinch????

This was a good birding day.  To start things off I decided to take a walk down to the estuary in hopes that there wouldn't have been any disturbance yet....and I was in luck...from a distance I could see the water was full of ducks...but then...





an eagle flew in low and sent half the flock flying...not content with that it swooped around and went after the rest of the flock - which is what a captured here.  I've said it before, I swear they do it just for the fun of it...they certainly aren't hungry this time of the year.



and  isn't it amazing what you see right in close when no one has been sneaking around trying to 'get closer'!  and I will also say that all of those Bald Eagles were still there happily feeding or resting when I left because I took the pictures with my telephoto and then cropped them further when I down loaded them.



there was lot more activity up the other way as well....and no they aren't leaving...they were having a bit of a disagreement!

After spending a bit of time watching and taking pictures I headed for home and was I ever shocked to see....



this American Goldfinch!  It's not a great picture, just one I label as 'proof it was there'.  I have never seen a Goldfinch here in November before.  Fortunately it was close enough to home for me to include it in my Project Feeder Watch count since it is a count day.


I'm pleased to say that the lack of disturbance continued with our usual walk time and that was reflected in the amount of bird life there was around....like the 3 Great Blue Heron in this picture..there were still eagles feeding in this area as well although not quite as many as earlier, but definitely more than we've seen for a while - at least in the middle of the day!


the log bay area was unoccupied for the first time in weeks...which is probably why this guy was content to be perched there.


and with no one walking along the foreshore....the Killdeer were back...only one in this photo but saw several of them.


there were lots of ducks everywhere....you don't often get these species to be quite this co-operative though!  A male American Wigeon (bright green stripe on head), female standing on right, male Green-wing Teal standing between the two and a pair of females feeding in the puddle.  It was at this point my camera battery died and I discovered I'd forgotten to charge my spare, so we headed home..

Do want to add a couple more taken from around the feeders today....


a Steller's Jay - there were a lot of them all over today and being very vocal, leading me to believe there was probably an owl around somewhere.


and a Song Sparrow..

Monday, November 25, 2013

Not a lot around

It has been a few days since I've done a report.  To be truthful I couldn't bring myself to go near the area over the weekend.  I find the fact that the Eagle Festival is now inviting people to the area for 4 weekends, instead of just 1, to be very alarming given the fact there is no one on site to supervise during those 3 extra weekends.  As it was with a 1 weekend festival there was about a month of disturbance to the area, now it will be closer to 2 months when you consider everyone who comes out prior to the event and for weeks following it.  I guess all we can hope for, for the sake of the birds anyway, is some bad weather soon....


this isolated spot isn't even safe anymore,  I've seen several people sneaking up there, in fact there is becoming a beaten path headed that way....one of the people I witnessed was someone who considers himself to be a very serious birder and should know better!


today there was quite the collection of ducks up in our quieter water....a Great Blue Heron was also enjoying the solitude.


the numbers of Gadwall ducks have certainly increased recently.  Of course it wasn't all good news....the reason that there were so many ducks up our way was also the reason we didn't make it right to the log bay today - there were off leash dogs chasing balls into the log bay...no duck is going to stick around while that is happening!


I will post this picture of a male House Finch that I took at the log bay last week when there were again dogs there but this time they were on leads and sitting quietly with their owners.

I understand that despite the onslaught of visitors on the weekend there was a pair of Trumpeter Swans seen just off the log bay area - they would have been the first seen there this season..it has been very disappointing not seeing them this year.  I guess we have the dry weather and lack of water depth to thank for that because there are certainly lots of them on Harrison Bay, although there too the lack of water is getting rather alarming.


some good news....there are still live salmon spawning in the water so the birds should keep coming for a while.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Bit of variety

Another cool crisp day...  went down fairly early in hopes of there being some eagle activity close in...


there wasn't much in the way of eagles around, but lots of ducks...kind of smokey too with slash burning being done in nearby mountains.

When I went back at mid-day the first thing I saw was a Northern Harrier - the first I've seen in a while. The only photo wasn't worth posting.


there was one Bald Eagle enjoying a fishy lunch....and....


several Killdeer running about in the same area (one in photo) - it had been a few weeks since I'd seen any of them.


quite the collection of ducks too, a Hooded Merganser right in front, quite a few Green-wing Teal, a Gadwall there in the middle, looks like a Mallard and an American Wigeon ...notice the ice along the shoreline.


it wasn't just the shoreline that was busy....we've been seeing Spotted Towhee but this was the first to co-operate for a photo for a while.


and this was interesting!  We know there are a lot of Common Raven right now.  Today my dog decided to do her business and as I was picking it up, this guy flew into a tree above us and studied the situation!


over at the log bay there was an abundance of gulls and notice the closest piling...


this young Great Blue Heron was posing nicely!

Yesterday we caught a robin in this area....


the Robin was still there today but it was a Varied Thrush that showed itself.    Heading back I just had to shake my head as I'd noticed that there was getting to be quite the collection of eagles in one of the 'eagle' trees....


directly beneath this tree were a couple lamenting the fact that they couldn't see any eagles...totally oblivious to what was directly over head!!!


oh well!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Cool, crisp day.

What a beautiful cool, crisp day.  Temperatures, at least at my place didn't get above zero degrees.


lots of ducks and gulls around...


but barely an eagle in sight.  Notice that the rope put up on the weekend to keep people off of the foreshore are still in place.....


sadly with little effect.  This was just one of many 'photographers' all in areas they should not be. 


did manage to get a picture of a lingering American Robin....there are still a few around mixed in with the Varied Thrush. 


and the Anna's Hummingbirds are around too.  Still finding it amazing to see hummingbirds in winter.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Just eagles

A beautiful day today as we switch from a wet weather system to a cold and dry one...


and, because I complain when there are disturbances out there I have to say that the last couple of days there have been photographers in the area but they've all been behaving themselves and staying where they should, and as a result there are Bald Eagles visible for everyone to see.


these ones having a bit of a 'bad hair day' as it was quite breezy.....


loved these 'twins' both would be between 4 and 5 years old, almost completely in their adult plumage...


and then there was touchdown as another one arrived on the scene.  Of course eagles weren't the only birds around...


this group of 'bottoms up' ducks were those Northern Shovelers...


and the Hooded Merganser were there as well.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Good day for ducks! (and eagles)

Managed to get out for a walk today, despite the rain....


it was pretty gloomy out there but the birds were enjoying it.  Great Blue Heron on top of the piling....


while there were a number of Bald Eagles enjoying lunch along the shore line.

We made it over to the log bay.....


saw that they had strung ropes in attempts to keep people off the foreshore during the eagle festival....wonder how successful it was....would work while parks staff was on hand but doubt it will have any effect now.  Looking down towards the golf course....


there was lots of eagle activity in those trees.  I wonder if they are visible from the new viewing platform?  Hope to get over there this coming weekend to find out.


this is a terrible photo, but had to laugh...this Fox Sparrow was having a wonderful time bathing in this little puddle in the middle of the path - it was pouring at the time.  There were also Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhee and some Varied Thrush in the same area.

Back near home was thrilled to see a little group of my favorite ducks....


Hooded Mergansers!  One right in front is a Mallard.  The Northern Shoveler were also in the same general area.