This is a collection of interesting creatures taken this March that lacked a posting of their own.
Many are seeing Evening Grosbeaks this year. Why have they become relatively common?
In the spring, we see two species of bluebirds: the Mountain Bluebird and the Western Bluebird. So far, I have only seen the Western, although others have seen the Mountain.
Twenty years ago, we mainly saw Tundra Swans on the Lake during migration. Now, we mainly see Trumpeters. While Trumpeters are lovely to watch, whither the former Tundras?
The Varied Thrush is plentiful at this time of year, but it is skittish and so isn’t easily approached.
Mourning Cloak is both one of the longest-lived butterflies (11 or 12 months) and perhaps the first to appear in the spring. This is one of two seen on March 31st.
An interesting early season arrival is the Green-winged Teal.
Beautiful photos
loved the goulash especially the mourning cloak. e
The green on the head of the teal is ragged and needs a makeover. And the green on the secondaries is hidden.
Thank you Alistair – I always appreciate your photos.
The teal does indeed look a little ragged after blowing in from the Yucatan or Caribbean. Wonderful pix as always, Alistair.
I long to see a bluebird here, any kind of bluebird. I saw a few in New Mexico in the past, during the winter months, but never here in the Little Slocan valley. A week ago, the light was hitting the back and head of a robin such that I paused and stared – a blue bird! It was uncanny. But after a while, it became a robin again. Then one day I got close enough to a nuthatch to see the sun on it’s back, and I reveled in blueness once more.