Category Archives: birds

  Of all the local woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker is the one I see most often. The male flicker’s springtime hammering is intended to impress the females. His successful wooing has resulted in chicks to feed. Among bird species there … Continue reading →

  A title such as “feed me” could apply to any of a wealth of animals with young. On this occasion it applies to Bank Swallows. I had visited them in May and had another occasion to do so today. In … Continue reading →

  Why is this heron pretending to be a balalaika? I have watched herons stand in shallows, and perch on trees, pilings, docks or rocks. But, this is the first time I have seen one adopt this pose: up-stretched neck and the … Continue reading →

  A week or so ago, I watched some Tree Swallows bully an Eagle. Ok, that makes sense, an eagle would happily eat a swallow chick, so clearly it must be vanquished. But, what about a heron? Today, I watched … Continue reading →

  The Bald Eagle is often seen harassing others. I have watched it bully ospreys, herons, and even an otter (and this doesn’t include things it was trying to eat). So, it was satisfying to see an eagle being bullied by … Continue reading →

  The breeding range of the Common Loon is nearly coincident with Canada. I suspect that is why a loon appears on our one-dollar coin—the loonie. Given this situation, it seems appropriate to post a Canada Day picture of a loon … Continue reading →

  The just published, The State of Canada’s Bird, 2012, tells us that for Canada’s West Coast and Mountains, the Great Blue Heron is a “strongly decreasing species”. If this is true, it is a shame; the heron is a beautiful … Continue reading →

  When I look back at my earlier pictures of loons, I find that a surprisingly large number of them were taken in late June during the freshet. Yesterday’s loon visited at sunset. Maybe its approach was encouraged by the inordinately high … Continue reading →