Category Archives: birds

Lucy has a new gosling

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Alistair

Lucy was hatched at least a decade ago. She is the only local Canada Goose that is a recognizable individual. Normally, when we wish to identify an individual animal, we have to mark it with something ranging from a … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, commentary | 4 Comments

More chicks

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Alistair

New life abounds in the spring. Here are three rarely featured species. Robin Four robin chicks look out from a nest under a building’s eves. One of the chicks seems to be getting more than its fair share of … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | Comments Off

Vulture’s matutinal ritual

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Alistair

When one watches a Turkey Vulture’s morning, it certainly seems to reveal a ritualistic behaviour. The day begins with the vulture spreading its wings to warm then in the early morning sunlight. Then comes the obligatory stretching of the … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 2 Comments

Big-chick feeding

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Alistair

There is a narrow window of opportunity to be able to see dipper chicks leaning out of their nest and being fed. When slightly younger, they stay inside; when slightly older they have fledged and are gone. When I … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 5 Comments

Cedar Waxwings feed

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Alistair

Gregarious, garrulous, and guileless, a couple of dozen Cedar Waxwings feast on the petals of a black hawthorn tree. This is the first time I have seen a flock of these birds feeding on the petals of flowers. The … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 3 Comments

May goulash

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Alistair

This is a largish collection of images from May, none of which has had a posting of its own. The House Finch is a colourful western bird that has now spread across the continent. The Killdeer arrives from the … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, mammals | 2 Comments

Two courtship displays

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Alistair

I watched two courtship displays of birds this morning. One was obvious; the other was subtle. A courtship display is a behaviour in which an animal (often a male) attempts to attract a mate. The courtship display of the … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, commentary | 1 Comment

Hummers three

Posted on May 11, 2020 by Alistair

We are a few weeks into the hummingbird season. It started slowly with the arrival of male Rufous Hummingbirds. Then some female Rufous arrived. Now are added the Calliope and Black-chinned. Sometimes they share a feeder, sometimes they fight … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 9 Comments

Owl’s nest

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Alistair

The Great Horned Owl is billed as widespread and common throughout North America. But, just try to find one: it has camouflage colouring, it is primarily active at night; it nests unobtrusively high in trees. My favourite observing location … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 4 Comments

Flash your gorget

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Alistair

The hummingbird’s gorget is iridescent: See it at one angle to the sun and it is dark, twisted to another angle and it glows brilliantly. A male Rufous Hummingbird twists its head and flashes its gorget.