Category Archives: birds

Vultures redux

  It seems that a PR representative of the Union of Carrion Workers (Vulture Division) must read my blog. A week ago, I commented that I had only ever seen Turkey Vultures flying, but never perched. Apparently, the Vulture Local … Continue reading

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Ducks of that ilk

  Sometimes a picture is taken merely so as to delight in a whimsical, but obscure, title. It may be that only a canny Scots botanist will get this one.

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Hello mommy

 

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Kestrel upbringing

  Life in the nest is good. Or at least it is, if judged by the reluctance of the young of some bird species to leave it. And why would they ever want to leave? They are comfortable, fed, cleaned, … Continue reading

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Vulture

  Various behaviours have been seen with most local birds: flying, perching or swimming. However, I have only ever seen vultures in the air — never roosting or feeding. This is odd. This is one of five Turkey Vultures circling … Continue reading

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And the cutest is…

  The sight of freshly hatched chicks often evokes the word, cute. For me, the cutest is the fuzzy-feathered, gangly-legged, chick of the Spotted Sandpiper.

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Inflight capture

  When a Song Sparrow chases a Mayfly, the match is uneven — the bird will win. A tenth of a second later, the bug had been captured and swallowed. 

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Like a bird on a wire

  There is something unsettling about seeing a bird on a wire — possibly this arises from the juxtaposition of wild and processed. The memorable line, like a bird on a wire, came from Lenard Cohen. In the 1960s, he … Continue reading

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Portraits of loons

  It is difficult to take any good picture of a loon on this lake, let alone a frontal portrait: • Loons need clear water to spot prey, so they avoid humans, who typically befoul waterways. • Loons seem to … Continue reading

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Canadian life

  Today — July 1st, 2017 — marks the sesquicentenary of the creation of Canada as a nation. My two-dozen mute portraits offer peeks into the charm and beauty of life in Canada.

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