Category Archives: birds

May goulash

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Alistair

  This is a stew made of photographic ingredients that didn’t merit individual postings. This disheveled-looking bird is probably a House Finch. A male White-tailed Deer was browsing along the lakeshore. And then there was a (garter) snake in the grass. … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, herptiles, mammals | 1 Comment

Tryst in a trice

Posted on May 28, 2015 by Alistair

  Birds devote little time to mating. This sequence of four pictures showing Tree Swallows spanned two seconds. The female Tree Swallow crouches low and lifts her tail as the male approaches. He lands on her back as she spreads her cloaca. … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 2 Comments

Summer arrives

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Alistair

  You know summer has arrived when you see both a Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly and a Spotted Sandpiper.  Don’t be mislead by media automatons that parrot a claim about an official start of any season. That claim is nonsense. … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, commentary | 2 Comments

Flying birds

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Alistair

  It is May and the shore along the Lake is filled with birds. Some are wading, some floating, some flying. It is the flying ones that are the most difficult to photograph—they are usually fast and distant. Yesterday, I had … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 5 Comments

Not camera dross

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Alistair

  I don’t always look at the contents of my camera’s memory card immediately. Having taken pictures of things around me, I quickly move on. Yet, now and then, things I thought were dross, turn out well. Here are a … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, mammals | 3 Comments

Grouse

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Alistair

  Doug Thorburn, that indefatigable wanderer of local mountains, sent me these two pictures of a grouse he saw this last week when he tracked down the sound of drumming. The trouble is, I cannot tell what it is. The … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 3 Comments

Killdeer nest

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Alistair

  It was the frenetic display of a feigned broken wing that signalled the unexpected nearness of a Killdeer’s nest.  Indeed, a quick look around revealed four camouflaged eggs lying on the open ground. I promptly retreated, the Killdeer relaxed and … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | Comments Off on Killdeer nest

Mallard chicks

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Alistair

  A month and a half ago, Miss Mallard put on a show for her intended. Her pole dance had the desired result. From a distance, the specks were tiny, dark and moving. From closer, the specks became seven mallard … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | Comments Off on Mallard chicks

Bountiful watching

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Alistair

  Nature watching has been bountiful in the last few days. In addition to the just posted toads in amplexus and the dipper chicks, some things seen were: A Cliff Swallow peeking out of its nest; A marmot contemplating (“You disparaged … Continue reading →

Posted in birds, bugs, herptiles, mammals | 3 Comments

Dipper chicks

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Alistair

  Two weeks ago, I showed pictures of a dipper nest under a bridge. One shot showed the male feeding the female in the nest. The chicks have now hatched, which makes this a busy Mother’s Day. Three hungry maws … Continue reading →

Posted in birds | 4 Comments