Monthly Archives: February 2016

  The Bohemian Waxwing is an ephemeral delight. It forages in large winter flocks that briefly visit some berries only to then vanish from sight for weeks. It is two months since I last managed images. At that earlier time there … Continue reading →

  The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest woodpecker in North America, a feature that gives it an advantage in the access of some bugs. That this one is a male is evident from the red patch on its head. When … Continue reading →

  I had no idea that I was wrong. Planing or Hydroplaning: Typically the term, planing, is preferred by boaters, while, hydroplaning, is preferred by drivers of land vehicles who encounter water on a road. As recently as last week, I … Continue reading →

  When there is a sexual difference in bird plumage, it is usually the males that are the grandiloquent ones. This is apparently the result of sexual selection. Females prefer the strongly patterned and brightly coloured males variously as an … Continue reading →

  For years, I have enjoyed watching the occasional Ruffed Grouse forage in my yard, but aside from a hen with chicks, would only see one at a time. After all, the adult leads a solitary life, except for brief encounters … Continue reading →

  Winter is the time to see redpolls. These birds of the Arctic head south for the winter. They are named for their red polls (i.e., crowns, see previous posting), and seem to come in two species: Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll. … Continue reading →

  The House Finch is a common bird in the urban areas of southern Canada. Arising in the west, it has spread eastward. This is not a rare bird.  Yet, it is more readily accepted than other interlopers, such as … Continue reading →

  The best place around the Lake to see hawks during the winter seems to be on the Creston Flats (at the south end of the Lake). On the West Arm, where I live, Red-tailed Hawks are seen, but usually … Continue reading →