Bed side birding

It is sort of ironic, last year I was asked to write an article for a RV magazine on how birding is a hobby anyone can do, even those with physical limitations, so as I currently find myself with some mystery condition that makes it virtually impossible to sit or walk, I am now having to 'bird' from my bed.  And wouldn't you know that right now all kinds of things are happening out there!  

This morning started with the unmistakable calls of the Trumpeter Swans headed north, and soon I could see the long skein of them from my bedroom window.  The interesting thing is, I checked my blog photos for last year and it was the exact same date that they left last year too.

Yesterday I was laying here and almost jumped out of my skin when a tap-tap-tap sounded right outside my window....

the photo is courtesy of my husband who went out and tracked the source down, this Red-breasted Sapsucker really liked the sound that the little plastic window made.  There was another answering from  near by tree.  Could hear Flickers all over too, my husband counted 17 of them on his morning walk.

Also seen on his walk this morning...

this, which was one of 3 Ring-bill Gulls....  the not so good news of things seen was this...

apparently some flying lessons were being undertaken as it practiced stalling and landing and taking off about 5 times.

Back to the birds though....

yesterday the first White-crowned Sparrow showed up, photo again courtesy of my husband.

We are pretty sure the Band-tail Pigeons are back as well, either that or a bunch of Doves have moved in, there is lot's of 'cooing' coming from the trees but haven't actually caught sight of them yet.  The Rufous Hummingbirds are sure back in abundance!  My husband hung one of our feeders outside the bedroom window and they obviously approve of the spot as I have more coming than I've ever had....

Second full day of spring

Spring arrived on the 20th but for one reason or another I hadn't been able to get out there until today when it definitely didn't look or feel all that 'spring like'.

there wasn't a lot of activity.....

however there was a pair of Hooded Merganser there, along with a dozen or so Red-wing Blackbirds, most of which were bathing.

lot's of singing Song Sparrows.  Saw a number of Fox Sparrows as well.  Am wondering when the crowned sparrows will show up - should be soon.

There were a few Purple Finch as well.  

despite the clouds and cool temperatures there was quite the swarm of swallows in this area, often just skimming the surface of the water, which I guess is where the bugs were.

Here at the feeders, we saw the first Rufous Hummingbird of the season.  I actually saw my first one on Thursday but today was the first in our yard.  Heard reports from people in North Van and on Vancouver Island, all seeing their first ones today as well.  Strangely enough all of us (we are on the same Facebook B.C. birds group), all saw the first Turkey Vulture of the season on the same day as well, that day being the first day of spring.  

There continues to be large numbers of Dark-eyed Junco.  So far this guy with an all white tail is the only 'odd ball' I've seen.  All white tails are quite a common variation with these guys.

And lastly, 

I actually took this the other day (you can tell by the blue sky!), this is the pair of Hairy Woodpeckers, together on the same snag.

Return of the Rusty....

Today has been an interesting day!  The weather this morning was awful, pelting down rain...which I guess was good in a way because there wasn't much to do than try to count the masses of Dark-eyed Junco that were at the feeders.... and all of a sudden, did a double take....

the Rusty Blackbird was back!  and to make it even better, it is a Project Feeder-watch day so I will be able to report him.

he spent a fair bit of time perched in this tree, allowing me to get a really good look at him, he also was calling and his call is quite different from any other blackbird.   Some observations - his posture is very similar to a Red-wing Blackbird, not the upright strutting posture of a Brewer's Blackbird, however he isn't 'flighty' like the Red wings.  Another identifying feature is the long slightly down curved bill.

Here is one more slightly wicked looking view....

after the excitement of the Rusty and with the weather letting up a bit we decided to walk over at Kilby today...

this pretty much sums up the way the weather has been going!

the Bald Eagles are at their nest.  Soon they won't be visible as the trees are pretty close to leafing out.

This wet cornfield beside the dyke was alive with birds, mainly...

American Robins and lots and lots of Dark-eyed Junco although I couldn't catch one of them on the ground..

but did get this guy in a tree.

Apart from the usual geese....

saw this trio of Common Merganser....

and this Common Loon, still in it's winter plumage.

not leaving without a fight....

Spring officially starts in 3 days but this morning we were reminded that winter isn't going without a fight....

as we woke to fresh snow way down on all the surrounding mountains, including Mt. Woodside. 

Earlier this morning I had just about had a collision with a Sharp-shin Hawk.  Had wondered why there were no little birds around and was walking past a shrub when the little hawk dove down and grabbed a junco that had been hiding there.  Didn't have a camera with me at the time and it all happened too fast to get a photo, even if I had.

When I did get out for a walk there just wasn't a lot of bird activity...

there were lots of Black-cap Chickadees about, haven't seen any near that nest site again.  Saw a pair of Bushtits as well.  when there is only a pair it is a pretty good indication they are in search of a home as well.  They were in an area I have found bush tit nests in the past.

as I was finishing my walk a trio of Canada Geese came flying in....the above pair and what seemed to be one 'hangeroner'

didn't really have the right camera with me for this action shot, but thought it turned out kind of neat anyway.

The promised sunshine did appear for a short while late in the day....

and I laughed when I looked outside and saw this trio of Dark-eyed Junco sitting  sunbathing....I know just how they feel!  The fact that the thermometer still just read 6 degrees was the only thing that stopped me from running out there and soaking up some vitamin D myself.

Right on schedule

Before I get into today's sightings....wanted to mention that in keeping with today's 'theme', the first male Rufous Hummingbird was seen at an area feeder on Thursday, the 13th of March.  I haven't seen one yet but my feeders are out and ready and waiting!

Now back to today which wasn't as nice weather wise as the last few have been....

but we did manage to get out before the light showers got too serious....and what was the first thing we noticed?

a pair of Canada Geese!  Right on schedule.  Only this one pair so far but no doubt a few more will show up as they spread out searching for nesting sites.

Also right on schedule, I spotted the first Ruby-Crowned Kinglet for this year.  The little guy was so busy that it was impossible to ever think about a photo.....and also, in keeping with the theme, yesterday we had half a dozen Purple Finch at our feeders so their numbers are definitely increasing as well.

Also increasing in numbers are ...

the Dark-eyed Junco....the ground is 'hopping' in places with them.  Still watching for one of those 'odd balls' or more properly termed 'leutistic' (not sure of the spelling and neither is my computer!)

Of interest today, also was this....

Red-tail Hawk.  When we first noticed it on this piling it was definitely busy eating something or somebody.  Too far off to get a better ID.

On the way home....

this Song Sparrow was being very co-operative.  I think I've mentioned before that right now is the best time to get photos of these guys, partly because the vegetation isn't leafed out to hide them, but mainly because of their habit of singing perched on the top of various shrubs as they stake out territories.

Now for a bit of nostalgia....it was 2 years ago today when I spotted....

this Saw-whet Owl.  The one and only time I have ever seen one.  It was mobbing Steller's Jay that lead me to him then and I know there are owls around right now, again due to the mobbing Steller's Jay, but so far I haven't been able to spot any.  I did have a neighbour tell me he saw a Barred Owl the other day, which seemed strange as Barred Owls are normally nocturnal.

Chickadee chatter.....

Spring might still officially be a week away, but you'd never know it!

and I mean that in a good way!  Not the way that the poor folks back east are thinking the same thing.

definitely more  Tree Swallows showing up now, in fact I understand there is quite the swarm of them down  there this evening.

lot's of Dark-eyed Junco too, caught this one singing....I'm still watching for one of the 'odd balls' to show up.

But lets talk Chickadee's....yesterday when we visited Cheam Wetlands....

we caught this little Black-capped Chickadee busy excavating a nesting cavity.  Well today, the camera was a little too slow to catch the bird in the act....

but look how busy they've been!

look at the scattering of wood chips on the ground.  What these pictures should point out is the important role dead and damaged trees and shrubs play in the big picture.  Pruning everything to be neat and tidy and removing anything that looks dead is not beneficial to anyone.  Unfortunately this particular nest site is very close to a busy path so I'm not sure how successful it will be although they've obviously been able to do a lot of work, unencumbered by human activity.  One never knows what do to in these situations.  If you point out where it is located in hopes people will avoid it, they all tend to have to go and have a peek for themselves.  Since most people seem to be totally oblivious to what is going on in the environment around them, it is probably wisest to say nothing and hope for the best for the little guys.

So back today....it wasn't just Chickadee's busy nest building....

a local dog owner had combed his dog and left the fur laying here, this pair of Common Raven were busy gathering it up to line their nest.

and to finish off today's theme....

we haven't seen a lot of Chestnut-backed Chickadees lately, but I did have a pair of them at my feeders late this afternoon.  That got me thinking, I've found a few Black-cap Chickadee nest sites over the years, but I've never seen a Chestnut-backed one.

Finches

Actually haven't been for my usual walk today, we opted to go over to Cheam Wetlands Regional Park for our main walk, but have been out enough to notice...

that more and more finches are showing up, not only Purple Finch like this guy.....

but also a number of House Finch....this one a male but a female wasn't far away.

My husband did get for a walk today and he noticed that some Violet-green Swallows have joined the Tree Swallows and one other note.....I think I had mentioned that I hadn't heard any Marsh Wren yet....well ....

they were definitely over at Cheam today...and then this evening I wandered down to the water in hopes that a shorebird might have shown up, and I heard a Marsh Wren off in the distance.  We never get many, at least in the area we can walk by, as the habitat isn't really suitable for them.  It is only when we can get out on the water that we can really see them here.

Not my favorite creature, but we also saw a garter snake today at Cheam, and a turtle...

Bees, and Butterflies and Chipmunks..

An absolutely beautiful day today!  Started the day out by spotting the first....

Townsend's Chipmunk of the season!  Our native squirrels have been with us through sleet, snow, rain and freezing temperatures, but the little native Chipmunk do go into hibernation during the worst of the winter weather.

Later we took a drive over to Kilby...

it must be 3 weeks since we'd been there and the first thing we noticed were the large amount of honey bee's swarming all around our car.  Didn't get a picture, I was too busy ducking!  The water level has come up a little bit and there were definite sounds of spring....Tree Swallows were chattering overhead....

and there were several Canada Goose pairs, like this one, scattered about up and down the river, lot's of honking and calling back and forth and there was some rat tat tating going on here too..

finally spotted this Northern Flicker who was using this electrical box for a drum.....

it wasn't until I downloaded and started working on these photos that I realized this guy is one of those 'hybrids'....he has the red mustache of the red-shafted, but also the red 'v' on the nape of the neck of the yellow-shafted.  Have no idea what colour he was under the wings as he never moved.  The object of his affection was perched in a tree a ways off.

There was certainly lots of other activity but not much of anyone co-operating for photos...but then I spotted this....

the first butterfly of the season....a Mourning Cloak... and then for another first, a while later I was standing talking to a neighbour and we heard a Tree Frog croaking.....

Rat a tat tat

Oh what a beautiful day!  Not pure sunshine but the first day when it really and truly felt like spring was on it's way....

one would never have believed from the way the rain was drumming on the roof during the night that we would wake to such perfect conditions.  I took this photo during the first of two walks today to show not only the perfectly calm conditions, but the fact that the water levels have risen a bit....also not a duck, gull, heron or anything else to be seen on the water or along the shore..

that doesn't mean there wasn't any activity!  Yesterday I mentioned the male Red-wing Blackbirds staking out territories waiting for the females to arrive....well, here is a female.....they are arriving.

still lots of Varied Thrush around.....

but it is the Robins.....that are everywhere doing what robins do best...making us all feel so happy because we know that spring is well on it's way.  Even as I write this and it is getting dark, I can hear robins calling...

not to be outdone are the Black-capped Chickadees....there is a lot of their 'here penny' calling as they work around searching out potential nesting spots....

but the real activity today belonged to the woodpecker family....there was more drumming and tapping and calling....

Red-breasted Sapsuckers are notorious 'drummers' and this guy was making the most of this dead cedar tree....it echoed beautifully!

Northern Flicker were active all over the place, this is one of a pair that I think are planning on nesting in that snag...unfortunately it is in such a position I haven't been able to get a good photo...

and speaking of positions, this is a position I don't normally go to for fears of encouraging others and disturbing the wildlife, but today I broke my own code and ventured down because I could hear....

this Hairy Woodpecker working away...

one other noteworthy item....

this male Purple Finch was singing his heart out from the top of a pussy willow tree.  Bushtits and Golden crowned Kinglets were nearby as  well.