I guess sometimes all you have to do is stay home! I've been watching for Yellow-rump Warblers for several weeks. Today I was working out in my yard and realized the open area behind our yard was absolutely alive with birds!
in fact the big Broad-leaf Maple that grows there was full of Yellow-rump Warblers.
they were pretty high up but managed to get a few photos.
the bird bath out there was busy too, here a couple of female Purple Finch
this Black-capped Chickadee was headed there too.
and then a female Yellow-rump Warbler headed that way as well.
While I was standing out there, a female Rufous Hummingbird flew up to me, landed on my chest and sat there for at least a minute! Have never had something like that happen before. Had my camera in my hands but there was no way I could get a picture although I sure would have loved to.
Earlier in the day, when I didn't have my camera, I saw a pair of Bush-tits down by the estuary, the first I've seen in the area in a year or so.
Not sure what has happened to this month! Finally got out for a walk at Harrison Bay again yesterday....
we are no longer just 'green', we are now 'gold' as well as the Dandelions are in full bloom.
Dandelions are such an important plant...flowers supply nectar and pollen for bees and other insects, the greens feed many creatures, including people and the seeds are an early food source for many birds.
those rich green fields are being enjoyed by many birds, including the Canada Geese....at least the ones that aren't sitting on nests....
like this one, hunkered right down in there....
and this one. She's been there for a while, they must be close to hatching.
Geese are not the only ones making use of the pilings....
there are at least 2 pairs of Osprey busy nest building out there. You can see from the water it was pretty windy out there yesterday.
back along the dike, saw a number of American Robins....
also two different robin egg shell remnants....so obviously the first hatch of the season has happened.
hearing and seeing more and more White Crowned Sparrows like this one, and speaking of 'hearing', heard a Common Yellowthroat, seems a little bit early for them yet.
the Red-wing Blackbirds must all be sitting on nests now as the males are busy defending territories.
Saw a Starling carrying food, so obviously baby starling are now hatching as well.
It isn't a great photo, but proof that finally some American Goldfinch have been spotted.
back up at the estuary....
the water continues to gradually creep over the grasslands.
After a short trip up to the chilly Okanagan where it still looked like winter with trees barely starting to bud out, everything back here looks extremely 'green' - despite what I understand has been some pretty cool temperatures.
Here at the estuary....
the water has come up a bit - now covering portions of the path to the park, but hadn't come up as much as I'd thought it might, probably due to the cold temperatures putting a stop to any melting.
not much change in the bird species yet either....here is a Song Sparrow....several of them were visible.
did notice quite a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets - this isn't one, this is a Gold-crowned Kinglet, that obviously moved it's head just as the camera clicked. Had been hoping to see a Yellow-rump Warbler but haven't seen any of those yet, anywhere, although I understand some have been seen as far north as the northern tip of Vancouver Island.
a pair of Northwestern Crow caught my eye....
as they were gathering nesting material.
Over at Harrison Bay....
everything is very green....quite a few Canada Geese out in the fields
Tree Swallows....also saw a Violet Green Swallow, but basically there weren't many birds around. Some Robins, the ones that will spend the summer with us, while the rest must have moved on. Several White-crowned Sparrows and the usual Crows, Starling, Blackbirds etc.
Speaking of moving on though....all those Trumpeter Swans we've had all winter, well there is a lake just outside of Whitehorse in the Yukon where there is a Swan Festival every April and apparently they are seeing record numbers of Swans....well over 3,000 on the lake at the moment.
For interest sake, here are some photos from Swan Haven from when we were there 10 years ago.
Only managed one quick walk this morning....
here comes the water! We are heading out for a few days shortly so I imagine by the time we get back, there will be no more walking across the grassland to the park.
rapidly becoming all water out there....notice the pair of Common Merganser, there was also a pair of Mallard right close to shore...in fact there were a total of 38 Common Merganser this morning...
here is a good comparison...male Mallard in front, male Common Merganser behind.
I'd seen a Band-tail Pigeon a few days ago....this morning there were two.... Some years we see large numbers of these bantam size birds, other years just a few, they'll stay around for a month or so before moving up into the mountains.
and here is an 'almost' photo. Was trying to get the Rufous Hummingbird feeding on the flowers of the Black-twin berry. Didn't quite get him.
Had a hectic couple of days so this pictures go back a couple of days when we got for a walk over at Harrison Bay again....
where water is on it's way up....
and everything continues to 'green up'.
lot's of Canada Geese still around.....see how little beach there is in comparison to a week or two ago.
noticed this Northwestern Crow with a twig....obviously building a nest....
and the crow wasn't alone. Here we have a European Starling with a mouthful of nesting material.
then there was the Pileated Woodpecker pair....
there were at least 3 Brown Creeper in an area at the edge of the campground. I'm not sure if they build nests or are cavity nesters....assume the latter but will have to check that out.
Heading back our way...
there were a total of 6 Turkey Vulture in a pair of trees.
back up our way....water is rising here too...this is the first bay, taken yesterday morning...
the log bay is back to being a 'bay'....
several Ruby crowned Kinglets....have been watching for a Yellow-rump Warbler...haven't seen one of those yet but have seen White-crowned Sparrows....just no picture yet.
the Black-twin Berries are starting to flower....nectar for Hummingbirds and Bees right now and the berries are a favorite food of many birds, but especially Cedar Waxwings.
Wouldn't normally bother to post with so little to note, except for the fact there were more gulls around today....
Let's start at the log bay....
where, look to the right....there is water out there not gravel....finally. If you look closely there are also several pairs of .....
Canada Geese....we haven't seen them up our way for awhile, but pairs are now spreading out looking for nesting sites.
Now to the gulls, an adult flew by and disappeared from sight....but there were a couple of young ones....
and again, I have no idea what it is, that is if it isn't what my book calls a Thayer's Gull. I have had no luck getting any answer on the ID of the photos of the adult I posted a couple of days ago but I suspect they are all the same species....after all, gulls are migrating now too.
here is another view of the same bird.
Apart from blackbirds and swallows....
there were a few American Goldfinch....nice to see these little 'wild canaries' back. Heard several Rufous Hummingbirds as well.
