A Waiting Game

Sea Island-Richmond/Centennial Beach-Tsawwassen Nov 26/15 Sunny 5c

There were a number of reasons I couldn't make it to Sea Island to photograph a Burrowing Owl when it was first reported a few days earlier, I just had to hope it would stay around. The same could be said about the Hudsonian Godwit at Tsawwasen. Every birder knows the feeling of helplessness when there's a twitch going on and for whatever reason he/she can't make it.
The first waiting game finally ended when I arrived at a nondescript location in the shadows of Vancouver International Airport. Commercial jets were taking off and landing all around but apparently it proved to be ideal spot for diminutive owl to take up residence. As far as I know it is quite unusual to have a Burrowing owl in Vancouver and an un-banded one at that.

Burrowing Owl. I used shadows and differing colour tones from the rocks to liven up this composition.

A change of body posture gives the owl an elongated look.

When people got too close the owl prepared to take off.

It was a real privilege to spend an hour with this bird and my only hope is that the pressure from all those who wanted to see it will eventually dissipate. The only people who can decide when enough is enough are the birders themselves.

Later that day and as the sun began to wane a quick visit to Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen saw me kneeling on the sandy beach photographing a gorgeous Hudsonian Godwit. 

Hudsonian Godwit

It was a another beautiful sunny day in the Lower Mainland. The Burrowing Owl in the morning, a Northern Mockingbird after lunch (alas no decent pictures) and the Godwit in the late afternoon.

What more could a person ask for?

                                                  "It's never too late to start birding"
                                                                 John Gordon
                                                           Langley/Cloverdale
                                                                 BC Canada