Mar 26 2020
Lower Mainland
BC
Since I took these pictures the world has changed unmeasurably.
Somethings however remain the same. Outside my window a pair of crows break off twigs to build a nest. In the garden a Bewick's Wren has survived the winter and the neighbourhood cats. The Yellow-rumped Warblers have returned to the woodlot and swallows swoop over ponds. That part of our collective experience hasn't changed.
Somethings however remain the same. Outside my window a pair of crows break off twigs to build a nest. In the garden a Bewick's Wren has survived the winter and the neighbourhood cats. The Yellow-rumped Warblers have returned to the woodlot and swallows swoop over ponds. That part of our collective experience hasn't changed.
Some of you I know are holed up at home because of underlying health conditions or just worried about going out except for groceries. Please stay safe and guard your health.
If that is the case here are some miscellaneous images to hopefully cheer you up.
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| Boundary Bay access points like 104 St (above) are now closed to visitors. Nikon Coolpix P1000 at 3000mm |
When I went birding in the first ten weeks of 2020 the world was a very different place. My plan to go birding in Arizona seems so far fetched now it's ridiculous, had I gone I would have been caught up in dodgy travel arrangements and all the other complications that would have entailed. Considering what has transpired that's a mere inconvenience and little comfort to my daughter and thousands of others who may lose their jobs or worst those who have contacted or succumbed to Covid-19. In the scheme of things it seems rather selfish to be out birding but we know that being outdoors will keep us healthy in mind, body and spirit. In these times I keep thinking of the words of the late Leonard Cohen.
"There is a crack in everything (there is a crack in everything)
That's how the light gets in"
(Leonard Cohen)
A Ray of Light
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| Gray-crowned Rosy Finch Iona Regional Park Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
A ray of light came in the form of a beautifully coloured finch at Iona Regional Park Wednesday morning. It was a magical feeling, somewhat of a rare commodity lately. Thanks to Gillian Mitchell for letting all us share their find.
At the twitch we all kept a very respectful distance from each other and from other park visitors. We were very aware of not touching objects such as washroom doors, park benches and leaving no traces whatsoever. After a walk along the beach I drove straight home making sure I didn't come into contact with others.
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Patch birds
I have as much as possible begun to seek out places to bird locally where I might avoid others or at least give them a wide berth.
I either bird within walking distance from home or drive within 5 kms.
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| Pacific Wren from Brydon Lagoon Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
My patch is Brydon Lagoon in Langley City. I have been birding there for decade and had never seen a White-throated Sparrow until this year. There are actually two, both are very timid, often bullied by the Song Sparrows seeing them takes a little patience and stealth, it's good to see they have survived the winter.
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| White-throated Sparrow Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
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| Ruby-crowned Kinglet Latimer Lake, Surrey Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
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| Brown Creeper Nikon Coolpix P1000 Arbour Ribbon Trail-Township of Langley |
The Migration
Meanwhile the migration is beginning with Mountain Bluebirds turning up all over the Lower Mainland and beyond.
It may seem selfish in these dire times to be posting photographs but I hope they might bring a little smile to those who might not be able to get out. These were mostly taken while shooting video on my Nikon Coolpix P1000. However with plenty of time on my hands it seems like a good time to update the blog.
I have been shooting video for an upcoming project so my still photography is mostly taking a back seat for the moment. I am really exited about shooting video. I am having to learn new skills and terminology but it's all part of the lifelong learning experience.
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| Mountain Bluebird |
A small flock of Mountain Bluebirds turned up at Centennial Beach on the very same date in 2019, how uncanny is that.
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| Nikon Coolpix P1000 Centennial Beach (now closed to the public) |
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| Canada Geese Surrey Lake Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
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| Merlin Nikon Coolpix P1000 I can't remember where I took this particular shot. |
Some Images from Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary
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| A semi tame Red-breasted Nuthatch comes for a hand-out. Reifel Bird Sanctuary (now closed) Nikon Coolpix P1000 |
Details
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| Mallard wing pattern. |
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| Sandhill Crane Nikon Coolpix P1000 (Handheld) |
I love the 3000mm zoom on the P1000, no way I am going to use a macro mode on a bird with a spear for a beak.
Portraits
I don't photograph humans anymore so when a thin wisp of cloud covered the sun and created some great light I started to focus in on a couple of confiding Wood Ducks. I noticed how visitors were admiring their beauty and being a regular visitor to Reifel I have fallen in to a pattern of walking right past these beautiful birds as I ventured forth to find the latest and greatest arrival. That's one of the pitfalls of listing, it's easy to overlook the obvious in the mad dash for a tick. The 24mm-3000mm P1000 allows to shoot from a great distance, the bokeh is amazing.
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| Wood Duck |
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| Wood Duck |
I have enjoyed putting this smorgasbord of images together, something I have been putting off for months. I thought it might be therapeutic for myself and hopefully brings a smile to anyone else who has been affected by the recent events. Safer times will undoubtedly return. Time will be the healer.
"It's never to late too practice social distancing"
John Gordon
Langley/Cloverdale
BC Canada
lovely post and shots but a note of correction Rosemary and paul clapham did not find the iona gray crowned rosy finch it was actually found by Gillian Mitchell. Perhaps you can edit your post to reflect that :)
ReplyDeletei dont think it's selfish to be out birding but vital for mental health as long as we bird socially responsibly.