Burnaby Mountain Grosbeaks

Jan 8 2015 Burnaby Mountain Sunny 6c

As mentioned in my last blog I was so carried away with composing clean uncluttered images of the colourful male Pine Grosbeaks I totally forgot the female of the species.
Ironically, ignoring the female species is something my wife kindly reminds me of when I return from one of my extended birding trips!
With the Lower Mainland fogged in I decided to return to Burnaby Mountain where at least there would be blue skies, sun and warmth.
When I arrived I was lucky enough to find the grosbeaks feeding on cherry buds. The Rose Garden was almost deserted, except for one young birder sketching and enjoying the tranquility. An hour later a dozen photographers and birders were on the scene by which time the birder/artist had long departed!
The Pine Grosbeaks are easy to find near the Horizons Restaurant and seemed to have no fear of humans, just respect their space and they'll reward you with excellent views.

Male Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
This one came down to drink and take in grit and water at the Rose Garden. 

When I returned home I found I had shot 267 files, I quickly edited it down to 57. There were issues including distracting backgrounds, branches behind the bird's head or too bright a sky or out of focus foliage. Even though I tried not to press the shutter until I had a clearly composed shot, emotions took over and I landed up with 210 useless shots which have now been dispatched to the trash.

Some thoughts on Composition

When I started photographing birds a record shot was mandatory, later as I learnt a little more about bird lore, a close-up shot would be the goal. None of those early images show any kind of habitat and if they did it was as a second thought. These days I am trying to include more habitat within the frame as well as a clean background. Not as easy as it sounds. I have tried hard to compose better images with this second round of Pine Grosbeak images.

Female Pine Grosbeak in an "active pose" in my opinion a step up from the 'bird on the stick' pose.
There is tension in the bird's pose

First year male showing rump and uppertail coverts.

Female Pine Grosbeak.

Like the picture below I looked for a clean background amongst the tangle of branches the cherry trees provided. The hope is to separate the bird from the background allowing the viewer to enjoys the bird's physical characteristics.

                                                             

Male Pine Grosbeak.

In this composition above I tried to combine the simplicity of primary reds and blues. I waited for the bird to move along the branch until it entered a space, creating a frame within a frame. Note the foreground and background branch. A touch of blue sky and the pinkish red plumage compliment each other. This was one of five shots before the bird flew off. The open beak with cherry bud capped off the composition. 

So what make a good image ?

1. Impact: Does the image have wow factor, does it evoke some emotional connection?

2. Story-telling: Does the image tell you anything about the subject.

3. Technical stuff : Exposure, Composition.
and
of course
a 
sense of humour!

See Ya!

It's never too late to start birding

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

What a Way to End the Year

Dec 31 2014 Boundary Bay 72 St Ave, Burnaby Mountain and Grant Narrows. Cold and Sunny.

Boundary Bay 72nd Ave Delta

The day began at 6.30 a.m with a hearty breakfast and quick perusal of my 2015 horoscope. By 8.00 a.m I had picked up Raymond and were on our way to Boundary Bay. The plan was to photograph a Golden Eagle, which from Raymond's prior experience was best attempted in the early morning light. Sure enough after only ten minutes a Golden Eagle soared over us and perched on a tall popular tree about 30 metres from the road.
These pictures are as near as I could get but they are the only ones I have of this juvenile. Two years ago I was lucky enough to photograph an adult bird at Sumas Prairie so it was nice to compare the two plumages.
For those wanting to drive out to Abbotsford there are two Golden Eagles at Sumas Prairie but you may have to work little harder to find them. A Golden was also reported at Elgin Park/Stewart House although it may be the same 72nd St bird.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

How lucky we were to have seen it. Suddenly it took off and was time to leave for our next location.

Vancouver Sun Story

or

http://www.eaglenova.com/rare-golden-eagle-arrives-boundary-bay/

 A bird of almost mythical status. 

Burnaby Mountain

An hour later we were on our way (car pooling) to Burnaby Mountain where a flock of Pine Grosbeaks were ignoring the hordes of photographers as they gorged on emerging cheery buds. The bird's antics drew quite the crowd both photographers and park patrons.

Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)

A tight crop showing off more feather detail. 

 I composed this image in the viewfinder, first locking the focus onto the bird and then moving the camera to the left so as not to cut off the tip of the cherry tree. 

Grant Narrows/Catbird Slough

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulous)

On the spur of the moment we decided to take off to Grant Narrows to search out the flocks of Bohemian Waxwings that had recently invaded the area in their search for a supply of berries and insects. On warmer days the waxwings can even be seen 'hawking' insects, however this day no waxwings could be found. A few Purple Finch clung upside down on Pacific Crabapples but it wasn't until we were on our way back home that we finally found a small flock of 13 perched in small tree. We patiently waited for them to come down to feed, eventually they did. At that precise moment a very noisy work truck passed by, scattering the flock. I managed this distant shot (above) which been cropped considerably.

I hadn't meant to go birding on the last day of the year but I am sure glad I did. I had originally planned a 'Top Ten' of my favourite birds or even a page of my 2014 lifers but time restraints only allows me this little ramble.

Anyway for all of you who have been following my journal I wish you all the very best of health and happiness for 2015 and of course....good birding!:

 "It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

Burnaby Mountain Walk

June 13 2013 Burnaby Mountain, British Columbia, Canada

Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

A Swainson's Thrush searches for food on the forest floor, its song fills the air, combined with the songster the Wilson's Warbler, the Black-capped Chickadee and American Robin the forest is a cacophony of sound.
Further along the trail a sudden flash of red and yellow gives away a brilliantly coloured Western Tanager, a drabber but no less stunning female is not far behind. What a treat to see them so clearly but getting a photograph will require some stealth.
The Western Tanager had been my reason to visit Burnaby Mountain. The elevated location and deciduous woods of the mountain provides the perfect habitat and opportunity to see this very exotic looking bird.
An early morning jogger disturbed the Tanagers but they soon came down from the forest canopy to continue feeding on berries and caterpillars. The male landed in clear view just long enough for a few shots.

Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

The final shot is of a Wilson's Warbler, one of a pair that I believe have a nest nearby to the water tower. They kept flying back to the same bush, so dense it was hard to see if there was a nest or not.

Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)

Good Birding

Burnaby Mountain Warblers

May11, 2013 Burnaby Mountain 

(High pressure system breaking down/low moving in/sun partial cloud, rain imminent)

The vistas from Burnaby Mountain are spectacular and it's a popular picnic spot with locals and tourists alike. The mountain is also a known for its excellent bird watching. Earlier in the year, a flock of Pine Grosbeaks drew many birdwatchers while in May the flowering trees and shrubs attracts hummingbirds and warblers. Sooty grouse can be heard 'booming' in the trees while if you are lucky, one may make its way to the ground to feed.

On Saturday I had a phone call that the Black-throated gray Warbler was present in a mixed flock of Townsend's, Yellow and Wilson's Warblers. Having never seen one before it didn't take me long to head over the Port Mann Bridge and up the mountain, it turned out to be a good decision.

The birds were present on the pathway above the Horizon's Restaurant. They were easy to find, their songs filled the woods. Soon I had a Townsend's in my viewfinder albeit from quite a distance, then a nice surprise, a Warbling Vireo popped out to snag a green caterpillar. The Mountain Ash and Maple trees were providing plenty of insects for the foraging birds. Then, out of the greenery came my 'Lifer' the Black-throated gray Warbler.  It was a brilliant sight to watch as it went from limb to limb, hopping around, sometimes feeding upside down. 

Black-throated gray warbler (Dendroica nigrescens)

I try to imagine the journey these birds have made to get this far and how much further north they might go. The bird books say Black-throated gray's nest in open mixed dry oak, juniper or coniferous woodlands, so I expect it will have a few more days of flying to arrive at their final destination. Anyway, there was an abundance of insect life on the trees and the flock were pre-occupied although somewhat wary of the humans traffic below. Occasionally the flash of the yellow and black Townsend's would flit across the frame, the females out numbering the males three to one.

Female Townsend's Warbler (Dendroica townsendi) gobbles down a catipilar.

Male Townsend's Warbler

The Townsend Warbler winters in Mexico and  California.

Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) winters in Central America.

I wonder if the aformentioned birds migrate as mixed flocks, anyone have any thoughts about this?

Bonus Shot while photographing Warblers
Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus)
 Burnaby Mountain