Birding/ On the Spur of the Moment

Feb 1 2015 Lydney Harbour/Cannop Ponds Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire UK Sunny 4c

I hadn't planned on birding but when asked to run my brother to catch the train to Gloucester I grasped at the opportunity. I threw the camera on the passenger side seat and off I went. As soon as I saw him off I went down to nearby Lydney Harbour where an interesting trail weaves itself along the bank of the Severn Estuary. The rise and fall of tides of the Severn Estuary is second only to the Canada's Bay of Fundy. There were few birds around. It was here I photographed what is probably the UK's most common small gull, the Black-headed Gull.

Adult winter Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

Then it was back home with a slight detour via Cannop Ponds.

I had photographed there in the spring so winter birding might turn up something a little different if only in plumage.

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)

The Blue Tit lays 7-14 white brown spotted eggs in a moss and feathered lined tree hole.

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

Unlike in Vancouver where a Tufted Duck is a rare occurrence Cannop Ponds had four pairs. Tufted Duck are a year round resident in the UK and quite common. Ranging from Iceland, northern Europe and North Africa.

Male (foreground) and female Mandarin (Aix galericulata)

Introduced to the UK from China Mandarin Ducks are now an official/introduced bird in the UK. It nests in tree holes.

Grey Wagtail (Montacilla Cinerea)

I haven't birded very much in the UK so at first I thought this was a Yellow Wagtail, it isn't, they only occur in the UK's summer. 

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Carbo)

In North America this bird is called Great Cormorant, also found along the east coast of the Americas and Greenland.

This unplanned birding session brightened up my day. Later in the day a flock of Long-tailed Tits and Redwings passed by the kitchen window. By the time I grabbed my camera they were gone.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Back in the Forest

             Parkend Church/Cyril Hart Arboreta Gloucestershire UK Cold sun and Cloud 4c

The jet lag was brutal, to shake the cobwebs out of my head I had my brother drive me to the nearest twitch. I needed a fix and quick. Three Common Crossbills had been visiting trees around Parkend Church in the Forest of Dean. When I arrived half a dozen photographers were already on the scene, as were a number of birders. I didn't have to wait long when the crossbills arrived in the Beech tree above us. Five minutes later they came down for a drink in a muddy puddle, ground out by the many cars converging on the area.

Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) which in North America is called Red Crossbill. Confusing Eh!

Female Common Crossbill
A grainy ID shot using auto ISO, I don't like this function but shooting with Tamron 150mm-600mm in low light gave me ISO 2000. However I am sure if I had some other software I could subdue the noise in the image.

After a while I began to loose the sensation in my toes due to the very overly cold weather sweeping over the country. There is snow in some places but plenty of winter birds to see and possible rarities.

I headed for the car where my non-birding brother was still happy reading the paper. With heater blazing we made our way to the Cyril Hart Arboreta where I was told a fallen tree was a great place to take pictures of some of the more commoner UK birds. Sure enough somebody had laid out seed and bread on the trunk and many species were taking advantage of the situation. This was the perfect way to get over the jetlag blues.
All the following images were taken from the comfort of the car. I was still using the auto ISO just to eke out enough shutter speed.

Female Blackbird (Turdus merula)
A bird of nursery rhymes and pop songs. Who can forget Paul McCartney's song Blackbird and lyrics. The male (below) has one of the sweetest songs and as the song implies, Blackbirds do indeed sing at the dead of night.

Male Blackbird.

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

The number of the Song Thrushes have been declining over the last decade. 

As a child I grew up in the countryside. Many mornings I was awoken by a Song Thrush bashing a snail again a favourite rock outside my bedroom window. Fifty years later I finally got my shot albeit minus the snail.

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
A very common bird, the Chaffinch breeds throughout in the UK except for the the Outer Hebrides

Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
The quintessential British bird, the beautiful Robin is quite tame and a regular visitor to the garden feeder. One fed at my feet while I was photographing the crossbills. They are easily photographed. Probably the most featured bird in English folklore.

Magpie (Pic Pica)
Found throughout Europe and North America where it called Black-billed Magpie.

Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
Common in England Wales, a year round bird in the UK.

A few more images from the second session at the fallen tree

Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
A ground feeder common in gardens, sometimes called Hedge Sparrow. Found across western and central Europe and the throughout the UK year round.

Great Tit (Paris major)
Another UK all year round species.

Jay (Garrulus glandaruis)

The picture of the Jay was taken from the car while it perched high up in the tree canopy. The Tamron's reach of 600mm or 900mm on the D7100 crop sensor really works well when travelling light. This is good enough for an ID shot of this beautiful but fearsome predator.

For more information about birding in the forest of Dean

Forest of Dean birding/Gloster Birder

Anyway I will try to get out a few more times to see what I can find. Today I saw a flock of Redwing  land in a tree, another lifer but alas no pix.

You win some, you lose some but who cares when they're are birds around.

"It's never too late to start  birding"

John Gordon

A Good Long Walk

Jan 28 2015 Reifel and Brunswick Point, Delta BC. Sunny 12c

It promised to be a bountiful day of birding. The day began a Reifel with a Swamp Sparrow, albeit quite a long way off even for my 500mm. It didn't matter, is was another species for my Canadian year list which now stand at 89. On my way into Reifel all the Black-crowned Night Herons were sleeping, on my way out this juvenile was wide awake and posed nicely for the camera.

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)

Near the coal port I found this Rough-legged Hawk bathed in the most glorious afternoon sunshine, only when a passing truck flushed it did I notice the tag. Thanks Liron for alerting me to my mislabelling of the species, at least someone is listening.

R8 was probably re-located from the Vancouver Airport where he was deemed a danger to planes.
This one was near the coal port.

Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) fishing at Brunswick Point

At Brunswick Point a large flock of thirty or so Golden-crowns Sparrows had found something interesting to feed upon. They ignored me completely. Out in the Marsh a Short-eared Owl bullied a Northern Harrier (usually the other way around) out of it favourite hunting grounds.

A Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) tussles with a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) at Brunswick Point.

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

The distant Swamp Sparrow shot does show the white chin and chest spot. All three sparrows were taken at Reifel.

Harris Sparrow (Zenotrichia querula) eating greens. Just what the doctor ordered.

Golden-Crowned Sparrow (Zenotrichia atripcapilla)

It was the perfect day and what better way to get a good workout. I probably covered four of five kms during the day which can't be that bad for old ticker!

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

Birding Boundary Bay

Jan 21-25 2015 72nd Ave Boundary Bay, Delta BC.  Sunny/Variable cloudst 7c

Who would have thought that one of the most majestic of all birds would take up winter residence in the Lower Mainland's Boundary Bay. Birders normally get just a fleeting glance. This bird is different, it has stayed around for weeks and is easily observed from a number of accessible vantage points.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

With a wingspan of 80-90 inches or over two metres, the Golden Eagle will hunt over a vast area. The 72nd Ave bird has been seen to fly away until it disappears far into the distance, only to re-appear a few minutes later. It has been seen heading toward Blackie Spit, Point Roberts and River Road. Some birds have been documented to fly as much as twenty five miles to hunt. The Delta bird tends to stay close to a plentiful supply of ducks on 72nd Ave. Watching it boss around the Bald Eagles is quite interesting.

Unlike the beleaguered Long-eared Owl which seeks a quiet place to roost during the day, the Golden Eagle hunts and roosts well away from people. 

This is my third attempt to photograph it and I am beginning to get a better angle each time and perhaps with a little more perseverance and luck I might get a sharper image without having to crop so much. This is one time when a D800 with its 36.3 million pixel count would have allowed me a finer shot. However, I won't be loosing any sleep over it. Anyway, time to leave the eagle and look for some sparrows.

                                                                                 ***

A little way along the dyke a small flock of American Tree Sparrows were feeding in the bushes and shrubs. There were some stunted alders and Paper Birch as well Himalayan Blackberries for the birds to feed and find shelter from marauding Northern Harriers. 

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

The tree sparrows were feeding on the seeds, the long catkin is from a Paper Birch. I may be wrong with my plants, so if anyone can correct me please feel free to shame online or have me sent to a Russian Gulag.

The American Tree Sparrows were soon joined by four Lincoln Sparrows, two Yellow-rumped Warblers, numerous Black-capped Chickadees and a curious Marsh Wren.

By the end of the afternoon and with the sun sliding below Point Roberts it was time to head home.

The day added three new species to my 2015 Canadian list which now stand at 83 species. It's my very first list, one photographer I know quite well rolled his eyes when he heard I was listing. I had a good chuckle with him, something about being addicted to birding! Ask me my total species and I couldn't tell you. I'l let you know at the end of the year when I have finished my cross Canada trek.

Boundary Bay in winter is home to 50,000 Dunlin, numerous species of sandpipers and thousands of waterfowl. Northern Pintail, Mallard, American Wigeon and Green-winged Teal being present in large numbers.

Same shot cropped to give a closer view of Dunlin and black-belied Plovers.

"It's never to late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

New Years Day Birding

Jan 1 2015 Boundary Bay. Sunny and cold 3c

Now that 2014 tucked away in the 'ye olde' memory bank it was nice to kick-start off the new year with a few hours of relaxing birding in one of my favourite locations, 72nd Ave. It is also a favourite for joggers, walkers, families, horse riders, bikers, photographers and birders.
When I arrived there were a number of photographers already set up waiting for the Golden Eagle. It was just too busy so I headed out on to the dyke pathway in search of some winter sparrows.
It's a place where a tripod and long lens attracts questions like, What can you see? What are you looking at? How big is your zoom? and without fail, are there any Snowy Owls? I think I spent as much time chatting and socializing as I did actual bird photography!
Despite all the foot traffic, hunters blasting ducks out of the sky and dogs running loose a few of the smaller bird species still hung around. In the distance a Golden Eagle could be seen chasing flocks of Northern Pintail while a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers were flitting around on a frozen section of the foreshore. They were quite far way but I have included one record shot.

First bird up was a Lincoln's Sparrow, a species I don't see too often. I've also seen them at Brydon Lagoon in Langley

Lincoln Sparrow (melospiza lincolnii)

Next up was an American Tree Sparrow, another species that is not that common and only found in a few locations. There are three possibly more at 72nd, they seem to hang out in the same area each year with a flock of White-crowned Sparrows.

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

Next up along the trail were a small flock of Yellow-rumped Warbler feeding on a sheet of ice. There seemed to be something on the ice that they interested in, possibly seeds from the yarrow plants now beaten down by the wind and laying on the ground.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)

Then a noisy Marsh Wren. According Sibley's Bird Life and Behavior the Marsh Wren has been known to have as many as 219 different songs. All I know is one can usually hear the tek-tuk-tjejejejejeje before you can see it .

I look for reward to corresponding with many of you throughout the year as I travel the Lower Mainland, BC and Canada so until then I wish you a Healthy and Happy 2015.

2015 Birds so far
Cooper's Hawk
Northern Harrier
Golden Eagle
Bald Eagle
Peregrine Falcon
Lincoln Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Northern Pintail
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
North-western Crow
Kildeer
Dunlin 
Meadowlark
Northern Flickr
North-western Crow
Glaucous-winged Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Marsh Wren



"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

Altas of Breeding Birds in British Columbia

Here is a link to the draft copy of the upcoming Atlas of Breeding Birds of British Columbia. I am honoured to have a few of my images included in the project. See links below.

http://www.birdatlas.bc.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=EVGR


http://www.birdatlas.bc.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=GBHE


The Atlas to date:

http://www.birdatlas.bc.ca/

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale

Birding Talk/Langley Field Naturalists

You are all welcome to the following meeting of the Langley Field Naturalists at the Langley Music School at 4899 207 St Langley.

Mountain Birding

Oct 6 2014 Cypress Mountain Vancouver BC
The alarm went off at 5 a.m and again fifteen minute later. I'm a breakfast person so after a bowl of Weetabix, marmalade on toast and a piping hot cup of tea (the morning papers would have to wait) I was ready to battle the early morning Vancouver rush hour. The drive from Cloverdale to Vancouver can be brutal even at 6 a.m in the morning!
On our arrival, Cypress Mountain was cloud hidden. The climb was gentle if not a little heart pounding. A Merlin was the first highlight. On the very first switchback we spotted the bird we had hoped to see, the Northern Pygmy Owl #1. What a beautiful bird, so small, it weighs just 2.5 ounces and stands 6.75 inches high. The owl looked at us, its head bobbing around and moving from side to side and then, in a split second, it was gone. A diurnal owl or a daytime hunter, its prey, chickadees or juncos scattering into the thickets as it flew past us.

Northern Pygmy Owl #1. Some of us think this owl is a different bird than the we photographed later.

After catching our breath from the exertion and the excitement of seeing such a rare bird it was onward and upward to see if the forest would reveal more wonders for our party. The owl was a 'Lifer for me as well for quite a few of our group. We continued our climb up Cypress Mountain in anticipation.

Northern Pygmy Owl #2 (Glaucidium gnome)

Sharp-shinned Hawk  (Accipiter striatus)

At the first lookout we rested. It wasn't long before a Steller's and several Gray Jays put in an appearance.  Their antics kept us amused for quite a while, that is until what we believe to be another owl (slightly different markings) landed on a tree several hundred metres away. A Sharp-shinned Hawk also put in an appearance.

Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelli)

 Slowly the owl flew from branch to branch approaching closer all the time until finally it was within 30 metres. We all got our 'trophy shots' when suddenly the tiny owl flew between us, unsuccessfully we think chasing one of several Yellow-pine Chipmunks which had been fed seeds by hikers.

Yellow-pine Chipmunk (Tamias amoenus)

This is the same bird as the second picture.

More intent on hunting, the owl landed on a grey branch with grey clouds behind, not a pleasing composition. By moving a few feet I was able to juxtapose the bird with a weathered tree trunk giving the background a little more character. It was a treat to see the bird flying around, I just wish the photographers would have backed off and let it hunt, it has to eat too! I hope photographers will realize that wildlife viewing should never be taken for granted and that the animals ALWAYS come first.

Gray Jay(Perisoreus canadensis) with peanut.

"It's never too late to start birding"

John Gordon

Langley/Cloverdale