Sunday, January 20, 2019

Best of 2018 Part 5 - November/December

The final post of the 2018 blog details the highlights in the last two months of the year.

November 2018

The first three photos are from Reifel Bird Sanctuary, the best place for winter birding in the Lower Mainland.

I can't say why I picked this Chickadee to shoot, but I took a burst of five shots. I realized after I got home that the second shot showed the bird with a sunflower seed under its tongue.

Black-capped Chickadee - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta BC - November 4, 2018

One of the reasons I visited on this day was to try to see the Harris's Sparrow that had been reported. We usually get a few of these sparrows in the winter, in the summer you have to go into Northern Alberta to see them. Of all the times I've seen this bird, I've never seen one in breeding plumage. But the basic plumage looks pretty good too.

Harris's Sparrow - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta BC - November 4, 2018

Winter is showtime for Ducks at Reifel, they're back in breeding plumage and are quite photogenic. This male Northern Pintail is a good example.

Northern Pintail - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta BC - November 4, 2018

I took American Thanksgiving day off so I could do some birding and watch football later in the day. I visited Boundary Bay hoping to see some Raptors. There is an electrical sub-station near 72 St that often has Hawks and Owls. One of the regulars is this Rough-legged Hawk, looking very miserable in the rain.

Rough-legged Hawk - Boundary Bay, Delta BC - November 22, 2018

The following Saturday I was on my way to Reifel again. Just after crossing the Westham Island bridge, I spotted a Peregrine Falcon sitting on a power pole crossbeam. Traffic was light so I pulled over and took a few shots through the windshield using the zoom capabilities of my Nikon camera. 

I felt like the bird had noticed me and was not too happy about it.

Peregrine Falcon - Westham Island, Delta BC - November 24, 2018

After visiting Reifel, I decided to try Brunswick Point, which is back on the Mainland side. I met up with some photographers who were only interested in Short-eared Owls. When a wintering Meadowlark started singing behind us, I was the only person taking notice.

Western Meadowlark - Brunswick Point, Delta BC
November 24, 2018

December 2018

Here't the last five photos for 2018. 

On December 1st I visited Beach Grove Lagoon in Tsawwassen hoping to see a rare Ruff, an Eurasian shorebird. I did see the bird but the photos were not great. I got some better shots in January which will be in the 2019 blog.

I took this shot of a Northern Harrier hunting over the foreshore that I quite liked.

Northern Harrier - Beach Grove Lagoon, Delta BC - December 1, 2018

I haven't included many backyard photos in the Best of 2018. I like this House Finch on the feeder, taken through our living room window.

House Finch - Backyard, North Delta BC - December 2, 2018

I visit Point Roberts most weekends to get some cheap gas and visit Lighthouse Marine Park. It's a unique environment with a rocky shoreline, a steep drop-off and lots of wave action.

A bird frequently seen on rocky salt water beaches is the Black Turnstone. True to its name. the bird turns stones on the beach over hoping to find small insects and crustaceans underneath.

Black Turnstone - Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA - December 15, 2018

A week later at the same location I caught this loon doing some stretching exercises quite close to shore.

Common Loon - Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts WA - December 22, 2018

The last photo of the year is a nice shot of a female Wood Duck taken on Christmas Eve.

Wood Duck - Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta BC
December 24, 2018

Thanks to those who read my posts, I'll be cranking up a 2019 blog very soon.

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