Wildlife observed (so far) this week

Now that the weather is getting warmer and sunnier, I went out to a few different spots this week and brought my camera with me.

Strathcona Park (Tuesday)

I went out to Strathcona Park during lunch break.  I had the 40-150 lens on my camera, and I was practicing the continuous auto-focus (with tracking) on the gulls.

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Strolling in Terra Nova and seeing a lifer - Greater White-fronted Geese

Today, I drove my father to work so my mother and I could use the car to run errands, e.g. buy groceries, etc. Afterwards, we went to Terra Nova for a stroll.

Reflection on the slough

Heron and other critter watching

Haven't gone out biking in a few days - busy with stuff, bad weather, etc. Anyways, there was a couple of sunny breaks in the afternoon and so I thought it might be good enough to bike to Terra Nova.

Sky-watching from Garry Point Park. The large puddle/pond has disappeared!?

Wandering around the parks in Richmond...

The surprising but much anticipated snow finally arrived last night. This morning, the entire region is covered in the good white stuff.

After procrastinating about going out and do some wildlife-watching, I hopped on the bus in the afternoon and headed towards Richmond Nature Park. When I approached the second bus stop for the transfer to RNP, the bus drove away from me. So I slowly walked along No. 5 Road and took out my camera just in case.

Long behold, there was something walking in the snow covered field. It was a Coyote!

Haven't seen these beautiful animals in the longest time. This one looks in good condition - no mangy furs. I watched it hunt unsuccessfully a couple of times before it disappeared behind the trees.

Happy b-day, mama & Walk by the dyke in a cloudy day

Hello everyone! I know I haven't posted since last week. It's not because I don't want to, but the weather and my work have been keeping me indoors and occupied at the same time.

Today is my mother's birthday and we celebrated by having a lunch at a Chinese restaurant! Afterwards we headed to Terra Nova to enjoy the rare dry day.

View from Terra Nova.

Great Blue Heron, before it saw us and flew away.

Then my mother was getting tired so my parents drove back home while I continued walking along the dyke trail towards home.

While near the Terra Nova Slough, a Northern Harrier flew right over me and gave me a look.

Today I saw my (two or perhaps even more) Brown Creepers, Certhia americana, of the season.

I also saw my first Hooded Mergansers, Lophodytes cucullatus, of the season! How I wish my mother was with me to see one of her favorite birds!

As I continue to walk towards home, I saw a couple more Northern Harriers flying along the dyke.

Northern Harriers - identified by their white uppertail coverts.

Watching this adult male (because it is grayish) landing on dead tree roots, with Snow Geese in the background.

And the Bald Eagles have finally made home! I was just beginning to worry they might nest here this year...

367 days ago (2008-12-17) ...
365 days ago (2008-12-19) ...
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New avian lifer for me: Brown Creeper

Yesterday while I was out biking, I came across a trail full of Snow Geese feces - causing the tires to be caked with green, grassy fecal matter. Not that I mind it, but I have to bring my bike inside and I don't think my mother would like to know her carpet is covered with that stuff. And there are potential health issues too that I won't get into.

Anyways, I avoided that trail today, so I did not see the birds that I usually saw on that trail, e.g. Red-tailed Hawk and Great Blue Heron. However, taking another route proved to be just as exciting as that one.

First, I saw several ducks panicking in the ditches. Looking ahead, I realized that a hawk just swooped by and landed on a nearby tree. That also agitated crows in the surrounding area, causing 19 crows to hang around where the harrier was.

Unknown hawk.

Another view - trying to avoid all of the branches in between.

Then it flew away, causing several crows chasing after it. Turned out it only landed on another tree farther down the ditch.

At the edge of the Terra Nova Rural Park (where the beech and birch trees are), I came across this little brown bird landing on the lower part of the tree trunk (or branches), spiraling upwards, and probing crevices in the bark for insects. Immediately, I realized I just found a Brown Creeper (Certhia americana).

Turned out there was two individuals, and possibly more. Even though they are quite common and abundant, this was the first time that I have seen them, and it was definitely interesting to see them in-person.

Brown Creeper. My excitement caused me to take not-so-focused photos. But hey, it's the thinking that counts.

On the way home, I saw this male Northern Flicker looking for insects on the ground. It wasn't very shy, so I got this pretty close photo of it.

Then it flew into the field, where I saw another flicker was present, and it was a female (lacking the moustachial stripe). I wonder if they are a pair.

Anyways, I didn't see my usual three species (Bald Eagles, Red-tailed Hawk, and Great Blue Heron) today, but it was definitely exciting (if not more) to see three not-so-often seen species. Hooray for Friday, the 13th!

Sky-watch photo of the day. Rain is on the way. Sigh.
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