Spring - time for birds and bees

This past two days, I have been attending the OCIB symposium at Carleton University.  On my way home, I walked through the Fletcher Wildlife Garden and Arboretum to enjoy the beautiful spring weather.  I saw many birds yesterday but I did not bring a binocular or a camera to identify the birds properly.  Today, I brought my camera and it was definitely more satisfying when I can identify the birds.

Yesterday, my girlfriend and I saw many skinny small birds fluttering from branch to branch that we could not identify.  Today, with my camera, I realized they were probably Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius) which I have not seen before!

Exploring McCarthy Woods for new warbler lifers!

Yesterday I came across this blogger's post about all the interesting birds found in McCarthy Woods and nearby areas.  So today, I went there to look for them myself.

McCarthy Woods is quite beautiful this time of the year where the White Trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum) dominate the forest floor.

Searching for fall colours in Ottawa

Since last month, I have been watching leaves slowly changing their colours on my way to school.  This past Thanksgiving long weekend, I finally had some free time to go outside and enjoy autumn up close.

The week before, I saw an Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) at Sawmill Creek while I was taking a break from sitting in front of my computer all day.

May update

I am departing for Colorado tomorrow morning, so this will be the only post for the next couple of weeks until I arrive, get settled, start my field season, and maybe take a break to upload my photos and update this blog.

Until then, here are some of the photo I took the last few days.

On Friday (May 1st), I biked to school and saw this raccoon washing its paws in the ditch.  I stopped to take its photo, but it decided to wander back into the shrubs instead.

Guelph University & The Arboretum - Part 2

It was rainy and cold on Monday, so I attended the conference throughout the day.

My presentation took place on Tuesday, and in the afternoon I went the Arboretum again to get some fresh air.

A peaceful place to settle one's mind.

(Long) walks around Peterborough and Trent

I have been very busy lately because I am working on my funding applications for my potential Ph.D. position due next week.  I took a little break on Thursday morning when I had to drive the lab vehicle to get serviced.  After dropping the truck off, I walked to Jackson Park to photograph the fall colours.

The colours were mostly here, although there were still some green leaves.

Thanksgiving Autumn

One thing I really want to do lately is to go out and take photos of the gorgeous display of autumn here in Peterborough, especially as I walk through neighborhoods with beautiful red and orange maple leaves every morning to the bus stop.  This Thanksgiving break finally gave me a chance today to bike to Jackson Park and take some photos.

The explosion of colours is just astonishing!

Getting a bike and biking along Trans-Canada trail

After almost two months here in Peterborough, I finally bought a (used) bike today. I know it's a bit late in the year, but hopefully I can get a few sunny days to go out for a bike ride. Plus, this coming week is reading week at Trent so there are no classes at all.

After getting my bike and air pumped into the tires, I went for a bike ride to Jackson Park and then the Trans-Canada trail.

Jackson Park. With my bike.

Biking to Paulik and Garden City Parks

It was not as sunny as yesterday but still good enough for a bike ride after lunch.

I had to pay some bills today, so I went to Garden City and visited Paulik Park and Garden City Park afterwards.

Paulik Park

A very quiet area where you can just stand still and listen to birds sing.

The beautiful Lynn Canyon Park

Tomorrow I begin working in downtown Vancouver again, so I thought I would use the day to go somewhere I haven't gone before, and Lynn Canyon Park is that place. I had been to Capilano many times with visiting family members but never to Lynn Valley.

I got there quite early in the morning and there weren't many hikers yet, so I was able to enjoy the park without too many tourists! First I walked across the suspension bridge and slowly hiked to Twin Falls.

Twin Falls! It's a beautiful fall (much higher than it looks in the photo) and the water is so clear.

I then walked across the bridge and tried to get down to the river to photo the fall from below. Unfortunately, the fall was hidden behind a bend and the lighting was too strong for a decent photo. While admiring the surrounding from the river bank, you can hear many birds.

Such as this Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa). They are so quick and tiny to allow for a decent photo. But what beautiful bird (from what I saw).

Minoru Park & Biked to the dyke

Yesterday, my co-authors in Taiwan received our submitted manuscript on our study about the breeding biology of the Taiwan Barbet in Taipei Botanical Garden. We had good remarks, but we also needed a lot of revision and re-analysis of the results. They scanned they copy to me and now my goal is to get as much revision and rewrite as possible in the last 15 days before I leave for Ontario without internet connection or land-line telephones. Wish me luck!

But first thing in this morning I went to Richmond centre with my mother for our weekly grocery shopping.

Once again, we strolled in Minoru Park before heading to the Public Market.

Minoru Chapel with gorgeous blue sky. Some people call it the Olympus Blue (for the blue color that Olympus cameras produce). Cool!

Every Sunny Weekend Should Be Canada/US Hockey Game...

...that way, I can always enjoy my bike ride in peace while other people can stay indoors and watch their game. A win-win situation really.

Actually, I watched parts of the game until the beginning of the third period. That was when I headed outside for a bike ride.

The lack of people allowed me to fool around and take this photo while riding the bike at the same time.

I didn't see much until I got to the Terra Nova Sharing Farm again. This is a female Northern Harrier.

Lucky day - Osprey sighting!

It was a great day today. Beautiful weather and saw two first birds of the year. Hope it continues throughout the weekend.

Another day with (almost) cloudless blue sky.

I couldn't find the Great Horned Owl yesterday. But it was back to its usual spot again today! Hoot!

Wing stretching.

Giving me the annoyed cold stare. Okay, one more shot, then I'm leaving.

Back to sleeping.

A Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula). They can be identified by their "large" eyes, yellowish hues on wings and tails, and a single wing-bar.

I got lucky when I spotted this Black-capped Chickadee picking this caterpillar off the branch and was fortunate enough to snap a shot of it. The bird then pecked the caterpillar into almost a ball of mush before eating it.

Near the slough, a group of Yellowlegs (Tringa spp.) were observed. I think distinguishing two different species by their relative size is one of the difficult things to identify them. What if there is only one species present (in the field)? Then how do we know who's the Greater and who's the Lesser? Anyways, I think they are Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) because of the straighter and pointy-looking bills. First of the year!

Dare I say it? It feels almost like summertime the last couple of days.

I saw five pairs of Northern Shovelers feeding on the riverbanks (and one pair in the slough).

Turns out that the bird that I missed photographing yesterday was not a Peregrine Falcon by an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). Today I got lucky and it was there again! A few crows gave (weak) chases, so it flew over the field a couple of times, including once hovering in the air and diving it the ditch catching fish. It came up empty. I didn't get a good photograph of it because I was too excited seeing this bird (clearly) for the first time ever! What a day!

An old friend greeted me as I headed back home just as I was thinking not having seen a heron this last couple of days. Same with the Snow Geese. I guess all of them are on Wrangel Island now.
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Not a Bushtit...but a Kinglet

At first in the morning, I thought I would be stuck at home all day since it was pouring rain out. Surprisingly, the rain stopped in the afternoon, and when I biked out, the sky actually cleared a bit for awhile and it was sunny. Amazing!

Love the Sun!

No more Bald Eagle perched on bare branches anymore. Green leaves are budding now.

I always enjoy coming through this path. That willow just makes the trail that much more interesting.

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) eating catkins.

Now, whenever I pass by and there are smaller-than-chickadees birds flying around, I always think they are Bushtits, and since I never have to chance to see them up-close and photograph them, I never assumed otherwise. But today, one stopped its acrobatic movements for just enough for me to photograph it. Turned out it's not a Bushtit after all!

After checking with the field guide (when I returned home), it's a Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) instead! And a female one too. What a cute-looking bird.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are one of the smallest birds in North America. The male has the red crown but only visible when it's excited. The white eye-ring is also a distinct characteristic. I am just happy that I finally identified them properly. Hooray.
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First time to Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary: Part 1

This morning was the first time that I been to the infamous Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island. I had heard nothing but exciting encounters from friends and family, and I finally get a chance to see it for myself today. Such a memorable moment.

The weather today was kind of nice, so there were plenty of people there, ranging from families to amateur naturalists to professional photographers. The parking lot was full when we got there before noon - full of car and full of Mallards. Many parking spots were in fact taken by lazy Mallards, so I had to get out of the car and "encourage" the mallards to move along while my family parked the van.

The whole sanctuary was in fact overran by mallards. None of them were afraid of humans, and they were either following you for food or flying right over your head for a sudden landing.

Since I saw and photographed many birds, I will just post the photos and leave it at that.

American Coot (Fulica americana). Note their interesting lobed toes (compared to gallinules for the rest of their relatives in the Family Rallidae).

Sleepy Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). Couldn't get a clear face shot because they were too far away and they are mainly nocturnal feeders.

I believe they are male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) still in their breeding plumage. They can be identified by their black bib and black bill.

On the other hand, the female House Sparrow is best identified by their buffy eye stripe and unstreaked breast.

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis).

The acrobatic and highly vocal Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

A beautiful male Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) that flew onto this trunk just to pose for me. Thank you, sire!

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). The glossy black male on the left, and the first-year male on the right.

The always magnificent-looking Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)! I believe this is one of the best photos that I have taken with both the male and female so perfectly positioned. Just this photo makes my day.

First-time seen Golde-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa). I identified it mainly by the color of its crown. I didn't even know that I had taken a picture of it until I sort through the pictures. What a lucky find!

I also observed a Bald Eagle and many Sandhill Cranes flying above me in the sky, but I was too late in taking pictures, such a shame. Anyways, many more photos to come tomorrow (Part 2). Stay tuned!

By the way, I watched the PBS's "Nature" television series on American Eagle tonight. Great footages and stories, although watching them swooping down on coots made me kind of sad because I really enjoyed the coots today. But hey, it's all a part of life. A preview video of tonight's episode can be seen here. I would love to have the chance to see so many of them up close at the same time, perhaps at Brackendale this winter?
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