Birds of Ivvavik National Park

Here are some of my better bird photos from this summer.

One of the first animals that we saw in the park once we arrived - a male Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in winter plumage.

Ottawa's Museum of Nature

Thursday evenings are supposedly "museum nights" here in Ottawa and they are free during this time of the week. So, after 16:00, many of the course participants packed up for the day and headed out to the Museum of Nature.

The entrance. The building from the outside looks like a castle.

Shrike behind building

Just before lunch today, the fire alarm went off in the building and everybody was evacuated. I decided to go to the gravel hill behind building. I sat on the hill for a while thinking about stuff, and when I was about to leave, a bird flew from one of the trees and landed nearby. I only had my kit lens and I did the best I can with what I got, but the bird did not seem too typical. Looking closer, I realize it was a shrike - what species, I can't tell for sure. But from the bottom left photo, it looks like a juvenile.

Definitely the most exciting part of the day!

[Video] LCBO Enviro Report - Shrike Recovery Project

This video was done a few years ago, but this was my job/home this summer and I miss it very much.

Same species, same care, but still endangered.

The video is from this website: http://www.lcbo.com/socialresponsibility/enviroreport/
More information about the efforts trying to save the Eastern Loggerhead Shrike: http://www.wildlifepreservation.ca/wildlife/shrike.php
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Carden memories come to an end & Niagara Falls

My summer field season concluded yesterday. I am now in my friend's home in Ontario before I fly back to B.C. on Saturday. There are many memories, photos, thoughts, emotions, and experiences from the last 4.5 months that I would like to share, but now they remain unorganized in my head. Hopefully, I will be able to share them as time progresses.

Here are some photos from the last few days on the field site and last boat rides on Lake Dalrymple.

Orange Sulphurs enjoying the salts on the road.

A juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird posing for the camera.

Shrikes!

Just can't get enough of shrikes!

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Howdy - more photos to share

On my last off-days, I went to the Mariposa Folk Festival. It was quite an amazing experience - lots of interesting things to check out, great new bands and musicians to discover and the weather was just fantastic.

This was one of my favorite musicians at the festival - Catherine MacLellan.

After my off-days, it was back to work. Here are more photos from the field site.

Grant's Woods and George Langman Sanctuary

It's been a while since I last posted a post. Between today (my off-day) and the last time I posted, I had two more off-days when I went to Orillia and checked out the city and the surrounding natural areas - Grant's Woods and George Langman Sanctuary, both of which I would definitely recommend for people to visit and enjoy nature.

Grant's Woods

More photos from May and June

Today is the second day of my days-off. Yesterday I went to nearby towns in Fenelon Falls and Beaverton, I quite like Beaverton, especially a cool little shop called "Shirley's Country Clutter" where I found two door hangers with Loggerhead Shrikes on them and I also saw a Blue Jay nestling in the back of the store too.

Anyways, here're more photos from my days-off in May, as well as some photos in the field. A couple weeks ago, our field was covered with beautiful wildflowers, definitely a great place to be.

From my last days-off (May 24 & May 25)

More photos from Carden

Here are more photos that I wanted/needed to share:

Mama robin feeding her nestlings. At this moment, the nestlings had already fledged and the nest is now empty.


I think this is one of the fledglings. Who knows, there are many robin nests around our cabin and in the field site.

Lifers and Sights from Carden and surrounding areas

It has been a while since my last post. Many of good things had happened and work is going well too. And the best things are probably all the new lifers that I am seeing and the beautiful country that I am currently living in.

Lifers:

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)


Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Removing Nest Logs

Last time this year, I learned about the banded woolly bear. This time I am learning about barbets in Taiwan. How interesting is that!?

I saw a Brown Shrike again while visiting my friends doing their noise research in the morning.

Today my supervisor presented the preliminary results of our data to the fellow researchers in our division and we received several interesting comments and suggestions.

Afterwards, my co-workers and I headed to the botanical garden to remove some of the nest logs that we attached to the trees in TBG. They attached these nest logs before the breeding season hoping to attract some barbets able to excavate nest cavities in these nest logs (as it was proven successful elsewhere in Taiwan by a man interested in conserving the barbets). However, after one breeding season, there was not a single nest cavity excavated (except for a very small attempt at the start of the season). I believe there are enough live trees in TBG to be used as nest trees so the barbets do not bother on nesting in these nest logs. It feels wonderful to be outside again doing hard work.

Tree number 1.

Removing the wires and nails.

Me on the ladder photographing the conditions of the logs, as well as the attaching wires and nails.

Very little rust on the attachments after six months.

However, fungi did well on these dead logs.

Tree number two.

Scaling the height and planning.

Up we go.

Nest logs removed.

Remember the Grey-streaked Flycatcher mentioned in the earlier posts? Well, after removing the logs, I saw a group of photographer nearby and guess what they were photographing? The flycatchers!

Hooray!

Well, aren't you glad to see me.

After work today, my friends and I went to a special screening of "Julie & Julia", which I thought was a good movie, especially for food enthusiasts.

What a fulfilling day. Sadly, I am leaving in 12 days.

365 days ago (2008-10-12) ...
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Brown Shrike in TBG!

Wow, I finally have photos to share!

I found my friends this morning doing their regular Wednesday research when one of them told me that he saw Brown Shrikes today. Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus lucionensis) is a migratory species that is commonly found in Taiwan during the winter. Like other shrikes, they are territorial and likes to perch on posts keeping watch of their territory. However, using this particular habit, there had been many illegal catchings in Taiwan where hunters fashioned a trapper on top of a perching stick so that they can be captured and be sold as food. Thankfully, this practice is completely banned, but I am sure it still takes place in more rural areas.

Brown Shrike (Lanius cristatus lucionensis)

Relax Mr. Shrike, you're safe here in TBG.

In the afternoon, there was a presentation for all the volunteers that assisted us with our Taiwan Barbet in TBG during the breeding season. The presentation was about our findings, results and key discussion that I worked hard on these last couple of months. It was also a sad moment for me to say hello and good-bye to all the elderly volunteers whom I have become friends with but probably won't see again before I leave for Canada. Thank you all!
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A better Easter than expected

I was thinking about dividing this post up into two parts since I got too many pictures to share, but I don't like backing up posts so just bare with me and enjoy my Easter Saturday with me.

Cloudy and rainy weather. The rain stopped in the afternoon and was quite nice afterwards.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

As I approached the slough, several Wigeons flew up - exposing this lonely Killdeer by itself.

I found the Northern Shrike again today. But no good photos to share as I was looking at the Bumblebees nearby.

Yellow-faced Bumblebee (Bombus vosnesenskii). It was quite difficult getting the auto-focus to focus on the Bumblebee properly. Such a shame since they were quite close to me today.

While going back to a spot where I saw hummingbirds earlier, I saw this American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) hunting in the ditch. It made two small successful catches while I was looking at it.

Heading back, I saw this gruesome scene - a dead gull with a part of its body and head connecteed only by its guts. Yuck.

In the fields beside the community garden, they sheltered these small spiders that hid when I walked across the grasses.

The day was getting clearer when I was heading home.

A miniature giant forest of Common horsetails, Equisetum arvense. Imagine hundreds of millions years ago, when similar plants such as these were hundreds of feet tall. Amazing!

Trying to photograph an American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) through the branches again.


Meanwhile, a Black-capped Chickadee provided a much easier subject to photograph.

My hummingbird photo of the day. One of these days, I will/am bound to get a good shot of them.


I thought it was quite pretty for these rain droplets to be collected by the Lupine leaves.

View from above.

A worn-out, old-looking Bald Eagle.

Cherry blossoms are finally in full blooms. The blue sky appeared for a bit so I thought it was nice to capture the moment.

Sakura and my bike.

Right where I was photographing the flowers, a female Northern Flicker was digging in people's lawns.

Turned out it was hunting for food. Neat!

Beautiful Cherry Blossoms to end today's post. Hope you enjoy it.
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