AUG. 22/05 - ONE TERN DESERVES ANOTHER - A few weeks ago, I finally saw and photographed my first Caspian Tern of the year on Tree Island. The Common Terns are fairly predictable near the end of August at Deep Bay. I was very pleased to catch them on my first try. If one tern deserves two, maybe we'll have a repeat of last year at this time when the Black Tern showed up at Fairwinds and stayed for a week.
SHY BIRDS - The Common Tern had that distinctive and authoratative look with its formal-looking black cap, but it was a very shy bird. As I approached with my camera, it sought refuge behind the Bonaparte Gulls. The wisp of down on its bill was the result of a little preening.
BICKERING BONIES - Humans don't have the monopoly on quarreling. I think the Bonaparte on the left called the other one a "bird-brain."
AIRPARK PINTAIL - Northern Pintails and Green-winged Teal have been back at the Courtenay Airpark Lagoon for about 2 weeks. I think this is an adult female.
AUG. 23/05 - HOLDEN CREEK - It seems that the peak of shorebird migration is over with only about 100 birds in the last few days. However, September could be a good month for surprises like the White-rumped or Sharp-tailed Sandpipers.
LAST LOOK AT THE "SEMI-SAND" - The unprecedented numbers of Semipalmated Sandpipers (and Stilt Sandpipers) this year at Holden Creek was thought to be the result of a strong upper air disturbance that carried the birds west. On Aug. 23 all shorebird numbers were down, and I only saw 2 Semipalmated Sandpipers.
FIRST LOOK AT THE JUVENILE SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS - I saw my first 2 Short-billed Dowi's of the fall migration on Aug. 23. There should be larger numbers on the way.
EXPOSED! - No, I wasn't trying to invade anyone's privacy. I was merely trying to depict the tail, wing, and covert structures to my fellow novice birders.
LAST LOOK AT THE LESSER YELLOWLEG - Like the "Semi-sands" most of the Lesser Yellowleg migration has probably passed through.
AUG. 25/05 - HOLDEN CREEK - A swirling Peregrine Falcon kept most of the shorebirds away, but there was a consolation bird.
FIRST LOOK AT THE AMERICAN PIPITS - After a summer of romance up the mountains, the American Pipits were back. I saw my first eight Pipits of the year on Aug. 25 at Holden Creek. I saw another at Deep Bay on Aug. 26.
BOOK NEWS - Sales continue to be brisk this week with re-orders from the BLUE HERON in Comox, both SAVE-ON stores in Nanaimo, as well as FALCONER BOOKS in Nanaimo. The week before, I delivered 10 books to MUNRO'S in Victoria. They had orders for 6 from the VICTORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
NANAIMO - BACKYARD WILDBIRD & NATURE STORE SAVE-ON FOODS (WOODGROVE) SAVE-ON FOODS (COUNTRY CLUB) CHAPTERS FALCONER BOOKS COLE'S PORT ALBERNI - CLOCKTOWER GALLERY COURTENAY - GRAHAM'S JEWELLERS SIDNEY - VICTORIAN BIRD HOUSE COMOX - BLUE HERON BOOKS BOWSER - LIGHTHOUSE GIFTS SAANICH - WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED VICTORIA - BOLEN'S BOOKS MUNRO'S CAMPBELL RIVER - CAMPBELL RIVER MUSEUM DUNCAN - VOLUME 1 BOOKSTORE CHEMAINUS - LITTLE SHOP OF NOVELS LADYSMITH - SALAMANDER BOOKS (FRASER & NAYLOR)
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