(Sept. 12 - Sept. 24, 2005)
FAMILIAR FACES - It's always sad to note the final vestiges of the southward migration of shorebirds and passerines. On the other hand, it is equally comforting to greet the return of the familiar faces our winter residents like Gold-crowned Sparrows, Varied Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and, of course, the many ducks like scoters, goldeneye, and wigeons.
SEP. 12/05 - DEEP BAY - FAREWELL FEATHERED FRIENDS! The Common Terns enjoyed their stay at beautiful Deep Bay, but the South American coast was beckoning. SEPT. 16/05 - DEEP BAY WHO AM I? Although most of my life is spent at sea, I was actually born in a tree. By now my identity you must know, See my picture just below. For those of you I haven't met, I'm the Marbled Murrulet. HOME AGAIN - Deep Bay is the winter home of 100's of Red-necked Grebes as well as numerous other sea birds such as Long-tailed Ducks, Scoters, and Pacific Loons. The tip of Deep Bay Spit is my favorite photo site during the winter as it is the best place I know for getting reasonably close shots at the Red-necked Grebe and many other seabirds. SEPT. 16/05 - FAMILIAR FACES AT QUALICUM BEACH Common Loons will be common sights at Qualicum until late spring. The Western Gull is another familiar bird just returning ready to spend the winter in Qualicum. BACKYARD BIRDS Sept. 19 - For the past few days Ruby-crowned Kinglets seemed to be everywhere in my yard. It was a pleasure to see them again after their summer absence. Sept. 21 - A surprise visitor - high up on the top of a cedar tree was a first winter Townsend's Warbler foraging for sustenance on its migration south. My resident Townsend's have been gone for over a month. SEPT. 22 - BUTTERTUBS BIRDS Although I didn't get to see the Green Heron, Cinnamon Teal, or Gadwall reported earlier in the week by the Sunday Bird Walk, it was satisfying to see some of the other regulars. Back for the winter - both American Coots and Wigeons have been back for a couple of weeks I wonder what the juvenile Wood Duck thinks of all the new ducks in the pond? Papa Wood Duck didn't pay any attention to the newcomers. He just kept on eating. The juvenile Pied-billed grebe was suspicious of all the newcomers. White-crowned Sparrows are present the year round, but I'm not sure if there is a southern shift in the populations like there is for the robins. It's good to see the Gold-crowned Sparrows again. I wonder where they went for the summer? SEPT. 23 - SHIP'S POINT - Passing through - A few Lincoln's Sparrows tough it out around the mid-island for the winter, but most of them head further south. SEPT. 23/05 - DEEP BAY AGAIN The usual scene - Waves of White-winged Scoters are already present at Deep Bay along with Surf Scoters. The Black Scoters usually breed further north than the other scoters which probably accounts for their later arrival. I was scanning a flock of Bonapartes off the spit when I noticed a stranger. It was a Common Murre that seemed right at home with the Bonapartes. ADMIRAL'S LAGOON Hello to you too. The Greater Yellowlegs seemed to be agitated about my presence - at least I assumed that's what it was complaining about. A friendly plover? I've never been close to the Black-bellied plovers at Admirals. They always kept their distance. However, this fella didn't seem to know the protocol. It didn't seem to mind me or the camera. SEPT. 24 - VICTORIA There were 2 White Pelicans at Esquimalt Lagoon yesterday. As usual, I was a day late and a dollar short ... I guess the Heermann's Gulls will be heading for California and Mexico soon. This was probably my last chance to se them this year. It's interesting that the male Hooded Mergansers haven't shown up anywhere up Island yet, but there's usually a bunch in Oak Bay. Maybe it's because of the crayfish. We were looking for Skylarks at the bulb fields. We found a few but they were camera shy. On the other hand, the Yellow-rumped Warblers and Savannah Sparrows were a little more approachable. For those of you who don't know what the bulb fields are, this picture of a Savannah on a gladiola might give you a hint. 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 DEEP BAY - 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) NANOOSE - SCHOONER COVE MARINA SOOKE - SOOKE HARBOUR HOUSE
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