THE POST WHEATEAR BLUES
Now that the euphoria stimulated by the Northern Wheatear has subsided, what next? Last year I still had the Lark Sparrow and Grasshopper to look forward to. My photo-wishlist includes the Cattle Egret, Snowy Owl, and Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Is that asking for too much?
FEEDBACK ON THE FEEDBACK
I was surprised and pleased by the many passionate and positive responses to my request for feedback regarding the usefulness and value of my website. My humble thanks to all who replied. For awhile I was feeling like the Maytag repairman, but you now have provided refreshment and incentive to carry on for the time being. Please feel free to email occasionally to remind me that there are really a lot of sincere people out there in cyberspace.
FLIGHT OF FANCY OR FANCY FLIGHT? I once mentioned that when you start seeing flight shots, you know I'm in the quiet time for birding. The time must be here. Flight shots are a challenge. Even with auto-focus it's difficult to keep the subject in focus. The Black-bellied Plovers at Columbia Beach were good subjects to practice on. MISSING GREBE - I last saw the Eared Grebe at Rascal Lane on Oct. 12 when it was in the company of some Green-winged Teals. Everytime I visited, it was with different ducks. The colour of the water was the reflection of fall leaves. RAVEN REQUEST? - Someone requested a Raven photo. I was going to hold out until I found the white Raven at Morningstar, but that could be forever. This distant shot (150') on Oct. 15 from Kaye Road will have to do for now. PEEK-A-BOO On Oct. 15 I flushed some Savannah Sparrows into a willow tree at Kaye Road. They all disappeared except for one eyeball looking directly at me through the leaves. It turned out to be a Lincoln's Sparrow. Maybe they were all Lincoln's Sparrows. OCT 20/05 - TRIPLE DIP DAY With visions of the Royal Roads Sandhill Crane, Swan Lake Mockingbird, and Bowker Red Knots dancing in my focus window, I headed for Victoria. To make a long story short, it was triple disappointment as none of the birds were available. But, as usual, there were a few consolation birds: Chris, Bill, Ed, and Nathan as well as a few feathered friends at Esquimalt Lagoon. SELACORNIA SNACK - I normally see the Northern Pintails in their "bottoms-up" position when they're feeding, but I caught them grazing on land at the Esquimalt Lagoon. SLEEPING ON THE JOB - Survival is a tough job. You have to catch a few winks whenever you can. I do the same thing. GREEN-WINGED TEAT? - I had trouble finding this file because of an obvious typo. We're all human aren't we? The lone Green-winged Teal was hanging out with the Northern Pintails. OBLIGATORY WIGEON - Here's my obligatory American Wigeon shot for the winter. STRANGE DUCK - While I was doing the duck shoot, a stranger taxied by. I took a break to get a few Horned Grebe shots. SHY GUY - A Surf Scoter wandered by to see why all the ducks were hanging around me. It didn't trust my camera and left in a hurry. Oct. 21/05 - POST DIP TRIP Unfazed by the triple failure the day before, I was out again showing a friend some of my favorite destinations. Despite starting with a Wheatear dip, we had a pleasant day concluded by a pretty Horned Lark at Deep Bay. MORE FLIGHT SHOTS - How many species do you see in this photo? Did you say 4? You're right. Black Turnstones, Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin, and Greater Yellowleg. FIRST OF THE FALL - I haven't seen any flocks yet, but this was one of the 4 Dunlin I saw at Columbia Beach today. BIGFOOT - Watch out! Black Oystercatcher coming in for a landing. SHY GUY II - I thought Horned Larks were supposed to be quite friendly, but I think this one was part Savannah Sparrow. It took me half an hour to finally get close enough for a shot. 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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