Apr. 9 - 19 - Swinging Into Spring There's always an air of excitement as birders anticipate the next interesting bird report from Vancouver Island. Two weeks ago it was Rick's sighting of a Costa's Hummingbird at Jordan River. This past week it was a Sage Thrasher discovered by Guy and Nolan at Nanaimo Estuary. Sadly, I was unable to see any of them, but I was fortunate enough to get a few distant shots of the Mountain Bluebirds at Surfside Park. There were quite a few Mountain Bluebird sightings especially in the Victoria region. If you want to see some excellent Mountain Bluebirds photos taken at Saanichton Spit, check out Tim's outstanding photography at http://zuropak.com. Except for the Mountain Bluebirds, I haven't found any new birds, but I was delighted to finally catch up with a Winter Wren in Comox. I've never been able to catch my resident Winter Wren in the sunshine. I also caught up with a pair of Glaucous Gulls that have been hanging around with the Bonapartes at French Creek. Otherwise, I'm still having fun with my hummers and a few other local birds. In fact, my photo of the week is a local feathered friend who frequents my feeders year-round - the Song Sparrow. Because it is a regular and Song Sparrows are quite abundant on the Island, I tend to take them for granted. This will atone for some of my neglect. I was shooting hummer pics one morning when the Song Sparrow popped up in the flower bed getting its courage up to attack the suet feeder that I was close to. Since I was being a statue, it decided I wasn't dangerous and hopped up to the feeeder, but not before I took a couple of pics. Photo of the week. The perky little Song Sparrow is a year-round resident in my yard. Apr. 9 - Yard Watch - The only newcomer lately has been a Chipping Sparrow and a Slate-looking Junco. No need to mention again my love affair with the hummers. I can waste hours trying for the perfect picture. Back Again - The little hybrid Slate-coloured Junco seems to be a regular visitor in April. It (or its twin) was here last year about the same time. If you look carefully, you'll notice traces of brown which suggests some hybridization. A thing of Beauty The Bluebird has long been one the most popular birds for song writers. Over the years, scores of songs have been written about the Bluebird as its beauty is a metaphor for love and/or happiness. It's no wonder as the Bluebird is truly one of the most beautiful birds that graces our country. It doesn't matter if you're referring to Western or Mountain Bluebirds. They are both beautiful. The only problem on Vancouver Island is that the resident population of Western Bluebirds has long been extirpated. Western Bluebirds were fairly widespread until the early 70's but loss of habitat, human disturbance, and competition with Starlings and House Sparrows for nest sites were probably factors leading to the decline and elimination of the species. Western Bluebirds are now seldom seen on Vancouver Island but a few Moutain Bluebirds continue to appear regularly during the spring migration. "There's a Bluebird on your window sill ..." Ever hear those lyrics? You're dating yourself if you admit it. The song was written by a nurse watching a Bluebird on the window sill of the Vancouver Crippled Children's Hospital in 1947. The song was made popular in Canada by Wilf Carter and was also recorded by major artists across the border to become a big hit. Since then there have been many Bluebird songs recorded by many famous singers. The sky blue male Mountain Bluebird is an exquisite bird. Like many species, the female is more subdued but very elegant with blue trim on the wings to accentuate the handsome gray body. I saw my first Savannah about 3 weeks ago. It's good to see them back again. Apr. 12 - still checking the hummers and feeders. Nest-building continues. Are these new birds or are the nests being constantly improved? The Hairy Woodpeckers are regular visitors to the suet and occasionally the seed. Downeys and Flickers are also regular. Apr. 14 - Glaucous Time. Like most photographers, I often photograph a bird over and over again until I get a picture that I like. I had my chance with a pair of Glaucous Gulls at French Creek, but despite sunny skies, it was still difficult to get a good photo. Here's the results, but I'm still not happy. I'll be trying again. Apr. 14 - Finally, a Winter Wren I see and hear Winter Wrens frequently, but it is a bird of the deep forest and shade. It could be skulking 2 meters away from me but buried so deep in the underbrush that it's impossible to see, let alone photograph. I'm grateful to my buddy, Joe, who helped me find one in the sun in Comox. Apr. 16 - Denman Day These photos have nothing to do with Denman Island except they were taken on the same day that I was privileged to be the guest speaker at Denman's monthly Potluck Series. Not only was I treated to a delicious and nourishing vegan dinner, I was hosted for the night by a pair of warm and friendly Islanders at their wilderness farm. It was refreshing a journey back to the days when people trusted each other and worked together for the common good. Thanks to Fireweed for organizing the event and to Patrick and Jane for their fine hospitality. Morning sunshine - I love starting the day with a little photo session with the hummers. I was hoping the sun would catch the salmon berry bushes, but I had to settle for the currants again. On the way to the ferry, I made a quick stop at French Creek for the Bonies and Glaucous. I'm glad I did as I finally got a photo of the Glaucous that I really like. It all has to do with the lighting and background. Still trying - By underexposing for the white part of th Bonie, the black head is also underexposed and blends with the dark background. I need to catch the bonie with a lighter background. I have neglected the Harlequins this past winter, but since it was the only bird close by during my Deep Bay stop, why not? Apr. 19 - Around the Neighborhood - Actually, the neighborhood was very quiet. I missed on a photo of some Orange-crowned Warblers and the bald Eagle that was taking some exercising flights from its nest by Dolphin Lake. All I got was a bird on the wire and Harry the Hummer at home. Birds on the wire aren't my favorites, but it's sometimes difficult to find a Violet-green Swallow on a tree. The litlle Red-breasted Nuthatches are still making their regular trips to the suet and seed feeders. Harry was in one of his "defend the feeder" moods which meant he was available for a few photos. Its hard to believe that the glistening gorget is made of feathers. Mind your manners, Harry. Apr. 20 - 1 out of 3 I had to make a trip to Victoria for another camera repair and hoped to catch the Whimbrels at Victoria, Sky Larks at the buld fields, Osprey at Cowichan Bay and Vespers at Cassidy. Not a very ambitious list, but I still sruck out on 3 out of 4. The Whimbrels were my first stop but nothing. Perhaps the eagle on the rocks was a factor or maybe it was the dog hired to keep wildlife off the course. Without the pressure of finding birds for a new book, I was just enjoying photographing anything that looked interesting. A male House Finch caught my attention by Clover Point. At Rithet's Bog I spotted a Violet-green Swallow not on a wire. It wasn't on a tree either, but a birdhouse is an improvement over the wire. I never expect a decent photo of a Sky Lark, but I always try. Besides, it gives me an excuse to go to the Roost for one of their famous home-made sandwiches. I gave the Sky Larks the once-down-the-trail and back routine, but they all kept their distance. On the way back, three landed near my car. I approached as stealthily as possible, stopping for a couple of shots every few steps. Finally, I was within my last push for the optimum shot, but swoosh! I hadn't noticed one that was already in optimum range. Of course, they all flew, but I still got closer than ever. At first glance, I though I had caught the Osprey at home at Cowichan Bay. As I set up my camera and focussed, I was dismayed to see it was a new tenant. There's always a few Double-crested Cormorants on the island at Somenos. They were very shy, and I had to settle for a distant pic. The Redwing Black Bird is another bird I take for granted and seldom photograph. This will do for awhile. I need to remind myself that i still don't have the perfect photo. Most of the American Coots were gone. There were none at Art Mann and only 2 at the Forestry Pond. I expect they'll soon all be gone. Closing notes That's it for this journal. I was lucky to have a backup camera or I wouldn't have had many photos to share. I accidentally banged my Nikon 200 but not hard enough to damage it I thought. But, it's in the repair shop again. I'm really disappointed at how fragile Nikon cameras are. I'm ready to try Canon if I ever get the chance. I hear they are more robust and can take the occasional bump. I'll let you know what it co$t when it's repaired. meanwhile, I hope a lot of interesting birds fly by your way. 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