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After my very enjoyable Brant visit, I proceeded to French Creek. I was hoping for the Dunlin flock in breeding plumage or maybe some Pacific Loons. The last time I was there, a trio of Pacific Loons were working the waters east of the Coast Guard Station. I'd seen them there in past years, but never got any decent photos. I was really close to them two years ago, but it was a cloudy day. There were no shorebirds around, but there were a pair of Pacific Loons. I waited for over an hour, but the closest they came to the breakwater was about 25 meters. I had to settle for a distant shot.
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Apr. 16 - I was waiting for a sunny day to try for some "Hummers-in-the-wild currant" and today was the day. I set up about twenty feet from my currant bush and waited. Oh, I also set up my bucket of bulrushes next to the currant bush so I could kill - oops, I don't like that saying any more. Let's just say I wanted to maximize my photo opportunites. A female hummer obliged me in the currant within a few minutes, and shortly after, I had one at the bulrushes. I waited another hour for some better shots, but it was a waste of time. There were no other visitors. Luckily, the first shots were quite acceptable.
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Apr. 17 - This was my only chance for an April visit to the Nanaimo estuary, and I had visions of a Say's Phoebe and even a Brown Thrasher flying in my head, but ....... there was nothing unusual. I was tempted to go to the Crow and Gate for a consolation lunch, but decided it would be more fun to check out the Airport for the Vesper Sparrows. As I drove by the recycling yard, I spotted a bird on the barbed wire of the trailer compound. It was a Vesper! It's truly amazing how such a small population of birds can survive and return to the same desolate area year after year. The compound is a wasteland of gravel, industrial contamination, and only a few stunted weeds, but that's were I found four Vespers foraging. I was happy to see them again and happy they have survived two migrations and another perilous winter.
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Apr. 19 - Remember this day. It set all sorts of new records for snowfall in April. I was incredulous as I stared out the window this morning. Eight inches of snow covered everything. I was worried about the hummingbirds. The feeders were barely visible. I ran out and cleaned them off and was happy to see a few hummers coming in for breakfast. By noon it had warmed up and the snow was melting quickly. The hummers were doing fine.
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As I was watching the hummers, a stranger foraged along the edge of the forest. I grabbed the binoculars and saw my first Hermit Thrush of the winter. After luch I went looking for it. I caught a few glimpses here and there, but it was worst than a bouncing ball. I was ready to give up when a bird popped out of a thicket onto an alder branch. It was the thrush. I was delighted to get a few shots even in the shadows. As a bonus, I even got a Cassin's Vireo in the shadows.
