Title photo - Walmart greeters at Clover Point ...

The last rose - I couldn't pass up a very late Nootka Rose blossum at the Courtenay Airpark on Oct. 6.

Shy Guy - A juvenile Black Oystercatcher kept its distance near the Qualicum viewing stand.

Winter favorites - It's great to see the increasing number of Harlequins along the Island coast line.

Photographer's friend - The Northern Flicker is always a splendid photographic subject.

Garden harvest - It's great to see the American Goldfinches taking advantage of the sunflower seeds in our garden. If the Steller's Jays don't return soon, they're going to miss out.

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Oct. 19 - Victoria Day - A timely book order from Crown Publications gave me an excuse to visit Victoria and check out a few birding locations. I'm glad I made Swan Lake my first stop as I was rewarded by a face-to-face visit with an elusive Sharp-shinned Hawk. Clover Point also provided a few photo opportunities, but Bowker, Cattle, King's, and Esquimalt Lagoon were pretty quiet. Unfortunately, the only way to find out was to check them out.

Swan Lake sentry - The Red-tailed at Swan Lake was greeting visitors near the entrance until it started playing tag with a crow.

Looking sharp - It's been many years since I've had a good photo opportunity with a Sharp-shinned Hawk. Notice the square corners on the outermost tail feathers.

Square tail - The Sharpie kindly unfanned its tail just to show me the even tail feathers and the square shape of the tail.

Clover Point Rockpipers - Surfbirds are frequent visitors to Clover Point. There were four of them on a rock at the water's edge in the company of two Black Turnstones. Both species are also known as rockpipers.

Everybody has a squabble once in awhile.

River Otters are another popular resident of Clover Point. They often put on a show with their fishing prowess, but they were having their r & r today.

This was the first time I had seen the trio of otters. In the past I had only seen one.

Blackbird time - Guess where I an now? You're right. Esquimalt Lagoon. If there's no ducks or shorebirds, there's always blackbirds. Red-wingeds are common along with Brewer's. Occasionally a Yellow-headed is found here.

Who's here? It's still early for many species. The resident Mallards and early Northern Pintails and American Wigeons were the only ducks in the lagoon.

Since I was there I took a few practice shots of the male Northern Pintails. The high overcast provided good diffused lighting but also a dull background.

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Oct. 24 - The Ruddy Duck has to be one of the most difficult duck to photograph on the Island. The ones at Quamichan are always too far away. There are a few reported at Swan Lake every year, but I've yet to see one there. When read Dave Ingram's recent report of one at the Courtenay Airpark I knew this might be my best chance. Otherwise, I just might have to take a rowboat out to Quamichan.

On the way to the lagoon the House Finches provided a pretty picture. I have no idea what kind of tree they were in, but it was loaded with bright red berries.

The first ducks I saw in the lagoon were American Wigeons. I'm the last person in the world who should be giving a wigeon lesson but ... notice the overall dark colouration of the female's head. Compare that to the lighter cheek patch on the male. That should be close to the colour of the Eurasian female's head.

There weren't many ducks in the lagoon. There were two mallards on the far bank by the viewing stand near the river. Beside them was a brown shape with black tail feathers sticking up. As I got closer, I realized that it was the sleeping Ruddy Duck.

When the Ruddy finally woke up it paddled back over to where I had just come from. When I went back the Ruddy simply paddled back its original position. Knowing that I wasn't going to get a better picture, I decided to give up, but I wasn't displeased with the pictures I got.

On the way home I made my usual stop at Qualicum. Harlequins were the only ducks around.

At home I was greeted by one of my local deer.

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Bird Poster

My posters are on display at: Victoria - Swan Lake Nature House; Nanoose Bay - Credit Union; Courtenay - Graham's Jewellers

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PUBLICATIONS

VOLUME I & II BOOKS AVAILABLE AT

PARKSVILLE & QUALICUM - MULBERRYBUSH BOOKSTORES

NANAIMO - SAVE-ON FOODS (WOODGROVE),
SAVE-ON FOODS (COUNTRY CLUB), CHAPTERS, FALCONER BOOKS

PORT ALBERNI - CLOCKTOWER GALLERY

COURTENAY - GRAHAM'S JEWELLERS

SIDNEY - VICTORIAN BIRD HOUSE, TANNER'S BOOKSTORE

COMOX - BLUE HERON BOOKS

BOWSER - LIGHTHOUSE GIFTS

DEEP BAY - SHIP & SHORE

SAANICH - WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED

VICTORIA - BOLEN BOOKS, MUNRO'S, CROWN PUBLICATIONS, IVY'S

CAMPBELL RIVER - SAVE-ON FOODS, COHO BOOKS, CAMPBELL RIVER MUSEUM

DUNCAN - VOLUME 1 BOOKSTORE

CHEMAINUS - WILLOW"S WILD BIRD STORE

LADYSMITH - SALAMANDER BOOKS

NANOOSE - SCHOONER COVE MARINA

LAKE COWICHAN - GALLOPING MOON GALLERY

TOFINO - BOTANICAL GARDENS

QUADRA ISLAND - EXPLORE & BOOK BONANZA

LANGFORD - WILD BIRD CENTER

SOOKE - READING ROOM BOOKSTORE

SOOKE - MUSEUM

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