Mar. 15, 2010

Today I volunteered to help my friend, Barry Kerr, install a duck nest box near Enos Lake. I suggested the location because I had installed a box in the area 5 years ago and never got around to checking it. The good news was that it was still there, and better still it had been used. There were broken eggshells in the box and one intact egg. It was the size of a small chicken egg and a little off-white. I suspect the tenant was either a Wood Duck or Hooded Merganser. We cleaned out the nest and put it back up ready for the next tenant. We also intalled the other box in the same general area. Barry was installing his box as part of the Audubon initiative subscribed to by Fairwinds Golf Course. It was a feel-good chore, especially knowing that the previous box was successful. On the downside I felt a little guilty for not cleaning the box annually. Who knows how long the unhatched egg has been in there and whether it had any influence on subsequent nesting.

While I was at it I checked and cleaned some nest boxes I had around my yard. Now I know why my Violet-green Swallows left early. The mummified remains of 4 pre-feathered young ones was not a pretty sight. In another box there was an almost fledged Chestnut-backed Chickadee. It was a good lesson for me to to the housekeeping shortly after nesting season. Yes, chalk me up for the bad housekeeping award of the year.

All the running around I've been doing to promote and sell books is finally slowing down. Last week I was the guest at Chapters (Nanaimo), Nanaimo Paddler's Club, and the Langford Wild Bird Center. All I've got scheduled is the Nanaimo Retired Teachers, Brant Carving Show, and Victoria Natural History Society. That might be enough for the rest of the year. Ooops, I just got an email from the French Creek Preservation Society.

After my afternoon at the Langford Wild Bird Center I decided to check out Esquimalt Lagoon before heading home. I knew there would always be a few ducks around. There were, but they were scattered all over the lagoon with various people feeding them. There was hardly a duck at the main feeding station. Remembering that I had a small stash of hen scratch in the car, it didn't take long to attract a few ducks. Using my rule #7, I had to take at least one picture so the Lesser Scaups were it.

Using my rule #9, I couldn't just take a picture of the male if the female was around. The female didn't let me forget. She even hammed it up for a more interesting shot.

The male was actually pleased to see me photgraph his mate.

On the way home the last rays of sun at Mill Bay caught the familiar shape of a Red-tailed scanning the fields for its supper.

Reifel Rerun

Yes, I guess no introduction is required for the following set of photos. A little business across the pond gave me the opportunity to visit Reifel again. It was deja-vu all over again, but I don't get tired of it. Do you? I think it was Judy Klein from Whitehorse who said it was like seeing your children again, and I agree.

Just before we got to Reifel I asked my wife if we should drive into Alaksen. We both said no since we've never seen anything there. But, a stopped car and two photographers caught my eye. Rule #21 - always check out other photographers. It was a pleasant surprise to catch up to Randy and Jess Findlay. They were having a ball photographing Cedar Waxwings. But something else caught my attention - the honking of a 1,000 Snow Geese. I had always intended to visit in the fall when the Snow Geese were plentiful but never made it. Now when I didn't expect it, they were right next to me. The only problem was the 20 foot high hedgerow of trees, but I managed to find a couple of windows for a few shots.

It's been over 30 years since I've seen large flocks of Snow Geese close up. The previous time was north of Tuktoyaktuk when I was amongst several thousand.

I decided to photograph the Snow Geese before I visited with Randy and Jess. I'm glad I did. A few minutes later they decided to leave, and that was it.

There was one straggler, but it soon decided to join the departed flock.

I could see why Randy and Jess were having so much fun. The Waxwings were picking red berries off the trees. Jess had a great shot of one juggling a berry in its bill. Of course, I had to get in on the action.

With the sun at our backs and the waxwings being very cooperative, we all got some good shots.

The rear view of a male Northern Pintail is one of my favorites. It highlights the attractive patterns on the plumage.

Another regular - There were only two Sandhills when we checked all the trails. I wonder if the transients have departed. One of the sleeping pair winked at me before nodding off again.

Rule # 13 - Never look the Gadwall in the eye without taking its picture. The female took off before I could implement rule #9.

Shoveler secret - Remember a few journals back when I was speculating on how the Shovelers filter-feed? Well, here's the photgraphic proof. Notice the water squirting out of the filters at the side of the bill? You saw it first on my website! I wonder if I'm right?

Sleeping beauty - Caught in the act again. The gatekeeper at Reifel was sleeping on the job.

Back with the Brant

Give me a sunny weekday morning with nothing else scheduled and you'll find me down at Parksville Beach enjoying the flocks of Brant flying in from the Salish Sea for their daily dose of herring roe and sea salad. I can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours. I'll let the photos tell the rest.

Annual Gull Search

Besides spending a couple of hours with the Brant, I've also gotten into the annual routine of looking for a strange gull. Once a year is no way to learn about gulls, but one can't do everything. Learning about gulls can be a full time obsession so I don't want to get started.

3 out of the last 4 years I've seen a strange gull just west of the Qualicum viewing stand. What were the odds of finding one this year? 75% of course!

As soon as I got out of the car in Qualicum I was greeted by a confusing maze of gulls. A very dark one soon caught my attention.

History told me right away that it was a Slaty-backed, but history had misguided me before. I checked Sibley's - short pink legs, pale eye, dark smudge around eye, very dark mantle - that was good enough for me.

I first reported it as a 2nd winter bird, but a little internet research is making me lean towards 3rd winter. I asked for a DNA test, but all I got was a urine sample.

I emailed a few people like Jonathan, Guy, Dick, and Alvaro and they all concur that it is a Slaty. Russ thinks it's a 2nd winter, Guy thought maybe early 3rd winter - no one else offered a guess.

The massive flocks of duck during the after-spawn haven't quite materialized, but there are a few impressive medium-sized flotillas off Qualicum. I haven't heard of the action further north. By the way, even though the majority of the herring spawn has been completed, there was still some spot spawning reported on Mar. 14 at Columbia Beach and Heron Rock. That's good news for both the herring and the birds.

A typical sight - Mew gull with herring roe.

Another typical sight - Mew gull with herring roe.

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Well, that's it for another abbreviated report. It's time for spring chores, and I've got a few big projects like painting the house and redoing the floors. It's been about 25 years so it's due or maybe overdue. Anyway, you can only do what you can do. On a positive note, I've dug some of the garden and just planted my Yukon Gold potatoes. With the book business slowing down, I expect to find time for some birding as well as getting on with the chores. Time will tell. Take care all of you and enjoy the simple things in life.

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Bird Poster

My poster is on display at: Victoria - Swan Lake Nature House

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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

Port Hardy - MUSEUM

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