We're having a cold, wet spring, ARG! The weather improved late morning yesterday, so I grabbed the camera and took a drive, a sort of long, narrow '0' circle north thru the Hills and south-ish thru the grasslands/farming community just E of the Hills...this is bird season to be sure so I was hopeful...the weather fluxed between sunny and cloudy...
First up, a black-billed magpie on a post...then it flew to a nearby wagon...no problem 'Finding Nemo' here, Nemo's a small, rustic town in the E Hills...no clown fish in the creek but the magpies seem to enjoy this spot...
Just outside of Nemo is the S entrance to Vanocker Canyon...I stopped along Elk Creek at a bird-loving spot (very skittish birds but I keep trying)...the creek was gushing hard due to all the rain we've had. I spotted this elusive American redstart, along with a BC chickadee, and nearby a flitty female common yellowthroat...
A willow flycatcher posed nicely for me...this could also be a W wood peewee but they're larger of the two so I'm guessing this is the WF, which is very common in the US...both are tyrant flycatchers...
Further into the farm grasslands, I quickly discovered that there is a great abundance of both kingbirds this year...last year I hardly saw any of the W kingbirds (above) at all...
The E kingbird doesn't mind posing, too bad it wasn't the right light...
The mourning doves were out mourning.....
Preferrably alone...oops, my bad....
There's always an abundance of Brewer's blackbirds...easily ID'd by the yellow eye...
Jann, your photo of the W Kingbird helped me ID one that just visited me. Of course my photo isn't as clear as yours, but it's the same bird! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA most enjoyable post with wonderful photographs! So many beautiful bird sightings. Love the magpie and both kingbird images ... though all are terrific.
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