KillDeer Trot

Killdeer  chase  each  other  around  the  mud  flats  while  sandpiper  and  other  peeps  just  mind  their  own  business.  Unlike  Killdeer,  most  peeps  are  easy  to  miss  until  they  move  about.

Sand Piper

Notice  the  nostril  is  formed  in  the  upper  beak.  Interesting  detail.  

Mallard Rebel

Youngsters  often  upset  their  parents  with  the  way  they  dress.

Blackbird Youth

This young blackbird  has  some  unusual  colour  tints  on  the  head  and  neck  areas.

Flip Head First

King  here  has  a  real  big  ego.  Usually  he  just  flies  off.   This  time  he  had  to  flip  his  cath  around  many  different  ways  and  was  in  no  hurry  to  leave.  Seems  like  PRIDE  to  me.

Merganser with scullpin catch

Mergansers  are  the  most  expert  fish  catching  machines.

Merganser in Fish-Finder Mode

Experts  at  fishing.   They  seem  to  catch  fish  without  much  effort  at  all.

Fishing Merganser

Just  swallowing  her  latest  fish  in  this  image.

Fishing

He  caught  many  of  thes good  sized  scullpin  and  was  still  hunting  when I  finally  left.

Distant Yellow Warbler

Around  here  these  warblers  mostly  remain  in  deep  cover.  Thus  the  long  shot.

Mr. Spunky

Keeps  his  distance  and  smart  enough  to  know  when I  am  aiming  at  him.

Merganser Boarding Party

All  the  chicks  do  get  aboard  eventually.

7 Flicker Family shots to follow

He  has  groceries  and  will  feed  her  soon.

Flicker Dad feeds his little girl

Miss  Flicker  gets  this  delivery  as  little  brother  was  fed  last  trip.

Miss Flicker Junior

This  one  had  more ' window '  time  than  her  little  brother.

Flicker Dad and little girl

The  little  girl  was  at  this  window  more  than  her  brother.

Flicker Junior...The boy

His  sister  seemed  a  little  larger.

Flicker Dad and Junior

This  is  the  female  chick.  Her  brother  has  two  red  patches  on  the  sides  of  his  head.

Flicker Dad

Just  fed  his  young  ones.

Yellow bellied sap sucker

This moment of good fortune  was like a gift. He was probably curious about me. My white patterned shirt may have seemed like a thick birch bark so he had to come close, and then I turned around. He didn't stay long. Only three shots. TG

Momma Flicker

She  delivered  food  and  is  about  to  leave  in  search  for  more.  No  red  on  this  one  as  that  is  the  Dad's  colour  feature.

Father Flicker

This  parent  and  his  lady  flicker  are  tending  their  young  right  here  in  the  middle  of  Courtenay.  B.C.  on  Vancouver  Island.

Mr. Martin,..Purple Martin, that is.

Down  at  Royston  Ships  Park  there  are  some  nest  boxes  put  up  years  ago  to  bring  Martin  numbers  back  up  again.   It  worked.   Numbers  are  much  better  these  days.   We humans  took  down  so  many  old  dead  tree  snags  that  they  had  a  housing  crises.   Now   with   nest  boxes  on  shoreline  pylons  form  Oregon  to  Vancouver Island,  Purple  Martin  are  doing  fine.

CrossBill...Is this my good side?

Four  different  birds  flew  into  a  tree  in  front  of  me.  I  was  not  moving  at  all  and  I  think  they  were  curious.  No  sign  of  fear  yet  the  bore  quickly  and  left  to  enjoy  a  new  sunny  spring  morning.

Not with Mate?

Not  sure  who  this  CrossBill  is  flying  with  but  I  doubt  it's  the  mate.  TG

CrossBill...Came to look me over.

This  one  and  three  others  flew  into  a  short  tree  in  front  of  me  down  at  Royston  Ships.   I  was  thrilled  of  course.   Have  not  seen  these  for  quite  some  time.

Father of Many

This  one  was  making  a  new  nest.   Saw  him  doing  that  back  in  March  at  a  different  hole.  Good  of  him  to  pose  for  me  here.   I  appreciate  that.  TG

Nesting material...Just like a bird

He  was  putting  a  nest  together  in  a  new  hole.   I  got  a  glimpse  of  this  behaviour  back  in  March  but  no  photo.  Glad  to  get  a  shot  this  time.   Did  he  have  young  back  in  March?    I  did  see  two  tiny  ones  last  week.  At  this  rate  we  will  be  over-run.  Tony

Flicker sounding on metal electrical box

This  one  was  making  a  metalic  racket  on  an  aluminium  switch  box  on  a  sports  field  light  in  Lewis  Park  Courtenay.

Black Fronted Warbler?

Delighted  to  catch  this  little  guy  at  Dyke Road  Bird  Lookout.  Never  saw  one  before.

Black Fronted Warbler....or Audubon's?

At  first  I  thought  ' Siskin'...then  checked  and  found  Warbler  to  be  a  better  fit.

Wild, yet lets one get 30' close

Could  be  a  farm  escapee.  Yes,  this  is  soft  yet  interesting  and  sort  of  graceful....Hybrid?

Gold Crown Sparrow

There  may  well  be  another  name  for  this  one  yet  seems  OK  for  now.

Miss SweetPea

This  smooth  young  lady  has  a  certain  charm  lacking  in  the  male  brutes  of  her  tribe.

Their Bark is usually a Loud repeated HONK!

These  Lions  at  Fanny  Bay .  Vancouver Island  tend  to  Honk  loudly  day  and  night.  Speaking  with  a  resident  on  the  dock;  He  said  their  loud  honks  carry  for  miles  on  the  water   and  along  the  shoreline.   He  wishes  they  would  have  some  quiet  time. TG

Come Aboard ??....' NO! ' is the constant answer.

This  BIG  guy  is  coming  on  board  regardless.   They  usually  ignore  Loud  Protests   unless  it  happens  to  be  Junior  asking.   Junior  moves  on   sometimes  when  the  size  difference  is  a  big  one. Tg

Lyrics are Honk Honk

These  two  are  belting  out  the  usual  loud  song.   Often  sounds  like  '  Honk  Honk '.  One  Lion  will  honk....Can  I  come  up  on  deck?   The  answer  is  Always  a  loud  ' NO '   and  when  they  scrap  they  sink  teeth  into  each  other's  neck.  You  can  see  the  marks  here.  
These  flesh  wounds  are  very  common  and  never  seem  to  bother  them  at  all.  Guess  the  salt  water  prevents  infection.

Aloof and Judgemental

Pete  ' Mollycat '  mentioned  how  they  have  an  aloof  expression  at  times.  Well  that's  correct.   This  smug  customer  thinks  I  am  a  pipsqueak.   Compared  to  his  huge  bulk,  he  has  good  reason  to  harbour  a  little  contempt.  TG

Buffle Strut

These  are  so  difficult  to  photograph.  Slider  way  over to  the  right  and  still  little  eye  highlight.

The Other ' White Front '

This ' brother '  has  a  touch  of  brown  with  the  black  on  his  front.

Mallard WhiteFront?

Two  of  these  chumming  around  like  brothers  and  fairly  tame  in  behaviour.   Not  sure  what  type  they  may  have  crossed  with.

3 Spotted & 3 Blackstone

These  seem  to  have  a  close  friendship.

Harlie Buddies

These  two  moved  around  in  step  for  a  time.

Snow is Gone but Arctic Air Cold

This  Heron  is  muffled  up  and  in  no  mood  to  fly  away.

Red / Pink footed

His  feet   looked  different  than  other  gulls.

Blackwater Day at the Lookout

This  darkness  did  turn  into  plenty  of  rain.

Grebe or young loon?

Grebe  probably  yet  it  looks  different.   No  yellow  in  the  eye.

AM Arctic Air....Green sky?

Just  moments  after  this  orange / pink  glow  everything  went  to  yellow.

Little Grebe at Fanny Bay

This  one  moved  around  aimlessly  for  a  while  and  the  vanished.

Mr. Cormorant on a float

He  allowed  me  three  shots  and  then  was  off  fishing  again.