A Deer Along the Roadside

Having decided to take a seldom used old road through the woods to connect to the highway, we were rewarded with a beautiful sighting of a lone White -tailed Deer along the roadside. At first we did not immediately see it as its dark colouring blended in with the darkness of the tall evergreens bordering the road. This woodland creature stood and watched the slow approach of our car before disappearing into the surrounding woods.

European Starling

This European Starling has found the suet feeder in our bird feeder area and although it is difficult for it to maintain a stationary position to feed from; it still manages to get some food. Here the Starling is keeping its wings in motion for balance and positioning as it feeds on the homemade bird suet.

Portrait of a Sharp-shinned Hawk

My first sighting of a Sharp-shinned Hawk in our feeder area occured this week. This red-eyed, hooked beak, handsome plumaged accipiter perched in our High Bush Cranberry tree and surveyed its surround -ings. Not having located any small birds to pursue in the area; after a few moments it left.

Eight White-tailed Deer

After having driven over a few back country roads hoping to see some White-tailed Deer, and having found none, I decided to return home. However enroute home, much to my surprise and amuse -ment, I found eight White- tailed Deer standing in a driveway in the center of a neighbour- ing village; looking at me as I cruised by.

Mallards in Open Water

There wasn't a whole lot of open water at Lily Lake today for these Mallards to swim in; but they all crowded together making use of what there was, creating a colourful sight.

A Deer in the Winter Woods

Dark Morph Rough-legged Hawk

I recall the first time that we saw a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk; it was sometime in the early 2000's. We had been birding on the Tantramar Marshes, along the High Marsh Road, and we kept seeing Crows (or so we thought initially) that somewhat confused us a bit. These birds that we saw at a distance seemed to look like large Crows and they were black; but what mystified us was that whenever they were in flight we kept getting glimpses of white on their underwings! Luckily for us, later that day, along came a friendly birder and solved the mystery for us by introducing us to the species of the dark morph Rough-legged Hawk.
editing note: Other postings on Rough-legged Hawks can be found at:
http://naturetales.blogspot.com/2006/12/rough-legged-hawk.html
http://naturetales.blogspot.com/2008/01/rough-legged-hawk-at-maugerville.html

Purple Finch at Feeders

We haven't seen this finch species at our feeders often this winter so it was a very pleasant sighting today to see a male and female Purple Finch perched in our old Wild Rosebush. The reddish branches of the Wild Rose accent the striking rose-red colours of this handsome male seen in both pictures here.

Northern Shrike

I have only seen one Northern Shrike this winter and that was in mid-December. Usually we have several sightings in our feeder area each year; however, none so far this season.
For another posting on Northern Shrike go to:
http://naturetales.blogspot.com/2007/03/i-have-only-had-two-northern-shrike.html

Birds in the Late Afternoon Sun

The beauty of the Song Sparrow to the right and the White-breasted Nuthatch below is enhanced as the strong, yellow rays of the late afternoon sun highlight their presence in our feeder area.