Northern Shrike

This is more of a tale of a bird sighting, rather than of a bird encounter adventure. At this time of year, as both the leaves and temperatures drop and we are anticipating the arrival of snow, it is exciting to see the recent arrivals of different birds moving into the area for the season. During the past week I have seen a Red-tailed Hawk, and yesterday I had posted photos of a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's Hawk in my own backyard.
The sighting of this Northern Shrike (nov. 17), which I had photo- graphed on Monday is yet another bird predator that has returned to our area for the winter. I had seen it at a distance, high in a tree, then it moved to the top most branch giving me a better view for this distance photo.
As the season progress I am sure I shall have other opportunities to get closer photos of this species for they frequently visit our feeder area as winter progresses. Shown below is one such photo opportunity in January ('07) when I took this picture of a Northern Shrike at our feeder area.

Juvenile Accipiter

A group of Blue Jays had seen this hawk first for when I had gone outdoors and was going to my vehicle I heard a terrific series of loud squawks coming from around our back yard area. Being drawn to the noise,
I saw the Jays dispersing while at the same time I saw a hawk scrambling upwards among the branches of a clump of Alders. It was making its way to the upper branches while staying within them.Sharp-shinned or Cooper's? I am disappointed that I did not get a picture of the Blue Jays in the same frame with the hawk, for the hawk seemed much larger than the jays. In David Sibley's, The Sibley Guide to Birds (2000) p. 112, he gives the length of a Cooper's being that of 16.5" and that of a Sharp-shinned as 11". The length of a Blue Jay is also given as 11" (p.351), so based upon my observation that this hawk appeared to be larger than the jays around it, I would be inclined to think that maybe it could have been a Cooper's, but that is just speculation based upon my quick glimpse of its size in comparison to the Blue Jays.

Field Sparrow and Chipping Sparrow

We had a couple of very surprising sparrow visitors yesterday in Bird Alley: a Field Sparrow and a Chipping Sparrow. We have Chipping Sparrows often during the summer and early fall, but I don't think I have ever seen them here this late before. They usually seem to change places with Tree Sparrows around the end of October or early Novem -ber. These two sparrows seemed to be travel -ing with each other and they were seen feeding together often during the day. We woke to snow on the ground this morning and I have not seen sight of them yet today so hopefully they are on their way further south to areas lacking the white stuff.
Its always a surprise to see a Field Sparrow for although we have seen this species before at our feeders and it is seen yearly in our province it is classified as a 'rare, but annual' visitor by the New Brunswick Bird Records Committee. The visual differences between the Field Sparrow and the Chipping Sparrow can easily be seen. By comparing these species the difference in colouring is evident. As well it can be noted that the Field Sparrow lacks a supercilium, the dark line extending from both sides of the eye that is very noticeable on the profile view of the Chipping Sparrow. The white eye ring of the Field Sparrow is also quite a prominent feature.


editing note 1:15 p.m:
They showed up just before noon, and as seen in the photo below, still here today, still together.

Gull Identification: Iceland Gull

I took a photo of this gull last Thursday (Nov. 13), mainly because I hadn't seen much of anything else and I think it was all by itself in a field, an easy photo to capture. It was only this morning that I have really looked at it seriously and now realize I don't know what it is? I am used to seeing Herring Gulls and Ring-billed and Great Black-backed ones. This one is different from those I have mentioned. It does not have black tail feathers and its eye appears black. Its colour is more uniform overall without a strong contrast in patterning. And the black on its bill appears to be graduated.
Any help or suggestions as to its identification would be appreciated. Iceland Gull? Glacous Gull?

Red-tailed Hawk: for Ruby Tuesday

Ah ha!
You can't fool me
I see you in that tree
With a mouse in your beak
And your red tail hanging down
I spied you along the highway
on my way to town

I really should have known better and slowed and stopped when I first saw the shape in the tree top, but while driving I was thinking, "That's a hawk, maybe? I wonder if it is?", and then when driving by I achieved immediate recognition, "It is a hawk!" I do that sort of thing too often, waiting for verification before realizing I should have been camera ready and following up my hunch by stopping anyway, just to be sure. Well, I had to go back. I could see it was still sitting there, beautifully posing for my hungry camera.

But then of course it followed the pattern of all hunted prey. It immediately left before I even had my camera settings ready so I took what I could get in those fleeting moments; a blurry image of a most magnificent red tail!!

Having already celebrated our Canadian Thanksgiving in October, I chose to alter Mary's suggestion of a Thanksgiving theme for this week and have chosen hawk instead of turkey. To check out other Ruby Tuesday postings, just click HERE, or click on the Ruby on the side bar. My appreciative thanks to Mary/the teach for hosting this site.

Shadows in the November Woods: for Shadow Shot Sunday

Westward wake-up stretch
I cannot find them at noon
Some days they sleep in

There is a special fragility about the shadows in a November woods. Shifting and changing in their positioning and size throughout the day; somedays they are not even there at all!

My appreciative thanks to Tracey, at Hey Harriet, the host of Shadow Shot Sunday for this interesting idea; for more information on this shadow meme,please click on the icon in the side bar.

Blue Jay Portraits: for Camera Critters

I think Blue Jays are magnificent, handsome birds but they are so common around our feeder area that I don't often think to highlight them.

I had been playing around with a recent picture of one I had taken this week, using filters, experimenting with the artistic choices on Photo Shop and I tried the rough pastels option. I liked the results, so much so that I had an urge to search through my art supplies for my oil pastels and make my own creation, sans computer.
Lacking the time, I set aside that idea for another day and instead scanned a watercolour I had painted two years ago of a Blue Jay enjoying a feast of peanuts.
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My appreciative thanks to Misty for hosting this site. To see other participant's photo contributions just click HERE or on the Camera Critters logo on the side panel.

Smoggy Sunset: for Skywatch Friday

Usually this blog focus on a New Brunswick theme but I went a bit out of province for this Skywatch posting. While in the Montreal area last week there was a smog warning on Nov. 6th caused by the unseasonably mild conditions and at the end of the day I was able to capture this spectacular sunset.

My appreciative thanks to Sandy, Klaus, Ivar, Wren and Fishing Guy for hosting Sky Watch Friday .

Rows of Birds

When visiting Gina's Space this morning I noticed she had posted some very interesting photos of a thematic series of pictures on things in rows. It looked like fun and sent me scurrying into my photo archives to find some of my own. Here are a few of my favourite bird photos that I found fitting within this week's theme, rows. If you want to join in on this weekly thematic photographic meme you can find it by clicking on its higlighted name.
These first two photos are a couple of my favourite bird family 'row' photos; above a family of Common Mergansers and secondly a family of Canada Geese.
Perched on rocks off Sunset Beach at Marathon in the Florida Keys, is this row of Brown Pelicans.

Two rows in one, Herring Gulls on a row of posts.
A very common sight in our feeder area in the winter, Mourning Doves lined up on the railing of our garden bridge.
And here a double row of female Common Mergansers closing up the ranks.

Bye, bye Coromorants, hello Snowbirds!

Window Birdwatching

We like to view the beauty of nature from inside our home as well as outside, so when the weather grows colder and the summer blooms have left our garden, we begin to spend more time inside and turn our focus upon our many bird feeders which are close to our windows. The closeness to windows and a telescopic lens creates a wonderful opportunity for bird photography and I take many pictures each day. Yesterday I studied this Red-breasted Nuthatch performing its upside down feeding habit as it explored the peanut feeder.
This male Hairy Wood- pecker, another uply-downly feathered acrobatic, was eating in an upside down fashion as it held onto the suet cage enjoying my offering of homemade bird suet of peanut butter and cornmeal.
A few years ago we designed and built a pillar for our garden, decorating it with humming -birds, butterflies and dragonflies seen in our yard. We usually put it away for the winter, but this year we decided to place it on our deck, close to our windows, where it can easily be seen from inside. It has turned out to be a favourite stopping place for Blue Jays and each day I place sunflower seeds on its top.
As the weather changes and the temperatures lower I find one of the best places for birdwatching at this time of year is in my own back yard. And as well as upside down birds there are a few upside down Gray Squirrels to entertain the window viewers as well!

Oh Deer!

Oh Deer, this is more like home! After having spent a week in a large Canadian city, it is so refreshing to look out my window and see two White-tailed Deer approaching our feeder area. Not that we want them at our feeders, for we don't, but it seems their route across the road and on to the river seems to be the boundary between our property and our neighbours.
The special treat about this sighting this morning was that of seeing a White-tailed buck, which was easily identified by its antlers. I don't often see the male species of this deer.
Whenever I see a deer in our yard I always freeze into a motionless position (except for the pressing of my camera shutter) for I do not want to startle them and cause them to run haphazardly onto the street,(which doubles as a highway), in front of our house. These two I saw this morning however are not novices at crossing streets for both stopped and looked before taking that first step onto the road.Safely across to the other side they will make their way down to the river and browse through the stand of trees there. Perhaps I'll see
them again when I go on my morning walk.