*The official American Birding Association four letter abbreviation for Red-winged Blackbird(Agelaius phoneceus). For more examples and exceptions to the basic rule, click here.
March 19, 2018. Thomson Marsh, where I do most of my weekly birding, is replete with male RWBLs this time of year. It’s a great location for trying to get that perfect RWBL shot — something I’ll never accomplish with my current equipment. I’m not complaining. Just the opposite, in fact! I’m enjoying the existential challenge of knowing that any small incremental improvement represents major progress.
This post features Rebel, a bird who loves to perform, who’s easy to locate among the dozens who populate the Marsh, and whose “camera tolerance” is about as good as it gets!
Sitting calmly on a cattail, surveying the world, with blank eye.Preparing to perform….Opening salvo….Full blast!Repeat and repeat again!Tail in for maximum power!Smug satisfaction….King o’ the World!
The last image has some nice sharpness in spots, but the cattail’s colour is blown out!
March 16, 2018: I was just mumbling to myself the other day, that since our first winter here (2014-15), the Marsh had become somewhat less exciting, what with no harrier, fewer hawks, fewer finches, and no, repeat no otters!
Then I did a little rethinking (I recommend this custom) and acknowledged that this year I’ve enjoyed exceptional opportunities with a Northern Shrike and great luck with a number of ducks that I didn’t see that first winter.
And, today, 2018 wrangled a whole new lease on my affections with the reappearance in Thomson Marsh, West Pond, this time, of four North American Rivers Otter (Lontra canadensis). I had headed out earlier than I’d been going recently, and that turned out to be a blessing. I’d seen an otter’s wake a few days ago, but not the beast. Yet I had no premonitions, as happens occasionally, for this day.
I always check out West Pond these days as it’s not unusual to see a migrant drop in for a day or two, a Barrow’s Goldeneye, say, or some Scaups, or even a Redhead (the duck, you ninny!). As I scanned the surface today, there was no doubt about the wake again, and this time the critter revealed itself — along with three other family members.
So, without further ado, here are today’s highlights: To enlarge it in a new tab, click image.
First look: a profile view….It didn’t take long for the otters to spot me!Unlike some wildlife, the otters’ curiosity is stronger than their wariness — at least when they’re in the water and their chronicler is on land….Powerful swimmers, they appear very much in command of the situation….This one entered the very narrow channel and pulled up onto some snow-crushed cattails.S/he was almost as interested in her/his own reflection as my existence….Difficult light at this time of day, but we did the best we could….Back in the water, this one tried his darnedest to levitate!There’s something almost snakelike about otters when they stretch out like this in the water….And, like the first time I photographed them in January 2015, they liked to have group photos, too.
Don’t know if they’ll be back tomorrow, but I know I will….
Postscript (as we used to say….) And I did return the next day (Saturday, March 17).
Found them again, this time in the Raptor Tree Pond. Still just four. This time they were enjoying a feed of carp — at least one was — no leftovers for juniors!
I’m indebted to my Flickr friend Heather for this caption: Carp diem!
Although I took more photos, they weren’t as interesting as the ones I got the next day, (Sunday). I went a little earlier each day, and this time caught them returning from West Pond en route to Raptor Tree Pond, which means that I had a couple of chances to view them at close range in the narrow channel that leads into the big pond. They were too smart for me, however, and chose to cover that section either under water or very close to the far shore!
Still, once back where I believe they have a temporary den (used periodically over the years), they did give me a few more shots that I’d like to share:
Sneaking past, close to the cattails….
Click either image below to enlarge both in a new tab:
Allemand right!
Allemand left!
“Are you the Candid Camera guy? I’m smilin!'”Denoising the image makes him look like Slick Willie!
Not sure about more photos, but the past three mornings have been a dream come true!
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fearless Foz: Click photo to enlarge in new tab.
March 2018: For the uninitiated, a PIWO is a PIleated WOodpecker, the largest of the seven species of woodpeckers we see up here most frequently. They’re colourful and industrious and often very willing to be observed and photographed — especially if they’re committed to an excavation!
On Friday, March 9, I was heading home after a walk around my beat. I’d enjoyed a lovely variety of birds, and thanks to a tip from a neighbour, had been able to check out a Bald Eagle that may be returning an old nest above Mission Creek. Although I was unable to get decent photos of it due to the thick branches in the way, I was glad to see him again.
As I approached Gordon Bridge where I would normally head south along the Road back to our condo, I ran into a fellow birder who asked if I had seen the PIWO on the other side of the bridge. It was working down low, she told me.
We parted, and I took a look, but made my search more difficult than it needed to be and would have missed the bird had I not run into to my colleague again not the bridge after I had given up. She just pointed down to the bird at work, and I was on my way….
What follows describes the process of trying to get the shot that you see above — especially when, at first, it seems nearly impossible. Let me give you a hint: success requires effort on the fotog’s part and considerable cooperation from the bird!
One never knows for sure whether a bird will stay put or immediately flee. The second option is the more likely to occur most of the time. Fortunately, this particular PIWO is accustomed to people poking into his private affairs; my task was actually pretty easy. But one only knows this when the encounter is over!
First lookout Fearless Foz: not terrible, but those branches are really annoying!
The name, Fearless Foz came to me from a remark my birder friend made about our bird of the day: “He likes people,” she said. “He’s fearless!” And so Fearless he became. Fearless Fosdick came to mind — a flashback from my days reading comics as a kid. You may remember Al Capp’s syndicated cartoon strip, Li’l Abner, which had as a cartoon within the cartoon, a Dick Tracy parody cop called Fearless Fosdick. More on him at the end of this post….
A look one seldom sees. He knows I’m here, yet soldiers on….Reprise: So how to get this shot from the branchy one above?
Well the trick was simply to get closer than he was comfortable with in the moment, see if he would withdraw to a more favourable location, take a shot, then back off and let him get back to work. All of this assumed, of course, that he wouldn’t simply back off and fly away! Having worked with him 14+ months ago, I bet on his staying focused…. Click any of the images below to enlarge the whole cluster.
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
In the sequence above, you can see, how after retreating at first to the other side of the tree, he peeks back around again, and slowly finds his way back to the excavation….
He’s almost there. I’m happy to have a good shot of his grasp and his full body. The plumage details worked out well, too.
At this point, I decided I to allow him to get back to his cavity work as I attempted to photograph him at work. This required my moving down the slope, around one large tree, through some saplings, and then resting against another tree, which, had it not been there, would have meant my tumbling all the way down into the creek!
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Of course, all my movement meant we had a little more negotiation to complete
before we were both where we wanted to be. I took advantage, continuing
to shoot even as I edged myself into place. He backed off briefly, then, once I was settled, resumed his business, which he continued to work at until I left. Elapsed time for the entire encounter: 12 minutes.
Click any image in the cluster below to open them all in a new tab.
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
Mission Creek, Kelowna, BC. near Gordon Bridge. Fealess Foz
As you can see above, I was able to persuade him to move a bit from time to time
so we could inspect his work. He was most obliging!
And so we concluded with one parting profile shot on the trunk of the tree.
Click the image to enlarge it in a new tab.
Then it back to work for him and homeward bound for me.
Oh yeah! Almost forgot my promise to show you Fearless Fosdick the first!
Although these older photos are not signed, I assure you that they’re all mine…. Each image can be enlarged in a new tab just by clicking on it.
Osprey hovering above Thomson March, preparing to drop and catch….
My first recollection of Ospreys fishing go back to my days at 108 Mile Ranch/Resort where I lived for 15 years in the 70s and 80s. The golf course, where I spent a lot of my summer vacation days, overlooks 108 Lake and a small pond that separated the second and third holes back in those days. Nothing could distract me more than picking up on a Osprey hovering and then plunging almost vertically into the lake before lifting off with a big fat Rainbow!
Adult Osprey takes a large trout from Kentucky Lake, Kentucky-Alleyne Prov. Park….
But I never studied these magnificent birds. I took their avian performances for granted.
Nana and I thrilled to spectacle of Ospreys hunting on the Teshio River in Northwestern Hokkaido. When we settled in New Westminster, I used to travel 25 km either to Iona in Richmond or Grant’s Narrows in Pitt Meadows to enjoy the fish hawks in action, usually at considerable distance — perhaps a couple of times a year….
When planning our move to Kelowna, we were delighted, in late September 2014 (unusually late, but we didn’t know that then), on one of our first hikes along Mission Creek, not far from our current home, to discover this youngster atop a hydro pole feasting on a spawning Kokanee.
“You shoulda seen the one that got away! It was at least this big!!”
Soon, we were surprised to find several Osprey nests in locations that we often visited. Best of all, from 2014 through 2016, a pair of Ospreys nested in the largest Rec Field light, which we can see from my home office. At last, I was ready, willing, and able to do a little more serious study of the habits and talents of these awesome predators.
Poppa and twins atop the Lightship Nest…. “Mom said to ask you, are we cleared to fly yet?”
The story of the raising of the twins (above) in the Spring and Summer of 2016 is told in another post. Today’s episode is dedicated to observations of Osprey in action, especially the father above (Poppa) in Belmont Pond which is only five or six stones throws from our condo and of the twins, once they learned to fly, learning how to do what Poppa does….
A brief word about Belmont Pond. It’s not very big, but it’s full of fish that feed mergansers and our Ospreys. But perhaps not quite what you think. Apparently, it’s an old quarry, not terribly deep, however. And the fish are distinctly non-native. More on this in a bit…. Here’s Poppa Osprey preparing for to catch lunch….
Poppa in the big willow at the northwest end of the larger Belmont Pond.
I changed my angle so I could watch him fish.
Now that I was in place…
…he returned to the task at hand.
On two separate occasions from this very location, I’ve been privileged to watch both Poppa and Momma go about their predation. It usually takes them a couple or more tries, because, as you’ll see, their target is not very big, but it is very visible from up here!
Hover and drop is not the preferred technique, here.
Rather, the birds use a shallow dive, eagle-like, to grasp their prey in this pond….
The young ones, when they’re ready, will learn this method first, too….
Just after capture — what’s he got?Yes, indeedy, it’s a Goldfish!Securing his grasp……turning……”Look what I got!” ……across the pond……up, dammit, up……a quick peek into the houses, then up, up, and away!!
This capture went quite smoothly.
But on another day, there was considerably more excitement,
which is covered in this post….
birds & musings 