Snow Bunting

More Snow Buntings

Since photographing them last weekend I have been seeing reports of the Snow Buntings continuing, but the numbers dwindling. With that I mind I headed back down to the Tsawwassen Ferry causeway this afternoon to see if any remained. On arriving I chatted with a couple of other birders on their way out who informed me there were two buntings present along the south side.

They were busy feeding along the ground when I first located them.

Then they moved in amongst the driftwood,

… on their way to forage along the beach and in the seaweed.

Next it was time for a break to pose nicely amongst the rocks,

… with a stretch thrown in for good measure.

When they returned to the logs, some other photographers were arriving. Up until this point I had them to myself which worked out quite well. It was fun to have some quality time with these pretty little birds again. Now it was time to let the others have a go. Of course I stuck around and continued to watch a while longer.

Willet, Scoters, Buntings & Grebe

On this lovely Saturday afternoon I decided to head down to the Tsawwassen Ferry causeway. I had a couple of birds in mind for today’s outing. First up was a Willet that has been wintering here for over a dozen years.

Here it has caught a small crab that happened to wash up onto the log it was roosting on.

One can only speculate if it is the same bird all these years,

… but one returns to the exact same area every year.

While photographing the Willet,

… a pair of Surf Scoter came in fairly close to the beach.

The male particularly so after one dive for mollusks on the bottom which they feed on.

Then I made my way west along the beach for the second target bird of the day,

… Snow Buntings.

These pretty little birds breed in the far north of Canada and Alaska,

… but will show up here every winter.

The last couple of winters there has been one or two birds.

Today there was 8-10 birds.

This one I managed to get stretching its wings after preening.

Needless to say I was not the only birder/photographer enjoying these little beauties today.

Bonus bird of the afternoon,

… was this Horned Grebe that went by while shooting the Buntings.

Seeing it coming, I set up on the waterline ahead of time as it approached. A fish in the bill after diving would have been nice, but I cannot complain as it was a great afternoon along the causeway.