Kingbirds, Cooper’s & Willow

This afternoon I headed out to the Boundary Bay area to try for some better shots of the Willow Flycatcher. I had no sooner started on my walk when I noticed a large flycatcher in a tree at the beginning of the trail.

Western Kingbird
Western Kingbird

On getting a closer look it was a Western Kingbird.

Western Kingbird
Western Kingbird

What a great way to start this outing,

Western Kingbird
Western Kingbird

… these are my first shots of a Western Kingbird and a new addition to my photo list.

When checking one of the spots for the Willow Flycatcher,

Cedar Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing

This Cedar Waxwing showed up for a brief visit on some dead fall.

Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk

Then I noticed one of the nesting Cooper’s Hawk in a Willow Tree.

Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk

It was preening and stretching while roosting in the tree.

Willow Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher

Then a familiar call took me back to where I had seen the Waxwing.

Willow Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher

The Willow Flycatcher was located down low in the bramble and allowed me to get fairly close. A little better than the distant shot of the other day.

So far, so good. I headed back to where I had seen the Western Kingbird. On approaching I saw something fly from the same tree into an adjacent field.

Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird

Perched on a small tree I found not the Western Kingbird, but an Eastern Kingbird.

Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird

It was flycatching from this low perch and I managed a shot of it with its catch. Two different Kingbirds in one day, cannot ask for much more than that.

Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Prior to leaving a couple of Savannah Sparrows caught my eye.

Savannah Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Unsure if they had a nest with young nearby, but they were busy gathering grubs and frequenting the tree from the first shot.

It was a lovely afternoon for the first day of summer. A productive one as well on the birding and photography front.

Pre Game Walk

Time permitted a Stanley Cup Final pre game walk this afternoon. Not wanting to stray too far from home, I headed out to Reifel.

Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk

Started off with this Cooper’s Hawk in the trees along the driveway.

Then some friends who were shooting this Grosbeak on the ground,

Black-headed Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak

… flushed it nicely into a tree for me to capture.

Still no shortage of new arrivals,

Wood Duck
Wood Duck

… with this Wood Duck family basking in the sun on this log.

Western Wood-Pewee
Western Wood-Pewee

There has also been a Western Wood-pewee around my last few visits.

The treat of the afternoon though was a couple of other new arrivals.

Rufous Hummingbird Fledgling
Rufous Hummingbird Fledgling

These Rufous Hummingbird fledglings were in the bushes along one of the trails.

Rufous Hummingbird Fledgling
Rufous Hummingbird Fledgling

I was hoping to capture one of them getting fed by the adult female. She would come in close above them, but then back off. My proximity to the fledglings may have been spooking her. Sometimes they don’t mind when you are around, other times it may interfere with their behaviour. You have to watch for this. In situations like this, the well being of the birds comes before the picture. So it was time for me to move on.

On checking the watch, it was time to head home for the game. Go Canucks Go!

Northern Saw-whet Owl & Cooper’s Hawk

Another stroll through Reifel and I came across this Northern Saw-whet Owl sleeping under some over hanging branches and relatively unobstructed.

Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl

I took a photo and was about to leave when I could hear noise behind me.

Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl

A squirrel was clambering through the branches and got the attention of the Saw-whet. As I touched on last month, these photos just took a little time, patience and no broken branches.

Along one of the inside trails,

Cooper's Hawk
Cooper's Hawk

… was this adult Cooper’s Hawk watching some American Coot in the slough.