White-tailed Deer

A birding drive yesterday produced a lot of new birds - shorebirds are starting to show up.  I found some Semipalmated Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs and a good number of Marbled Godwit pairs.  I don't have a good photo of any.  

On days such as yesterday, I'm pretty much birder-only, remembering to grab the camera only after I've gazed long through the binoculars or scope.

Several White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were grazing near sloughs in the early morning.  I managed to capture one with tail-flag waving.

These American Coots (Fulica americana) were intent on their mating rituals.  A lot of preening and stamping of the reed platform by the male.  Coots are amazingly interesting to watch.  

American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) have been arriving in the area the past week, which was really cold, rainy and windy.  I expect by tomorrow (after two days of very warm, sunny weather) the shorelines will be much alive with these elegant creatures.

 

Coots & Ice

I went around my 'usual' birding route yesterday.  As always, there are thousands of geese at Boundary dam reservoir; most are Canadas but a small portion are Cackling.  I saw a few feeding flocks that had a few of these small Canada Goose look-alikes.  (No photos to show today).

A young Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was patrolling the water and circled around to check out the dirty white vehicle arriving in its territory.  I had time for a quick snap through the windshield. 

This is part of the reservoir.

At the boat launch, wave action and steam rising during the deep freeze last week coated the floating wharf with an attractive layer of ice.  One of the seven or so resident American Coots (Fulica americana) was over having a snoop around.  Usually the coots stay on the opposite side, close to the hot water outflow. But, it was a lovely, +1C day yesterday.

During last week's dive in temperature (-30C) with -41C wind chills for several days, I worried about the Snowy Owls (and everything else having to survive outside).  I drove around a bit on Saturday but didn't see any owls.  Yesterday, however, one of the juvenile Snowy Owls  (Bubo scandiacus) was back on its favourite pole.  Too far away to show clearly, but there is some blood on the bird's right leg...it might be holding down a freshly caught, very unfortunate, rodent of some sort.