A Few Spring Warblers

Blackburnian Warbler

Magnolia Warbler - male

Palm Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler - female




Black-throated Green Warbler - male

Northern Parula

A few of the warblers seen in the last couple of days. Also seen but not photographed or not shot well were a Wilson's Warbler, Black-throated Blue, Ovenbird, Yellow-rumped, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Blackpoll, Black and White Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, and Yellow Warbler.

Halifax Diverse Blog

http://atlantic.sierraclub.ca/en/blog/russel-crosby/tale-one-birder

Tips for beginning birders and some back story on how I got started in this hobby.


Black and White Warbler -female

Brier Island 2014

We had a good start to the weekend, weather on Saturday was nice - lots of birds singing in the yard.
Made the usual stops on the way - found the Ring-necked Ducks in the pond and a Blue-headed Vireo at the Wentworth Lake wilderness path. A few miles up the road Carmen and I found several Cliff Swallows gathering mud for nest building, the first time we'd seen them in a few years.

Cliff Swallow

We got to Brier Island early afternoon and after meeting up with Mark and Gretchen and setting up camp one of the first sights was a family of Canada Geese. There were also a pair of Brant on Peter's Island, unfortunately too far away for a photograph. The weekend was slow birding wise, we didn't get favourable winds to bring the birds in but we did get several warbler species and a few Baltimore Orioles. A few Horned Larks on the beach was a first for Gretchen.  On the island we managed to identify 67 species as well as a few others on the trip there and back. Probably the highlight of the trip was watching several dozen chimney swifts make several passes before the majority entered a chimney at Bear River as we finished eating a picnic supper before separating for the trip home.


Baltimore Oriole and forsythia.

Chipping Sparrow

Canada Geese

Belted Kingfisher - female

These were taken on two separate days at the same location. The third shot was after she had
come out of the  water and was shaking off all the debris and water that came with her after the dive.
There was some courtship and mating behavior between this one and the male in the
previous post. May 7, 11 East Ragged Island

Great Blue Heron in the rain

I watched for quite a while as this bird walked around the pond from the far side. In the meantime the rain
started after the day had started out fine. The landing shot is the first in the series after the bird flew the final
few yards. The top shot where the bird has it's feathers raised is a reaction I believe to another heron
being in the pond, which I wasn't aware of at the time I took the picture. May 4.

Male Belted Kingfisher

These are not the easiest birds to get close to. Finally had some good luck on this day, fishing appeared
to be good and there was at least two in the area, both male and female. May 3, East Ragged Island.

Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant coming in for a landing. May 3, East Ragged Island.