Since I mentioned Harlequins in the last post I'd thought I'd share a couple images from early in the Winter. The flight shot is from the same day as the Purple Sandpipers. I have more photos from a later date which I'll share in an upcoming blog post.
I guess it's time to post some of my Purple Sandpiper images from this Winter. I have photographed them on a few occasions this year, these are the first and not from a location I've found them in the past. I was there to look for Harlequin ducks and although I found them the sandpipers were more co-operative. This was the case again this past weekend as well but I managed to get some usable shots of the ducks this time round. There was a good bit of surf on this day as the pictures indicate but these birds seem to thrive in these conditions.
I photographed this bird in the exact location as the Snowy Owl in the previous post. It was only later when reviewing my images that I realised it was a different individual. I watched it leave the area and not return and never found it again on subsequent visits. Meanwhile the first bird has been back at the same spot and been consistently there for more than two months now. January 1.
These are some of the first shots I took of the resident Snowy Owl in this area. This bird has been around since the second week of December and as far as I know is still hanging around. I have photographed it since these images were taken. I will post more later as well as an image or two of a second bird that showed up one day in the same location.
A shot from the day of the Christmas bird count. This Northern Harrier didn't want to give up what was left of the bird it was feeding on. I don't know whether this was something it had killed or something scavenged. I do know that the Snow Buntings seemed nervous when the Harrier was in the same area.
Speaking of Goldfinches, as I was in the previous post if you missed it, here are some images from earlier in the Winter when there were still a few around. Both taken on snow days but weeks apart. I guess with the recent snow I should try to get out and get a few more images.
A couple images from this past Fall and one from this Winter. There have been large numbers of Chickadees at the feeders this year. More than any other year in recent memory. I guess they've taken over from the goldfinches which have been mostly absent this year except for the odd straggler.
I saw this bird on the rocks as I was photographing Snow Buntings and intended to find it later but was surprised that it had disappeared. I saw it later flying by and on the second flyby actually land again at another location. The light was fading but I managed to get a few shots.
