This forum is for posting your best bird photos and videos. Although the site is focused on BC Birding, topics here and photo postings can include birds from around the globe. As well, provide a link to your photo galleries.
By MDB8
#85425
First photo post in a couple of years. I did post some comments about pelagic trips last year, with a photo I think. My archiving system results in me often being behind in processing. Currently perhaps 2,000 photos behind. These photos are from January, taken mostly during the cold snap.

Generally I post “small” JPEGs to this forum, and to Flickr as well. In the near future, my “small” photos will likely become larger as I move to a new 4k monitor. My previous monitor died recently and I am currently using a cheap HD monitor, with a 4k monitor sitting in a box awaiting the installation of a new video card, one capable of connecting via HDMI 2.0.

I was very disappointed that the dead monitor could not be repaired. It cost $1300 and apparently its power supply is toast. The maker, LaCie, replied to my query stating that they do not repair anything. If in warranty, they just send out a new one. So no more LaCie equipment for me.

Most people use JPEGs for photos. I do myself, but only for posting to forums such as this one and for e-mail. I retain 16-bit TIFF images in my archive. (The camera takes 14-bit colour.) The new monitor will display 10-bit colour per channel. JPEGs are, by definition, only 8-bit colour. This means that colour information retained in JPEGs will be less than the monitor will display when I am processing the TIFF files. The old monitor, like virtually all monitors only displayed 8-bit colour. When you see the dumbed-down phrase, “displays one billion colors”, it means the monitor displays 10-bit colour.


While at Brunswick Point in January I encountered two persons in different weeks who described seeing a bird that they did not recognize. Their descriptions were similar. Both mentioned that the tail wagged up and down and said that the bill was narrow. The bird was seen on the ground among the reeds while these persons were searching for the SE Owls. The second person showed me some images of this odd bird on his camera’s LCD. I did not recognize it. One wing bar, white on the face, long narrow bill eye ring. I should have asked him to e-mail me a photo. It looked neither like a Pipit nor a Wagtail.

Anyway, this story resulted in me putting on rubber boots and wandering through the reeds in case I got lucky. I didn’t see this odd bird, but did encounter some other skulkers and curious birds.

Firstly, a curious Northern Shrike juvenile flew over to land in a nearby shrub and study me. I studied it too, taking about 50 photos as it sat there.

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While standing in the reeds near the point where the bench is, I spotted some movement in the reeds. Sure enough, Virginia Rails were skulking. Three of them. They apparently wanted to go around the corner and I was in their way. I stood still and they edged closer, finally sprinting briefly in the open before making cover around the point. One, looking like a youngster, was a little less wary and gave me an opportunity for some photos.

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As I decided to climb up onto the path, two birds flew out of the reeds and landed in a shrub at the point. I aimed my camera at them and realized that they were American Tree Sparrows. They immediately took flight, heading towards the farm house.

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During the same time period I visited Burnaby Lake and wandered in the snow, along some trails. It was icy in spots and crunchy in less-traveled areas. I did encounter a male Pileated Woodpecker who was flying to various trees, seemingly checking them out rather than foraging. Later, I encountered a Pacific Wren foraging on icy branches. I managed a photo of it with a worm in its bill. So it wasn’t starving. But they are skulkers and like the dark. High ISO, but OK photos.

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Later in the month I visited Reifel, in part because of the reports of flocking Bohemian Waxwings. Very pretty bird and if they become inebriated from consuming rotten berries, they are easy to photograph.

But firstly I checked out Owl Corner. Someone told me that there was a Saw-whet there. I studiously peeked into some shrubs and was rewarded with a glimpse of one well hidden. I didn’t disturb it beyond this type of obscured photo.

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Finally on the way out of Reifel, I looked for the Bohemian Waxwings. As I drove into the area where they had been reported, I noticed some Starlings on the ground beneath a tree. I assumed that the birds sitting atop of the tree were also Starlings, but I was wrong. It was the flock of Waxwings. Some occasionally flew down and ate some berries, allowing for some very close photos. As I seldom see this species, I took many photos.

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