Looking for something to shoot? Find challenges and assignments here.
By jewill
#89340
With homage to a former poster here I am going to try to resurrect this topic. I enjoyed it so much in previous years and I am hoping for a good turn out this year.
Please post your 3 favourite bird pics taken in BC during 2019. If you'd like to say why they are your favourite or add any other comments, that would be great.
To get started:

The mega-rare (for BC) Cape May Warbler seen in Abbotsford in January 2019.
Image

A Barred Owl (holding lunch, a vole, in his left foot) in the green space in back of my condo. This is my favourite owl and I was thrilled to get one posing so close to home (it took me 5 years to finally get a good pic).
Image

The Mandarin Duck at Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake Regional Park - such a beautiful duck, what's not to love?
Image

I am looking forward to seeing your pictures, so please, let the posting begin!
#89341
Thanks for continuing this thread Judy, I've always enjoyed it too! It's always hard to decide, but here are my top 3 favs taken in BC in 2019:
This is the closest I've ever managed to get to a Lazuli Bunting, using my car as a blind worked very well! Taken in the Okanagan.
ImageLazuli Bunting by featherweight2009, on Flickr
Another bird I don't see often suddenly showed up at Burnaby Lake so I was able to get some nice close shots of this one as well.
ImageGreater White-fronted Goose by featherweight2009, on Flickr
Last, but not least, another rare visitor to the Lower Mainland blessed us with it's presence & ignored the hordes of photographers as it went about it's business hunting voles/mice
ImageNorthern Hawk Owl by featherweight2009, on Flickr
Looking forward to seeing other's favs!
By jewill
#89342
Debra - those are all fantastic pictures but that Hawk Owl is outstanding! Congratulations on not only a rare bird but a beautiful full-action shot of it as well.
OK all you lurkers out there - the gauntlet has been thrown down! Show us what you have. 8)
By zwest
#89343
Very nice shots Judy and Debra!

I found it hard to pick 3, so I just took the first ones that came to mind:

Steller's Jay at Cypress Provincial Park (June):

Image


Short-eared Owl from Boundary Bay (December):

Image


And an American Bittern doing his impression of a clump of reeds (Reifel, March):

Image


Cheers!
By jewill
#89344
OMG Zach! I really had to look to find that Bittern. How did you ever see it in the 1st place? I would’ve walked right by it, all the while oblivious to it’s presence. Unless of course some kind soul had planted a sign stating “Bittern over here” with an arrow pointing to it! :mrgreen:
Your Steller’s Jay and Shortie are Impressive as well. Thank you for participating.
By zwest
#89345
jewill wrote: Jan 05 5:10 pm OMG Zach! I really had to look to find that Bittern. How did you ever see it in the 1st place? I would’ve walked right by it, all the while oblivious to it’s presence. Unless of course some kind soul had planted a sign stating “Bittern over here” with an arrow pointing to it!
Ha! Truth be told, I would have walked right by it as well but a couple of other people were standing there already and pointed it out to me. Interesting critter... I took a bunch of other pics of it later, all bloodstained from eating a snake.
By jewill
#89347
Ohhh, another awesome owl flight shot! Thanks for posting Bert!
Now let’s see some more birds from the others out there...please.
#89350
Great photos everyone! Really enjoy this thread and seeing the different birds. I went with a theme of three Wrens ... House, Marsh, and Pacific (unless Zach notices a Golden Eagle in there ... haha). I like these three because, except for the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, they are the hardest to get my camera pointed at, focused on, and clicked before they move on!

Image

Image

Image
By jewill
#89352
Thanks for contributing 3 great photos of wrens James. I hear you about them being particularly difficult to capture.
We’re coming along nicely but I know there are more of you out there who would like to contribute but, for whatever reason, are too shy to do so. All are welcome - it doesn’t have to be a unique bird, i.e., we can have another Steller’s Jay or Flicker. We just want to see your 3 favourite photos of the year.
#89354
Thanks Jewell for setting up this post once again it was one of my favorite things of the year (original thanks to Paul!)
2019 was a particularly good spring for Mountain Bluebirds passing through the Fraser Valley and this was one of my first of the season in the Dewdney area near the Fraser River, catching it with a grub was a treat.
ImageFor Birding in BC post by Nick, on Flickr

At one of my favorite birding spots near home I spent weeks enjoying the efforts of a pair of Osprey to set up a nest. This male Osprey kept gathering newly cut hay but the female was never quite satisfied.
ImageFor Birding in BC post by Nick, on Flickr

I made several trips to the Keremeos area and I was delighted to find so many California Quail. I particularly liked this image due to all the textures in the feathers and the log rail it was perched on.
ImageFor Birding in BC post by Nick, on Flickr
By Steely
#89362
Great to see this thread up and going again this year. Thanks Jewill for starting it up. Been a tradition for a while! It's great to see everyone's postings and thoughts on why they feel they are their favs of the year. Interestingly a half dozen of those posted already, are ones I didn't get this year... sometimes regional differences, sometimes luck of the draw and sometimes timing. It's crazy how that thing called life can often get in the way of birding...
Anyway, here are my three favs from a relatively slow year for me... striving for a better 2020!

Image
I liked this one because of the chase and result. I knew approximately where to find this Canyon Wren near OK Falls and went after it specifically (hoping anyway). When I heard the call I set up guessing where he might appear and was rewarded when he popped up almost exactly on cue. I love the harmonious colouring etc. of this early Spring capture.

Image
Another early Spring find on Anarchist Mnt. on a gravel road we went exploring on for the first time. Always on an endless hunt for the elusive White-headed Woodpecker...
Chance encounter of a small flock of Red Crossbills in a light rain.

Image
Lewis Woodpecker above Vaseux Lake. My third was a tough call and I settled on this guy as it had been a relatively slow year for Lewis' with many previous go-to locations being barren. We did find a few Lewis' in some new locations and will check this year to see if they prove fruitful... This late bird was a surprise and allowed us a reasonable approach so it gets the nod!
By jewill
#89364
Ian, those are all beautiful shots. I like the Canyon Wren best because, like you said, the colours all blend together so nicely.
I too am glad that people are posting their pictures but I would like to see more. All are welcome!
#89366
Sorry I am a bit late, but thought I would add mine... I have also posted on a similar thread on FV Birding and will only duplicate one:

First an American Bittern at Willband Creek Park, Abbotsford, B.C...
ImageAmerican Bittern by Neal, on Flickr

A Canada Jay at Manning Park, B.C...
ImageCanada Jay by Neal, on Flickr

And finally, the Cape May Warbler that my wife and I discovered on January 1st at Mill Lake that caused quite a stir and attracted many birders...
ImageCape May Warbler by Neal, on Flickr

Cheers to all and Happy Birding...
2024 Photo Challenge - All BC Birds!

We are currently at 115 birds! Wow. Excellent wo[…]

2024 Bird Challenge: Current Bird List

So sorry for being late in updating the list ... y[…]

Godwit?

At Blackie spit this week we found this shorebird […]

Tufted duck

I returned to report that I researched this questi[…]