[GMcD]

Got a Brown Creeper to add to the list. I was visiting Mayne Island recently and in the deep dark Douglas Fir forest, a bit of movement was seen...Slow shutter speed and high iso, but reasonable pictures.

Brown Creeper03 July26_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Brown Creeper05 July26_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[GMcD]

I know the Turkey Vulture was posted earlier by StumblingPiper, but I had some time with some seafood scavenging Turkey Vultures on Mayne Island recently so I thought I'd post some photos for the record.
Turkey Vulture04 July27_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Turkey Vulture21 July27_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Turkey Vulture25 July27_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[stumblingpiper]

Thanks for the add, GmcD! Love seeing those Turkey Vultures close up. lol.

I threaded my way through the Wild Fires and made it up to Salmon Arm and Wells Gray Provincial Park to see if I can pick off a few more birds for us! I was successful in most and missed a couple -- saw but couldn't photograph the Vaux's Swift and the Evening Grosbeak. Oh well... I did capture these lovelies!

At Salmon Arm, I got the Western Grebe.


GmcD had a nice shot of the Cliff Swallow collecting mud -- here it is enjoying the fruits of that labor!
lol

We saw several Waterfalls and many birds at Salmon Arm ... only one new one to add to the list, though. This Ruffed Grouse just as we were leaving the park! A small flock was crossing the road.


On the way back from Wells Gray, we saw this Swainson's Hawk just south of Salmon Arm.


If he had sat on the phone pole a couple more seconds, this shot would have been a lot better! haha


After all that driving, my back needed a stretch (like this) ...

And then a nap (like this) ... haha


Enjoy!
James

[BillGyles]

A Mute Swan at Cowichan Estuary taking some time off from looking graceful.
Mute Swan by Bill Gyles, on Flickr

[stumblingpiper]

Nice one, Bill. lol. Sometimes the birds aren't so graceful.
I managed to get a couple of more conspicuous absences off our list yesterday at Beaver Lake Road (Lake Country).
First, the Black-billed Magpie (or is it Black-eyed? haha).


Here it is! The Canada Jay!


Using my new lens (Sigma 150-600mm ... it's heavy! haha). Not used to the settings yet, but an improvement over my older ones ... Enjoy!
James

[GMcD]

I found a quiet spot along the North Arm of the Fraser River at Iona Park yesterday, bright overcast so the light was a bit dull, but found a flock of mixed sandpipers that didn't mind me lounging on the sand pretending I was a piece of driftwood. First up - Least Sandpipers.

Least Sandpiper04 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Least Sandpiper17 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[GMcD]

The mixed flock I was watching included some Baird's Sandpipers:

Bairds Sandpiper11 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Bairds Sandpiper06 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[GMcD]

Quite a few Semipalmated Sandpipers were in the flock as well:

Semipalmated Sandpiper06 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Semipalmated Sandpiper03 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[GMcD]

And quite a few little Western Sandpipers flitted around along the beach:

Western Sandpiper08 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Western Sandpiper06 Aug08_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

[zwest]

Great photos G!

I think what you’ve labeled a Sanderling is actually a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Sanderlings are plumper and thicker-billed), and what you’re calling Semipalmated are Baird’s Sandpipers (note the very long wings). Your other IDs are bang-on.

I highly recommend using Merlin Photo ID for shorebirds (tablet or phone app) - it is usually correct when it comes to peeps as long as the picture quality is good.

Cheers

[GMcD]

Thanks very much Zwest - shorebirds aren't my strong point, and given the mixed flocks coming in with a mix of juveniles, non-breeding plumage and eclipse into breeding plumage can make it tough.

I've edited my posts and photo labels so all is right with the world now - so we can add to the list the Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper (thanks for having those yellow legs), Baird's Sandpiper, and Semipalmated Sandpiper.

[stumblingpiper]

Nice work on the Sandpipers, GmcD!
We are moving along nicely with our list ... I'm able to add a couple of new ones ... I was up at Silver Star Mountain near Vernon yesterday and captured this Dusky Grouse and a Solitary Sandpiper!



I'm also adding a better picture of the Canada Jay ... this one presented nicely for us.


Enjoy!
James

[stumblingpiper]

Nice work, everyone! An interesting year of birds so far ... we are currently at 201. I see I've added a few duplicates to others' work ... haha. Sorry about that. I love seeing the variety and the bird-watching skills on display.
Here's the updated list: viewtopic.php?p=91848#p91848

Here's the list of birds still to be added viewtopic.php?p=91849#p91849

I hope the rest of everyone's year goes well and "maybe" we can beat last year's total. I think we had 232 last year? So another 32 birds will put us over the top! I think our biggest year was 2019 with 273 birds.

[BillGyles]

Lot's of great pics of (for me) exotic species lately. I noticed the Hutton's Vireo in the list of missing birds and remembered I have some shots from July at the birdbath.
1233_4 (2) by Bill Gyles, on Flickr

[GMcD]

I was surprised to see that no Snow Geese had been posted yet, so I went back into my winter 2023 photos and found a couple - cross the Snow Geese off the "not yet posted" list:

Snow Geese07 Mar29_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr

Snow Geese08 Mar30_2023 by GMcD2008, on Flickr