Friday, July 31, 2015

Day 212 - 31st July 2015 - Dragonfly, Daisies and Sailboats

Woke up at 4 am, going to be a long day. Think it was a flash of lightening that jarred me from sleep. Of course, once I'm awake that's it. Lexi was restless so I knew thunder was in the air as well. Made a little headway on the book I'm reading. It's Friday, company coming these evening. It's a girls weekend of birding - looking forward to it. The rain should clear later today and Saturday looks great for weather.
Good bye July, another month ending and on the downswing of the year. Well it was was a beautiful hot day. Thought it would be a good birding morning on my walk, sun was shining through the bushes but was quiet as a ghost town. Still a good time for a walk. Relatively progress was made at work yesterday as well, fairly quiet there. Did the grocery shopping on the way home -ugh, then our phones were all out up and down the road. No idea what that was all about, but it's a worry when you have older residents in an area and no method of contacting emergency personnel when needed.
Dragonfly on the grasses along the lake.













Calm and serene on the lake.

Pickerelweed. Grows along the waterline of the lake shore.
Daisies along a neighbour's fence in the morning light.
The boats always look so nice moored in the harbour.







Enjoy your day!

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Day 211 - 30th July 2015 - Least Flycatcher, Black-Throated Green Warbler, Evening Grosbeak and Lilies

Here we are at Thursday already. Another week sliding away. Girls are coming tomorrow to go birding for the weekend. Hope we find something new and interesting in our travels. Work today, not expecting anyone, but there are always a few that drop in to do research, etc. I have lots to do just the same. Only a few more weeks and my  student will be finished, the summer is passing quickly.
What a great day to be home, once the fog burned off. Lots of activity in the apple trees even though m morning walk was fairly quiet. Did some light housekeeping, then the sun came out and that was the end of my good intentions. Lois and I went swimming in the afternoon. The water was beautiful and refreshing. The Catbird makes at least one visit in the yard/day. He found the birdbath yesterday and splashed around, no photos though, but he was fun to watch. The birdbath needs to be cleaned out though.
Least Flycatcher. There were two in the yard today. They really don't like to co-operate though.










Always a few Chickadees around, this little one found breakfast.
Black-throated Green Warbler.
Common Yellow-Throated Warbler - lots of them.
A couple of Evening Grosbeaks were eating the berries from this Wild Cherry (I think it is) tree.
Love the deep rick color of these Lilies.










Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Day 210 - 29th July 2015 - Black-Throated Green Warbler, Northern Parula and the Lake

Foggy out there this morning, but it's still early and should burn off and be fine! That will just make it harder for me to get some work done around the house, but then..... it's better being outside. Looks like I'll get out for a good roam this morning.  Nothing special planned, just aiming for a quiet day at home.
What a morning on Thursday - hard rain, thunder and lightening for about 4 hours. I felt bad for Lexi, home by herself and hating every minute of it. At least the rain let up while I was walking and I finally saw my first Black-Throated Green Warbler this season. I'm seriously working hard to find the variety of species this year. Pretty good day at work, got some bits and bobs of things finished up. Making headway.
Black-Throated Green Warbler.














So I was so pleased to see him, I took a few photos.



It was a nice morning on the lake even with the thunder sounding all around.
There were a number of Northern Parula's flitting around.








Enjoy your day!

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Day 209 - 28th July 2015 - Palm Warbler, Thistle, Lily and Ovenbird.

Looks like mostly rain today, thundershowers are forecast late in the day. Lexi will be upset again.  Have to get some research underway. Several of those projects need my attention. One step forward, two steps back some days. Keeps me out of trouble I guess. Not sure if I'll get my walk in today, but will bag up Big B. and try it anyway. Unless it's a downpour I'm good to go.
Rain held off for my morning walk yesterday, but it was pretty quiet. Not a lot of birds moving where I was. They seem to be much happier when there is some sun shining through the alders and bushes. Mostly a quiet day at work too. Showers, sun and clouds throughout the day. Exercise class last night.
Palm Warbler, he was hanging out on the deck railing.














These look like real Thistles - pretty and thorny!

A Grackle is into the suet again.
Lily at a neighbour's. Love the color.
Ovenbird hiding in the branches. No he wasn't coming out for a better shot.






Enjoy your day!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Day 208 - 27th July 2015 - Savannah Sparrow, Fawns, Broad-winged Hawk and Common Terns

Raining this Monday morning. back to the grind. The weekends go way too quickly. Maybe it will let up when it's time for my walk.  A few things and researchers on the go this week but shouldn't be quite as busy as last week. Have a couple of girls  coming on Friday- our annual girls birding weekend. We had a blast last year. Sometime this week I've got to chase the cobwebs and dust.
A little rain first thing Sunday morning, but we took off anyway after breakfast and headed for Louis Head Beach and then on to Hemeon's Head. Been a while since we've explored in those directions. Nice to get out. Nothing new on my lifer list but saw a ton of Savannah Sparrows, some Common Terns, Willets, Yellow Legs, Gulls and a Great Blue Heron and a Broad-winged Hawk. So over all a good outing. Home in the afternoon - Larry in the woodpile, me cooking for his lunch box.
Savannah Sparrow. I think this is one of my best shots.













 Such cute little Fawns. Didn't see the Mom anywhere, but hopefully she was standing in the trees watching them.
 Common Tern at Louis Head breakwater.
 Crab for breakfast!
 Yellow legs and Willets at Hemeon's Head.

 Willets in flight.

Broad-winged Hawk. We did the drive by and hand to back up. He obliged and stayed on the line until I had some shots.






Enjoy your day!

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Day 207 - 26th July 2015 - Magnolia Warbler, Black & White Warbler, Checker board and Hummingbirds

3:30 am is not the best way to start a Sunday. Oh well, it will be a very long day but I think we'll go to Hemeon's Head this morning. A few hours on the beach, hopefully finding some shorebirds will put the day right. Then it will be time to do the lunch box cooking for the week and some housework if I'm still awake!
Had a nice day Saturday, weather cleared. Out for my morning walk, a few Warblers around but nothing fascinating or new. Larry worked at the woodpile - cutting, splitting and piling. I puttered around, getting little done as I spend too much time checking out the apple trees. We went in for my cousin and her husband's reception bash - backyard casual get together then dance later in the evening. They got married last month but kept that to just a small intimate gathering. It was fun, did the shopping, stopped at Cathy and Harold's. The girls were there so we had supper with all of them. Then home for a lazy evening.
Magnolia Warbler.














The Black and White Warblers are always happy to pose. The remind me of the Nuthatches, always going up and down trees.
Downy Woodpecker - so many of these little one around now.
Common Yellow-throated Warbler, he has a cobweb stretched up through his forehead.
The neighbours in the hood are playing checkers.
My next door neighbour called me yesterday morning to come see these little guys and gals. They had 6 at one feeder. What a flurry of activity.








Enjoy your day!

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Day 206 - 25th July 2015 - The Lake, Red-eyed Vireo, Palm Warbler and Ovenbird

I'm up a bit early, but it's been a few weeks so once in a while isn't bad. Looks like some rain showers off and on today. I seriously wanted to hit some beaches and check out the shorebirds. Sometime this afternoon we have to go to a wedding reception - well it's more like a big casual party. And of course I have to fit the dreaded grocery shopping in there somewhere.
The morning that started out so beautifully turned to thunder showers quickly after lunch. By evening it had cleared and the apple trees were busy with Warblers once again. The Hummingbirds are very feisty these days, with the feed lasting no time at all. Often I see them in the pole beans and the bright red blossoms.  
A lovely peaceful morning on the lake. Just a little mist rolling up off the water.
Ovenbird. Funny I hadn't see one all summer and this week I saw two.
Palm Warbler.
One of three Robins that almost ran me down, I had to jump out of the way.
Red-eyed Vireo, lurking in the branches.







Enjoy your day!

Friday, July 24, 2015

Day 205 - 24th July 2015 - Robin, Magnolia Warbler, Damselfly and Black & White Warbler

It's Friday and the weekend is close at hand. With all the shorebirds around now, I hope we can get to a beach or two. Thunder showers later today and this evening. Would like a few hours of quiet at work today - just to finish up a few things.
Thursday was beautiful, the morning had that...dare I say fall feeling in the air but it warmed up as the day went on. Truthfully I don't mind cool at night and first thing in the day. My walk was quieter than usual, not so much activity around and mostly in the high canopy of trees. A day of catch up at work, exercise class in the evening. The apple trees were full of warblers again.


Looks like he's happy with breakfast - Robin.

The Magnolia never wants to give me a good shot.
It does have wings but looks like he could be nasty.
Damselfly - lots of them around now too.
Black & White Warbler - they are like little acrobats.





Enjoy your day!

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Day 204 - 23rd July 2015 - Ovenbird, Black & White Warbler, Lilies and a Catbird

Looks like a nice day on the horizon, sun is coming through. Back to work, sure it will be busy but it was nice to be home yesterday. More researchers coming today and other things to finish up.
Drizzle most of the day, but the sun and humidity broke through later in the day. By supper time the air was clear and beautiful once again. My morning walk, yielded lots of birds but not great shots. However, the yard seems to be a hot spot of activity at any given time. Seems there is a family of Black and White Warblers in the apple trees, and finally I saw an Ovenbird after hearing them all summer. The Catbird flitted through, enjoying some berries from the Honeysuckle bush and of course the regulars - Northern Parulas, Red eyed Vireos, Magnolia Warblers and Robins etc. Finished the day off with a swim in the lake and a beer on Lois' back deck.
Ovenbird
I'm not sure who this one is.
The Shasta Daisies are blooming.
One of the new lilies I planted in the spring.
The Hummingbirds are busy at the feeders.
Black and White Warbler.
The Catbird. He did take a few minutes to pop up on a branch and sing to me.





Enjoy your day!