Dave Kemp's west coast birds from Vancouver Island east...

Common Goldeneye

Photos by Dave Kemp

Gulls galore

Glaucous-winged Gull

Raven

Red-necked Grebe

Herring Roe

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BarrytheBirder

Dave Kemp photos from Vancouver Island's east coast...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Herring Gull

Length 25" (64 cm) ~ Wingspan 58" (147 cm)

Female Kingfisher

(Ceryle alcyon)

Above and below 

Male Kingfisher 

Octopus egg sack & live Herring roe

Weathered Stump

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BarrytheBirder

British Columbia Loons by Dave Kemp...

 

Photos by Dave Kemp

CCOMMON LOONN

(Gavia immer)

Thank you to Vancouver Island photographer Dave Kemp for these beautiful and definitive photos of Common Loons on Canada's west coast.   This bird has been my all-time favourite species from the time I first heard its haunting call while paddling a canoe in Ontario's Algonquin Park.

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BarrytheBirder

Another bird for my life list...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

LESSER SCAUP

(Aythya affinis)

Life list now stands at 427

The Lesser Scaup pictured here is number 427 on my life list of birds.   I photographed it on March 24 on the side of the Ravenshoe Sideroad marshlands, southeast of Lake Simcoe.  It was a male and part of a male-female pair.   This duck is quite attractive with its black and white colouring, blue bill and yellow eyes.

 

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

A great close encounter...

Photos by Dave Kemp

Vancouver Island Raven

British Columbia photographer Dave Kemp, whose photos 

I regularly present in this blog, was recently introduced to 

this black beauty by a buddy named Scott, at Comox

 on Vancouver Island. Dave's friend established 

a close relationship with this Raven several years ago 

 and when Dave was introduced to the big bird by Scott, 

he was immediately accepted as a new friend 

and posed for a few photos.   Well met, Dave.

West coast 

gulls surround

a sailboat between 

Vancouver Island 

and B.C. mainland.

Please comment 

if you wish.

Barry the Birder

Some of my favourite Green Heron pictures...

Photos by BarrytheBirder

Green Heron

(Butorides striatus)

Here is how my Audubon Society Field Guide describes this common heron: "A retiring bird, it is often first noticed when it flushes unexpectedly from the edge of water and flies off uttering its sharp call note".   If however one quietly and stealthily approaches this waterside forager, excellent photos can be the reward.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Great Grey Owl lands on photographer's head...

Photo: Beaumon Day

My King City birding friend Ed Millar emailed me a photo today of a Great Grey Owl landing on a camera lens and a photographer's head.   I went online and looked up 'Great Grey Owl landing on photographer's head' and came across the photo above, plus many others.   It's certainly worth a search and look at the great photos.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Ice melts...birds and critters return

Richmond

Hill Millpond

Canada Geese

Mallard Ducks

Seagulls

Robins

Squirrels

Thaw begins and the 

critters take over

Photos by BarrytheBirder

 

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Bathurst Street park pond in Richmond Hill...

 

Close-ups by BarrytheBirder

"Ready for your close-ups Mr. G."

 

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BarrytheBirder

Black bandit steals a morsel and escapes...

BarrytheBirder

The Crow pictured here swooped down upon another crow, which dropped what it was carrying, letting the other crow retrieve the morsel, swoop up and down, and the make a successful escape. 

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

In the Holland Marsh...

Photo by Barry Wallace

Trumpeter Swan family in Holland Marsh

The family of Trumpeter Swans pictured above were swimming about in the river that meanders through the centre of the Holland Marsh, alongside the 400 Highway.   The adult swan is on the left and the three large, but still juvenile swans, are on the right.   The water here only cleared of ice in the past few days.   The four-swan family will continue further north as spring advances.

Please comment if you wish.

BarrytheBirder

Spring emerging on Vancouver Island...

 

Photos by Dave Kemp

Bald Eagle

Harlequin Duck

A lowly slug

Trumpeter

Swans

Please

comment

if you wish.

Barry

theBirder