Big Poplar Sphinx Moth

Last year, on almost exactly the same date, we had  Big Poplar Sphinx Moth visit out black light. This year, we have another one. These are good sized moths as you can tell from the photos with Larry's little finger indicating scale.

Walking about

Took advantage of the nice weather and the offer to visit a friends property who will soon be moving. I rode my bike over as the property is just off Hwy #3 between Playmor Junction and the Slocan River bridge. Most of the property is heavily treed with conifers but I was nicely surprised to see some very large birch trees with a diameter of more than a foot. We heard some singing Hammond's Flycatchers, Cassin's Vireo, Swainson's Thrush and Townsend's Warbler. A flock of calling Red Crossbill's (116) flew overhead. Sarah says she often sees a mother turkey hen and her brood but we didn't see any today. We did come across these very interesting looking mushrooms. Anybody know what they are? I emailed my photo to a mushroom expert and he says they are: Elf's Saddles, Gyomitra infula. They are not edible!

Veery

I heard my first Veery (115) in this area this morning. We took our kayaks cross to the Ward's Ferry Trail and hike north for a while. We thought we saw a Red-naped Sapsucker but couldn't confirm it. Singing were Winter Wren, Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Hammond's Flycatcher, American Robin. We found a Spotted Sandpiper nest very close to where we landed. The river level is high and it was 

Polyphemus moth

The past three summers we've put a black light (uv light or called a 'party light' at Wa-lmart) on our covered back deck. This light attracts moths. We were so excited to have big moths stop by last summer. This morning there was a Polyphemus moth. As you can see he is gorgeous! He has a wing span of 4.5 "  Last year, we had several Polyphemus moths. One afternoon I watched an American Kestrel land in a nearby tree with something moving in it's talons. Yes, it was one of my moths. He discarded the wings (which I kept) and ate the body. 

side view

upper view

Osprey Survey

I went out last week to survey the Osprey nests between Nelson and Waneta. A group of us have been surveying these nests for about 14 years now. I check approximately 50 suitable nest sites. This year 11 nests appear to be active in that an Adult is sitting low on the nest. Next month I'll return to these and check to see if there are young visible in the nest. Below are two nest sites I monitor. The first is the where the Slocan River meets the Kootenay River close to where I live in Shoreacres. You can see the gas pipeline crossing and tower.  In the past the Osprey nested on top of the red tower. When Canada Geese used this nest the Osprey built another nest on the pipeline. Geese have used this nest as well. It was blown down during a windstorm last year. Terasen Gas will be removing the pipeline and tower next year (the pipeline will go underground) so they have erected two poles for the Osprey. They de-activated the nest that was on the tower. Fortunately, the Osprey have taken to one of the new platforms and successfully nested and raised young there last summer. This year, they are again using the platform. Yeah!

The nest below is from Waneta. Two summers ago the highway department closed this bridge for repair work. They removed the nest and erected a pole with platform on the other side of the river. The Osprey's never used the platform. This year, you can see they have rebuilt their nest, (pylons be damned!) on the railway bridge and appear to be incubating eggs.

The Osprey have not used the new nest poles that Fortis erected for them. A few years ago Fortis decided it wasn't safe to have Osprey's nesting on their structures so the existing nests were removed. With this new policy, there are now no nesting Ospreys (that I know of) between the South Slocan Dam and Taghum! 

Glade & Ward's Ferry Trail

Cycled over to Glade this morning to check on the nest boxes. One was empty, the second had 5 just hatched naked, eyes closed Black-capped Chickadees and the last had a Tree Swallow sitting on 6 warm eggs. Lovely!

Continued on to a large grassy field where I heard and saw Bobolink (113) last year. I had to wait a while but I did finally see a male. It's possible a female was present but the bird was too far away to id.

I wanted to check out the Ward's Ferry Trail as a few years ago we heard a Dusky Flycatcher singing. I did here what could have been either a Dusky or Hammond's but it didn't sing long enough for me to listen carefully. On the way back I saw a female Black-headed Grosbeak (114). They had eluded me so far this spring so it was nice to see. Lots of vireos and warblers singing plus I saw a couple of male Lazuli Buntings. They are so gorgeous!

Glade is a great place to cycle or walk. Rarely a car in sight!

Bird Creek Marsh

After last weekend's successful 12 hour bird count I decided to ride over to Bird Creek Marsh this morning. Larry joined me for the bike ride but didn't stay to look at birds. It's a nice 10km ride which takes you along the Kootenay Canal. The marsh is below the dike on the north side and you can wander several trails through different habitat such as grassy areas, marsh, shoreline, mixed and conifer forest. An active Bald Eagle's nest is located in the area but viewing into the nest is best done from the Corra Lynn area on the other side of the Kootenay River. In fact, I checked the nest yesterday while doing my Osprey survey (I'll post results on another day). I could see one young in the nest. It's possible there were more but one is all I saw for sure.

I like going to Bird Creek Marsh. Mostly because there are lots of birds and no people. The people who come to the area usually walk the dike. Before we got to Bird Creek we spotted 3 Turkey Vultures (108)flying over. Larry knew I still didn't have one for my big year so he alerted me to them flying overhead. Thanks Honey! At the marsh song birds were singing! I knew the first stretch of mixed forest heading down the hill has American Redstarts (109). They are there every year and usually are attracted and show themselves when I pish. Sure enough, there was a pair. I continued and came to some low water areas that are created by the Beaver. A Wilson's Snipe (110) flushed out of the grass. In past years I've found nests but the water is very high this year and might have been flooded out.  I heard several Least Flycatchers (111) and this is one of the few places in the West Kootenays where I hear them regularly. The last new bird for the big year was a double surprise. It was a Say's Phoebe (112). Not an unusual bird but the first time I've seen one here. While I was looking at it I wondered to myself if it was nesting in the area. Normally they are associated with nesting in man-made structures and none were about. Then it opened it's mouth and it was yellow inside. So it was a recently fledged bird! It did look a bit awkward when it moved about and seemed quite tame.  

Other birds heard or seen this morning include: Sora, Yellow Warbler, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-eyed Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Bullock's Oriole, Gray Catbird, Northern Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, Warbling Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Swainson's Thrush, Bald Eagle, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Western Wood Pewee, Cliff Swallow, Hammond's Flycatcher, Common Merganser, Winter Wren, American Robin and Willow Flycatcher.

Some butterflies seen were Western Tiger Swallowtail, Common Ringlet, Silvery Blue and Western-tailed Blue.

Butterflies

Arctic Skipper


Purplish Copper

Purplish Coppers on Buckwheat flower 

Silver-spotted Skipper

Milbert's Tortoiseshell on Woolly Thyme in Shoreacres

Big Day and Bird Count

Today was the annual Castlegar and area bird count. I decided to turn it into a big day. But first I'll note the new birds for the big year. The first was a Cliff Swallow (102). They've been around for a while, I just hadn't seen them here yet. Next was a group of sibilant Cedar Waxwings (103). Always nice to have these beauties around. I rode my bike over to the Slocan Pools trail and heard lots of warblers and vireos including a Red-eyed Vireo (104) and Orange-crowned Warbler (105). Also singing were Warbling and Cassins Vireos and Nashville, Townsends, Yellow-rumped Warblers. One Pacific-slope Flycatcher (106) was singing as were several Hammonds Flycatcher. Then, just as I was leaving and riding up the hill to the highway I heard and saw my first MacGillvray's Warbler (107). 

I counted birds for over 12 hours on bike and foot and had 63 species: Willow Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird, Northern Flicker, Brewer's Blackbird (nest still active), American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Canada Goose, Tree Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Spotted Sandpiper, American Crow, Bank Swallow, Common Merganser, Song Sparrow, Bullock's Oriole, Mallard, Brown-headed Cowbird, Blue Jay, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow Warbler, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Swainson's Thrush, Cliff Swallow,  Sora, Chipping Sparrow, European Starling, Steller's Jay, Western Meadowlark, Western Tanager, Savannah Sparrow, House Finch, Pine Siskin, Osprey, Horned Grebe, Bald Eagle, Cedar Waxwing, Black-capped Chickadee, Western Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Nashville Warbler, Lazuli Bunting, Vaux Swift, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hammond's Flycatcher, Townsend's Warbler, Common Raven, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Cooper's Hawk, Orange-crowned Warbler, Cassin's Vireo, Winter Wren, Merlin, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, MacGillvray's Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Calliope Hummingbird (plus a dead one on the highway), Killdeer, Western Wood-pewee, Mourning Dove.

New bird for Shoreacres!

I finally had a chance to get outside this evening after a day of work and rain. I was warmly rewarded with a calling Sora (100) in the wetland pond. First time I've ever heard them here before. Larry and I went back out again when I got home to listen and we both heard the distinctive call.

Then, I heard the call of a some Vaux's Swifts (101). While living in Nelson I was used to listening to them every day and evening for 2-3 months in the summer so I am quite in tune to their call. Here I only hear/see them occasionally. 

A pair of Bullock's Oriole's made their presence known this afternoon and there was one little lonely Mallard duckling in the pond. The Brewer's Blackbird nest is still active. Yeah!

Tomorrow is the annual bird count. I'll post my results in my blog. Larry and Al are going out in Al's boat and Val is going to watch birds in her area. 

Willow Flycatcher & Common Nighthawk

I heard my first Willow Flycatcher (98) this morning. I found a nest a few years ago and they have been around every year since I moved here. They build small compact nests in small trees and bushes, quite open but manage somehow to go unnoticed by the Crows as they quietly slip on and off them.

The Brewer's Blackbird nest has young! About 4-5 slightly fuzzy balls. There was no sign of movement when I checked but the parents were vocal, although no more than usual. 

Lots of activity with the Swallows, Hummingbirds, Flickers, Osprey and Flickers. 

While waiting for a client to arrive I saw my first Common Nighthawk (99) flying around the house. Then, later, while enjoying some liquid gold on the back deck, a commotion from the Brewer's Blackbird drew my attention to a Cooper's Hawk that had prey in its' talons. Later, I saw him fly low over the river as he was being harassed by the blackbirds.

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Kingbirds (97) were seen a week ago by my neighbours but I only saw my first one today. They make a large messy nest out in the open and then 'try' and defend it against predators. I'm not sure how successful they are. The one next I found a few years ago was predated. Perhaps they are choosing more protected locations now as I haven't found it.