First of the little Flycatchers

While doing the rounds today I saw and heard a Western Wood-Pewee (96) in the neighbours yard. I'm amazed at their nest locations. They like to build their nest towards the end of a vertical branch, well away from the trunk and fairly open. They rely on the making the nest look like part of the branch with spider webs and gray coloured material. 

Here's an example of a nest I found in the Pend O'reille area a few summers ago. 

It's a tough job

but somebody's got to do it. Sit in that chair I mean and watch the hummers feeding.  (That red thing attached to the window with a suction cup is a hummingbird feeder.) Today we learned we have 3 male and 3 female Rufous (we usually only see one at a time) and a pair of Calliope and Black-chinned. We also got video tape footage of me holding the feeder in my hand and a male Rufous feeding at it. Cool! Larry say's he'll post it later for me. Thanks Hon!

Yellow-headed Blackbird

This morning, my alarm clock was a female Yellow-headed Blackbird (93). Her unusual call can't be confused with anything else! As with the lone Coot and Wood Duck, we get one Yellow-headed Blackbird every spring. I decided to go out and see what else was around. The Brewer's Blackbird nest was still active. A Common Yellowthroat (94) was calling but stayed hidden. A bird that usually hides until I hear them was seen in full view! This was a Gray Catbird (95). I thought I heard one a few days ago but now I can confirm it. 

Normally, there are several families of Canada Geese but this year I only saw them once. Very unusual. But it's also okay as there are lots of geese around!

I heard an unusual noise in the pond just as I was leaving. There was some rippling in the water which I'd noticed several times before but never see anything. This time I did. Four very large frogs! Once I identify them I'll post a photo.

Swainson's Thrush

Heard the beautiful flute like song of a Swainson's Thrush last night while we enjoyed a soak in the hot tub. Brewer's Blackbird nest still active. 

Glade etc.

I rode my bike over to Glade this morning to check on the 3 nest boxes I monitor. They all had wasps...  The first was empty, the second looked like a Chickadee nest (lots of moss) and the third was a Tree Swallow with the nest almost complete. 

I saw some Bank Swallows (89) zipping around and calling 'chrrrr'. Then a flock of Wild Turkeys (90) which I almost missed I was concentrating looking at what I thought was a Western Bluebird, but couldn't relocate it. 

Riding along Shoreacres Road near the Highway I have in past years always seen and heard Lazuli Buntings (91). I was not disappointed today and saw a beautiful red, white & blue male perched at the top of a tree singing his heart out. 

The elusive Western Meadowlark has been singing constantly in my back yard the past few days. I guess he's making up for having been silent for so long!

At Glade I came across a Variable (Anicia) Checkerspot Butterfly. 

Yesterday, some friends were over visiting and one of them found a birds nest! I was so excited but what was it. It was on the ground, fairly large (robin size) and with brownish eggs. Once I got back to the house we checked my egg books and decided it was a Brewer's Blackbird nest. This also fits with the description of the bird that was seen very near the nest and have been around our house daily. Cool! First time I've seen their nest before! I thought they nested in trees but they apparently have multiple nesting preferences.  See the image below of the nest. I'll keep you posted on any progress.

Just a few minutes ago, while checking on the progress of my plants around the garden shed a Western Garter Snake startled me. He quickly made tracks in the opposite direction.

Wood Ducks

Just like the American Coot, every year there is one pair of Wood Ducks (88) in the ponds. Tonight, I only saw a female but I'm sure the male is around. She was with a pair of Mallards and Blue-winged Teal.  Checked the Tree Swallow boxes today and only half have nests built in them. No eggs yet. The Western Kingbirds are vocal and we are wondering where they will nest. The 3 species of hummingbirds entertain us at the feeder at the window. 

Finally!

Finally, after almost two months of waiting, I heard a Western Meadowlark (86) this morning. Normally, they are commonly seen and heard starting in mid-March. Glad to know they are still in the area. I heard the familiar 'churring' of a Bullock's Oriole (87). Despite their bright orange, black and white colouring, they can blend into the leaves very well and can be hard to spot. If I didn't know their call, I'm sure I would have missed him. A pair of Blue-winged Teal were in the small pond with a Mallard. The Bald Eagles are still tending their nest so I'm hopeful they have offspring this year. 

Catching up

Away for a week and the birds arrived. The first bird I saw on my return on Saturday was a male Black-chinned Hummingbird (76). Around here he rules the roost. I call him the bully as he sticks his pudgy breast out. The next bird was a pair of Western Kingbirds (77). They have nested each year down the road from me. I'll have to check soon if they rebuild in the same location. Their nest was blown out of the lower bracket of the transformer during an earlier windstorm. A short walk after dinner allowed me to see some Chipping Sparrows (78) near the tall fir trees they seem to inhabit every year. While eating dinner outside (I love this warm weather!) we heard a Spotted Sandpiper (79). They too nest in the grassy flat area beside the river.

Today I headed up river in my little red kayak. I got out and walked the Ward Ferry trail where it meanders through a grassy area. I looked for Hairy Woodpecker as last year we found a nest but no luck. I saw my first Canada Geese goslings and they were pretty big already. On the Ward Ferry trail I heard or saw Yellow Warbler (80), Warbling Vireo (81), Townsends Warbler (82), Hammond's Flycatcher (83) and Western Tanager (84).

Just as I returned home I noticed a bird perched in the top of a dead conifer. Thinking at first it was a Robin as they seem to be everywhere I decided the tail was too long and the head too small so checked it out with my binos. Sure enough, it was a Mourning Dove (85). 

Others birds seen or heard: HOFI, BCCH, BEKI, OSPR, BAEA, BUFF, MALL, NAWA, RUHU, CAHU, BHCO, BRBL, RWBL, AMCR, CORA, TRSW, VGSW,NRWS, MERL, SOSP, AMRO, CITE, COME, COGO. 

The following butterflies were seen: Common Alpine, Western Tiger Swallowtail, Field Crescent, Northern Cloudywings, Common Ringlet, Silvery Blue and Cabbage White.

A muskrat was swimming in one of the ponds this morning. 

Calliope

I like not having to leave the house to get a new bird for the list!  This morning a male Calliope Hummingbird (75) came to the feeder I put up yesterday. A group of 10 Horned Grebes were feeding on the river in front of our place. As they flew off I realized how infrequently I have seen grebes in flight. They left behind a snorkeling Common Loon. 

Also heard or seen this morning: TRSW, VGSW, NRSW, BRBL, RWBL, BHCO, HOFI, SOSP, NOFL, YRWA, RCKI, AMCR, AMRO, CAGO, MALL, EUST.

Grebes & more

The Slocan Pool keeps coming up with surprises. Late this morning I saw one Red-necked Grebe (71) near Gold Island.  Then, there was a pair of Horned Grebes (72) that were swimming with a pair of female Ruddy Ducks. I see them infrequently. Otherwise, the pools were quiet.

Two adult Bald Eagles flew overhead as I was talking to my neighbour. He likely saw a flock of Bonaparte Gulls heading upriver yesterday. He also reported finding a pile of pale feathers and only seeing one of the Eurasian Collared Doves. While we were talking it started to coo very loudly!

Since living in Shoreacres a pair of Barn Swallows (73) have made their home in an old barn nearby. I saw one today sitting on the power lines in front of the barn. This is their usual spot. Two summers ago I saw fledged young on the power lines and the year before I found the dried remains of one young that got blown out of the barn with the nest. 

Ruby-crowned Kinglets and House Finches were singing. I still haven't heard a Western Meadowlark! Also, I haven't seen any goslings and usually there are large families using the ponds. I wonder where they are?

Put out the hummingbird feeder this morning. Just heard and saw a Rufous Hummingbird (74) as he zipped past.

Another rarity!

I did my usual route around Shoreacres this afternoon which includes the ponds below our house, the Kootenay River and to the end of Davidson Road to look at Slocan Pool. In the ponds were four male Mallards and hidden in the rushes were a pair of Cinnamon Teal, likely the same pair from yesterday.

At the pool were a couple of small groups of waterfowl. The first had 2 pairs of Bufflehead and one male Ruddy Duck with 4 females. The other group was about 20 Northern Shovellers.

I then spotted a whitish dot further out on the pool. I thought at first it would be a duck such as Goldeneye or Merganser but it turned out to be a gull with a dark head. Excited, I walked further for a closer look. The gulls around here usually fly over and I never get a good look to identify them. Our regular gulls are Ring-billed with the occasional Herring or California. So, any dark headed gull would be of interest. As I approached closer it flew off and I was able to see the distinctive 'M' marking of a Sabine's Gull (70). They are listed as accidental on the West Kootenay checklist.

Cinnamon Teal

An early morning walk around the ponds produced a lovely pair of Cinnamon Teal (69). American Robins and Blackbirds were vocal as where a pair of Canada Geese. 

Lone Coot on the Pond

Every year we see one, and only one, American Coot (68) on our little pond. Today he was with a group of 3 male Mallards. As I was walking back up the hill to our house I noticed there was another duck with a whitish bill. It was the male Ruddy Duck from the Pool. He was now hanging out with the Mallards. But in the time it took me to walk up to the house and get my camera and walk back down he was gone! So no photo.

Sadly, the Killdeer nest is empty and no adults around. The eggs weren't due to hatch until later next week so I suspect the eggs were predated.

Ducks on the Pool

Larry and I went for a walk after dinner down to the Slocan Pool and there was a variety of different ducks. The lone male Ruddy Duck was on his own now, three male Blue-winged Teal, a pair of American Wigeon, two female Common Mergansers and a male Ring-necked Duck. The Geese are still plentiful but no sign of any goslings yet. 

The Killdeer nest is still active.