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.