Bald Eagle Nest Confirmed

Bald Eagles have been breeding at the Heron Reserve for a number of years and unfortunately lost their nest in a recent windstorm earlier this year.  As you can see from the photo the old nest was massive and must have weighed a ton. Recently I noticed this tanglement of branches with leaves in the crotch of a cottonwood just over one of the trails which I had not noticed on previous visits. I did wonder at the time whether it was a nest or not and was pleasently surprised on the 25th that it is the new nest of the breeding pair of eagles.

Is it a nest

Confirmed

Also sighted today, the beaver, what I believe is a Pectoral Sandpiper and Dowitcher's ( S or L ) in amongst Green-winged Teal.

Leucistic Canada Geese at the Heron Reserve

Two leucistic  Canada Geese along with a group of normals were at the heron reserve Dyke rd slough today and I have to assume they are the same birds seen earlier at Sardis Park.

Further down the road this little merlin was watching me go by and close to the entrance a well fed (see the distended crop ) Peregrine falcon.

Great Blue Heron Reserve

I was out on a cloudy morning with not much light for photography but did manage a few captures. My first sighting was a Green Heron that I flushed from beside the bridge on the west side lagoon, dawn it! I was not ready with my camera. How many times does that happen, too often in my case. I met Joanne and Bruce on the trail and they mentioned a Peregrine over on the dyke side so I kept  watch as I went along the Discovery trail. Here's a few shots I made:

 Orange-crowned Warbler

 Warbling Vireo

 Yellow Warbler

 Warbling Vireo

Ever tried to capture birds in flight. I was not prepared and had the wrong settings for this Steller's JayI was just leaving the Discovery Trail when I heard a Peregrine screeching so I turned back following the call and managed a distant shot through the trees. Not great but it certainly made my day.