My Last Post in 2019 - Vedder Rotary Trail and Sardis Park

 Bald eagles were feeding on the remains of dead salmon along the river. This one was resting close to the trail as I passed.

 I know that American Dipper are resident on the Vedder and I am always hoping to see them on the trail side working their way along the rocks. I should have been prepared to capture an image as he left the frame.

 Brown Creeper are always difficult to photograph as they forage usually in the company of chickadee's. I got lucky with this one.

 Northern Shoveler surface feed at Sardis pond.

 Hooded Merganser

All images from my Canon Powershot SX60. Happy New Year.

Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese and Cackler's

Went for my walk around Sardis Park today and was fortunate to hear and see a flock of Sandhill Cranes flying over.

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.

GBH Reserve

 Willow Flycatcher

 Anna's Hummingbird

 Dune Tansy

 Juvenile Common Yellowthroat

Swainson's Thrush

Heron Reserve

Wood Duck and Yellowlegs, lesser or greater ?

My latest birding walk at GBH Reserve

Black-capped Chickadee

Dark-eyed Junco

Green-winged Teal

Pileated Woodpecker

 Downy Woodpecker

Recent Snowfall

Our female hummer showed up with what appeared to be a undeveloped egg sac hanging from the cloaca. An hour or so later it had dropped off and the bird appears to be unaffected by the condition.

 On the 12th, during the snowfall, a Yellow-rumped Warbler ( 1st winter ) alighted on our fireplace heater vent grille and decided to stay as the temperatures were around -6c. During the day it was seen foraging in the yard and settled down for the night on the grille. At dawn the next day it was still here and I never saw it again after my breakfast.

Cool hey!

Cape May Warbler

I heard that a Cape May Warbler was visiting Mill Lake in Abbotsford from back east so off I went. I believe it`s only the second time this species has been spotted in the area.