Western Bluebird

Western bluebird with grasshopper - Oosoyos

I have done a lot of walking in many places, and am always on the lookout for any type of wildlife.  Sometimes I am fortunate and get to see species like the western bluebird in the above photo.  They used to be more common, but have declined over the last hundred or so years.  The main reason has been the European starling, which has taken away its nesting areas.  Western bluebirds, like starlings, require a hole and cavity in something to construct a nest.  Unfortunately, the starling is much more aggressive and is more likely to get a nesting spot before or from a bluebird.

The thing that impressed me was the fact that you can build birdhouses which are geared towards these feathered beauties.  They have a different point of entry than traditional structures and the openings are flat, not round.  The Mountain bluebirds can get into these while the starlings can not.  If we want to see an increase in the population of them we have to start building them in natural areas where they live.  It will no doubt take a while before we see an increase in their numbers, because the population has been decimated.

I have been fortunate to see the western bluebird about a half dozen times.  Although they do live in the lower mainland, I have only ever seen them in other places in BC and Alberta, and always in open areas.  I do not think they are fond of living around humans, unlike the starling which can live wherever we are.  So, nesting sites in your back yard probably won't work.  It will be up to parks and rural land owners to help them regain a foothold.

It would be nice to see them on a regular basis instead of just inadvertently.  The less we care about our ecosystem the more likely we will restrict our species' diversity.  Wouldn't it be terrible if the only birds you ever saw were robins, starlings, crows, and pigeons?  That is where things are headed if there is no action.

The Bald Eagle - A predator is only as good as its weapons.

Bald eagle capturing fish

An effective predator is only as good as the weapons it has at its disposal.  The bald eagle has four weapons which it uses to overcome its prey; talons, beak, size, and strong flight ability.  The talons alone are undeniably its greatest asset as they are razor sharp and can be presented towards its quarry with minimum risk to body (see top right image).  I have seen eagles carry off seagulls, ducks, and large fish with ease.  There are stories aplenty of them absconding with small dogs, much to the horror of their masters.  Should an eagle decide to turn its claws onto a competitor or threat, wisdom would suggest valour take a back seat and the would be target head for the nearest cover.

Of course, the skin piercing legion of knives are supported by the beak.  Once the claws have subdued or at least mercilessly embraced a victim, the strong beak begins tearing off pieces of flesh.  If not already dead from the multiple lacerations imparted by those talons, the beak would surely finish the job.  Eagles have been seen attacking and killing young deer (link below).  They don't necessarily have to fly off with their quarry - pieces are fine.  All this can happen because of its great size and strength, other assets which this awesome bird wields easily and with authority.

We may cringe at the concept of the eagle dispatching its prey with the only desire to sustain itself or support its family, but this is the way nature works.  Eagles are considered top carnivores because nothing eats them yet they consume a wide variety of other organisms.  They are masters of the air, the land, and the sea.  I live in south western British Columbia where eagles abound.  I have half a dozen living within a square kilometer of my house, and there are literally thousands within a radius of 100 km.  I see them so often that I take it for granted.

I was camping down in Washington state and had three kayaks with me.  I met a couple who had never kayaked before and she had never seen a bald eagle, apparently something she had always wanted.  We took the boats out on a lake and it wasn't long before one of the Masters of the Sky appeared.  She gazed with awe at its majesty and grandeur, then watched incredulously as it dove towards the water.  Moments later it flew off with its scalely reward.  I remember her words at the time, "Now I can die in peace."  It must have been an incredible moment.


https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/predator-vs-prey/bald-eagle-swoops-in-on-a-swimming-fawn-video/

Common chaffinch

Above:  Male adult chaffinch    Below:  Female juvenile chaffinch

Have you ever held a live bird in your hands?  They are amazing creatures.  Ridiculously light for their size, their small bodies belie their potential and stamina.  I have been more fortunate than most and have had opportunity to hold many living birds.  I have caught swallows to remove them from buildings.  I once was part of a team capturing and tagging Canadian geese.  I have hand fed starlings, pigeons, and chickadees.  Injured birds rescued include robins, gulls, owls, and a few unlucky soles who strayed into windows.  Then there was the chaffinch.

While visiting New Zealand I came across a funny little brown and grey bird I had never seen before.  Consulting my bird book I discovered it was a common chaffinch, a European bird which has become commonplace in its new home.  It feeds on small organisms which it obtains through the usual methods and will eat vegetable matter such as seeds.  The chaffinch seems to be a pleasant bird with no annoying habits or tendencies.  Its song is nice, although not as lyrical as some better feathered crooners.  (see link at the bottom; information, videos, and songs available there)

We had parked our camper van at a night stop near Matamata, NZ, and I was out taking pictures.  We were at a rustic museum with many antique farm implements on display and good sized flower and vegetable gardens.  The building themselves were closed and, outside of another camper van, we were the only ones there.  I got some great shots of what was about; and then I saw this wonderful site.

November in New Zealand is much akin to spring in Canada and the birds were out making nests, laying eggs, and raising young.  A brown and grey bird was feeding its chick; what was unusual was that they were on a bench at the back of the property.  The chick happily sat there while its parent was scurrying about bringing it food for its quickly growing body.  It reminded me of my job a home a few years ago.  I took shots, as I usually do, and I got closer.

When photographing wildlife there is a foreseeable and predictable pattern which arises.  I see something, I move slowly towards it, being as inconspicuous as possible, and I photograph it continuously until I see that it is uncomfortable with my presence.  At that point I stop and leave the organism in peace.  Usually I end up with a pretty good photo and did not disturb my quarry very much.  What was unusual here was that the chick never showed signs of distress.

As I got closer and closer my shots improved and the chick remained steadfast on the bench.  I paused, moved a couple of feet, froze, took a photo, then repeated that pattern.  Eventually I was only a short distance away, literally half a meter.  I slowly bent over, extended my hand (palm up) and put it in front of the bird.  It hopped on.  It was both strange and wonderful that this little individual would trust me to lift it up to have a little face time.  I marveled at it, becoming cognizant of the fact that its parent was about to have conniptions no doubt thinking I was about to ingest its offspring.  

It was at that moment it flew away.  I think that is what gave me the greatest satisfaction.  The chick could have left at any time.  It trusted me and we had a moment with each other that will remain engraved in my mind forever.  Even though I was securely planted on the ground, my heart was up there with the birds.  I'm sure I could have chirped a few bars if I tried.

https://www.hbw.com/ibc/species/common-chaffinch-fringilla-coelebs

Golden crowned kinglet

Golden crowned kinglet sitting on Salal - shot in my back yard.

Have a look at the little ball of feathers sitting on that branch.  It is quite a remarkable bird; one of the smallest perching birds in Canada.  Where I live in British Columbia (in the Fraser Valley area) they are present all year.  I was out for a walk today (early January) and saw a pair of the them flitting about looking for food.
This is where many people get a little lost - what food?  There is a hint if you look closely at the kinglet's beak.  You can see spider webs there.  Their small bills are not meant for cracking seeds the way a grosbeak does, nor is it built for eating carrion or whatever is lying about like a crow's beak.  It is small and dainty and built for looking into tiny cracks and crevices.  They will work their way along a branch and check every spot for food.  This consists of invertebrate eggs, juveniles in all stages of development, and adults.  These could be spiders, insects of all types, mites, ticks, and so on.  Anything of that sort will do.  Invertebrates are packed with energy, water, and nutrients.  The problem is they are small and hard to find.
Fortunately the tiny birds busily move from branch to branch searching for any tidbit which will help them through the winter.  When spring approaches they find food is much more plentiful and begin the process of breeding.  I have never seen a  kinglet nest, but they are tiny, and their babies are only about the size of bumble bees.
The one I photographed above had hit my window and lay stunned upon my deck.  It was still alive, but not fairing too well.  I moved it to a safe area of my yard where it would recover.  As it rested I took the liberty of getting a few shots.  I have photographed them throughout the lower mainland and on Vancouver Island, but I like this shot the most.  After a while it flew off to go about its business.
If you hear small peeps and see a creamy coloured bird with a golden crown flitting about this winter, you probably just saw a kinglet.