Capturing images of interesting birds doing interesting things helps defeat the Covid blues. Here are a few shots from the last few weeks.
My neighbour Miranda called me the other day quite excited by the presence of this little Northern Saw-Whet Owl in the Cedar bush by their window. Jim had seen some Magpies buzzing the bush and noticed this little beauty and scared the Magpies away. I happened to be home (big surprise I know) and ran over with my camera to get some shots. This was the first time I had seen a Northern Saw-whet Owl so I was very pleased it sat quite unfazed in the Cedar.
President Murray Park sits one block from my house and has a mono-culture of mature Spruce trees. It is a real treasure trove of bird activity all year long as residents and migrants show up regularly.
Here is a Red-breasted Nuthatch just about to down a spider.
Same species on the feeder by my back door.
Back to the park where this Brown Creeper is doing a masterful job of camouflage.
If birds had teeth this Hairy Woodpecker would need a toothbrush.
When this Spark-shinned Hawk showed up in the Burr Oak tree in my back yard all the little sparrows, Chickadees and Nuthatches disappeared.
Blue Jays love grabbing a peanut from my feeder and flying off to crack open the shell and eat the nuts inside. This one flew about 12 inches from the feeder and proceeded to work away at the shell. I happened to have my camera close by and shot this short video through the window. I slowed it down so you can see the dexterity evident in this practised manoeuvre.
6 Comments
Beautiful photography!…. Both the ice and the birds. I have only seen brown creepers twice because they are invisible. You have to catch the bark moving : ) Thanks. The photos make me smile.
Wow. Thanks for sharing these amazing shots Trent.
Stunning hardly begins to describe these gorgeous shots, Trent! Absolutely love the sweet little Saw-whet owl. Very glad Miranda got hold of you to get the picture. I thought of your blue jay and his peanut when I watched a magpie dig in our plant pot to find a peanut he had hidden. Alas, we didn’t have you close to get the picture. Many thanks for sending these on.
I love seeing the birds, thank you Trent!! I’ve never heard of a Saw-whet owl but I shall keep my eyes open and I’m amazed by how many stay through the winter!
Trent; These bird photos are stunningly beautiful. Thank you for sharing the joy. 🙂
Somehow seeing that exquisite little Saw-whet owl was a life changing experience for me.. to think such precious creatures are living in our trees and parks in such close proximity to us humans, yet it was just by sheer luck we go to actually see it and know it was there. I look at trees much longer and with greater scrutiny now. So glad our community photographer was able to annswer the call lickety splick and get some fabulous photos. Thankyou Trent.