Your Favorite 3 images taken in BC this year

[nickinthegarden]

2019 has once again provided many opportunities to photograph our favorite birds. Please share your favorite 3 images shot this year, they don't have to be your best just ones that gave you pleasure.

I will start it off with my first decent inflight capture of a Mountain Bluebird, it was great year for Mountain Bluebirds in the Fraser Valley I found them from Dewdney to the Matsqui Trail to the Hope Airport and surprisingly none this year at Columbia Valley.

My Bluebird of happiness by Nick, on Flickr


I got to spend a lot of time watching a family of American Kestrels this year, from courting to conception to the almost first flights to learning to capture bugs. Here are a couple of young American Kestrels resting after Mom's flight training.

Kestrel Siblings by Nick, on Flickr


This was my first opportunity to photograph Black Turnstones in BC at the Pier in White Rock. It had been on my bucket list for several years.

Careful! by Nick, on Flickr


I could easily add another dozen or so but today these are my favorite 3 images I shot this year in BC

[Chris]

Great photos Nick. The Bluebird shot is my favourite.

Here are my top three

LeConte's Sparrow near Fort St John



White Pelicans at Scout Island



Common Grackle McQueen's Slough near Dawson Creek

[neal]

Great photos Nick and Chris. It is always great to see what people post for their best 3. Here are my 3 and my reasons...

#1 was the Cape May Warbler that my wife and I discovered at Mill Lake on January 1st and it caused quite a stir:

Cape May Warbler by Neal, on Flickr

#2 is this Townsend's Solitaire that flew into a tree beside me at Crescent Beach and posed for a couple shots. It was the first one I had ever photographed:

Townsend's Solitaire by Neal, on Flickr


#3 is this Ruffed Grouse that I found at the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve one day that also was a first time I photographed one:

Ruffed Grouse by Neal, on Flickr

[Randy]

Thanks for starting this post! One of my favourites of the year!

I actually didn't do really any birding outside BC this year but it was my first year with a proper camera and I have really been enjoying learning how to use it! Here are my top 3:

Common yellowthroat from Willband. I like the angle of the grass in the photo:



Barred owl fledgling - one of three that fledged this summer. It was very enjoyable watching them grow each week:



Belted kingfisher in flight from Willband - I really like the detail of the spots on the feathers in this one. This is a detail I had never noticed in these birds previously:

[oldfulica]

Thanks for suggesting this Nick. I think I will cheat and submit 4 because they were all BC lifers for me and I can't decide which gave me the most satisfaction.



Fieldfare Salmon Arm around Jan. 1



Dusky Thrush end of January Nanaimo



Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Nov. 8 Maplewood Flats



Finally, Neal's Cape May Warbler at Mill Lake Jan 6.

[birderbert]

Oregon Junco off my back deck
Oregon Junco 40s by BirderBert, on Flickr

Great Grey Owl flew in to check me out [Interior BC]
Great Grey Owl 14s by BirderBert, on Flickr

Mandarin Drake at Burnaby Lake
Mandarin Duck M54s by BirderBert, on Flickr

[neal]

Wow. Great images everyone. Hope to see more of everyone's 2019 favourites...