Raptors do play Keep-away- Reifel Sept 11

[martin]

Well I headed out to Reifel on Sunday after doing the Valley on Saturday with limited time and success.

Got up and left early as I had hoped to catch the tide at Boundary bay but
it was a bit early and the marine fog was in and the light was all wrong.


Lots to see almost the same birds as Damion's post, but a few differences. Greater and Lesser YL(could have been juveniles??)

were on the island beside the Heating hut, and 1 BC Night heron on the the others side of the path in there usual tree.

There was a Great Horned Owl Hanging around the lower West North trail on Saturday but I was not able to find it this day.


Did get see a battle between the N. Harrier and Peregrine Falcon, and I was lucky enough to fire these shots off. Don't know what they were fighting about, I can only guess that the Harrier was not to happy with the Falcon.



This all happened in less than 2 seconds and shot on a burst of eight.





















Around to the first Lagoon looking out I saw a couple of Dowitchers and Red-necked Phalarope hiding in with the ducks.

shot with the 500mm they were on the other side of the lagoon.




This shot was cropped about 50% - 500mm with a 2x extender manual focus









Around to the next outer pond and a few more Shorebirds to see. Greater Yellow Legs, Western Sands and Dowitchers.













Towards the end saw this little Least Sandpiper hiding in the marsh flowers along with the GYL, boy it was sure tiny.
Took a shot of the Greater Yellow Legs for a size comparison








Mallards , Mallard Everywhere
GBH (6)
Black Crowned Night Heron(1)
Can. Goose
Sandhill Cranes-(11)

Tree Swallows
Barn Swallow a few

Hooded Merganser (4)
N. Pintail
Pied-Billed Grebe

Eurasian Widgeon
Wood Ducks (10)
American Coot
N. Shoveler
Green-Winged Teal
Gadwall
Least Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Western Sandpiper
Red-Necked Phalarope
Long-Billed Dowitcher

Northern Harrier (2)
Peregrine Falcon
Red tail hawk
Bald Eagle

Marsh Wren
Brown creeper
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow
Red-Winged Blackbird
Cedar Waxwing
N. Flicker
B.C. Chickadee

Eurasian-Collared Dove
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

[Chris]

Love the shots of the raptors.

Looks Reifel is getting more active.

[kestrel]

Great pics.

[Dave]

Nice series of pics, martin.

Thanks for sharing

[martin]

Thanks Chris, Kestrel and Dave.

I got lucky again ( seem to get alfully lucky alot these days) was walking along the dyke when they flew over chasing each other and the then the Peregrine flew into the tree and the Harrrier started to circle. I quickly set the camera up as it was on my sholder and got of the series of shots.

[oldfulica]

Sept 16, 2011 11:05:54 GMT -8 martin said:

Thanks Chris, Kestrel and Dave.

I got lucky again ( seem to get alfully lucky alot these days)

I was told a long time ago that "the harder you work the luckier you get"

Hi Martin-thanks for the comment on my posts. Belated kudos on your's as well. I am not always able to see every post when I am travelling but I did catch your excellent Harrier- Falcon encounter