Cheam Lake Redstarts June 5

[Gord]

At Cheam Lake were two American Redstarts singing. There was one at the parking lot and the second was down the Loop Trail near where it forks. When I returned to the parking lot the first one was still singing and would be heard for much of the day while I was there.
Bank Swallows continue to be numerous with a conservative 16 counted.

So far there's two pairs of Eastern Kingbirds

019_8935 by Gord G, on Flickr

019_8931 by Gord G, on Flickr


It is nice to see more Red-winged Blackbirds than in the past few springs.

019_8917 by Gord G, on Flickr

019_8905 by Gord G, on Flickr

A male Bullock's Oriole didn't like this heron sitting so close to his nest. The herons are notorious nest robbers if they find one on their travels. The heron was only interested in preening.

019_8902 by Gord G, on Flickr

[Ben]

Interesting that a Heron would rob a nest. They apparently will also eat other birds! Found this sequence of photos (via BirdsoftheWorld) of one eating a Least Bittern: www.flickr.com/photos/48752517@N08/4461543032/in/photostream/

You'd think it would choke when swallowing food that size (and apparently they sometimes do die of choking)
I guess they are more formidable hunters than they look

[neal]

Thanks for sharing Gord. Nice photos.