Post by Gord on Aug 5, 2024 22:01:07 GMT -8
Been quite busy of late but still enjoying outings where I can and have had some fun family day trips
We went up the Canyon for the day. Had some fun at Yale with an old gold pan and stayed longer than we planned as even the small gold bits ("bits" is generous) sparked a bit of gold fever. We'll need to go back a few hundred times to afford a Cotton Carrier
Alexandra Bridge was also visited. A fair number of birds were noted. A family of Peregrine Falcon took exception to an Osprey that was flying past. Later, we were amused to see an Osprey hassling a Bald Eagle.
We came across a family of Black-throated Grey Warblers. Photos of one of the young ones
_0246854 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
_0246849 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
At Sardis Pond we also enjoyed watching the dragonflies.
Male Common Whitetail
_0246845 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Female Common Whitetail
_0246778 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Blue Dasher
_0246808 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Similar to Blue Dasher, a male Western Pondhawk
_0246775 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Four-spotted Skimmer male
_0246803 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Meadowhawks emerge later in the summer. A favourite sight as it means fall migration is about to start. I think this is a Variegated Meadowhawk?
_0246777 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A Spotted Sandpiper was doing well catching small flies off the ground but it had to be quick
_0246830 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
The Bench Road past Ryder Lake had a doe and her fawn. The fawn paused for a photo
_0246969 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
A young Sharp-shinned Hawk. I don't know if an early migrant or a local breeder which does happen at higher elevations in the Fraser Valley but I don't think it's overly common. This one was soaring over with a small bird that it had caught. A little surprising it didn't take the meal to a safe place to eat it!
_0247024 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
_0247021 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
An adult Willow Flycatcher looking a little worn from a busy summer. Wingbars are quite faded now. A young one would have bold buffy wingbars.
_0247014 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
_0247046 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Further along a young Barred Owl peeked out
_0247047 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
We went to Aldergrove Lake Park at the west end of the Fraser Valley checklist area. Despite the warm weather lots of birds and insects. A couple of young Barred Owls were also here screeching away. There's always lots to see and these American Sand Wasps were a first for us. Quite pugnacious, they charged at anything that flew by. They capture flies to feed their young we learned. The young live in burrows in the sand which made sense as we noted some of the wasps looking dusty from visits down into the holes. They also like nectar to fuel more aerial attacks.
_0247065 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Bumblebee at Bachelor's Button flowers
_0246963 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Either I'm seeing them more now that I watch for them, or they're getting more abundant, but we saw many Western Pondhawks.
Female
_0247055 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Male
_0247077 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr
Fall migration is getting going. Exciting times! Thanks for reading.
We went up the Canyon for the day. Had some fun at Yale with an old gold pan and stayed longer than we planned as even the small gold bits ("bits" is generous) sparked a bit of gold fever. We'll need to go back a few hundred times to afford a Cotton Carrier
Alexandra Bridge was also visited. A fair number of birds were noted. A family of Peregrine Falcon took exception to an Osprey that was flying past. Later, we were amused to see an Osprey hassling a Bald Eagle.
We came across a family of Black-throated Grey Warblers. Photos of one of the young ones
_0246854 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr_0246849 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrAt Sardis Pond we also enjoyed watching the dragonflies.
Male Common Whitetail
_0246845 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrFemale Common Whitetail
_0246778 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrBlue Dasher
_0246808 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrSimilar to Blue Dasher, a male Western Pondhawk
_0246775 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrFour-spotted Skimmer male
_0246803 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrMeadowhawks emerge later in the summer. A favourite sight as it means fall migration is about to start. I think this is a Variegated Meadowhawk?
_0246777 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA Spotted Sandpiper was doing well catching small flies off the ground but it had to be quick
_0246830 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrThe Bench Road past Ryder Lake had a doe and her fawn. The fawn paused for a photo
_0246969 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrA young Sharp-shinned Hawk. I don't know if an early migrant or a local breeder which does happen at higher elevations in the Fraser Valley but I don't think it's overly common. This one was soaring over with a small bird that it had caught. A little surprising it didn't take the meal to a safe place to eat it!
_0247024 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr_0247021 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrAn adult Willow Flycatcher looking a little worn from a busy summer. Wingbars are quite faded now. A young one would have bold buffy wingbars.
_0247014 by Geordie LaForge, on Flickr_0247046 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrFurther along a young Barred Owl peeked out
_0247047 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrWe went to Aldergrove Lake Park at the west end of the Fraser Valley checklist area. Despite the warm weather lots of birds and insects. A couple of young Barred Owls were also here screeching away. There's always lots to see and these American Sand Wasps were a first for us. Quite pugnacious, they charged at anything that flew by. They capture flies to feed their young we learned. The young live in burrows in the sand which made sense as we noted some of the wasps looking dusty from visits down into the holes. They also like nectar to fuel more aerial attacks.
_0247065 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrBumblebee at Bachelor's Button flowers
_0246963 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrEither I'm seeing them more now that I watch for them, or they're getting more abundant, but we saw many Western Pondhawks.
Female
_0247055 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrMale
_0247077 by Geordie LaForge, on FlickrFall migration is getting going. Exciting times! Thanks for reading.
