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Post by fouram on Jun 22, 2006 11:33:08 GMT -8
While at work today, and dropping off a trailer, I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye and reacted quickly enough to see a ?Cliff Swallow? (certainly not a barn swallow--as this one had a greyish front and dark wings with no "apparent coloration"), but what was fascinating about this bird was that it went through a chain link fence to a crack between some retaining blocks where I believe it has a nest--this is in Port Kells!--I was certainly astonished--as the crack was no more than 10" from the bare ground!-Al
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Post by Gord on Jun 23, 2006 9:28:37 GMT -8
Al, have you considered Northern Rough-winged swallow? They nest in weird places sometimes and it would match the description you gave. They naturally like to nest in cutbanks, so a crack in a retaining wall would work too.
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Post by fouram on Jun 23, 2006 21:19:15 GMT -8
Obviously, now, at my age--I guess that I should get a "Field Guide" as I am tending to forget some of my birds. I can remember when I worked in Ottawa, and a wonderful friend, Dr. Jean Wilson of Vancouver and I were catching some of the Eastern birds on the "escarpment" where they parasail, outside of Gatineau, PQ, and I exclaimed that there was a lot of action with the "Turkey Vultures" rising with the up-draughts, she did not believe me until she looked in her own "field guide" and saw that I had made a perfectly lucky guess! We continued on that summer seeking out the most varied birds we could find--including an olive sided fly catcher, among others at Algonquin Park, as well as a Bobolink, lots of Cardinals (very flashy) and Baltimore Orioles!--Again--I really must get a field guide, in order to be able to recognize ( if I am able to be lucky enough to actually see) all of the diverse species that we have---Al
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Post by Gord on Jun 23, 2006 21:47:29 GMT -8
Al, Id suggest the Sibley's field guide to western birds. I have several, but find I use the Sibley's the most. The Wild Bird Store on Young Rd just south of the tracks has several different ones to choose from.
Id sure enjoy birding the East one day!!
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