Birding in BC Community

Was trying to get a video clip of the Redwing, a current occuring rare bird here in Victoria. Missed the shot but managed to add two others species to our list:

Red-breasted Nuthatch


Varied Thrush

White-throated Sparrow


I have been trying to get decent footage of this bird for some time. Like all sparrows, they rarely stay still. I lucked out this morning at Beckwith Park as this sparrow was beside the path in a sunny spot, preening.

Fox Sparrow (Sooty)


A yard bird I captured this morning. Not a lot of action in this footage but captured the Fox Sparrow song and chatter.

Those are some really nice clips, Kevin! Excellent work.

Shot with Panasonic G9 + Canon EF 400mm F5.6 prime on Viltrox EF-M1 adapter.
2021 Feb 7th
No audio unfortunately (just background music)

Song Sparrow shot at Pitt Meadows 2021 Jan 19
This little guy did NOT want to stay still

I have a video of some brant that I will upload later today.

Also Pitt Meadows Jan 19
Never saw one of these blink, do their eyes not close? It looks like a translucent layer.

Great video of the Pygmy Owl and Song Sparrow.

And and nice close up capture of the Great Blue Heron and yes really cool that you can briefly see the 3rd translucent eyelid called the nictitating membrane. All birds have this and the purpose is to both moisten and protect the eye. Birds normally put their face where their food is located (on the ground, on branches, underwater, etc.) and that membrane will cover the eye when the bird when it strikes for the food. This makes sense as that is when it is most vulnerable to getting a foreign object like a grass blade, bark, tiny bug, water, or twig in the eye.

Cheers and good birding,

Cool I learned something new today!

Brant at Island view beach:

I know I posted the Red-tailed Hawk in flight calling earlier, but here's a close up of one looking around for something to eat. Knox Mountain Park, Kelowna.

Black Scoters


These two black scoters were spotted along the shore of Patricia Bay in near the Victoria International Airport. Black scoters are rare visitors to Victoria with a couple spotted each year. I was fortunate to film this pair near the shore, as most times they were seen farther out in the bay. Video taken Mar 4, 2021

Black Brant at Island View Beach -- Bonus Video


A short clip of black brant "Branta nigricans", a subspecies of brant, mainly found on the west coast of north america. These birds are migrating up the inner coast of Vancouver Is right now and are found at various spots along the shoreline of the Capitol region. Island View Beach is a common location to find a few brant in early spring. The geese mainly keep offshore at this park as beach is very popular with dog owners. Fortunately there is a lot of beach at low tide and the birds do get a break from time to time. Video taken Mar 04, 2021

Here's another Raptor for you, Kevin! The Northern Harrier ... I was having a problem following him but got about 15 seconds of nice coursing. This was at the Oxbows Parking Lot on Road 22 near Osoyoos.

My wife and I were out mountain biking on Knox Mountain in Kelowna when we had this Common Raven swoop in over our heads and land in a tree right next to us. It was squawking away so I tried to get out my phone to take a video for the page. Of course, as soon as I had the phone "videoing," it quit squawking. So we tried to encourage it ... didn't work. haha. But we do have a video of it.

Sora


This rare bird is currently wintering at Swan Lake in Victoria, BC. Bird has been regularly seen from the floating broadwalk.

Lincoln Sparrow


Nice find at Beckwith park today.