Photojournal - 21 July 2004

Trying to catch up


I'm trying hard to catch up on my photojournal entries. This one is from Wednesday, the 21st of July. In the morning, I went to Burnaby Lake Park. My plan was to take photos in the bog (where the equestrian paths are) and then head on up to work. The park is almost right on my usual route to work.

It was pretty quiet when I got there, but then the birdies started showing themselves. First I got a little Bewick's Wren.

 
He sang for me for a little while. Further along, I saw some motion in a tree and eventually found the source of it. This is a Black-headed Grosbeak, either a juvenile or a adult female. None of my guide books seem to show it, but that yellow streak down the middle of the breast seems pretty distinctive to this species.  

I stopped and pished at a T-junction on the paths. I eventually saw this girl, who I think is a Purple Finch. I liked the way she curved her body here, seemingly stretching in order to see something.

 

Turning around, I noticed some movement on a mostly-bare tree trunk. A careful scan revealed a Brown Creeper--a new bird for me, but one that was easy to identify by its behavior. It was intermittently hopping up the trunk. (This is much like what a woodpecker or nuthatch will do, although nuthatches can climb while face-down.) Check out the way this guys legs are splayed to support him.

 

I walked around a bit more, exploring some of the paths that I had never been down. I saw robins and other thrushes and finches and sparrows all over the place. Here's an American Robin with a berry of some sort in his mouth.

 

And here's a Fox Sparrow. These guys seem a little less common in these parts than the Song Sparrow.

 
Finally, I decided to head in. On my way back to the car, I noticed a white- breasted bird with a dark eyestripe in a tree to my left. This guy is is Red- eyed Vireo, and he's another lifer for me. Two in one morning!  

So I headed to work and had some meetings and gave a lecture. In the evening, I took a few photos around home. Here's one of a guy working on the back of a small tug right across the river from my place.

 

I'll leave you with that one...

Your hyperactive shutterbug,
Tom

 

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