99 results found

Copyright Chris
Birdviewing.com
outside normal range
This was a real surprise to see at Surrey today. Very shy, he only appeared for 10 seconds and went back to hiding in the hedge
Apr 21
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
Feb 26 2024
adult
This was a late day surprise. I didn't see two birds picking up grit on the side of a dirt road until the last second because of the low light. I stopped only about a car length away from one as it worked its way back into the bush. I had no time to check camera settings and was worried about shooting too slow so I hoped for the best. I manged three shots of several in fairly good focus.
Feb 27
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
Feb 13 2024
adult
While driving a back road I spotted an eagle perched in an old tree. It was not too far from the road so I expected it to fly any second. It didn't. Over the course of the next 10 minutes I had a West Coast experience, where you could actually get close enough to an eagle for a decent shot. I slowly advanced, stopping every 20 feet or so, getting out and leaning over the car roof for cover. I made five stops, each time bewildered by the bird's disinterest in me. It eventually moved but not because of me. I was opposite it on the road so as close as I could be and it continued to look around in perfect light on a great perch against a deep blue winter sky. What an experience, one of a kind. Where I live, eagles are regular but getting close to one is virtually impossible.
Feb 14
Copyright Chris
Birdviewing.com
Jan 1 2024
winter plummage
This was a surprise to find at South Padre Island reserve - only my second time seeing the species.
Jan 9
Copyright Chris
Birdviewing.com
Jan 4 2024
After many tries, we had given up trying to see this species when suddenly it appeared for a few seconds and vanished. Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, Texas. I have several "record" shots simply for the record, but just realized this is the first upload of this species.
Jan 7
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
Nov 30 2023
outside normal range
Sturgeon Falls - This bird has been high on my wish list for decades but being a Eurasian species the chances of seeing one here were slim. The last one to appear in Ontario was 42 years ago. After our success we almost added a second bird the next day in far eastern Quebec while watching a wayward Painted Bunting at a feeder. We didn't know that a bird showed up nearby the day before and we were told that it had been seen that morning a few hundred metres away from where we were. We missed it by an hour. It was not seen again unfortunately so we missed seeing two birds in two days in two months in two provinces. What are the odds of that? Both individuals likely came over from Iceland.
Dec 3 2023
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
adult
South Lancaster - I had to be at the site by 5:15 a.m. to make sure I'd see the crane family head from the marsh to an adjacent soybean field. My shooting window today lasted about 3 minutes with the best shots in the first minute. Usually it is about 20 seconds.
Jul 14 2023
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
May 13 2023
immature, outside normal range
Point Pelee National Park - One or two birds appear each spring around mid-May, sometimes hanging around for a couple of days before returning south. This is a second year bird showing adult features like whitish head and gray underparts but still having mottled underwing.
May 19 2023
Copyright Brian Morin
Birdviewing.com
adult, outside normal range
Gatineau - This was my second trip to see this northern species and it turned out better than my previous visit. The bird showed better this time.
Mar 10 2023