Birds

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

Details: female

At Zuroloma Reserve. This was next to the not-so-similar Sword-billed.

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Comments (2):
Brian Morin: Nice shot. Very cool looking bird.
Chris: This location was especially tricky. With the clouds rolling in, I was shooting at 1/30th second.

Mountain Velvetbreast (4)

Lafresnaya lafresnayi

Chris

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

At Zuroloma Reserve. The striking bill was helping in the identification.

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Buff-winged Starfrontlet (1)

Coeligena lutetiae

Chris

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

Details: male

At Zuroloma Reserve, near Nono, western slope of the Andes

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Russet-crowned Warbler (1)

Basileuterus coronatus

Chris

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

At Bellavista Forest Reserve west of Quito.

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Spectacled Redstart (3)

Myioborus melanocephalus

Chris

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

At Zuroloma reserve. Fortunately the cloud and fog lifted at the right time.

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Sword-billed Hummingbird (11)

Ensifera ensifera

Chris

Date taken: Feb 26 2026

At Zuroloma west of Quito. Because of the altitude, the clouds would roll into the area where the birds were feeding, creating tricky photo conditions especially in the late afternoon. I remember around 1990 seeing this bird on PBS's Nature special about hummingbirds.

Date uploaded: Feb 28

Barred Owl (27)

Strix varia

Brian Morin

📍 Map

Details: adult

Ingleside - There have been numerous sightings of these local breeders this winter.
The bird was hunting the roadside, enabling me to stay in the car to photograph it.

Date uploaded: Feb 23

Comments (1):
Chris: Lovely lighting. Amazing capture Brian.

Boreal Owl (11)

Aegolius funereus

Brian Morin

📍 Map

Date taken: Feb 19 2026

Details: adult, outside normal range

Ottawa - defensive posture, possibly reacting to a Crow or Raven.

Date uploaded: Feb 20

Comments (2):
Chris: I think you’ve outdone yourself. Congrats on a “smasher”
Brian Morin: The Boreal Owl was high on my list for this winter. The shot window was very narrow because of branches, only about a metre, so a few of us were crowded together for a short time. Three were up and three were down in the snow. My knees took a beating. :)

Tufted Duck (8)

Aythya fuligula

Brian Morin

📍 Map

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Cobourg - Eurasian visitor. The water colour was a great addition for my shots.

Date uploaded: Feb 19

Comments (2):
Chris: Another stunner. Fabulous to see!!
Brian Morin: It took two lengthy trips in a week to achieve this result but it was well worth it.

European Robin (15)

Erithacus rubecula

Brian Morin