Red-throated Loon / Red-throated Diver (5)

Gavia stellata

Chris

Canada (British Columbia)

Details: winter plummage

The lighting was not great at Iona today, but I rarely see this species so was happy to get any photo record at all. The pair then took off and kept flying towards Vancouver Island.

Date uploaded: Jan 2 2023

Comments (3):
BrianMorin: Just enough light on the subject to make it work.
Chris: Thanks. I’ll always take the shot just in case. Was surprised there anything to work with.

Dunlin (37)

Calidris alpina

Chris

Canada (British Columbia)

Details: winter plummage, multiple species

Sanderling approaching a Dunlin at Iona, Richmond, BC.

Date uploaded: Jan 2 2023

Comments (2):
Ahmad Shah: Wonderful capture Chris .
Chris: Thanks…I like the comparison

Rock Sandpiper (3)

Calidris ptilocnemis

Chris

Canada (British Columbia)

Details: winter plummage

One more photo from today, for identification and reference with wings up. It helped that this bird was almost at water level, and had to move quite a bit to avoid the waves. Iona, Richmond, BC.

Date uploaded: Jan 2 2023

Comments (2):
Ahmad Shah: Wow ! Superb find, well captured.
Chris: Love this little guy

Rock Sandpiper (3)

Calidris ptilocnemis

Chris

Canada (British Columbia)

A great way to start 2023! Iona, Richmond BC.

Date uploaded: Jan 2 2023

Comments (1):
BrianMorin: Nice. Your version of our Purple Sandpiper.

Long-tailed Duck/Oldsquaw (24)

Clangula hyemalis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Dec 27 2022

Details: male, adult, winter plummage

Burlington - A common winter bird in the region

Date uploaded: Jan 2 2023

Comments (2):
Chris: You are having a lot of luck with this species.
BrianMorin: On my way to London (Ontario) after Christmas I made a point of stopping in Burlington to check out the waterfowl. This is a great spot to see a large number of Long-tailed Ducks in the ship canal, often in close range. There can be a few hundred or several thousand depending on weather conditions. When it is windy the numbers are greater because they come in for shelter.

Bufflehead (27)

Bucephala albeola

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Dec 27 2022

Details: male, adult

Burlington - A beautiful little diver. It was facing just the right way to capture the iridescence on the head.

Date uploaded: Dec 31 2022

Comments (2):
Chris: You’re exactly right. Interesting because normally birds facing slightly away are tough but in this case, it’s a huge success. What a cute duck.
BrianMorin: This one was tough but worth hanging in with the bird until everything was right. He's a little cutie for sure.

Anna's Hummingbird (27)

Calypte anna

Chris

Canada (British Columbia)

After an unprecedented week of extreme weather, with temperatures below -10C and a snow storm of 35cm, the Anna's Hummingbirds were pushed to the limit. I found this one hiding in a hedge. We've kept the water from freezing as much as possible. As with so many bird photos, the story behind the photo makes for a lasting memory. Happy Holidays to all.

Date uploaded: Dec 23 2022

Comments (4):
BrianMorin: Believe it or not your situation at the time was a carbon copy of our own, right down the the amount, which fell the day before our Christmas bird count. I hope your little guy makes it through. At this point for him it is all about food.
Chris: Stay safe out there, especially with this latest storm.

Townsend's Solitaire (8)

Myadestes townsendi

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Dec 21 2022

Details: adult, outside normal range

Durham - Another Western traveller, likely to spend weeks to a few months enjoying red cedar berries and wild grapes in Ontario.

Date uploaded: Dec 22 2022

Comments (4):
Chris: Great record and photo. They’re not always easy to find.
BrianMorin: Agreed. This one posed nicely in typical vertical profile which is a unique look for this 'solitary' species of thrush.

Varied Thrush (11)

Ixoreus naevius

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Nov 10 2022

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Lindsay - another Western visitor.

Date uploaded: Dec 7 2022

Comments (8):
Chris: Had 3 in the front yard lol. Never get tired of seeing that species. Congrats!
BrianMorin: That would certainly be a treat to see. I was lucky to see it in the narrow window it showed at this location. One or two show up annually in the province.

Mountain Bluebird (18)

Sialia currucoides

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Date taken: Dec 2 2022

Details: female, outside normal range

Bailieboro - This bird was seconds from eluding me. I had spent over an hour checking the fields and farms it had been reported in for close to a week. Others had given up and I made one final run when I spotted it about 100 metres out atop a fence. It looked like it was merely a very small bump because it was crouched in the wind. I was later able to go onto the farm property thanks to the gracious homeowner and followed the bird for a bit as it hunted for insects on the ground. It was cold so it was lucky to find some large caterpillars.

Date uploaded: Dec 5 2022

Comments (4):
Chris: That great perseverance paid off. Fantastic capture.
BrianMorin: It was definitely worth the wait.