Wednesday 31 August 2011

Strange ? or Amazing ?

On August 25th i made a few predictions about what the hurricane passing by Atlantic Canada would stirr up.I predicted that we could see American avocet,red phalarope and a hudsonian godwit.First the avocet showed up just a few days ago and then this morning i find out that some red phalaropes have been seen.Its great when predictions come true ! Now just the godwit !

Tuesday 30 August 2011

My Prediction Came True

In a post i did last week i predicted what the hurricane might stir up and sure enough one of my predictions was an American avocet.Just yesterday one was spotted.Now I'm planing on rushing out and seeing if i can see this amazing bird !

Monday 29 August 2011

Second Pond-Continued

I had a great evening at second pond the other evening with many shorebirds to be seen.The photos i got were not the best and mostly blurry.I'm hoping to go back there very soon and see if i can see some warblers !

Just yesterday around 12:30 a friend and i headed to long pond to see what we could see.He told me hes been here before and theres nothing...Lets just say i proved him wrong.While going after a group of nuthatch i seen something a little smaller shoot on to the side of a tree.It never stoped moving and could go up and down trees just like a nuthatch but it had a longer tail and seemed darker so i got some shots of what this mystery bird was and to my surprise it was a brown creeper !



Seeing the brown creeper was an unexpected treat.On the was out i seen some birds high in the trees fluttering around.I took a picture of them and was supprised i dident know what the bird was ? It was a very diffrent bird and had a very bold black patch covering both eyes.I looked at my new field guide i had on me and it turns out it was a juvi ceder waxwing ! In the picture below you can see it trying snach a spider from its web !

Saturday 27 August 2011

Second Pond

Here are some shots i got today at second pond.I will explain the photos in my next post.

Friday 26 August 2011

Birding the Goulds

This afternoon i went to see if i could see some sandpipers that another local birder was seeing at 2nd pond.I didn't see the target species i was after but did see a total of 17 snipe that i flushed also 2 belted king fishers and i also herd many nuthatch.

I also stopped by forest pond to see if the solitary sandpiper was still there, but it wasn't.I did how ever see two other local birders looking for the same bird.After having a little chat about shorebirds one of the birders mentioned that she had seen a very different bird at fourth pond about 15 minutes before.I rushed over there to see if i could see what she had seen.When i arrived there another local birder was there and had not seen anything i took a quick scan and then left.Turns out it was a Juvi RUFF ! i will be back tomorrow morning to see if i can see the RUFF !

Weather

Over the last couple of days I'm been keeping a close eye on the weather to see the track of the hurricane that is brewing down south and fast approaching Atlantic Canada.With its strong winds i predict if there is enough people out looking for birds in the days following the hurricane we are bowned to turn up something different.Because of its direction and origin i dont think its going to bring any euro strays but maby American avocet,hudsonian godwit,red phalarope and who knows what more.I plan on getting out there when it passes by and seeing what ill find !

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Field Guides-

Every Birder knows that a good field guide is a must have.When looking for a field guide you want to look for many different pictures or drawings of the bird.You want it to tell you what the bird is going to look like in each season and you want it to be reliable.I have many bird books but no reliable field guides.

Yesterday i went and got another book.This time it was a field guide.I looked at the Sibley field guide but i know allot of people have that one and its pictures are a little dull for me.After all this is "A Fresh Take On Birding" I decided to go with the national geographic new and revised edition of "Field Guide To The Birds Of  Eastern North America" It has many pictures of each bird and tells you each morph,year,and sub species along with a range map and a few words on the behaviour.
Now when I'm out looking for birds i wont be with out my field guide and SOON a new set of binos !

Solitary Sandpiper

When i seen Jared's post on NF.birds about the solitary sandpiper was back to forest pond i headed down to add bird number 103 to my 2011 bird list. It wasn't a very flashy bird and it reminded me of a juvi spotted sandpiper.Never the less it is a different bird and one that i can now say Ive seen !
I hope now over the next couple of months i can post a rarity or different bird that i spotted my self.

Sunday 21 August 2011

Spaniards Bay Shorebirds-continued and more

My dad and i checked out Spaniards bay this morning for shorebirds.We were pleased with the nice weather and nice birds.We seen ruddy turnstones,white-rumped sandpipers,black bellied plovers,greater yellowlegs,many osprey,terns and gulls.

I haven't been home much today because Ive been birding for rarity's.Its a little early but they will pick up over the next couple of weeks.I'm hoping to hitch a ride with someone from the local birding community to the southern shore for some more looks at the sod farm and surrounding areas.I'm now at 101 birds for 2011 and im eager to reach the 150 mark and possibly get a few extras.


The only thing i dont like about fall birding is that along with fall birding there will be school.....But im looking on the bright side, i olny have 3 years left !!
Enjoy the nice days we get.Fall is fast aproaching

Spaniards Bay Shorebirds

My dad and i headed down to Spaniards bay this morning to see the shorebirds.This will be just a quick post of the photos i got.Ill post the rest later.

Thursday 18 August 2011

Binoculars

Every bird watcher has a set of binos.They are a vital piece of birding equipment.When your camera doesn't have enough zoom for a bird at long distance you can always use your binos.You can also use them on closer subjects for a much closer look at the bird.From what Ive herd you usually get what you pay for with binos and if your willing to pay the price then you will have binos that will last you a life time.
Now that I'm getting more and more into birding i realize how much i need binos.I know when rarity's start showing up most times your not going to get very close so binos will come in handy,When I'm on the southern shore scanning the sod farm for euro strays I'm going to need a set.Also when all the gulls start gathering on QV lake i know my 300mm F4 isn't going to give me the looks i want.

Long story short I'm on the look out for a good set of binos.I plan on checking the bird house down town,NFLD camera,and Henry's.
Ive also been reading allot about binos and what to look for in a good pair.

Its hard starting out at birdwatching at 15 years old because when you go to see a rarity or something that draws other birders you notice that they have: Large cameras,spotting scopes,binos,tripods.Then you see all this stuff and you think you HAVE to have the gear to look the part.But what you have to realize is that they dident get all the top of the line gear in one season and that they probably have been birding longer then Ive been alive.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY NEW 2011 BIRD LIST !!

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Yellow Crowned Nigh Heron At QV Lake !?

When i got up this morning and seen Bruce's post about a possible night heron i wasn't long going out the door.My plan was to walk the shore line and see if i could see the heron on a tree or rock.Little did i know someone had posted the exact location of heron so people wouldn't have to do what i did.....
After a wet 1 and half hours of walking the shore line soaked from head to toe i herd people talking.I decided to go and see if maby that was other birders looking for it too.It was actually a group of  DRY birders taking pictures of the heron.


Even though i didn't find the night heron my self i did find a sparrow feeding a young warbler.

I hope when the next rarity rolls around I'm a little more lucky....

Monday 15 August 2011

My Year So Far-2011

So far in 2011 i have seen 96 species of birds.I'm working on getting my 2011 bird list up on my blog.
Considering this is my fist year of "birding" i think I'm not doing half bad at 96 species and i still have 4 and a half months to collect  another 56 species. My goal this year is 150.I think its a reasonable number even though i haven't been out much because my mom has more things to do with 4 children then drive me around looking for "the shot" lol.
In the last couple of months Ive come into the birding community and now know most people on the Avalon.I'm very great full for the information everyone has shared with me and how encouraging everyone has been.
Now that fall birding is on the horizon i cant wait for the warbler and shorebird migration.Then we have the quidi vidi lake action over the winter and the rarity's
Lots to see and add to my list ! Hopefully very soon i will have some shots of  ruddy turnestones,black bellied plovers,semiplamalated plovers,willets and who knows what Else !

Sheerwaters Gone In A Flash !

After the amazing show the sheerwaters put on yesterday i decided to head back today for more shots.To my surprise they were gone ! There was not 1 sheerwater in outer cove this morning and only a few off in the distance !
My father and his father were both born and raised in an out port community. My father told me he has never seen sheerwaters or bocks and noddy's as they call them, in the numbers i seen yesterday.
It is also strange that the caplin are still here ?
You never know what your going to see in newfoundland !

Just a reminder that i post my best photos on flickr so make sure to check it out.http://www.flickr.com/photos/64076520@N05/



My next few posts will hopefully be on shore birds.I haven't seen many species so almost every one i see will be a first for me.

Sunday 14 August 2011

Shearwaters,puffins,gulls and kittywakes !

After reading Alvan Buckley's post about the sheerwaters and the photos he got i HAD to go and see things for my self.Lets just say it payed off......
When me and my dad arrived there wasn't much on the go as you can see from the photo above.We were told that the sheerwaters come in waves and move back out.After about 20 minutes of one here one there we got a good movement.
The birds were in a real sheerwater feeding frenzy.They were dancing on the water and every now and then one would over shoot the landing and plop up on to the beach along side of us.I can see that they were not very good on land.
I thought we were seeing lots of birds but.....about 35 Min's after i arrived there the REAL feeding frenzy started !
The whole cove was birds ! The water was birds the air was birds and there was even birds flopping onto the beach.It was not something i think I'm ever going to see again.
I wasn't the only birder there enjoying the sights.There was some of the local birding community present and a few main landers haha.


I thought the people there had big lenses but then a group from ontario came with the big guns.

Here are some of my more favourite shots from the day: