A day with Harlequins....and new Young Birder Artwork!

I was over in Victoria, BC for some business this week and got to spend time with some beautiful Harlequin Ducks. I have absolutely no decent photos of these birds because as soon as you look in their direction around here they are gone. They are very skittish! I love to watch them at Point Roberts, Ambleside, White Rock and Porteau Cove and I have tried in vain at all of these locations.

 In Victoria I know they like to hang out at Cattle Point and Clover Point in Oak Bay.
I ended up finding a nice pair to photograph at Clover Point soon they multiplied to 8 birds on the rocks. They were tame as compared to our birds back home. The light was flat but I couldn't do anything about it nor complain. I could not get closer than 20 m because once I advanced closer than that I could tell it was beyond their comfort zone as they looked alert and defecated so I backed off and they went back to grooming.

 Beautiful birds and one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest on the south coast.
Male and Female Harlequins in Victoria - Photos: Melissa Hafting

 Here are some recent beautiful pieces of art by two talented young birders:
Male Steller's Eider by Bridget Spencer (age 16)

Male Black-throated Gray Warbler by Viktor Vandereyk (age 18)

Smith's Longspur by Bridget Spencer (Age 16)
Here is some previous artwork (some of it is already posted on the blog) by many talented Young Birders:
Male Hooded Merganser by Cedar Forest (age 13)

Female Belted Kingfisher by Cedar Forest (age 13)

American Kestrel by Viktor Vandereyk (age 18)
Canada Goose by  Viktor Vandereyk (age 18)

Fox Sparrow sketch by Viktor Vandereyk (age 18)
Snowy Owl by Viktor Vandereyk (age 18)
Snowy Owl by Bridget Spencer (age 16)

Red-crested Cardinal by Bridget Spencer (Age 16)
Indigo Bunting in Pemberton by Toby Theriault (age 13)

Comments

  1. LonelytravellerFebruary 17, 2018 at 3:23 PM

    Beautiful photos of the harlequins and beautiful artwork

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingFebruary 17, 2018 at 10:36 PM

      Thanks these kids never stop amazing me with their talent

      Delete
  2. UnknownFebruary 17, 2018 at 9:52 PM

    Wow, Viktor, your artwork is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingFebruary 17, 2018 at 10:35 PM

      Hi I know Viktor is incredibly talented. his paintings blow me away!

      Delete
  3. Logan Baldwin.February 18, 2018 at 4:45 PM

    Awesome Shots of the Harlequins!. Great drawings. i suck at drawing have started to give it a try and have failed at doing anything decent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingFebruary 18, 2018 at 10:59 PM

      Thanks logan. that's cool that you can't sketch because everyone has their own individual strengths and you are a young birder with a great strength of taking beautiful bird photos.

      Delete
    2. Logan Baldwin.February 19, 2018 at 3:17 PM

      Thank you. You take great bird photos as well.

      Delete

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