I love Sanderlings...especially in breeding plumage + my House Wrens are back!

A few days ago I got to go down to Point Roberts where my family has property and shot some Sanderlings. They were 20 of them that were mostly in varying degrees of breeding plumage. I got to photograph one that was in almost complete breeding plumage. It was a rare treat and soon they will be gone for the summer. There was 7 late Brant there as well but they wouldn't let me get close this time. I saw a funny comic about a Sanderling's "dating profile" and every time I see them running up and down the beach, I think it couldn't be more accurate. You can see the comic HERE.
Sanderling in full breeding plumage - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Sanderling in Point Roberts, WA - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Since early May a pair of House Wrens have taken up residence in our place at Point Roberts. They are nesting in a cedar bush and they love to sing constantly. In my neighbour's yard he has them nesting in a bird box. These 4 pairs of birds trigger the eBird filter. There are 8 House Wrens I know of in Point Roberts, as 2 pairs are also back this year at Seabright Farm.

 It seems there are several birds this year breeding in Vancouver and I will probably remove them from the rare bird alert next year. I am happy to have these raucous birds increasing in Metro Vancouver.

 Anyways, I can't wait to see the babies. This is the third year in a row we have had the House Wrens. I currently have Black-capped Chickadees in my nest box there and in Vancouver. I also have a family of White-crowned Sparrow fledglings hopping all around in Point Roberts. Below are a few shots of the adults. 

 Now I just hope my Purple Martins come back to nest in their natural cavities down there!
House Wren in Point Roberts, WA - Photos: Melissa Hafting



Comments

  1. IsaacMay 25, 2019 at 2:02 PM

    Stunning photos Mel, I've never seen a breeding plumage Sanderling yet and I agree they are beautiful! Congrats on the nesting chickadees and wrens too, hopefully their numbers keep increasing in the Lower Mainland.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dowitcher Identification

Image
Birders notoriously find it difficult to tell Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers apart. I have got a request to do an identification explanation on them so here goes, I hope it will be helpful. Short-billed Dowitchers and Long-billed look so similar. Using their habitat is helpful but not diagnostic. Short-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer Salt water and brackish water and Long-billed Dowitchers tend to prefer fresh water. However, I have OFTEN seen Short-billeds in freshwater and Long-billeds in brackish and salt water. Therefore, DO NOT rely on habitat. Another feature many people will tell you to rely on is spotting on the side of the flanks of Short-billeds and barring on the side of Long-billeds. Usually this is a mark that you can use but it is not always as distinct as you like. I have seen Short-billeds with a barred appearance to the flanks. It is only at the side of the breast where you have to look for this diagnostic feature for the spots on a Short-billed and t
Read more

Hawk Identification Tips from every angle (Sharpie vs Cooper and Red-tailed Subspecies)

Image
I get several questions about the difference between accipiters. The most common ones are between Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper's Hawks and between Cooper's Hawks vs Northern Goshawks (to a lesser degree). Next, I get many questions dealing with a certain race of buteos the Western Red-tailed Hawk and Harlan's. So I thought I would do a post on these to help answer those questions. I will deal with Cooper's and Sharpies and not Goshawks because they are much more common here and look much more alike. My friend John Reynolds inspired me to write this up. COOPER'S AND SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS EYE COLOUR - YELLOW OR ORANGE? RED? Normally a juvenile Cooper's hawk has a bright yellow eye and a Juvie Sharpie has a orange eye but some cooper's can have a dull yellow eye that looks a bit orangish. Cooper's Hawks usually only transition to the orange eye colour when they are sub adults, so in good light, it's a very very reliable feature. However you
Read more

STINT IDENTIFICATION

Image
As per request, here are some tips that I hope will be helpful in identifying and differentiating Red-necked Stint from Little Stint. I will also do a brief intro on Long-toed and Temminck's Stint... if you build it they will come right?😉 Red-necked and Little Stints look very much alike in worn breeding plumage. The amount of Red on the face, throat and breast in Red-necked Stint is vary variable). They look even more alike in non-breeding plumage, that is why it is essential to learn structural differences to separate the two. They are similar to Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Sanderlings. Both species are often confused for Red-necked Stints. Little Stints rarely get confused with Sanderling because they have a hind toe which helps differentiate it from this species. Sanderlings in breeding or worn breeding are usually confused with Red-necked Stints but they are much larger than Red-necked Stints. Let's first start with Bills in this complicated ID proces
Read more

*Updated - The most famous Red-tailed Hawk is eating fish on the ground just like a Bald Eagle!

Image
Update - There are plans in the works to make a documentary film on this young Red-tailed Hawk who thinks he's an Eagle. You can read the latest news about that on CBC HERE . Watch this incredible footage of the little Red-tailed Hawk who grew up in a family of three Eaglets and 2 Bald Eagle Parents. He is imprinted now on Bald Eagles. He looks and acts just like one, as you can see here in the video below. He is standing over a large salmon carcass, just like a Bald Eagle would and he's eating the decaying flesh. Red-tailed Hawks like to eat voles and rabbits etc. not fish! Imprinting is usually irreversible according to raptor expert David Bird. However, I hope it's reversible so that he doesn't attempt to mate with a Bald Eagle, as the Eagle would kill him because it would view him as a Hawk. Eagle expert David Hancock said that the bird will likely starve and get killed by an eagle. He said this possibly can be prevented if someone grabs it and takes it to O
Read more

My First Mother's Day Without My Mother

Image
This is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. I am still deeply affected and afflicted with emotional pain. I took the day off from the RBA to just remember her and honour her. My dad, sister and I visited her grave with a bouquet of flowers. I cried a lot but it gives me a bit of comfort that she now has a head stone that I can touch. I didn't want to leave. I can’t believe it’s been just over 4 months since I lost her. To my Mom: Mom you were so great. You were so loved. I miss you so much today. I wish every day that you were here with Meghan, Dad and I.  I will never be truly happy again until I see you once more. Thank you for being such a wonderful mother. I will never ever forget you. I cannot wait to see you again in Heaven. Since you died in my arms, this is one of the hardest days I have been through without you. Normally I would be taking you out for brunch today, hugging you and telling you how much I loved you. Mom, you watched me take my first breath and I unfortunate
Read more