Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Appearance:
Small hawk
Relatively small head
Long, square-tipped tail
Pencil-thin yellow legs
Adult:
    Blue-gray upperparts
    Barred, reddish-brown underparts
    Gray and black barred tail,
         with very narrow, white tip
    Dark red eyes
Juvenile:
   Brown back and wings
   Brown-streaked underparts
   Thin, white eyestripe
   White underwing with dark brown barring
   Yellow eyes

Listen to its call.

I caught a glimpse of this bird as it flew over Tuesday Pond at Swan Lake last week. I quickly rushed over to the area where I thought it had landed. After walking back and forth along the path a number of times, I finally noticed it sitting silently in a tree watching me. Its ability to be inconspicuous must be useful for hunting but it felt a bit eerie when I was the one in its sights.

Learn more about the Sharp-shinned Hawk.

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Appearance:

Very small falcon

Long tail

Long, narrow, pointed wings
White head with bluish-gray crown
Two distinct black facial stripes
Red-brown nap and back
Two black spots on each side of nape
 Male:
   Red-brown patch on crown  

   Red-brown breast 

   Red-brown tail with black tip

   Blue-gray wings with black spots

   Pale belly with black spots

Female: (not photographed)

   Red-brown wings

   Back and wing barred with black

   Red-brown tail with multiple dark bands

   Pale buff breast streaked with brown

Listen to its call.

While driving down Welch Road this morning, I saw this bird perched in the top of a tree by the side of the road. Initially, I thought it was a Mourning Dove due to its size and shape. However, as soon as it took off, I realized my mistake.

 

It seemed to hover gracefully in the air, almost like a toy kite. Apparently, it manages to stay in place by flapping its wings and adjusting its long tail.  

Learn more about the American Kestrel.

Common Murre

Uria aalge

Appearance:

Medium-sized seabird

Charcoal black upperparts

White underparts

Long, straight, black bill

Breeding:

Dark head and neck

Non-breeding: 

White lower face and nape
Dark line curving down behind eye

Listen to its call.

Leaving Sidney Spit last Saturday after my discovery of two new birds, I received an added bonus on the ferry trip home when we passed a flock of these birds.

These large auks are mainly found in open marine waters and gather in large flocks far offshore; they only stay on land to breed.  Hmm...It's a good thing I took a little trip on the water then.

non-breeding

Learn more about the Common Murre.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Appearance:

Small sandpiper

Black legs

Short, blunted-tipped black bill

Pale, scaled grayish-brown upperparts 

White underparts

Fine streaks on breast and sides

Listen to its call.

I saw this bird amidst the other small peeps on the mudflats at Sidney Spit on the weekend. It was very similar in size and shape to the Lesser and Western Sandpipers, with only its straight, blunt bill to differentiate it from the others..... or so I thought. 

Check out the feet.



Semipalmated refers to the half-webbed toes



 

 

 Learn more about the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Heermann's Gull

Larus heermanni

Appearance:
Medium-sized gull
Red bill with black tip
Dark eye
Black legs
Gray underparts
Dark gray back and wings
Black, unmarked wing tips - white trailing edge
Black tail with white tip
Breeding plumage: (not photographed)
    White head
Non-breeding:
    Mottled head

Listen to its call.

While kayaking today, I saw a large number of gulls (and seals) on some small islands near Oak Bay Marina.  As usual, I scanned the gulls looking for any interesting differences, however small, that might indicate a species I had yet to photograph. There was no need to look very far. This gull was fairly distinctive, with its gray underparts and bright red bill. 

Instead of perching on the ridge with the others, this one was sitting on the rocks right by the water. As I'm now able to bring my camera kayaking with me, thanks to my new deck pouch which keeps it handy and dry, I was able to get some nice photographs.  Unfortunately, I did manage to lose my sunglasses in the process but, all in all, I think it was worth it.


Learn more about the Heermann's Gull.




Additional photos:

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Appearance:

• Small plover
• Grey-brown above
• White below
• Single, dark chest band
• Black breast band, sides of head, and forecrown in breeding adults; brown in non-breeding adults and juveniles.
• Yellowish-orange legs
• Short, dark bill with orange base  (all black on juvenile)

Listen to its call.

Having no obligations for the day, I suggested to my husband that we take the ferry to Sidney Spit for a picnic. It was a lovely day for it; sunny, but not too hot, and lots of shorebirds to photograph.  Perfect! 

A number of flocks of these birds were around the beach, foraging for food on the tidal flats. All of the ones I saw had black bills, making me wonder if perhaps I'd made a mistake with their identity. Then I caught sight of their feet, which reassured me. Semipalmated is an adjective used to describe wading birds that have toes webbed for part of their length. Oddly enough, I only discovered this when I looked up the word in the dictionary. Why don't the bird books tell you these things? 

 Learn more about the Semipalmated Plover.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Appearance:

• Medium sandpiper
• Long, yellow legs
• Long, straight, dark bill
• Mottled brownish-black and white upperparts
• White rump and underparts
• Dark barring on tail, visible in flight  

Listen to its call.

Trying to distinguish between Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs has proven difficult for me.  I've been told that the bill is the key.  The length of the bill of the Lesser variety is about the size of its head width, while the bill of the Greater variety is noticeably longer.  However, because the angle of its head affects my perception, I still struggle to make this determination. The call, as usual, is also a key factor.  So, believe it or not, I actually paid attention to it this time.  The call of this bird was a short and fairly quiet tew-tew. Eureka!  I think I've finally found a Lesser Yellowlegs (or is it just wishful thinking on my part?).

Learn more about the Lesser Yellowlegs.