2014 and Building a Purple Martin House

Happy New Year if you are still reading this since I have not posted for ages. Just a few pics of the new Purple Martin House I am building. I need to figure out how to build a telescoping post or buy one for it.

Last 2 weeks

Well there are things to report on sightings of birds back for spring. No pictures as they all seem easily spooked.
Saw a group of about 5 pairs of Western Bluebirds and a single male in a different spot. Also have a pair of Robins back in the yard and the Gulls (need to identify) are back at the Landfill!

Also saw a small woodpecker (likely the Hairy Woodpecker) in the bird feeder area last week as well.

We have had a steady visiting group of Hoary and Common Redpolls at the feeders all winter along with a couple of Black Capped Chickadees.
There is a group of about 6 to 8 Black Beaked Magpies who have been around all winter as well.

A real treat was the little Saw-Whet Owl who was here for a few days and then disappeared.

Only 1 Snowy Owl spotted this winter and only 1 sighting.

Some summer birds and comments and winter too!

Well that was a busy summer and fall. We did so many drives the area looking for new birds on the ponds and around the community. Many pictures were taken but only a few are good and even those are usually at long range.
Here is a collection of those pictures. I am sorry to say they are not in any particular order!

 Magpies in full form!

 Common Redpoll

 American Avocet - One of our favourite shore/wader birds to watch

 Red winged Blackbird

 Eastern Kingbird - First year in many we also had Western Kingbirds

 Belted Kingfisher

 On the shore in fall

 Who?

 Spruce Grouse on the road south of Waskesui

Ruffed Grouse

Shore birds

 Canada Geese and the family.

We need a better camera!

Well we have been seeing many interesting birds this past few weeks but the cameras we have just are not up to getting good pictures. I did a net check and the recommendations are way out of our price range so we will need to be innovative!
Hare are a couple of reference sites I found.
Mike Atkinson
Len and Dians Adventure
Canadian Bird Photographer

Here is are a couple of pictures from yesterday.
A baby blackbird

 An American Bittern

Sadly I am finding eggs and baby birds around the yard so the Magpies have been busy.

Nesting in the yard are:
Blackbirds
Goldfinchs
Robins
Several kinds of Sparrows
Tree Swallows in nest boxes
House Wrens
Flickers
Eastern Kingbird
Phoebe
And likely others which I am unaware of.

Short tour at dusk

Found a new group of shore birds and a a pair of American Coots on the ponds on 381.

 Spotted Sandpiper

 Western Sandpiper

 And a 3 in 1 with the American Avocet, Killdeer and the little guys.

We did see a Wilson's Snipe yesterday but it was too shy to get it's picture taken.

Some spring birds.

 Well over the last 2 days we have been trying to capture a picture of some of the waterfowl and shore birds who have come to live in the area. Some we have identified as we can and others we need a closer look. Yesterday, Saturday, was a particularly good day as we saw 4 American Avocets in the morning and then 2 of them again in the afternoon. The day was very grey which was okay but a little more brightness would have been better.

The first Avocet had a little buddy with him which I have not identified as yet.










Then there were 2 Marbled Godwits which I identified by the beaks. They seemed to really enjoy the weather and the eating. Near them was another small shore bird which I think was similar to the one by the Avocet.

Of course there are many ducks about along with the Canada geese.

A Blue Winged Teal

Northern Shoveler











We also have a Ruby Crowned Kinglet who has stopped but don't know if it will stay.
There are of course the usual round of Robins, Blackbirds, Mourning Doves (nesting right by our house), Flickers, and magpies. I am hoping we get more pictures as time goes on.