My best summer bird photos this year came from the larger birds, although the odd small bird helped out. This female Merlin flew to the top of a tree right at the entrance to Carburn Park just as I arrived. I couldn’t see who she took off to chase, but for once the Merlin wasn’t the one being hassled!
The Osprey were back atop the road sign on highway 22x again and I think they feel hassled whenever I show up. This one left the nest, whether to draw my attention away or to scan for lunch, who knows? I took it as my cue to move on, nonetheless.
These American Pelicans might have been practicing for a synchronized swimming event. For several minutes they criss-crossed the river, dipping their beaks into the water and coming back up in perfect unison. The other “dinosaur” bird, the Great Blue Heron, co-operated briefly before abruptly departing.
The one new bird for me was this female Ring-necked Pheasant who shot out from the tall grass on one side of the path and disappeared into the grasses on the other side in a matter of seconds. Nothing seemed to be chasing her but maybe she’s one of those people who does everything in a hurry. I have included a photo of a male Ring-necked Pheasant that I took last winter to show the drastic difference in colouring between the two birds.
Every year, there seem to be more deer around. This is the first time I have seen one so young that it still had the spots on its back. On one day, I saw at least three groups of three to four animals. They are used to people enough that they keep on eating but always with a watchful eye to make sure you don’t get too close.
