Lincoln’s Sparrow: A Secretive Songbird for (Almost) All Seasons

This gallery contains 3 photos. Spunky songbird? Check. Puffball with a peaked coif? Check. Capable of balancing a seed on the tip of its tongue? Check. The Lincoln’s Sparrow, which is widespread through most of North and Central America, is no shrinking violet.

Hermit Thrush

This is the third sighting we have had of this lovely singer in the yard in the past two years, but the only time we have spotted it on the front lawn — this time, perfectly posed on

American Treecreeper

As a creature of the woodlands, forests, and mountains, chances are good that if you live in Canada or just about any U.S. state, you’ve probably encountered an American Treecreeper–but you may not have realized it!

Sharp-Shinned Hawk

This gallery contains 3 photos. The first time I saw this small winged predator–a familiar visitor–it made its cameo in the backyard, to the dismay of the songbird regulars. Even though I (rather noisily) opened

2 Red-Tailed Hawks

This gallery contains 3 photos. Perhaps the most commonly seen hawk in Metro Vancouver (if not North America) is the Red-Tailed Hawk. I spotted this banded adult on a power line while driving through Ladner (en route to

2 Downy Woodpeckers

This gallery contains 2 photos. This male Downy Woodpecker announced himself with a trademark chip-chip-chip repertoire before descending onto this thin branch. I generally don’t get these kinds of photo opportunities

American Kestrel

One of two American Kestrels we saw on power lines (the other

Northern Pygmy Owl

This gallery contains 4 photos. The one bird I especially hoped to see over the BC Family Day 2016 long weekend was one I almost missed — and then the crowd of birders and photographers we happened upon alerted us to

House Finches

This gallery contains 3 photos. As common sights as they may be in Metro Vancouver, House Finches have been hit-and-miss birds with me. The feisty females–whom I have seen bully other birds (including the males of their