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REED LAKE SASKATCHEWAN WATERFOWL MIGRATION
October 2013

 

 

 

 

 

Please Click on  Great Blue Heron Page  to View  Heron Photos !

 

PINE GROSBEAK

 


PINE GROSBEAK

This beautiful Pine Grosbeak flew into my patio door glass and was stunned.
 My kitty who was out on the back deck at the time was pretty excited about that so I quickly scooped her up and brought her indoors.
 With the bird being now out of harms way I was then able to photograph it. Such striking coloring!

The stunned bird  rested on my back deck for about an hour before it had recovered enough to fly away.
Pine Grosbeaks are migrating this time of the year and come in flocks to feast on the berries of my ornamental crab tree.
 What a little beauty!

November 18, 2012  

 

STUNNED PINE GROSBEAK

 

 

 

WILD TURKEYS

 

WILD TURKEY HEN AND POULTS
Saw this not so wild "Wild Turkey Hen and Her Four Little Poults" near the Columbia Lake Road.
She just looked at me, made a cluck-cluck at her little ones and kept walking as I took photos.
July 14, 2012

 

 

 DUCKS AND LOONS

 

 FOLLOWING  MOM
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, July 26, 2012

 

 



Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, September 16, 2008

 

 

PILEATED WOODPECKERS

 


PILEATED WOODPECKER VISITS MY CHOKECHERRY TREE

  September 17, 2010
 
 
Photos taken at my Cabin in Columere Park (A Private Community) 
 Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
 



 

 

PILEATED WOODPECKER SIZES UP THE CHOKECHERY  SELECTION
September 17, 2010 


 

 

 

PILEATED WOODPECKER REACHES FOR A CHOKECHERRY  
September 17, 2010 
 


 

 

GETTING AT THOSE YUMMY CHOKECHERRIES  
September 17, 2010
 

 

 

 

 

WHAT A BEAUTY YOU ARE !  
September 17, 2010
 


 

 

 

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 A HIGHER PERCH IN ANOTHER TREE
WHERE THERE ARE INSECTS TO EAT
September 17, 2010 

See NATURE  NOTES  and a few Pileated Woodpecker-in-Winter photos at the bottom of this page.

 


 

RUFOUS  HUMMINGBIRDS

 

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15 HUMMERS AND A TAIL - AND THAT'S NO TALE

Hummingbirds at my feeder

  9:30 p.m., May 22, 2010 
 
Photo Taken at my Cabin in Columere Park (A Private Community) 
 Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada

We can see the bottom of a hummer tail at the right behind and below the feeder

 

 


 

DOUBLE DIPPING HUMMERS ON THE LEFT
Hummingbirds at my feeder

 May 22, 2010 
 
Photo Taken at my cabin in Columere Park (A Private Community) 
 Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada

 

 

 

BEAUTIFUL
May 23, 2010

 

 

 

14 BEAUTIES COMING TO DINNER
May 23, 2010

 

 

 

MORE DOUBLE DIPPERS ON THE LEFT
 Hummingbirds at my feeder

 May 26, 2010 
 
Photo Taken at my cabin in Columere Park (A Private Community) 
 Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada



 

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Digital Photography by Elaine Sell Prefontaine 
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'Rufous Hummingbird'
 (Selasphorus rufus)

 Digital Photos, May 2005 
 
Photos Taken at my cabin in Columere Park (A Private Community) 
 Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada

 
 

 

 


NATURE  NOTES:
 

'Rufous Hummingbird'    ((Selasphorus rufus)

Size: 3 to 4" in Length

The Female (above) is identified by her beautiful metallic bronze-green back, cinnamon rufous sides with white under tail coverts. 
The female and immature are very similar to the Allen's Hummingbird but have browner and wider outer tail feathers.


The  Male (below) is identified by his metallic bronze-green crown,  iridescent scarlet throat, white breast and cinnamon rufous underparts, sides and tail. 
 He is the only hummingbird in North American with a rufous back. 

 

  

Rufous Hummingbirds, like some human Canadian Snowbirds, arrive in Columere Park by beautiful Columbia Lake in Southeastern  British Columbia, Canada,  in May after spending the winter in Mexico.

 In the early evenings there is fierce competition at the feeders and it took some patience on my part to get these photos but it was worth it.  Since the hummers wings beat approximately 80 times per second it took more luck than skill to capture their wing action. I stood very still for many minutes waiting their arrival with camera focused on their nectar (sugar-water) feeder, zoom lens open and my finger ready on the shutter button.  Although one is alerted to the males arrival by their humming buzzing sound I found some of the females arrived soundlessly, like little phantoms, and had I not already been looking through the zoom lens at their feeder I would have missed them. 

The males remind me of little stealth fighters as they screetch and dive bomb other rufous males.  These tiny (3 - 4" L.) territorial little birds also bravely attack and chase off sparrows and squirrels.   Although a brave little man at chasing off the competition he is a poor parent and disappears to a separate  territory after the nest is built leaving the female to incubate the eggs and raise the young.  The mother lays two tiny white eggs in her nest of lichen, moss and spider webbing, which she has made in a low branched conifer. The mother regurgitates a liquid to feed the newborns till they are about two weeks old,  when she feeds them small insects and nectar.  At three weeks of age they leave the nest to fend for themselves on flower nectar.

Interesting Things About Hummingbirds:

- Hummingbirds can fly backwards and sideways as well as forwards.
- Hummingbirds can stop in mid flight.
- The hummingbird cannot walk so flies everywhere. 
- It's name comes from the humming sound of its wings vibrating.
- They love water, bathe often and  play in the water.
- Although they have territorial battles and mock fights no one seems to get hurt.
- Each nest is unique and  intricate.
- Hummingbirds can hibernate overnight by dropping their body temperature  and ruffling up their feathers for insulation.
- Some hummers migrate as much as 2,500 miles from Central America to Alaska. 

These tiny winged marvels have captivated our hearts and in the spring many of us have their nectar feeders ready and waiting prior to their annual arrival.


HUMMINGBIRD  TOTEM

KEY: Tireless Joy and nectar of life

- The Hummingbird Totem indicates a tireless joy for the sweetness of life. 
 - The Hummingbird teaches us to live joyfully while working to accomplish the seemingly impossible. 
- Enjoy the sweetness of life while you can -  "for time is on the wing".

cycle: daytime

The Hummingbird cycle of power is most active in the daytime.

 

 

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Digital Photography by Elaine Sell Prefontaine 
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    GULLS

 

FREEDOM IN THE SKIES
Digital Photo, July 29, 2007 




 

Digital Photo, July 29, 2007 







FLYING INTO THE WIND
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, July 29, 2007 

 

 

    EAGLES

 

 

"TWO BALD HEADED EAGLES IN THE WETLANDS AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF COLUMBIA LAKE"
Digital Photo April 9, 2012

 

 

 

"A LOW TAKE-OFF FOR  TWO OVER THE WETLANDS"
Digital Photo April 9, 2012

 

 

 

"EAGLE WATCH"
Digital Photo April 7, 2012

 


 

 

 "EAGLE TAKES FLIGHT"
Digital Photo April 7, 2012

 

 

 


"EAGLE SPEAK'
Bald Eagle in A Favorite Tree Near the Mouth of the Columbia River

Digital Photo July 5, 2009

 

 

 

 

"SCANNING COLUMBIA LAKE FOR FISH
Digital Photo June 27,  2008

 

 

 

 "EAGLE IN LOW FLIGHT OVER THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER"
 Digital Photo August 13, 2007

 

 

 

"TAKING OFF OVER THE WETLANDS"
Digital Photo July 27, 2007



 

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Digital Photography by Elaine Sell Prefontaine 
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    GREAT BLUE HERON PHOTOS -   CLICK HERE TO VIEW ART AND PHOTOS OF THE GREAT BLUE HERON



    WHOOPER  SWANS

 

 

'Making Friends'
Whooper Swan
(Cygnus cygnus)
Graceful and lovely, this friendly Whooper Swan swims towards my canoe.
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, September 2002

 

 

 

'Canoe Inspection'
Whooper Swan
(Cygnus cygnus)
The curious swan comes in for a closer inspection.
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, September 2002

 

 


'Columbia Lake Sentinel'
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Looking southwest over Columbia Lake towards the Purcell Mountains
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, August 2002

 

 

 

The Columbia Lake White Swan
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Looking southwest over Columbia Lake towards the Purcell Mountains
Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, August 2002
 

 

 

 

'Preening'
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Taken near the mouth of the Columbia River.
 Looking northeast to the Rocky Mountains above Fairmont Hot Springs.
  Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Photo, August 2002 

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NATURE  NOTES:

 

WHOOPER SWAN (Cygnus cygnus)



This stately Whooper Swan resembles the Trumpeter Swan but has an extensive yellow base to its large bill.  Its voice is a deep pleasant "whoop".
Length 46" (from tip of bill to tip of tail), Wingspan 92".

In spite of its serene appearance it can be fierce when protecting its area.  Minutes before I took the August photos I was amazed to see it chase off three large dogs who waded in after it.  It rose on its feet and propelled itself across the water while furiously flapping its huge outstretched wings at the dogs.  They were frightened away and the swan then became briefly airborne before returning to preening itself in the shallow Columbia Lake waters.


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Digital Photography by Elaine Sell Prefontaine 
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    PILEATED  WOODPECKERS 

 

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'Pileated Pleasures'
Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus)
Digital photos, February 2003 
(IMG 132-3289 & 131-3291)
 

 

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(Image 132-3298) 

(IMG 132-3297)

 


NATURE  NOTES:
 

PILEATED WOODPECKER  (Dryocopus pileatus)


Being territorial year round residents to this part of the Columbia Valley these striking Pileated Woodpeckers frequently visit the trees in my front yard.

It is a joy to see them and hear their low distinctive drumming as they peck away in their search for ants, wood boring insects and their larvae. Woodchips beneath my trees indicate they have been there.

As can be noted from my pictures there does seem to be a "pecking order" as the larger male is always higher up in the tree. 

The pileated woodpecker, being the size of a crow is the largest existing woodpecker in America and is on the endangered species list.  Although they are rare and beautiful they can be destructive as I have had to repeatedly fill the holes they made in my cedar chimney. 

 It is easy to recognize their calls which are a series of loud "kak-kak-kak-kak's".

 The word "Pileated" means having a crest which covers the "pileum", which is at the top of the bird's head from the bill to the nape of the neck. 

The male is mostly black with a brilliant and conspicuous triangular red crest and mustache.  
 The female has a smaller red crest, black forehead, and no red mustache.

They both have bright white lower wing patches which are visible in flight. 
Both parents share the home duties of excavating the nesting cavity, incubating the eggs and feeding the young.

The magnificent pileated woodpecker is truly a sight to behold !   Pileated woodpeckers are on the Protected Species List.
 

(IMG 132-3290)

 

 

 

 

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