HNY 2016

We got to Boundary Bay just in time to catch the sun rise this morning at 8am. While not as cold as last year, it was still below freezing. Bird activity was minimal compared with last year, with a few low flyby's by hawks from behind so that our only photos were tail shots.

Cooper's hawk

Northern flicker.  A common woodpecker in residential areas of the city.

Saw-whet owl

Owls are always the highlight for me, and we would've missed this one down in the thickets if not for some experienced birders lying prostrate aiming their big lenses at this little thing.

Even birds sleep in on New Years

We arrived at 9am at Boundary Bay.  At -2 degrees C, we made sure to bundle up warmly before rolling out of the car.

The early morning light bathed the bay in a warm glow.  Even the birds seemed to need a bit of warming up, as we saw little action in the first hour.

We had come to see the birds of prey, and as the ground thawed, so did the wildlife activity.

Cooper's hawk

Juvenile bald eagle

Northern harrier

Hawk vs eagle

Northern harrier

Purple finch

Song sparrow

A non-mallard (mallard females will have a horizontal stripe on each side of the eye)

Baldie with captured prey

We didn't end up seeing any owls...could've been a combination of the time of year, and the early time of day.