Thursday 30 June 2011

Da Caplin Are Rollin

 The weather lately has been caplin weather and sure enough they are here.
The last week or so the caplin have started rolling everywhere first hollyrood and then middle cove and now today chamberlains and topsail beach !
Its amazing to think how many animals caplin feed.The whales,crows,eagles,sea gulls,terns,osprey,shore birds,mures,puffins etc etc !
My mom and dad say when they were younger people would get enough caplin to put over there garden and enough to feed the family for months.Now that's allot of caplin.My parents also tell me there were WAY more caplin back in the day.Due to sain nets and bigger boats and quotas the population has taken a big hit.



The weather is beginning to get better AND ITS ABOUT TIME !   I'm still waiting on my lens to get shipped in.Ive been looking through peoples flickr photos and blogs and it just makes me want to get out there even more and take some photos! I'm hoping to get my lens in time to go to cape st.Marys and maby witless bay

Monday 27 June 2011

Nest box update WITH PICTURES




I went and checked a few nest boxes to see the average clutch size this year for tree swallows.Here's what the nests looked like !

Sunday 26 June 2011

Tree swallow update and other things



The tree swallows in my back yard that are using a nest box have Finally been active over the last few days.They have been building the nest now for about 2 and a half weeks ! I'm beginning to thing the nest box is a black hole ! This evening an intruder swallow came and landed on the nest box.With out warning the resident pair went crazy ! The female shot into the nest while the male chased the intruder away but with in 5 minutes he was back ! The female was in the nest box when he landed in the entrance hole and she lunged out and grabbed him by his wing and held him there for about 3 minutes while the male viciously attacked and plucked out feathers ! Lest just say i don't think he will be back

I made another payment on my lens today and i am one step closer to getting it.I was at nfld camera for about an hour talking to one of the employees about cameras and what not.I defiantly learned allot.I hope to soon absorb some more info from local birders about birding ! The weather still hasn't improved..i would love to know where summer is ! This whole week is supposed to be overcast.Got to love Newfoundland !

Wednesday 22 June 2011

Female Hooded Merganser


I rushed back to the pond today to try and get a picture of her.When i got there she was on the opposite side of the pond but after about 2 hours of waiting she came over for a snap !

There was also a male green wing teal he was looking good so i had to get a picture of him !

Tuesday 21 June 2011

Hooded Merganser

I went to Nevile's pond like i said i was going to, I went to check up on the tree swallows and see what Else i could see.I walked over to one to see if they had started incubation when all of a sudden a FEMALE HOODED MERGANSER flushed out from under my feet !
 i didn't have my camera so ill be back up there again tomorrow morning for a shot.
I will post pictures on this blog post so stay tuned !

A little spice to the dull days..

I  slept over to a friend of mines house by long pond yesterday.Hes not a morning person so i headed out by myself to see what i could see down by long pond.I walked the side with all the trees first never seen hardly anything.I also walked the other side, i seen many warblers,sparrows,and herd some different calls.I got to meet a fellow birder ! Lets just say she knew her stuff.I walked back around with her and we herd/seen a brown creeper ! and i think a thrush.We continued walking to Kenny's pond and got to see the osprey.we were almost done the walk when she herd a different high pitched call it was a Merlin ! we followed the sound.........There was a goshawk chasing the Merlin ! It was an odd sight to say the least !

I was very pleased with the findings and headed back to my friends house.Along the way i stoped to check t a nest box i had set up.There were no droppings or sign of bird activity so i opened the top for a look and out shoots a chickadee off the head ! I took a quick look in and seen 1 hatched egg and 5 still not hatched ! I hope i didn't disturb her to much and she returns  to the nest !

I'm heading now to Nevile's pond to check out whats up there !
Stay Tuned !

Friday 17 June 2011

June 17, 2011

The swallows that started building a nest in my nest box in my back yard have started incubation now i think.They were courting today so I'm guessing if they haven't started they will be very soon.
As i posted earlier i will be getting my lens soon and when i do I'm hoping to go birding to other places.I usually olny  go birding by my house or Nevile's pond and every now and then i go birding at long pond.
I hoping that i will be able to meet some more people and can maybe car pool with them when they go birding some time ! I have never been to cape st.Marys and i herd its a place i must see so I'm hoping to go and see it sometime
The weather hasn't been fit to go out side the last few days i hope "summer" gets here soon !

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMERR !!

Today was my last day of junior high !
It has been a long time coming and next September ill be in high school !
ONLY 3 YEARS LEFT !!!!!
I went out today and put a down payment on my lens and i should have it in about 3 weeks !
I decided to get the Canon 300mm f/4.0  I cant  wait to get it and  get out there and get some more photos its killing me to go down to the pond or anywhere with out my camera, i see great photo opportunity's everywhere and when i get my lens i hope to learn to take better photos and get tips on how to use my camera !

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Rough Times..

As Ive posted before I'm saving up for a new lens.Its taking me FOREVER !!
I have been studying for exams,passing out resumes and trying to save every last cent.I am defiantly getting to know the term "if you want something you have to work for it" When i get this lens the next thing i will be getting will be a good case because there is no way i can afford to break or scratch it.
Aways enough about my struggles and back to birding !

I have been seeing 1 male yellow warbler in the same place now for over a week. I'm assuming it is his territory.I'm seeing more and more duckings and the starlings are almost done raising young.The swallows have started incubation and shouldn't be to long now before the young hatch.The whole colony must be back by now because there are ALOT of them.They do interesting things like fighting until they hit the water, or the whole colony gets into one big cluster and plays around ! Seeing all this just makes me want my lens more and more...


Here's a photo i found in my files from a few Weeks ago enjoy !

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Just another day...NOT

I took a quick trip to Nevile's pond today.I was on the hunt for a picture of a yellow warbler.After about 30 minutes of following the call of one i FINALY got a glimpse of a bright male !  I was rushing to get my camera on and before i got it focused it had went back into thick cover.I turned my camera off,disappointed i went over to take a look at the swallows.The i herd the sound again, and there she was..... a female about 4 feet from me.I AGAIN never got a photo because of my slow focus.
I went and got a few pictures of the swallows and then i trted again but with no luck.
I also had a VERY close incounter with an osprey ! I seen if from a far but it slowley moved closer and closer untell it was right over my head ! It then plundged into the water about 20 feet from me and made a 6 foot splash ! Alltho it dident get a fish and then moved on i was pleased !



Just A Few Other Things..
I had swallows move into a nest box in my backyard today !
I am hoping to build and place next winter an osprey nesting platform in neviles pond !
If you are intrested in getting involed and helping out please e-mail me.

Also this will be the last post i have with photos untell late july.Thats when i will have my new lense.

Sunday 5 June 2011

My Most Favourite Place on Planet Earth

St.Brendan's Island Is my most favourite place on earth.The animals the ocean the people and just the feeling you get when your there you just cant beat.It has a rugged coast line but a rich bounty of fish and crustaceans attract seabirds and shore birds.The local people were raised off the land and sea and now make there days pay from the ocean.
I stayed at my nans with her and my uncle.Each morning we would wake up 4:00 and check all the lobster pots and nets.Along the way i seen bald eagles that my uncle feeds daily.They come with in 15 feet of us.My uncle and his fishing buddy don't take much attention to them but I'm completely in awe.Between the diving gannets the high hills and the roar of the sea gull and tern nesting colony in the back ground it is a picture perfect setting
We check all 160 pots and before i know it, its 1:30
Time flys when your in such and pristine place with nature unfolding all around you.




The one of the eagle was using an 18-55mm lens so you can see how close it was, (NOT CROPPED)

HERE IS A LINK TO A MAP OF ST.BRENDAN'S----->http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=48.796461,-53.482132&spn=0.254654,1.095886&t=h&z=11