Tag Archives: hummingbird

Natural Wonder – Photo Wednesday

Above: a skyscape captured last night, around 9:30 pm. Cue the Mozart sonatas…

I have been outside and away from my blog for a bit. Here is some evidence of where I’ve been wandering…

Achillea blossom, about to open. Photo by Andrée FredetteAbove, an about to open yarrom blossom (Achillea millefolium), like a treasure in the dry grass.

 

Bottlebrush, blooming in the garden in June. Photo by Andrée FredetteThis is an Australian bottlebrush (Grevillea), a shrub that survives in my garden in the Southern Gulf Islands of BC. Loved by hummingbirds.

Salvia Blue Angel, in the June garden. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd this thrilling version of blue is brought to you by a special sage, Salvia Blue Angel.

 

Hummingbird in flight. Photo by Andrée FredetteSpeaking of hummingbirds, here is a little male, showing off his colours. 

Promise, almost open... Photo by Andrée FredeteThe spring garden is full of promise. Almost open…

 

Dry grass, almost abstract. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd in the fields around here, the grass is very dry, and panicles are poetically dancing in the wind…

 

After the moult, discarded snake skin. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd in the dry grass, look at what we found: a skin, shed by a snake done with moulting for another little while. Such a delicate thing. Moving on, shedding your skin, there’s a thought.

May sunset wonder. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd I leave you with a golden liquid sunset from a couple of weeks ago. Again, Mozart time.

Birds, big and small

Above: “What are you looking at?”  This bald eagle spent a good hour on that branch, in a brisk wind, drying out after fishing. He spotted me, when I decided to take his photo. Had a bit of an insulted look…

At low tide, I returned to Winter Cove, determined to get some bird close-ups.

Through the bushes, I spotted this Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)...

 

Great blue heron, on the shoreline at Winter Cove, Saturna Island, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette

Very slowly, I crawled through the bushes, on hands and knees(it was not a graceful maneuver). Close enough to get a clear shot through a long lens, but far enough to avoid disturbing him (or her).

 

Great blue heron, hunting. Photo by Andrée Fredette

There was a snack to catch, so he turned his attention to the work of getting some vittles.

 

Great blue heron, snacking. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And success. Bon appétit.

Here is the setting, Winter Cove.

Winter Cove, Saturna Island, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette

A lovely afternoon, a sunny Friday.

Male Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), at Winter Cove, Saturna Island, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette

There were lots of ducks, like this gorgeous male Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica).

Barrow's Goldeneye pair at Winter Cove, Saturna Island, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And some went around with their girlfriends…

And back home, later in the afternoon, I refilled the bird feeders.

We have feeders for big birds, like this Pileated woodpecker (Hylatomus pileatus)…

Pileated woodpecker. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And feeders for little birds.

Rufous hummingbird male. Photo by Andrée Fredette

Here is another shot of a little Rufous hummingbird male (Selasphorus rufus), in flight (camera shutter not fast enough!).

 

Rufous hummingbird male, in flight. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And to conclude, I offer you a flower: a Fawn Lily.

Fawn lily (Erythronium oregonum), blooming on Saturna Island, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette