Bufflehead
March 28, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 24 Not only are these ducks quite, they also have a fantasitic name! Buffleheads (in the background of the picture) are a sexually dimorphic species. The males show off with their striking black and white appearence …
American Robin
March 27, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 23 Our good friend the Robin, with its warm orangey red chest, cheery song and appearances in winter often make people think of The Christmas Period. This species are a common sight across Victoria, on lawns …
Lesser Scaup
March 26, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 22 Males and females of this species look different. Pictured above is a female with her chocolatey brown plumage. The males are a beutifuly delicate mix of black and white. Tight groups of Lesser Scaups congregate …
Great Blue Heron
March 25, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 21 With its huge wings and deep wingbeats this bird is a magestic sight to behold no matter how many times you have encountered them. They may seem slow, but they can move their heads especially …
Black-bellied Plover
March 24, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 20 Black-bellied Plover are also known as a Grey Plover. They are supreme aerialists, both agile and swift. The Plover is like the security alarm of the shore bird world. These look outs are quick to …
Black Turnstone
March 23, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 19 As the name suggests, Turnstones often forage by using their short, chisel-like bill to turn over stones and other objects. They sometimes use the entire body to “snowplow” headlong into a heavy mass of kelp, …
Red-winged Blackbird
March 21, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 18 Glossy-black males have scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches they can puff up or hide depending on how confident they feel. Females are a subdued, streaky brown, almost like a large, dark sparrow. They eat mainly insects in …
Harlequin Ducks
March 20, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES -PART 17 The blue, chestnut, and white males, along with the grayish females, breed mainly along whitewater rivers and winter on rocky windswept coasts. The colloquial name for the Harlequin Duck is “Sea Mouse” from the squeaks …
Northern Pintail
March 18, 2020THE NATURAL WORLD OF SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND THROUGH THE LENS OF CAPTAIN YVES- PART 16 Nothern Pintails are the most numerous ducks after the Mallards, at one time it was estimated that there were 10 million of them in North America! They can be found frequently in Victoria during the …
Dunlins
March 17, 2020The Natural World of Southern Vancouver Island through the lens of Captain Yves- PART 15 The Dunlin was once called the Red-backed Sandpiper due to its wonderful rusty back plumage it has during breeding season. Now they are named after their dull non breeding plumage. Dun originates from an old …