
Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon
While on Vancouver Island in the Tofino area, I would take my morning cofee and sit by the sea, watching the world come awake. Its a tough job but I managed it.
A few morning I would witness two Belted Kingfishers chasing each other about. I think it was a territory thing between two males. I finally roused myself to take the image above,
If you would like to be informed of future Nature posts, Click Here.

Displaying male Blue-Black Grassquit
Although it is a very small bird, the Blue Black Grassquit has a big display for the plain brown female. Heleaps up from a favored perch and flutters straight back down, calling the whole time.
This species is part of the very large bunting family which includes familiar North American species like the Song Sparrow. It is found from Mexico down through all of the South American countries.
If you would like to be informed of future Panama posts, Click Here.

Trumpeting Sandhill Cranes
This is the time of year when our local pairs of Sandhill Cranes return to their territory and I like to make an early morning visit in the hope of seeing them. I often hear them as well, a wonderful sound.
This pair was in the company of another bird, likely its offspring from last year. They will likely drive it off shortly as is this species habit.
I was able to make a few video clips of this pair which you can see at the following link:
Sandhill Cranes
I am hoping to film their mating display which is wonderful to watch.
If you would like to be informed of future Nature posts, Click Here.

It has been a very hard winter here in Ontario with snow and cold weather coming early and staying late. However now that it has finally broken, I know that I can look forward to my favorite time. The next six weeks will see the migrants coming through. One of the leaders of that wave is the Red-winged Blackbird. The males arrive first, chase each other about, sing and look for females. Hmm, sounds like Friday night at the local pub.
Hooray!!

Over twenty years ago, I visited the Greater Prairie Chicken lek in Attwater, Texas.As I watched their displays, subtle, intricate,I realized something very fundamental . This was another nation, one which had developed its own set of rules over hundreds of thousands of years, and thousands of generations.And while I was lucky to catch a glimpse into this society, I was never going to fully understand it. (more…)