Readers’ wildlife photos

We are running low on photos, with this being the penultimate batch.  Help me out, please, and don’t make me speak of reciprocity!

Today’s photos are some lovely bird photos from Kevin Krebs from near Vancouver. Kevin’s captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge his photos by clicking on them.

Coastal Birds of the Pacific Northwest:

Living in Vancouver, BC, I’m fortunate to be near vital stop-over areas on the Pacific flyway. Below are some of the coastal birds I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with.

Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus):

One of North America’s larger shorebirds, Whimbrels are always stunning to see. Numenius, their genus, is Greek for “new moon” in reference to their bill.

Bonaparte’s Gull (Chiorocephalus philidelphia):

During the spring and early summer, Bonaparte’s Gulls migrate through the Lower Mainland. They are the second smallest gull globally, after the Little Gull, and remain quite elusive. They breed in remote boreal forests and are one of the few gulls that nest in trees.

Common Loon (Gavia immer):

Even in their basic (non-breeding) plumage, Common Loons are gorgeous and impressive birds. More people have likely heard a Loon than seen one – its call is one of the iconic sounds of wildlife.

Common Loon, breeding plumage (Gavia immer):

A Common Loon in alternate (breeding) plumage is not a common sight here on the coast, as these birds generally breed on inland lakes.

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus):

Killdeer are a common plover that can be found just about anywhere in North America. Known for their unmistakable ‘kill-deer’ calls and their ‘broken-wing’ display used to lure predators from their nest.

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri):

Western Sandpipers are a common sight here on the Pacific Northwest coast, numbering in the thousands at some locations. Those chestnut scapular feathers are a good field mark for helping to identify these birds.

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla):

Grab 4 quarters (~24 grams) – that’s the average weight of a Least Sandpiper, the smallest sandpiper in the world. Often found in smaller flocks than our more common sandpipers, these small birds breed in the subacrtic tunda. Some of the eastern populations undertaking non-stop transoceanic flights of up to 4,000 km from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to wintering grounds in northeastern South America.

Sanderling (Calidris albi):

Sanderlings are plump little birds that are often found on sandy beaches and are most easily identified by their behaviour – renown for chasing the waves to exploit any edible morsels washed in, then running away, as though they don’t want to get their feet wet.

Dunlin (Calidris alpina):

Dunlin are one of the easier shorebirds to identify – when they’re in the alternate (breeding) plumage, they have a black patch on their belly which makes them quite distinct. They often congregate in the hundreds or even thousands in estuaries and shallow bays, flying in hypnotizing synchronized flocks.

Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani):

A large, conspicuous, and vocal shorebird found on primarily along rocky coastlines. Despite the common name Black Oystercatchers don’t usually eat oysters, mainly feeding on mussels and limpets, as well as marine invertebrates.

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa):

A large, buffy shorebird with a long, slightly-upturned bi-coloured bill. When feeding, they use their sensitive bill to probe surprisingly deep into the mud in search of invertebrates.