Today we have some nice bird photos by reader Paul Handford. Paul’s captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge his photos by clicking on them.
I’ve chosen to show a specialty of the conifer forests of western N. American montane regions, Clark’s Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana.
All photos are from s.c. British Columbia, in the immediate vicinity of Kamloops, with most taken in our backyard, up in the hills on the outskirts of town. Here these birds were frequent visitors, becoming pretty tame.
One in its typical habitat in a local natural area, at work feeding on pine seeds— you can seen the swollen crop:
All the rest are from our yard; in the first four, the birds are sitting in one of the Saskatoon Bushes (Amelanchier alnifolia):
This one is in the act of swallowing a peanut:
Here’s one in one of our rowan trees, feasting on its berries:
This one is perched on the Virginia creeper on one corner of our deck:
The final shot is a portrait back in the Saskatoon Bush:
Beautiful shots of this most interesting bird. Thank you!
Excellent pictures. I particularly like the third one, where the bird is looking directly at you. Maybe it’s seeing itself in the lens and admiring it’s own visage.
Beautiful pictures!
I too like the third one best. All are excellent.
Rowan berries seem to be unpalatable to most birds – there aren’t many rowans where I live, but their berries seem to sit untouched all through the winter. Even the waxwings don’t strip them off when they sweep through.
What an attractive bird. I have to drive an hour or so west to see them, however.
Lovely birb, lovely photos.
Nice shots. My sister lives in Kamloops, BC.
Lovely photos – thanks!