Invertebrates is the name of the game today. Not a lot of notable birds, so it’s the season to look down and flip target recognition to “bugs.”
Maplewood Flats
I rarely have high expectations when visiting Maplewood Flats. It’s a pleasant enough area, with good chances of seeing towhees and song sparrows in a couple of the trail interesctions, plus probably some duckies and whatnot in the ponds. To be fair, I have seen rarer birds such as kinglets (both species), but the light isn’t super ideal… and since we’re not allowed to go out on the tidal flats, it also means somewhat limited views, and more closeup shots of the Purple Martin condos! So that’s sad.
Burnaby Lake
Okay, here’s the exception. This one crow at Piper Spit gave me such a good portrait I had to put it up on my store! Look at those details! That scuffed beak! The bluish eyelid with… veins? Are those veins? Probably something like that.
Make that two exceptions, I guess. I don’t normally post photos of two or more birds together at such short distances, because usually only one is in good focus. It helps that I pulled back a little on the zoom lens.
No butterflies in the Nature House’s butterfly garden, but a few bumblebees sampling the flowers! These guys are not particularly fast, but I’m still struggling to capture them in flight. I think I did a nice job here, though even at 1/2500s you get some wing blur.
And this sticky-bottomed nonbinary friend on one of the trails between Piper Spit and the Avalon parking lot. Not that they’re Olympic sprinters to start with, but those things must really weigh them down, no? Or catch on pebbles and things on the ground?
Oh look, more goslings!
Tlahutum Regional Park
I guess we’re doing yellow-spotted millipedes every time we visit Tlahutum? I can’t help it, they’re so cute and photogenic!
But not as photogenic as these guys! Sigh, one day I will get a photo I’m really happy with. I guess today is not that day.
