Birds Of Central Vancouver Island

 

Over the last 5 years or so these doves have become more and more common here on the west coast of Canada. Originally introduced from Asia to the Bahamas in the 1970s the birds made their way to Florida by the 1980s and have been moving further and further into other parts of North America ever since. I’ve seen them in Ucluelet while working for the summer with Parks Canada at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and there are several “resident” birds in our neighbourhood in downtown Port Alberni.  I had no idea the history or origins of the The ring-necked dove (Streptopelia capicola), also known as the Cape turtle dove or half-collared dove,but it is a widespread and often abundant dove species in East and southern Africa. It is a mostly sedentary bird,^[2][3] found in a catholic variety of open habitats. Within range, its penetrating and rhythmic, three-syllabled crooning is a familiar sound at any time of the year.^[3] Its name is derived from the semi-collar of black feathers on the lower nape,^[4] a feature shared with a number of Streptopelia species. Like all doves they depend on surface water. They congregate in large flocks at waterholes in dry regions^[2] to drink and bathe. 

I was really grateful for the chance to photograph this Cooper’s Hawk, it has been showing up occasionally in the 100 ft tall tree across from my house. The only neighbor brave enough to show itself while it perched was a silly crow, but even the crow had enough sense not to stay long to pester the Hawk!

I’ve watched a Hawk swoop down and grab a Pigeon right out of my yard before, such an amazing bird as the Pigeon was almost the same size!

Among the bird world’s most skillful fliers, Cooper’s Hawks (above) are common woodland hawks that tear through cluttered tree canopies in high speed pursuit of other birds. You’re most likely to see one prowling above a forest …Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii) is a medium-sized hawk native to the North American continent and found from Southern Canada to Northern Mexico. As in many birds of prey, the male is smaller than the female. The birds found east of the Mississippi River tend to be larger on average than the birds found to the west.

Now I’m sure you’ve all seen a Stellar Blue Jay? A winter visitor, noisy but friendly enough or maybe not! This I didn’t know! …Steller’s Jays are habitual nest-robbers, like many other jay species. They’ve occasionally been seen attacking and killing small adult birds including a Pygmy Nuthatch and a Dark-eyed Junco.

This guy was preening itself in my plum tree, it’s mate was in the tree also but my photo’s of it didn’t turn out!  As you can see water droplets on the tree branches, it hasn’t been raining, our little valley has been cloaked in fog for almost a week now, and finally later today the sun peaked out thankfully a little drying might occur!