Juvenile Cedar Waxwings in Regina's Lakeridge Park

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing  © SB

On a birding walk through Regina's Lakeshore Park, we saw a large flock of Cedar Waxwings with many juveniles, all softly wheezing in the trees.

I hadn't seen Juvenile Cedar Waxwings before, although I'd like to think I could have recognized them by the yellow tails, black eye patches and head crest feathers, even without the help of fellow birders with Nature Regina. 

But... I can be blind at times, and many eyes are more far likely to see what's hiding than only mine.

There were no adults in these trees, but one perched high on a nearby tree, watrching the young ones, watching us.

Sometimes, I think Waxwings sound like the breath of trees. Not that I know what trees sound like when they breathe, but these birds' high whistling wheeze makes me think of an old pine catching its breath while gently creaking in the wind.

Juvenile Cedar Waxwing, with soft tan belly stripes   © SB

Several of the Juvenile Cedar Waxwings.  © SB

What are these? Juvenile Cedar Waxwings (Jaseur d'Amérique)

Location: Lakeridge Park, Regina, Saskatchewan
Photo date: September 10, 2016.

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Juvenile American Pelican near my Regina neighbourhood

I photographed this juvenile American White Pelican in a local lake when I visited with a group of birders from Nature Regina earlier this month.

This looks like the great outdoors, but this Juvenile American Pelican is really swimming
in front of a series of lakefront, er, water catchment pond frontage, houses.  © SB

Summer and fall are such great times for birding — and for seeing juvenile birds of many species, as they are arriving back through the city now, in preparation for their winter migration south. 

This young American White Pelican still has the light brownish feathers on its head, neck and back that mark it as a juvenile.  

This is a city drainage pond.
This is a juvenile American White Pelican.
This is a house in the background.
Oh, Regina.   © SB

What is this? A juvenile American White Pelican (Pélican d'Amérique)

Location: Lakeridge Park, Regina, Saskatchewan
Photo date: September 10, 2016.

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Bald Eagles - adult, juvenile, in the nest and in flight

Adult Bald Eagle, soaring above its Richmond, B.C. nest.
White head, white tail, gold eyes, gold beak, dark brown body. © SB

After yesterday's post about Bald Eagles in the Qu'Appelle Valley, I decided to share a few images of young eagles.

I photographed the juvenile Bald Eagle in the tree below in the Qu'Appelle Valley. I was startled to see it sitting in dead branches right beside the road, looking out over the fields and creek.

And I wasn't at first sure what this juvenile eagle was — other than being a very large bird! I was used to seeing adult Bald Eagles from my time living in B.C., but I hadn't seen the young back then, with their mottled feathers and still-dark eyes and beak.

The other pictures of Bald Eagles on this page were taken in the Richmond, B.C., area, where eagles are fairly common birds. (The gigantic nest below is right above a popular bicycle and walking path, on the edge of a busy golf course. The eagles appear to re-use the nest annually, and are quite used to humans — though it's unfortunate that our garbage infiltrated their nest.)

Juvenile Bald Eagle in the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan.  Its feathers are very mottled,
and the beak is still mainly dark, though beginning to turn gold, as are its eyes.  © SB.

Pair of young Bald Eagles in their nest, Richmond, B.C.
(yes, that's a plastic garbage bag at left...)
Bald Eagles are very dark feathered when young, with dark beaks and eyes, too.
It takes about four years for them to get their full adult colouring. ©SB

The Bald Eagle nest, from greater distance 
for a different perspective on these massive birds.  © SB

Juvenile Bald Eagle in flight, in Richmond, B.C.
(This is the same young bird as in the shot below.) © SB 

Adult and juvenile Bald Eagle, along the highway near Richmond B.C.
There was a group of four in a field - two adults, and two juveniles. 
(A family group, perhaps?) 
The adults and the juveniles staged several (mock?) battles, flying furiously
at each other, and then calmly strutting together along the grass.  ©SB

What are these? Bald Eagles.  

Location: Near Craven, Saskatchewan, and in Richmond, B.C.
Photo dates: Adult flying, May 4, 2013; Qu'Appelle Valley, March 24, 2012; Nest, June 8, 2014; and Juvenile, flying and with adult, May 5, 2013.

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Range of Redpolls: Pale, copper, scarlet, red northern birds

A recent treat: A large flock of Redpolls, congregating around an auger beside a granary filled with Canola seeds. The Redpolls ranged from well streaked browns with vibrant red chests (Common Redpolls?) to extremely pale birds with only a hint of pink on their chests (Hoary Redpolls?), with several copper-capped birds (immature?) and one that was very mottled and dark (juvenile?).

Yes, lots of questions, re: identification, because these small northern birds are tricky. Apparently, the very light birds may summer on Arctic tundra, while the darker, brighter birds come south in winter from the Boreal forests. Makes sense, so far as camouflage, I guess, if that's all there was to it... Whatever the background, the range of colouring was lovely to see.

So on with the Redpoll show. First, a potential Hoary Redpoll, marked with a hint of pink on its chest.

Very pale male Hoary Redpoll - from its absence of streaking on chest and underside.
Almost imperceptible pink chest markings.   © SB

Next, because they were such a treat, a juvenile/immature redpoll — brown-streaked, with beige/gray feathers and a copper cap on its head, along with an orange-scarlet bird. 

Very brown, very shy bird. A juvenile? © SB

A male Redpoll with a scarlet/orange cap and breast markings. © SB

And finally, a few of these lovely northern birds that look more like classic Common Redpolls:

A male Redpoll so bright, it looks like it was dipped in raspberry juice; with female.
(At right, another immature copper-headed redpoll?) © SB

The auger and grain bins, on a white winter day.© SB 

What are these? Redpolls — Common Redpolls, with Hoary Redpolls, juvenile Redpolls and immature Redpolls. (The ones with red chest markings are male.)   

Location: Near Muenster, Saskatchewan, Canada. 

Photo dates: February 18 to 21, 2013. 

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