September 2019 - Backyard Birds and Critters

Since it's now early November, I'm doing something different with my September posts. Most of the month's photos are from our backyard, Point Roberts and Reifel Bird Sanctuary. So I'll do one post for each of those and one for a visit to Iona Regional Park in Richmond.

First, the highlights from our backyard in North Delta. We live on top of a bluff that looks out onto Burns Bog. We don't really have a backyard, we have a forest.

September 4, 2019

The highlight of the month was a bird never seen before in our yard, a Warbling Vireo. It may have been migrating from the north and thought our yard looked like a good rest stop. It was just a fluke that I spotted the bird from our small deck. I quickly fetched a camera and took two shots, this one the best. I'd seen one of these in Idaho in May, so it was not a first for the year.


Warbling Vireo - Backyard, North Delta BC

About 8 minutes later I took this shot of more common visitor to our yard.

Anna's Hummingbird - Backyard, North Delta BC

September 10, 2019

We have squirrels in our backyard, they are long term residents. This is the first time I've seen one having a drink at the bird bath.

Black squirrel - Backyard, North Delta BC

Another resident in the yard is the Bewick's Wren. They're more often heard than seen. Wrens have exceptionally loud calls and songs.  I was lucky to get this shot of one out in the open. The birds don't sit still for long, so getting focus is difficult.

Bewick's Wren - Backyard, North Delta BC

September 11, 2019

Another mammal was seen the next day. I don't know if this rabbit is wild or an escaped pet. I haven't seen it since. This might be a Mountain Cottontail.

Rabbit - Backyard, North Delta BC

Also on this day is another Anna's Hummingbird, this time a female.

Anna's Hummingbird (F) - Backyard, North Delta BC

September 24, 2019

One of the more more frequently seen residents in our yard is the Downy Woodpecker. It likes both the seed and suet feeders. The red patch on the nape of the neck identifies it as a male. We also see a female, probably a mate to this one.

Downy Woodpecker -  - Backyard, North Delta BC

That's it for the backyard for this month. I'll do another post towards the end of the year if warranted.