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Green-Winged Teals are starting to mass in greater numbers at Piper Spit, Burnaby Lake, as winter passes its halfway point. A number of these small dabbling ducks are also starting to engage in springtime courtship behaviors. This drake was particularly vocal, and gave me a good angle of himself in the process.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

A Chatty Green-Winged Teal Duck at the Pond Magnet

Here's lookin' at you, kid! My first face-to-face meeting with a curious Barn Swallow at Richmond's historic Scotch Pond, the spring-through-fall choice of nesting sites for these intrepid flyers and insects hunters.

Trading Stares with a Barn Swallow Magnet

The golfers on the fairway clearly didn't disturb this Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, who was busy munching away on the delicious and well-manicured greens. This one paused to mug for my camera, and then went right back to chewing on its verdant comestibles, unfazed by the attention.

Cute Bunny Chewing Greens on the Golf Fairway Magnet

When Bushtits come calling, it's a sudden avalanche of cuteness in the backyard -- because these social songbirds often show up in flocks of 10-30, feed briefly (and co-operatively) on the suet or whatever else they fancy (calling to each other constantly as they do so), and leave as quickly as they came. Once in a while, though, they will stay for 15-30 minutes. I photographed this damp fellow--who was caught in the morning rain--taking a moment to pause on the laurel bush. Some of his fellow Bushtits were actually bathing on the laurel leaves, like hummingbirds do. Photographed in early July 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Cute Wet Wee Bushtit on the Laurel Magnet

This male Tree Swallow appears to be quite taken with this particular nestbox ... that look says "mine, all mine." Photographed in late March 2016. 

These small bluebirds have shown up almost a month later than last year, and the initial flocks are much smaller, too. 

Also absent at this time are the grayer females, which at the same time last year were already here. Nevertheless, it's still a wonderful experience to see these little birds in action over the water and in the skies.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Tree Swallow in a Nestbox Magnet

By far, Columbian Ground Squirrels are the most entertaining wildlife at Manning Park, and the first ones to greet us in the parking lot of Manning Park Resort. These Prairie Dogs of the West were positioned near their network of holes in the ground (or in rotted tree stumps) and often calling in an upright position like meerkats or groundhogs (when they weren't chasing each other around or kissing). We found plenty at Manning Park Resort and Lightning Lake (particularly near the picnic tables). Columbian Ground Squirrels spend the short summer bulking up on fat reserves for their hibernation period, which lasts for seven months!

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

A Twitchy-Nosed Columbian Ground Squirrel Magnet

A Short-Eared Owl surveys its hunting grounds for opportunistic Northern Harriers who would not hesitate to take advantage of the fruit of its hunting prowess. Sudden gusts of wind fluff this hunter's head feathers, revealing the short ear tufts for which this owl is named. Photographed on a late afternoon in late November 2017.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Stunning Short-Eared Owl in the Marshes Magnet

Eastern Kingbirds are welcome and familiar sighted during Metro Vancouver summers. Smartly dressed in black and white and sporting a patrician (some might say, an imperious) air about themselves, I can usually find these feathered insectivores roosting on their favorite trees and bushes close to the walking trails at Coquitlam's Colony Farm Regional Park. My subject here took the cake for boldness, hopping from branch to branch and edging closer and closer to my lens. I could not have asked for a better subject!

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Eastern Kingbird on a Branch Magnet

This male Pekin Robin decided to satisfy his curiosity of the approaching humans, and flew into a large tropical tree to observe us from under the large leafy cover. Our initial encounter was all too brief and disappointing, but this second meeting yielded the opportunity to study this wonderfully dressed and beautiful singer in much greater detail and length. Our subject must have noticed this, as he was unusually still and not hopping from branch to branch!

An Indian subcontinent native, this Old World babbler is so popular that many other countries want to claim it for their own, and so, it goes by other aliases, including Pekin Robin, Pekin nightingale, Japanese hill robin, and Japanese nightingale. 

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Colorful Leiothrix / Pekin Robin Songbird Hip Flask

An unusual bird to see in Metro Vancouver during the fall migratory bird season, this Buff-Breasted Sandpiper was one of two I had the opportunity to photograph up close, and one of five spotted here in 2016. Like the Sanderling, the BBSA is exceedingly comfortable around humans. 

The BBSA is special for another reason: fewer than 80,000 individuals are estimated worldwide (per data from migration sites and its allaboutbirds.org/guide/Buff-breasted_Sandpiper/id profile; actual figures are difficult to obtain, as it does not always exhibit nest fidelity), making it a Near Threatened species. Its dainty, dove-like head, short bill, and buff coloration make it one of the easier peeps to identify. It is a transcontinental bird, flying northwards to breed in the arctic, and wintering in South America.

Rather comically, this one spent some time chasing the other one off. Apparently, it wanted the attention of the photographers all to itself! When it wasn't hogging the limelight, it made sure every lens was trained on it -- regardless of what it was doing -- foraging, resting on the grass, or grooming its feathers.  Photographed in late August 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Beautiful Buff-Breasted Sandpiper at the Beach Hip Flask

After two years of trying, I finally got the opportunity to photograph the cheerily colored American Goldfinch. When he isn't eating sunflower or nyjer seeds, the male likes to perch on the bamboo poles that serve as stakes for the potted plants. Photographed in the second week of June 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Male American Goldfinch on the Bamboo Magnet

Part brainteaser, part assemble-it-yourself art, this challenging, wildlife-themed puzzle is great for improving muscle memory. 

You can tell when it's springtime in Metro Vancouver, because the Canada Goose will be engaging in some spectacular chases and territorial tussles. This "spat at Piper Spit" was photographed at Burnaby Lake in spring 2015.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Wild (Canada) Goose Chase: The Spat at Piper Spit Jigsaw Puzzle

Add a touch of nature to your coffee, tea, or favourite hot drink with this elegant, wildlife-themed mug! 

This Blue and Gold Macaw was more than happy to post for a photo. One can't help but notice these large and talkative parrots. There's nothing dull about the plumage or the personality of this extremely sociable and long-lived birds.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Beautiful Blue and Gold Macaw Mug

My second visit to the Maplewood Conservation Area in North Vancouver produced meetings with not two, but six blacktail deer in a clearing ... four fawns and two does who seemed completely at ease with the small group of photographers in their midst. The younger ones seemed almost as curious about the humans as we were about them! This fawn was extremely happy to be alive, bounding in a very Bambi-esque manner through the forest! Photographed in late August 2016.

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

Vignetted Portrait of Smiling Blacktail Deer Fawn  Wrapping Paper

Nothing says "you complete me" or "your better/other half" than these whimsical, wildlife-themed lovers' mugs.

Diminutive Bufflehead ducks tend to be a challenge to photograph since they keep their distance, but there's always one in the flock (usually, a male) who takes his patrol duty very seriously. Catching the colours of his iridescent head is always a real treat. 

Based on the original photography of W.H. Sim. All Rights Reserved. See more at zazzle.com/walkswithnature

A Chatty Green-Winged Teal Duck at the Pond Magnet

A Chatty Green-Winged Teal Duck at the Pond Magnet

More from Walks with Nature

Other magnets from various stores