Singing in the rain

Last weekends spectacular weather had a price. This weekend we are paying for it with clouds, fog, rain and cool temperatures. We did enjoy a total of one and a half hours of sunshine Saturday afternoon at Pine Point before the clouds and showers moved back in.

But through it all, the birds kept singing, territorial fights ensued and nest building continued. We, as human beings, can reschedule around the weather and simply stay inside our homes when the weather threatens. Our feathered friends must go on, for those that wait for clearer skies may be left behind and may not survive.

Granite Point was a flurry of activity Saturday morning. Canada Geese were fighting and chasing each other over territorial issues, flocks of Double-Crested Cormorants were nearly continuous, and large rafts of Common Eider drifted in Curtis Cove. Fellow birder Bob Malbon and I watched a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet hop around a few bushes, never quite sitting still long enough for a good photograph.

Later Saturday afternoon, Sharon and I enjoyed the short-lived sunshine birding in and around Pine Point. Hiding among the lobster traps stacked on the lower dock, we waited for waterfowl to come within range to get a few photographs. We were quickly rewarded with a lone female Old Squaw, who dove occassionally for food. At one point, as I lay on the dock near the waters edge, she popped up in front of me so close that I was unable to get the camera to focus! Eventually, she backed off and I got some shots which can be seen below.

Today, we rose from our slumber later than usual, but still went out into the rain and birded Granite Point. We hate to miss our Saturday and Sunday morning birding trips because of weather or other commitments. We make sure that no appointments are made on weekend mornings and bird in any and all types of weather. We could miss that odd behaviour of a common bird, or miss a rarity only seen once in a lifetime!

Near the end of this mornings jaunt, we spied several Ruby-Crowned Kinglets and Yellow Rumped Warblers flitting around some small trees along a pond. We promised to return on a sunny day to get some more photos and to see if other Warblers are in the area.

Whether rain or shine, we always see something new and different. Please enjoy the photographs we have posted below, birds that we have appreciated this weekend. Comments and criticisms are always appreciated.

Happy birding!

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