Welcome to this week’s Sunday edition. It’s that time of year when baby birds are crying out from their nests for food food more food and parents tirelessly collect insects, larvae, seed, fish and other prey to satiate their fluffy little offspring.
There are plenty of opportunities to watch birds mate, nest, incubate, rear and fledge because Yellowknife is surrounded by the largest migratory bird nursery in the world: the boreal forest.
It can take quite a but of time and patience to identify nesting areas as birds do not always take a direct flight back to their nests. This is one strategy they have to keep predators from discovering their young. As a photographer it is important that I am aware of my surroundings so that I don’t inadvertently lead a predator to a nest.
Baby birds are often difficult to spot as they are camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings and nests are well hidden. Many birds actively and aggressively defend their nests and young. Terns are a prime example of this, dive-bombing and shrieking at people, birds, or other potential predators. They can be very intimidating, particularly if you have a fear of birds, or have seen Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”.
I’ve had quite a bit of luck capturing different species of fledglings and juvenile birds around town. The dump is a good spot to see juvenile seagulls and the local lakes are teeming with ducklings and grebe chicks. Some extra patience and a lot of courage took me within spotting range of tern chicks from my kayak; a friendly tip from a fellow birder allowed me to photograph a pair of great horned owlets last summer.
Birds often nest in the same places year after year which is helpful when looking for specific species. Every outing is a learning experience and I am hoping to capture a few more babes before summer is officially over. I hope you enjoy the photos of these youngsters. Hopefully I’ll have another group of baby bird photos to share with you later this year.
Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your support.