Common Merganser

The Common Merganser (Scientific name - Mergus merganser) is the largest of the mergansers found in North America. It is a diving duck that feeds mostly on small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.  They are found throughout North America, with a summer range as far as the Yukon and Alaska and in winter as far south as Mexico. The male has a dark green head with a reddish orange bill; he has a white breast and undersides and a dark back with a grey tail. The female has a grey body with a red crested head and white chest.
Photos were taken in Abbotsford, B.C. in January 2014.

Female

Male in Flight

Male

Male showing green head

Hooded Merganser

The Hooded Merganser (Scientific name - Lophodytes cucullatus) is the smallest of the mergansers. The males and the females both have crests that they can raise or flatten.  This species is found in both the Eastern and Western parts of North America. They are medium distance migrants and many stay resident if the waters remain ice free. The males are very distinctive with a black and white head and black and white back and brown undersides. The females are mainly shades of brown and grey. 

Photos were taken at Mill Lake, Abbotsford, British Columbia in January 2014. 

Female

Male

Golden-crowned Sparrow

The Golden-crowned Sparrow (Scientific name - Zonotrichia atricapilla) is a ground foraging sparrow found along the Pacific Coast of North America from Alaska and as far South as Baja California.  It is distinguished by it's yellow crown which becomes more predominate in breeding males. 

Photos taken in January 2014 at Elgin Heritage Park, Surrey, B.C.

Barrow's Goldeneye

The Barrow's Goldeneye (Scientific name - Bucephala islandica) is a medium sized diving duck. It is found primarily in the Western part of North America near the Pacific Coast and breeds as far north as Alaska and the Yukon Territory.  There is a smaller population on the East Coast .

The Barrow's Goldeneye male is predominately black and white with a purple gloss to the head. There is a distinctive bold white facial crescent and white "piano key" marlins on it's sides. The female is duller in colour with a brown head and a brownish grey body.

Male and Female

 Photos taken in January 2014 
at Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

The Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Scientific name - Poecile rufescens) is the smallest of all the chickadees. They are found along the Pacific Coast of North America from Alaska down to California. They are identifiable from their rich chestnut coloured back.

Photos taken in January 2014 near Beaver Lake, Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C.

Turkey Vulture

The Turkey Vulture (Scientific name - Cathartes aura) is found throughout the U.S.A., as far South as Mexico and into Southern Canada.  These birds have a good sense of smell which they follow to locate carcasses of dead animals. They have long wings and can be seen soaring over areas of potential food. They have brownish back and wings, black underparts, a long tail and a small red head with naked skin around the eye.  Top photo taken in March 2014 in Abbotsford, B.C. Bottom photo taken in 2011 near Miami, Florida.

Cooper's Hawk

The Cooper's Hawk (Scientific name - Accipiter cooperii) is a medium sized woodland hawk that is capable of maneuvering quickly through fairly dense vegetation. It feeds mainly on small birds and is sometimes found near bird feeders. It also feeds on small animals such as chipmunks and small squirrels.  

 The Cooper's Hawk is found in the Southern parts of Canada and as far South as Mexico. 

The Cooper's Hawk has greyish blue upper parts and a darker crown and red eyes. The tail is rounded and has bands of white at the tip. While they look similar to the Sharp Shinned Hawk, the Sharp Shinned Hawk is smaller and the tip of the tail is not rounded. 

Top two photos were taken in November 2013 in Abbotsford, B.C.  Bottom photo taken in Abbotsford, B.C. in December 2014.

Lesser Scaup

The Lesser Scaup (Scientific name - Aythya affinis) is the most common diving duck that is found in North America. They breed from Alaska across to Eastern Canada and winter as far South as the Caribbean and Northern South America.  The majority winter on the coastlines, but some winter on reservoirs and lake further inland.

Male

Female

The males have a purple-green gloss to their heads and pale flanks. The females are duller in colour and have a white patch around the base of their bill.  They are very similar to the Greater Scaup.

Photos all taken at Mill Lake in Abbotsford, B.C. in 2011 and 2013.  

Male

Female

House Finch

The House Finch (Scientific name - Carpodacus mexicanus) is a bird found throughout most of North America.  It was first reported in 1941 in the Eastern U.S. and is believed to have originated from the illegal bird trade. 

 Males display red on their head and chest and have a streaked underbelly. Females do not have the red and are mostly brown streaked.

Top three photos taken in Abbotsford, B.C. in October 2013 and the bottom photo taken in August 2012 at the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Refuge in Delta, B.C.

Female and Male at Feeder

Clark's Nutcracker

The Clark's Nutcracker (Scientific name - Nucifraga columbiana) is a bird in the crow family and found in the mountains of Western Canada and the U.S.  They are often found in pine forests as they feed on seeds from pine cones. They are also often found in scenic areas begging food from tourists.

They are pale grey birds with black wings. The tail is black in the center and white along either side. They have a long straight and sharp tipped bill.

Photos were taken at Manning Park, British Columbia in May 2013.