Took a drive out past Stratford this afternoon for a pair of juvenile Phalarope. A good mix of shorebirds today, including a couple of Snipe and a high number of Pectoral Sandpipers.

I stumbled across this Goldfinch nest alongside a well-used recreational trail after flushing the brooding hen while out hiking a few weeks ago. The three chicks (the fourth egg was undersized and did not hatch) were about twelve days old and covered in prickly feather sheaths. The mother was nearby, chirping agitatedly, so I kept my visit brief. This was my second time checking up on the nest since its discovery, and I intend it to be the last: the nest is too obscure to scope it from a distance, and I’ve no desire to encourage predation by leaving my scent in the vicinity.

As summer grows old, the Waxwings suddenly appear after a very quiet season to take advantage of the fruit crops. I scoped a few as I returned along the trail.

We had a bit of rain this afternoon, and afterwards a pair of Mourning Doves sat on the fence below my balcony and preened their damp feathers. I’ll never grow tired of sketching these birds — their chunky bodies and ruffled feather textures are always great fun.

Last Saturday I flew out to Charlottetown, where I met up with Shawn. We spent several days touring PEI, then took the ferry to Nova Scotia and drove around the highlands in Cape Breton. Not much sketching done, but lots of photographs. A beautiful pair of provinces, and I only wish we’d had more time to explore. Next time!

I’m horrible at shorebird IDs, so in preparation for my trip out east next week I decided to drive out to the the Holland Landing sewage lagoons for migrants. Standing midday next to a shadeless sewage pond in 36 degree weather remains one of my less comfortable birding experiences…