Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Back to Columbia Lake

31 July, 2024


     So close! So beautiful! So filled with nature!
     Who can resist going back often? Not us, to be sure.
     Generally, large numbers of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) are present and on this occasion they seemed to gravitate to the neatly trimmed grass on the soccer field.


     An Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) met us at the door, in a manner of speaking.


     A fine greeting indeed.
     We spotted a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) foraging on the ground and Miriam obtained this delightful shot as it lifted off.


     Lucerne Moth (Nomphila nearctica) is quite common in summer.


     I have tried, without success, to find the origin of its name. If there is a Swiss connection, I have no idea what it is.
     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) finds good hunting at Columbia Lake and it is rare that three or four are not stalking prey in different parts of the lake.


     Shorebirds, well into their southbound migration, were fattening up for the rigours of the journey ahead, this Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) among them.


     Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) are mostly short-distance migrants, but they too need to provision for migratory flight.


     Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) breed farther south and earlier than most Nearctic shorebirds, and adults leave ahead of their young.


     They do not migrate as far as other sandpipers and may be found in the wetlands of North, Central and northern South America in the non-breeding season. 
     Slender Spreadwings (Lestes rectangularis) were not uncommon, and sometimes alighted long enough for a picture.


     About aphids I know almost nothing. I believe this is a type of Anthemid aphid in the genus Macrosiphoniella, but even at that I would decline to take a wager!


     A Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) often perches at the top of a transmission tower, the better to scan for rodents and other potential prey.


     If I were a novelist I would seize upon the Limentis butterflies for steamy tales of sex and intrigue. Such is the nature of their breeding habits. Here I present a White Admiral x Red-Spotted Purple (Limentis arthemis arthemis x astyanax) hybrid. I am sure you have that straight!


     Maybe it's better to simply admire the butterfly and not worry about the machinations of its parentage. 
     I am always a little amused (and sometimes distressed) by the discussions around human sexuality and the various lifestyles practiced by different communities. There are so many variants (not deviants - variants) in nature, to render humans conservative by comparison. 
     A Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans) seemed statuesque, waiting for the kiss of a maiden to be transformed into a prince.


      Now kissing frogs - that's deviant!
     A couple of Mallards (Anas platyrynchos) was happy to loaf away the afternoon.


     Smart ducks! I think the Killdeer you see at the left would agree.
     A male American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is as perky and handsome as any bird you might ever meet.


     We are very fortunate to enjoy the company of Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia), the world's largest tern, and a couple were cruising over the water in search of fish for dinner. Miriam managed these remarkable shots - remember we have very simple cameras, no expensive camera bodies or lenses that require a line of credit to buy. A good eye and a steady hand seem to be enough, it seems.






     The terns will soon be leaving us, but you may be sure that we will visit Columbia Lake over and over again, in every season.


     Every day holds the promise of magic. All you need is a keen eye and an inquiring mind. 
     Perhaps we'll see you there!
David M. Gascoigne,
David M. Gascoigne,

I'm a life long birder. My interests are birds, nature, reading, books, outdoors, travel, food and wine.

59 comments:

  1. Miriam's excellent eye and steady hand give us so much. Please thank her (and you).

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    1. She is smiling broadly and thanking you in return.

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  2. Great pictures of the terns. Geese on a soccer pitch - that sounds messy. Lucerne is the name we use for alfalfa - does the moth feed on the plant?

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    1. The larvae do use alfalfa as a host plant, although not exclusively, so the connection to alfalfa may have something to do with the name.

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  3. ...it's easy to see why you visit Columbia Lake over and over again, in every season. I appreciate that you took me along to see the sights, I hope that we can go back again.

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  4. That American Goldfinch looks absolutely stunning! Miriam is truly an excellent photographer. Those shots of Caspian Terns are exquisite.

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  5. I'm always so happy to see all the different butterflies in your area, David. They are all so beautiful, and you have so many of them. Here I'm satisfied when I see two or three different butterflies.
    Hugs and kisses, Marit

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    1. Right now we have Monarch pupae and Giant Swallowtail caterpillars in the house, and two Polyphemus Moth pupae which should be hatching soon. It is fun to raise them indoors. Hugs and kisses - David

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    2. I wish your granddaughter could see it happen.

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  6. Terns are such fun to watch. I love how they dive and even more so how they manage to pull themselves up. And you sounded a little cranky in your comments this morning. Hope you have a good day .

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    1. Not cranky at all. Shocked. Can you imagine Kamala wanting to do something and saying, "Doug won't let me."?

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    2. I expect she meant something more like her husband doesn't want her to. Word choices can sometimes convey a meaning different from what we actually mean!

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  7. Hari Om
    I, too, appreciate Miriam's wonderful images... and enjoyed your take on reproductive activity! On that... Lucerne is another name for alfalfa and I strongly suspect the Lucerne Moth is called that because it probably infests/breeds around crop fields of the stuff... YAM xx

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  8. Spectacular photo of the Macrosiphoniella! Also like the nice picture of that soccer field covered with canadian geeses :-)

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  9. the gold finch in the thistles is the winner of the day for me. and I do love that fence shot. so much beauty, so little time to see them all. I have photos on the blog of the butterfly in the air and on vines and all kinds of things if you decide to do a BOOK

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  10. I assumed you had very expensive cameras, because your close-ups of insects are so clear and sharp! Not to mention the extraordinary bird photos you two take. Impressive.

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  11. That beautiful goldfinch! Awesome!

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  12. What a wonderful place to be able to return numerous time. American Goldfinch is absolutely beautiful to see. Great series of photos of the flying Caspian Terns. Thanks for sharing, David and thanks to Miriam for taking the photos, they are fantastic.

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    1. She is basking in the glow of your praise, Bill.

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  13. The goldfinch is beautiful! Thistle is their super food. We see them when we bike, but they're in our backyard, too. Luckily, we have a stray thistle in our pampus grass.

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  14. Beautiful places like the one on Lake Columbia are something you keep coming back to. Wonderful birds, butterflies, dragonflies. I am delighted with the photo with Spinus tristis. Wonderful! Every photo is perfect. David, I love visiting your beautiful blog.
    Greetings to Miriam and to you.

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  15. Gratuluję pięknych, udanych zdjęć rybitwy. To naprawdę trudna sztuka!
    Podziwiam też zdjęcia pozostałych ptaków i innych zwoarząt. Wygląda to tak, jakby wszystkie były waszymi przyjaciółmi. Zawsze warto wybrać się z Wami na spacer!

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  16. Los gansos, no han querido perderse el partido. Se ve que son aficinados del fútbol.

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  17. Wonderful photos David, loving all the birds :-D I love Miriam's photo of the Flicker, super. And love her photos of the Caspian Terns. The dragonflies and frog are super too. And those Mallards sure have the right idea. I liked your statement about the simple cameras and nothing fancy. Totally agree on a good eye and steady hand. I was out walking last week and met a guy and were chatting. He has a camera so my first question to him was did he get any good photos? And he was heading to the local pond and told him there were plenty good photo ops...lots of insects and a few baby coots. I ended up showing him my blog photos and other good photos I had taken. He said he thought I had a good eye for it! Which I was quite glad at. I am glad that you and other bloggers appreciate my photos.

    Oh and don't worry about the long comment the other day on the Robin post, it was interesting :-D

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  18. I'm always amazed at your photos of the dragonflies. Gossamer wings, as Cole Porter wrote.

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  19. Lots of great photos and memories!
    I spotted a flicker close to me today, but I was too slow, or it was too fast!

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  20. Absolutely fantastic photos by Miriam of those lovely terns and flicker! It's been a while since we've seen a flicker in our parts. I love how you are able to identify all the magic that crosses your paths.

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  21. Oh yes, what a lovely tale! it seems that nature is full of more intriguing characters than any mystery novel, from frogs waiting for a kiss to butterflies with soap opera-worthy love stories :D those mallard lovebirds know exactly how to spend the afternoon: carefree and in good company. Definitely, with a good eye the world becomes a stage full of surprises.
    Kisses and hugs,
    nite nite
    dear friend of mine!

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  22. Ah, sweet little green frog! And all the other pictures - wonderful, as usual.

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  23. Great pictures of the terns David.
    Too bad the geese are on the football field, they shit all over it.
    I wish you a nice day.
    Greetings Irma

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    1. If it was a baseball field it would give a whole new meaning to sliding into home plate!

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  24. Thanks for taking us along. Lovely photos as always.

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  25. lol, loved the geese on the footballfield :)

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    1. The soccer players might not have liked it quite so much!

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  26. Beautiful pictures, beautiful Nature !
    Love dragonflies that we rarely see here...
    Have a shinny day !
    Anna

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  27. Hi David,
    Great post again. Nice new footballteam ;-) Love the American Goldfinch, super that yellow! And the photos of the Caspian Tern in flight are outstanding. Marianne have just returned from a few days birding in the nordh of the Netherlands. We saw 14 Caspian Terns together, ready for bird migration!!! No pictures but seen trough the telescope. The frog and the butterfly super! And the photo of the Colaptes auratus is stunning!!
    Cheers, Maria

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    1. Be sure to say hello to Marianne for me. I haven’t heard from her in years.

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  28. Huh. There is a bit of congestion at the football field. Great photos.

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  29. Wonderful pictures! Miriam is a fantastic photo-partner. You are very fortunate.

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  30. Gangs on a football field.
    Unique. In Europe they are not tolerated on a football pitch.
    P.S
    Visually we can go photograph the birds in the trees.

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  31. Dear David, the geese grazing on the football field are adorable 😍. You both managed to take some great nature photos of animals and plants. Oh, and there are "steamy tales of sex and intrigue" with butterflies? Fascinating nature! In my opinion, the Green Frog should be happy if he doesn't meet a princess. That only causes trouble; I think frogs have a quieter life than royals, as long as they don't meet storks or the like. (And as far as I know, in the original story the frog is not kissed, but thrown against the wall to transform. Not so nice...) The photos of the terns in flight are really very good - big compliment to Miriam.
    Best wishes from Austria, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/08/weltreise-2024-abschied-von-neuseeland.html

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  32. Miriam certainly has the required keen eye and steady hand! Her photos are fabulous and so delightful to see.

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  33. These pictures are exceptional..Miriam has outdone herself..Thanks Miriam.. I have said more than once that your dialogue and her photographs or an unbeatable combination .. Thank you for sharing them with us. Columbia Lake is one of natures wonders. You are very fortunate to be close by. Hugs

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    1. When she reads all this praise we will have to enlarge the door frame to get her head through it!

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  34. Wonderful outing and awesome sightings. The nature/wildlife captures are amazing.
    Take care, enjoy your day!

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  35. So many breathtaking wonders, including your header. Love the frog waiting for his kiss:)

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  36. So many wonderful photos ... the country fence with all it's charm, the little green frog that might be a price in disguise and, of course, you've added a gorgeous new header!

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  37. Those Caspian terns are fantastic -- you don't see those often. Well, maybe YOU do, but not me, so thanks for sharing them!

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  38. Delightful photos and interesting narration.

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  39. That goldfinch is stunning, so different to the European one. Love your comments, you make me smile. Best wishes to you both. Bisous mon ami, Diane

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  40. I always find it funny that people think someone has a great camera because his/her photos are gorgeous. It's always the person behind the camera, and Miriam is an artist. I mean, would you say to someone when you're praising their cooked meal, "you must have a great stove"?
    Your new blog header, taken from this post, is fantastic. As I said, Miriam is an artist. Please tell her so. Hugs - Carola

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    1. She really appreciates your remarks, Carola, and she is smiling broadly. She really got a good laugh out of your stove comment - and so did I.

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  41. Your new banner with the Goldfinch is gorgeous! WOW!

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  42. wonderful photos of the tern in flight. and I like your new header picture.

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  43. Un gran reportaje querido amigo David. Las fotografías de Miriam super preciosas y ese jilguero amarillo me encanta. Abrazos para los dos.

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We acknowledge that the land on which we are situated are the lands traditionally used by the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, and Neutral People. We also acknowledge the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge, laws, and philosophies of the Indigenous Peoples with whom we share this land today. We are all treaty people with a responsibility to honour all our relations.

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