Archive For The “snow” Category


A varied thrush confronts a steller’s jay at my feeder during the blizzard of January 3, 2020. (Robin Rowland)
The decade of the 2020s came in like a mountain lion on January 3, 2020 here in Kitimat, with (up until now) 75 centimetres or 30 inches of snow.
I came inside after digging out the first time (I would dig out twice more today) and sat down for lunch only to see at least a dozen juncos at my feeder in the midst of the wind and blowing snow. I have an older camera on the table so I can photograph any birds that might come to the feeder. A varied thrush flew down, scattering the juncos. The varied thrush was too big for the feeder (or at least it thought it was) so it waited while the juncos gorged themselves and picked up and seeds that dropped from the feeder.
About an hour later a steller’s jay joined the group. The thrush and the steller’s jay seemed to get along at first but later this was a confrontation between the two while the juncos watched. The steller’s jay, being a smarter bird (like all corvids) did find a away to get at the feeder.

The varied thrush looks up at the feeder (the juncos had temporarily departed) as the steller’s jay watches. (Robin Rowland)
Most of the juncos and the varied thrush were still there a few hours later as it began to get dark.

Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, was the last day of service for the Toronto “red rocket” CLRV streetcars that have been in service for 40 years. So I decided to look through my files for some memorable photographs of the iconic streetcars.
Trumpeter swans, signets and canvasback ducks in the Kitimat River estuary, Dec.15, 2018. (Robin Rowland)
My portion of the Christmas Bird Count in the Kitimat River Estuary (courtesy Rio Tinto) was in an afternoon blizzard which cut visibility by up to about 80 per cent at times and was no help to the cameras, whether or on auto focus or manual.
One of my favourite birds in here in Kitimat is the Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). There were a lot more than usual this spring for one reason or another. So here is an album of images.
A varied thrush on my back deck. (Robin Rowland)
There was still snow in a hollow in a small woods near my house in mid-April. (Robin Rowland)
The snow in the hollow which lasted for about a week after all the snow had gone elsewhere attracted varied thrushes almost every day. (Robin Rowland)
The spring melt advances on the last patch of snow. A pair of varied thrushes. (Robin Rowland)
As the spring buds come out in the nearby woods. (Robin Rowland)
And in my backyard.
And on an old log in the same hollow a couple of days later. (Robin Rowland)
In early May on the waterfront at the Minette Bay Lodge. (Robin Rowland)
A closer shot of the varied thrush at Minette Bay. (Robin Rowland)
On an driftwood stump at the mudflats of Minette Bay at low tide. (Robin Rowland)
A closer view (Robin Rowland)
Photos from the annual local photographers’ walk around Minette Bay. The deepest cold passed, leaving ice everywhere. There was a heavy overcast and occasional fog.
Previous New Year’s walks
A near blizzard did not stop the people of Kitimat turning out for the Remembrance Day service on November 11, 2017.

The invocation, left to right, Dwight Magee, Royal Canadian Legion, Rev. Dr. Dona Lethbridge, Legion chaplain, Marg Bogaert, Royal Canadian Legion. (Robin Rowland)

Lucy Beatty of the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary lowers the flag during the two minutes of silence (Robin Rowland)
A waxing gibbous moon (91 per cent) rises over Kitimat’s iconic Mt. Elizabeth on a frigid afternoon, Febuary 8, 2017.
The moon begins its climb into the sky near the peak of Mt. Elizabeth. (RobinRowland)
And reaches above the twin peaks. (Robin Rowland)
A wider view of the moon over the twin peaks of Mt. Elizabeth (Robin Rowland)
The moon at 83.4 per cent gibbous on February 7. 2017 (Robin Rowland)
On both days, the moon was rising as the sun was setting over the mountains to the southwest.