Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary!

Barred Owls! We were fortunate to learn of a nesting pair at Swan Lake. Although they are a nocturnal species, during nesting season they can be active during the day. We're pretty sure the prey in the beak of the lower owl is a Virginia Rail!

Bushtits are tiny, kinglet-sized birds of the west coast. They are plump and large-headed, with long tails and short, stubby bills. They forage like chickadees, frequently hanging upside down to grab small insects and spiders from leaves. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds) The bird above is collecting cattail seed fluff for its nest.

Bushtits build a hanging nest out of soft materials such as grasses and spider webs. (Cornell Lab, All About Birds). We found this nest close to where we parked our car. One bird is peeking out of the nest while its mate is perched nearby. 

Notice the cinnamon-coloured duck in front of the Canada Goose. Finding a Cinnamon Teal added another bird to my life list!

Deryl made a new friend along the boardwalk!

Natural garden growing on roof of display kiosk; common in the temperate rainforest of Vancouver Island!