getting my urban fix

When I'm looking for a few hours to fill, I go about getting my urban fix!

 It's been interesting and fun lately with lots of new sightings.  

On this day I did not have to go far!  While sitting at my computer, I had a strange feeling someone was looking over my shoulder.  In the trees right outside the window sat a Blue Jay!  I ran for my camera and this is what I captured through the window.  There is a saying "if the Blue Jay is bald it must be August".  Well, as you can see the Blue Jay is bald!  

It's that time of year where the colours turn to shades of autumn!  It was not that long ago that I strolled through Confluence Park but in that time, the foliage has taken on a new look.  The reds and golds are popping.  It will soon be time to begin watching the section of larch trees in this Park.  

In an open section outside of the Birth Forest, I spotted what looked like a Robin but something was off.  I was able to slowly approach the bird while it watched me and I knew I was seeing something I never saw before.  After doing my homework once I got home, I can confirm this is a Say's Phoebe. I "lifer" for me!

Four hawks have taken up residence in the area where there is construction.  This is one of the hawks resting and in flight.  Hawks for me are as challenging to ID as Sparrows are.  I watched the four for quite some time as they played around in the wind currents.  I wondered were they a family as they appeared to be different sizes.

 

Visiting the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary has become a weekly thing, I am sensing maybe going there has become an addition.  If so, at least it is a healthy one.  It was a cold start to the morning yet the birds and ducks were out & about.   A layer of fog hung over the open water which I thought looked so pretty.  They say the birds have already started migrating south so there will be fewer and fewer sightings each time I visit from here on in.  

These are a few of what I spotted on this day.  The resident Blue Heron is still perching about. I believe that is a Wren in the bottom left photo.   After showing others who were visiting here this morning, the hawk photo, and a lady checking her guide, then referring to my bird book when I got home, seeing this Merlin was another "lifer" for me.