Bleak House Museum, Fogo, Fogo Island

 On a recent visit to Fogo Island, I found many surprises. Over the days to come, I will share them. One of the delights was a visit to the Bleak House Museum.  I am providing the link to the Heritage Society web page that provides an overview of this wealthy merchant home. It is thought to be the oldest structure remaining on Fogo Island.  http://www.heritage.nf.ca/society/rhs/cf_listing/049.html

 There were several things about this museum that were impressive. First, there is a very knowledgeable tour guide who provided an engaging narrative of the features of the house and the traditions of the period. Being a merchant's house, it had all of the trendy best of its era. Another great feature of the home is that it is tastefully decorated and looks like the occupants just stepped out for a walk.

This bedroom was one of my favorite rooms as it boasted a beautiful bay window overlooking the water. The merchant must have been counting his money as he watched the fishing boats come and go. There is a very interesting story about the steps going into the bedrooms, but I will leave it to you to visit the museum to learn more about these. I don't want to divulge all of this home's highlights. If you are in the area, don't miss this opportunity to take a walk back in time. It was a delight.

Common Yellowthroat

I have added yet another warbler to my collection. Just in time, I might add because I took a brief jaunt yesterday to a notable warbler area and there was not one to be seen. Migration has started.

When I looked up this warbler in the field guides, I was surprised to find that it is not listed under Warblers but rather under Yellowthroat. I don't know why but this is considered a New World warbler. Maybe that makes a difference.

This female Common Yellowthroat was, just as the field guide said, sitting low in the tree and under the brush. At one point it came out onto the road but the bright sunlight made those images too stark so I decided to post these shady images.

Even though this was my first Common Yellowthroat, they are apparently very common all across North America. I viewed this one while on a bird tour along Bear Cove Road on the Southern Shore. On that morning in early September, there were many birds in the area. It is particularly nice to view birds with other birdwatchers as they share the enthusiasm and photographic challenges. Yet, I still really enjoy going out alone in search of a new bird for my list.

I can't really describe the feeling associated with finding a new bird and then getting it out into the open suitable for photos. There is an immense satisfaction associated with the whole process, including downloading the images to discover a number of suitable pics.

Although my shots are far from being perfect or artistic, they are getting much better. This blog has allowed me to follow the improvement over the months. Frequently, I find myself going back to old postings and removing the old shots to replace them with better shots. That process will probably go on for quite some time.

Note:  I am once again tempted by a new camera body. Getting good pictures starts with a great camera. Without it, opportunities come and go.
I am currently shooting with a Canon Rebel XS and a 70mm to 300mm IS Canon lens.

Pine Grosbeak

 The Pine Grosbeak belongs to the same family of birds as the recently featured Pine Siskin. This species can be found throughout the year in Newfoundland and is very striking with its red and gray coloring.

I first came upon this bird on the Bauline Line Extension road where it was eating the salt on the side of the road. Those pictures didn't turn out. I later saw it again during the winter sitting atop some very high trees. Those pictures didn't turn out.

It is such a tease when this great bird about the size of a robin flies in and I can't get a picture of it. It sings loudly and distinctly. It is very easy to know when they are in the area even when they are not visible. When I heard them, I pulled off the road and waited. Within minutes they would show up, but always seemed to be too far away or in poor lighting conditions.

 In Spring when walking the trail between Second Pond and Third Pond I came across a beautiful Pine Grosbeak in his full Spring attire. Unfortunately, there were too many leaves between him and me. Those pictures didn't turn out.

Recently, I went on a bird tour to the Southern Shore. We were birding Bear Cove Road and up pop two Pine Grosbeaks, not too far away. However, the sun was rising behind them and all I got was a silhouette.

 Finally, about two weeks ago, I went to Cochrane Pond Road for a morning of quiet birding. The woods were "birdy." I saw about 15 species that morning, including this great Pine Grosbeak. I was just sitting in my car photographing some late warblers through the window when I saw a flash of movement on the other side of the car. I looked up and there he was. The light was good but unfortunately it was about 40 feet away. Nevertheless, I started clicking the shutter. These shots were the outcome. They are undoubtedly the best shots that I have of this bird so far.

It is a great feeling of accomplishment to finally capture a shot of a sought-after bird. I continue to be awed by the number of species of birds that can be seen in Newfoundland. I have profiled over 100 species in about five months and I still have many yet to come.

If I run out of species to profile, I will continue to upgrade the quality of the photos.

Pine Siskin

 The Pine Siskin is found in Newfoundland throughout the year. My first encounter with this small bird was on the Bauline Line Extension during February of this year. However, the images that I captured were distant, dull and blurred. I stored them away hoping to have a better opportunity at a later date.

 Much to my surprise in early September, I had some Pine Siskin visitors in my yard. I had mixed some Niger seed with my usual lot and in they came.  I watched them for several days at the feeder and was able to get the shot above, shooting from my kitchen window.

 Then one late one afternoon a pair of Pine Siskins came to dine and I got bold enough to go outdoors to see if I could get some better shots. The field guide reports that these are tame birds and are approachable. That proved to be true. I got within six feet of the birds feeding on the ground. Because it was late and getting dark, I used my flash to get these pictures. It didn't bother them at all.

These little birds can travel as far as Florida or Mexico if food is scarce. Note the yellow at the base of the primaries and secondaries. The song of this bird is quite loud and can be heard from the car when driving down some less traveled road. In the winter it is possible to see this bird on the side of the road as it is attracted to the salt.