Hey everyone! In this post I want to share a few bird images I took in Emerald Lake, British Columbia, Canada. My wife and I went there to celebrate her birthday at the end of April / beginning of May.
Steller's Jay
This first image is a Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta Stelleri). As you can see it is a beautiful bird with an intense blue color on its belly, wings, rump and tail. It has a long dark crest and also a dark throat. The wings and tail feathers have black bars.
Steller's Jay Portrait 
Steller’s Jays can be seen during all year in British Columbia. They are common in coniferous woods. The white forehead marks are characteristic of populations from the interior west of North America. In this second image you can appreciate the blue and white forehead marks.
Violet-green Swallow
This third image is a Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta Thalassina). This bird was far away on top of a branch. Due to the low morning temperatures you can see how it fluffed up its feathers to trap air which is then warmed by its body temperature. Violet-green Swallows have a distinct white face even above the eye. Their upper side is green and violet. They are usually seen during summer and like to forage over open areas near water.
American Three-toed Woodpecker 
In this image we have an American Three-toed Woodpecker. Populations of the rocky mountains are distinguished from others by the white back and by being irregularly barred. They have a yellow speckled crown and size wise they are bigger than a Downy Woodpecker but smaller than a Hairy Woodpecker. American Three-toed Woodpeckers are seen during winter in the north and east regions of Canada.
And finally…. The surprise image for this post, a Mountain Goat! This was the first time I was able to see one of these mammals. I was extremely happy and glad I could capture some images. We saw this goat while we were driving from British Columbia to Alberta. It was on top of cliff next to the road, feeding from some trees. They are excellent climbers and have a double wool coat to protect them during winter. I decided to develop this image in black and white to enhance the contrast of the goat’s white hair.
Mountain Goat
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