First Full Day in Beautiful British Columbia...

...rewarded me with two Lifers, an unexpected treat, as I remained within walking distance of my "home" here. At dawn, I wandered over to the local park with a pond that is home year-round to American Wigeons, and was not disappointed, are as tame as our Mallards on Ontario, here they are foraging around in the grass:

This mystery fellow has been around for several years now, according to Bryce's neighbours, and is called WHITEY:

Ahhhh, but on to the Lifers, the first one was a STELLER'S JAY, it caught my attention because it was making quite a racket from a high treetop south of the pond. Fortunately I was able to get it in my binos before it took off, immediately noticing its crest and blue-black colouration. I committed to memory its call and sure enough, confirmed it as such when I returned home by listening to it on my iTouch (freak that I am). Too bad I could not get a photo, but it was a Lifer, whoohoo!!!! With any luck over the next few weeks, I'll come across another one to photograph, watch this space...

My second Lifer was perched on the eavestrough of Bryce's neighbour's place, and I almost didn't bother to look at them at the time, assuming they were just your run-of-the-mill Tree Swallows. Noooooooooooooo, once I down-loaded these pics, the violet-green colour of them jumped out, and I confirmed them as- ARE YOU READY FOR IT??? Violet-green Swallows. For once the guy who named them got it right (case in point: Ring-Necked Duck has a ringed bill; Red-bellied Woodpecker has a red crown, and barely any red on its belly). Another distinguishing field mark is some white above the eye, which is hard to tell from the photo below, but when I zoomed in on it, it's there, but it was too grainy for me to post. Another goal for me is to get a proper photo before I return to Ontario.  

Also saw and heard numerous White-crowned Sparrows (another Year bird) singing away. So today have added two Lifers and three Year birds to my lists, not bad!