Spring Birding:The One That Got Away

What a treat to spy this fellow as I was driving along the other morning.  Not a car in sight so I was able to stop, back up and pull over safely.

The trouble was he sensed me behind him and kept winding a little further along.  I ended up following for a little while getting photos of bits of wing or legs till I finally got this picture. I was ready to give up because I didn't want to drive him away. It is the Great Blue Heron and I've tried many times in the past to get a decent photo of one. I glimpse them from time to time in our creek; once I went over my boots in water trying to get a photo but no luck. They are such awkward looking birds; look at the length of that thin neck and the even thinner legs!

That same morning I caught sight of a young Bald Eagle sitting high atop a tree.  Ditto for above, pulled over and got out to aim properly and the bird took flight the moment I did so.  Here's what I captured...

And then immediately it became far, far off

And when I got home and had a good look, I was disappointed I did not capture that white head.  It was a Bald Eagle but I guess you'll just have to take my word for it.
I also took photos of two wrens gathering straw for nests; they were mildly agitated by my presence and tried to lure me away.  However, their rather drab gray/brown colours blended so perfectly with the surrounding brush at this time of year, they were indistinguishable in the pictures.  I couldn't spot them at all; hopefully neither will any predators.  
The little red squirrels are out and about.  It is cute to watch them running around because they hold their tails aloft like little flags.

I watched this fellow through the kitchen window; don't know what he was munching on but spent quite a long time in the old fir tree chewing.  I suspect it was finding cones or buds of some sort.

Here is a really fun book for us birders.  The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma offers the recorded songs of  75 of the most common birds in our area.  This book was a gift to me and I think it was bought at Costco; I've gotten a lot of enjoyment from it and I'm sure anyone who likes birds will also like it.
With nary a leaf in sight yet, it is still good opportunities for bird sightings.