Spring Visitors

Geordie and I spend the only nice day on this Victoria Day long weekend on the North Shore. We started early, busing to Lynn Canyon for some hiking. I am glad we got there early because it got busy later with tours wanting to see the suspension bridge. The early time paid off with some very nice bird encounters and a quieter time.
A new fellow was this very personable Townsend's Warbler who appeared to be picking bugs off a tree. He was really cute singing to himself as he fed. We could hear others in the trees about us.

 These Barn Swallows are nesting underneath a restaurant on the sea wall. At least I think they are. They are so hard to photograph because they are usually fast flyers going after bugs and do not want to sit for a moment. Today though there were about half a dozen in the area and they seemed to like to perch on some part of a dock. They were in wonderfully bright light so they look very shiny. I think that the one with his wings spread has a very belligerent expression. 

 Also in Lynn Canyon there are American Dippers. I have been here before and not seen them but others I was with have. They are brave birds plunging right into the fast flowing cold water. They are kind of shy but sitting quietly on a nice sunny rock paid off in the long term as we were able to watch them feed and eventually and with difficulty snap a mediocore photo.