›› Liam Ragan
One of the silver linings of quarantine has been the chance to acquaint myself with the Fernwood neighbourhood. I just moved to Fernwood in February after graduating from a university in Montréal. Being a bird photographer means getting to know our avian neighbours.
Abundant green space, countless trees, and the odd open field—I’ve been able to see 60 species of birds around Fernwood in 2020. I believe this highlights the abundant biodiversity at our doorstep and shows that you don’t need to go far to see some truly incredible species.
To prove this, I’d like to introduce you to three species I photographed in Fernwood this year that you can look out for in 2021.
Despite being one of the most common birds in urban areas in B.C., Anna’s Hummingbird are a newcomer to the province and only started nesting here in the late ‘80s. (see above)
Slightly less common but still by no means unusual, I found this young Red-tailed Hawk at the nearby Cedar Hill Golf Course enjoying our all-too-familiar west coast winter weather.
Last but not least, I was surprised in September to find this rare migrant Lapland Longspur taking advantage of the unusually vacant Victoria High field which resembled its flat tundra breeding grounds in the high arctic as it grabbed a quick bite on its way south to Texas for the winter.
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Liam is the Provincial Coordinator for Important Bird Areas in B.C. Check out his photos on Instagram at @liamragan.
