Migrating Pacific Brant along  a local beach  

As the rain fell today on yesterdays snow, the birds came out in droves! Hungry creatures and this colourful Varied Thrush is generally very shy, but today they let me take photos! 

One of the last of a handful of British transplants to Vancouver Island in the 1940's.  This Skylark was found today  by avid birder Jody Wells .. Thanks Jody for the tip and the ID .. I would not have known this one to be  a rare bird.. Jody knows his birds!!! 

Photos above show a field of American Wigeon and a Great Blue Heron in Central Saanich today.  Wet windy weather turns to sleet , then snow... brrr!
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Actually I spotted 7 species of Geese this day ... Canada geese(Dusky, Cackling, Greater) Pink Footed, White Front, Snows, and pictured above Pacific Brant! 

These super uncommon geese arrived to the Saanich Peninsula a few days ago.  Avid birders are flocking out to Central Saanich to get a glimpse of these birds that hail from Iceland!  Why they are here is quite a matter of speculation ... as they both declined to be interviewed  :))  .. I was happy to get to see them at all today , and want to thank Tom Michell and Ann Nightingale  for directing me to these rarities.  As I understand  this is only the second ever sighting of these geese on the Pacific Coast ... Remarkable!  
***  NOTE .. sorry about the image quality but 2 hours watching these birds from a long ways off and attempting to photograph them basically towards the afternoon sun.. I was happy to get anything recognizable.  If they stick around at all..I'll try for better shots ! 
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