The Wilson's Warbler although common and wide spread has been a hard find for me. The female or immature is easily confused with the Yellow Warbler which doesn't help in the hunt since both species are found in similar habitat. The adult male with the black beret is easiest to identify.

Wilson's Warbler

The Snowy Plover is mega rare on the east coast except for the west side of Florida and some Caribbean islands. It's primarily a bird of the continental south west.

I was lucky to photograph this Snowy Plover and will treasure the photos for I may never see one again.

Snowy Plover

The Dragon's Mouth Orchid is common and wide spread in Nova Scotia bogs. It is difficult to photograph well due to the pastel pink colours which are challenging to capture. It is also in wet bogs so rubber boots are essential. It is low to the ground and often waving in the wind so balancing shutter speed and aperture is the name of the game.

The Dragon's Mouth Orchid is a back yard orchid for us in Portuguese Cove.

Dragon's Mouth Orchid

The Large Purple-fringed Orchid grows alone or in large colonies often in full sun. Like most orchids the flowering period is short so get out early and often to find this orchid at its best.

Large Purple-fringed Orchid

The Common Murre breeds in enormous colonies in Newfoundland and southern Greenland. It visits us in Nova Scotia during the winter and can be seen along the Atlantic coast often in company with other alcids such as the Black Guillemot and Thick-billed Murre.

Common Murre

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a winter bird for Nova Scotia. It breeds further north on cliff faces and heads south along the coasts, east and west to winter. It has an interesting flight pattern dipping to the left and right as it flies allowing for its identification from look-offs such as Shoal Point.

Black-legged Kittiwake

The Canada Warbler is threatened due to habitat loss and the reckless use of insecticides. Its an elegant bird with a delightful song easily remembered once heard. It nests on wet forest floors so it can be hard to find unless you enjoy trudging through insect infested water. Its a long distant migrant and is usually one of the last warblers to arrive on its breeding territory. It nests mostly in Canada but also in some north eastern states. Its coveted and loved by many naturalists.

Canada Warbler

Canada Warbler 1 Canada Warbler 2 Canada Warbler 3 Canada Warbler 4 Canada Warbler 5 Canada Warbler 6 Canada Warbler 7 Canada Warbler 8 Canada Warbler 9 Canada Warbler 10 Canada Warbler 11 Canada Warbler 12SONY DSC Canada Warbler 13SONY DSC Canada Warbler 14 Canada Warbler 15 Canada Warbler 16SONY DSC Canada Warbler 17SONY DSC

The Brown Thrasher is common but sometimes hard to find if its not singing. Its song is a compilation of short opening parts of other birds songs although the Brown Thrasher no doubt considers the other birds as the song thieves. I have many photos of this bird unfortunately most are distant or of poor quality.

Brown Thrasher

The Grey Catbird is our most common mimic thrush. Its kin are the Brown Thrasher and Northern Mockingbird. All three species are noted for their songs apparently sounding like renditions from other birds. The Grey Catbird usually uses only the first one or two notes from a song stitched together into a series of such notes. It nests in multiflora brambles including the bramble in our front yard.

Grey Catbird

The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail is a different butterfly species from the Tiger Swallowtail. Its common and widespread in Nova Scotia. We saw our first one last Monday foraging on a road and the foliage of the roadside ditch.

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail

We meet this magnificent day flying moth along roadsides all over Nova Scotia. Its not shy and easy to photograph although a macro or micro lens does help. Another option is to to use close up filters that screw on the front of your lens.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

The Ragged Fringed Orchid is a common roadside orchid popping up in disturbed ground. Unfortunately road grading kills colonies of this elegant orchid.

Ragged Fringed Orchid

The Least Sandpiper is a denizen of the coastline often foraging among the kelp and weeds captured by the rocks. The pickings are always best after a high tide when the little edibles are marooned.

The Least Sandpiper is the tamest of all the sandpipers in my experience. I've sat on a beach chair or on a shoreline rock and the little critters have marched to within a metre of me as they forage. Other shorebirds can be almost as accommodating as long as you don't move. Once you have your camera at your viewing position, in my case eyepiece viewing, don't remove the camera from your eye and slowly follow the bird around.

Least Sandpiper