It’s a tradition for me to come down to Cape Breton each summer to go swimming with my nieces, and see my best girlfriends.

This is the 3rd year I’ve incorporated some birding into the mix, and Cape Breton is definitely a favorite place to bird for many reasons.  Now that I’ve adopted a busy Border Collie things don’t always go as planned, but I will say I am not bored at all.  Eh em.

I set reasonable birding goals for myself for the week to allow for Border Collie playdates, and achieved the first goal on Tuesday morning when I was finally able to photograph a Mourning Warbler.  Not my best work, but still delighted to have them.

Macy and I near got carried off by the giant horseflies to get these shots, but eventually discovered that Atlantick spray repels these flying monsters.

Anyway, here is Mr. Handsome.

Realistically, there will be very little birding time but last night I enjoyed a mecca birding evening on a Bird Island Boat Tour.  Thank you David McCorquodale for organizing a few of us for this fabulous time, perfect suggestion!

And since I won’t top that this week, and have run out of time anyway, I will leave you with some highlights from last night’s magical evening.

My favorite shot is of the very common, Double-crested Cormorants.  I follow my friend Paul’s advice to “shoot everything” and take what I get.  Often we overlook things in pursuit of the rare bird but there is beauty in all of nature.

And really, there could never be too many puffins right?