Trip to the Lower Mainland - Part 2

Here is Part 2 of my trifecta series of birding in the Lower Mainland.

February 9th;

On this day, I did a mini-big-day with Liron Gertsman in the Richmond/Delta/Surrey area. We started early, more specifically 8:30 a.m. at Brunswick Point in Richmond. After first introductions ( we had never met before ), we began scanning the mouth of the canal for seabirds. We found several Bufflehead, 2 Common Goldeneyes, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, one lone female Hooded Merganser, 4 Western Grebes, and a Red-throated Loon showing its distinctive profile a ways out to sea. Starting to walk along the trail, we bumped into a flock of around 20 Golden-crowned Sparrows feeding on a clay deposit, picking through the dirt for food.


Clay-pecker Sparrows

Directing our attention back to the water, we saw the resident bunch of Double-crested Cormorants hanging out on the erect wooden poles situated near shore.


Double-crested Cormorants

Even further out, we counted at least 50 Northern Pintails actively flying and landing on the water, and exactly 52 Trumpeter Swans sitting together nearby. On each side of the trail, we saw great numbers of Fox and Song Sparrows, not to mention tons of Spotted Towhees exhibiting the "scratch, scratch" technique on the ground, searching for bugs. Two Virginia Rails strutted across the ice on the left side of the trail, which is always a delight to see in the winter, and a pair of Golden-crowned Kinglets entertained us from a patch of low bushes. Rounding the wide loop of the path, I spotted two Western Meadowlarks whipping in and out of the grasses on the field, and Liron was soon able to locate them too. A massive flock of Dunlin were swirling around out near the shoreline a long distance away, and we calculated there were at least 5000 birds in the group. Continuing on, we were greeted by a brisk northern wind shooting at us, a White-crowned Sparrow, and a posing Golden-crowned Sparrow huddling down from the wind.


Golden-crowned Sparrow

There were birds around the vicinity that liked the wind though, with 5 Northern Harriers surfing the prairie low in dramatic fashion. On our way back, Liron and I did watch an interesting spectacle; a Bald Eagle chasing a Western X Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid with a piece of food in its claws. We were amazed at the eagle's dedication to the subject of "steal the food from that gull!!!". The Bald Eagle was in hot pursuit of this gull for literally ten minutes. In repetition this went on : 1 - Gull flying away swiftly, 2 - Bald Eagle catching up, 3 - Gull gracefully twisting and turning out of the way, 4 - Bald Eagle catching up again. The final verdict : the Bald Eagle didn't catch the gull.

Okay, let's get back to where we were. Liron and I were heading back to the car. We happened to run into another birder/photographer, who we started talking to. It turned out to be our own Nick B. from these forums! Friendly introductions were exchanged between the three of us. It was great to meet you, Nick!

By now, we had just reached the parking area. A moment later, we saw a shorebird zip over the cars in the lot. It turned out to be a Wilson's Snipe - an excellent surprise!

Upon leaving Brunswick Point, I noted 5 Snow Geese flying from the direction of Reifel Bird Sanctuary, and had brief, unsatisfying looks at the Prairie Falcon sitting prettily in a farmer's field as we were driving away.

Next stop - Tsawwassen Ferry Docks.
Birds counted right off the bat were a mixed group of Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, and Mallard resting on the beach. A Greater Yellowlegs shot out from the shore, which I photographed landing near the flock of ducks.


Greater Yellowlegs

To our wondering eyes, as we walked out to the edge of the pebbly shore, was a Dunlin sitting perfectly 4 feet away at the water's edge! Photo-op time!!!


Dunlin portrait


Dunlin artistic shot


Dunlin probing


Dunlin

After smiling for quite some time, we plodded on down the beach. Out on the water there were bountiful amounts of ducks with 35 Bufflehead, 8 Lesser Scaup, 4 Greater Scaup, 30 Surf Scoters, 4 Common Goldeneyes, and 1 Barrow's Goldeneye. Here are some photographic highlights from along the shore :


Black Turnstone


Black Oystercatcher on rocks


Black Oystercatcher


Peek a boo!


Snow Bunting

After the exciting photo shoots, Liron and I crossed the road ( don't worry, there was a break in the ferries; no traffic ) My main goal here was to find my lifer Brant. A quick scan of the spit covered with hundreds of Mallards..... produced two Brant! British Columbia lifer #280! They were hiding in between the Mallards at the edge. Thank you Liron for using your camera as a scope with the 1.4 extender for me to see my lifer up close.

Scouring through the choppy water in the wide cove, we were able to see an additional 15 Brant, several Common Loons, and 2 Pelagic Cormorants almost a kilometer out, flapping over the water.

Well, that's it for Part 2! I hope you didn't find it too long-winded. I REALLY hope you didn't fall asleep!

Part 3 - coming up!

Lower Mainland Trip Part 1

This is the long-awaited posting about my trip to the Richmond area almost a month ago. I am sectioning it into three parts, and this is the first.

February 8th :

Arriving in Richmond at around 3:30 p.m., I headed out to Boundary Bay 72nd street in hope for my lifer Short-eared Owl.

Upon arriving, I was greeted by a horde of male Red-winged Blackbirds singing triumphantly from behind some short bushes and around 100 American Wigeons swirling in the air. I directed my binoculars to the wide expanse of prairie to start scanning for Shorties....... fifteen seconds later, I saw an elegant silhouette rise over the ridge and start surfing the tall grass. Short-eared Owl! Lifer #279 for British Columbia! Watching in awe, the SEOW dove gracefully into the grass for some dinner.

Also whooshing back and forth across the expanse were three lovely female Northern Harriers, and a Great Blue Heron was eyeing out the situation on the path nearby. I decided a walk along the dyke would be imperative to try to find something else interesting. Overhead the path was a pair of Mallards flying quickly and a Killdeer called in the distance. Walking along, I stirred up a few Song Sparrows and two Spotted Towhees in the tangle of bushes on the right hand side, as well as another GBH. Calling from the grasslands were several Marsh Wrens. Perusing the prairie, I saw at least three male Northern Harriers, and one was cordial enough to fly my way, so I snapped a shot of him as he whizzed by.


Northern Harrier male

This turned out to be my best in-flight harrier shot I've ever taken in my opinion.

Only a minute later, I turned around, and what was perched eloquently on a seadrift log, but a Long-eared Owl!


Long-eared Owl

I was surprised indeed to see one out in the open like that; they are usually found skulking in the brambles in dense cover!

To make matters even better, when I rounded a corner, I was face to face with a Short-eared Owl on a horizontal piece of wood!


Short-eared Owl

With the light fading, I decided it was time to head back to the car. Upon reaching the parking area, even more birds were about to be seen. There was a kind of feeding frenzy of birds being active before sun-down, and I counted 2 Eurasian Collared-Doves, 2 Black-capped Chickadees, around 6 Song Sparrows, 5 Golden-crowned Sparrows, 4 White-crowned Sparrows, 3 Dark-eyed Juncos, and 1 Fox Sparrow all in the bushes on either side of the road! A fly-by Double-crested Cormorant was a nice addition to the list too.

Well, it was a excellent two hours of birding at BB, with three photos I was happy with, and a lifer!

Thank you for looking, and Part 2 and Part 3 are coming up soon!

Logan

Catching up.....

I has been a looong time. FAR too long. I'm sorry I haven't updated; I've been busy as usual. Let's catch up on how birding's been for me the last month and a half.

January 23rd - Got two fly-over Cackling Geese near Munson Pond.
January 24th - Heard a Western Screech-Owl at Sutherland Hills Park at dusk
January 27th - Found a winter Northern Shoveler near the H20 swimming centre ( shovelers are rare in winter in the Okanagan. )
February 7th - Went to Abbotsford, getting a fly-away Gyrfalcon at Sumas Prairie - Happy Dance Lifer Time!!! :)
February 8th - Went to Boundary Bay, 72nd Street, and got both Long and Short-eared Owls! ( Short-eared Owl - Lifer #279 for BC! )

Short-eared Owl - Lifer #279 for British Columbia


Long-eared Owl

February 9th - Did a mini-big-day with Liron Gerstman, another 13 year old birder like me. We racked up 71 species for the day! :D Here are some of the highlights :


Double-crested Cormorants


Black-bellied Plover


Black Turnstone


American X Eurasian Wigeon hybrid


Inter-sex Northern Pintail


Black Oystercatcher


Eurasian Wigeon


Western Sandpiper


Snow Bunting


And finally..... the cute, adorable Dunlin!

March 5th - Oh, that's today! I heard a Ring-necked Pheasant along Spiers Road in Kelowna - year-bird #125, and saw my first of the yard Peregrine Falcon at my house- yard-bird #114!

Thank you for looking, and a three-part detailed report of my weekend from February 8th to 9th in the Lower Mainland is coming up very soon!

Have a great evening;

Logan :)